Looking for some helpful tips and ideas as you navigate your educational career?? This session is geared towards collegiate students and teachers in their first four years of teaching. Various topics will be discussed about what it is like to be a music teacher (in the trenches) and lessons we have learned throughout the years with our various experiences. The clinicians will discuss classroom management, communication, lesson planning, work-life balance, and more. We aim to provide tips and resources to help music educators in their early educational journey.
Target Audience
Collegiate students and music educators in their first four years of their career
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Nicole Nalupa
Nicole Nalupa is a junior high band director with six years of experience teaching band, strings, chorus, mariachi, and general music in the elementary music classroom and two years experience as the director of bands in junior high. She is currently teaching at Earl Warren Junior High School in the Panama Buena Vista Union School District in Bakersfield, CA. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University, Bakersfield. She is also certified in Level I & II in the Kodály Methodology from the CSUB Kodály Institute. As an undergraduate student, Nicole was a founding board member of the CSUB Instrumental Club, which later evolved into the NAfME CSUB Collegiate Chapter. Nicole is a member of NAfME, Kern County Music Educators Association, Kodály Music Educators of Central California, and is a board member for the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Angel Ortiz-Valenzuela
Angel Ortiz-Valenzuela is currently the Band Director at Leon H. Ollivier Middle School in the Greenfield Union School District where he has been teaching for 6 years. Along with teaching, he has started mentoring new music teachers in the Greenfield District this school year. Before starting his position he was a Substitute teacher with the Panama Buena Vista Union School district where he taught various levels and subjects. Ortiz is currently serving his second year as the Band Representative for the Kern County Music Educators Association. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University, Bakersfield. As an undergraduate student, Ortiz served as the treasurer for the NAfME CSUB Collegiate Chapter for two years. In 2020, Ortiz was selected to participate in the CASMEC Conducting Symposium working with Dr. Kevin Sedatole and Dr. Katherine Rand. Outside of teaching he currently performs with the CSUB Concert Band and has performed with The Bakersfield Winds and The Bakersfield Municipal Band. Ortiz is a member of NAfME, CMEA, and The Kern County Music Educators Association.