Join us for a special session with John Jacobson at NYSSMA on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM in the Highland EF Room. Don’t miss this inspiring presentation for music educators and choir directors.
Session: Carefully Taught
As music educators, we hold a unique and powerful role in shaping the lives of our students—not just as musicians, but as compassionate, thoughtful, and resilient human beings. Music is far more than notes on a page or melodies in the air; it is a vehicle for instilling lifelong values, fostering emotional intelligence, and nurturing a deep sense of empathy and connection.
Our classrooms are not just places of musical instruction, but safe havens where children of all backgrounds, abilities, and experiences can come together, find their voices, and build meaningful relationships. Through the power of song, rhythm, and harmony, we can teach lessons of kindness, respect, teamwork, courage, and forgiveness, allowing our students to experience these ideals firsthand.
This keynote will explore how we, as educators, can purposefully weave social-emotional learning into our music instruction—helping children navigate their emotions, develop empathy for others, and cultivate resilience in the face of challenges. From the lyrics we choose to the way we structure our rehearsals, every interaction offers an opportunity to uplift, inspire, and teach beyond the music itself.
Just as Rodgers and Hammerstein poignantly reminded us, “You’ve got to be carefully taught.” What we say, how we say it, and the messages we reinforce through our musical choices will echo in the hearts and minds of our students long after they leave our classrooms. Let us embrace this incredible responsibility and ensure that, through music, we are shaping not only great performers but also kind, compassionate, and thoughtful individuals who will carry these lessons with them for a lifetime.
When: Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Where: Highland EF