Move culturally responsive practice from theory to action in your arts classrooms
A 90-minute book talk for K-12 music and arts teams that gives your educators the shared language, tools, and next steps to make culturally responsive teaching a practice they can point to and demonstrate, not just a value they believe in. Led by the author of Music As a Vehicle®
$5,000 all-inclusive. Virtual or in-person
IS THIS FOR YOU?
You’re responsible for the professional learning of arts educators in your district, regional educational service agency, or organization. You care about culturally responsive practice, not as a buzzword, but as a lens that actually changes how your teachers show up for students.
And you’ve run into some version of this:
- Your arts teachers keep asking for PD that speaks to their discipline, not another generic session repurposed from the core content rollout.
- You want to bring in culturally responsive professional learning, but the options you’ve found either skip the arts entirely or treat “diversity” as a playlist.
- Your team believes in culturally responsive practice, but when you walk into their classrooms, you can’t quite point to what it looks like in action.
- You’re leading multiple departments and you need a trusted arts expert who your teachers will connect with
- You have a music and arts team that’s been exposed to the ideas, and now you need someone who can help them move from awareness to shared language and, most importantly, shared practice that leads to visible and measurable student outcomes
If any of that sounds familiar, this is for you!
WHAT THE BOOK TALK DELIVERS
A book talk is 90 minutes of interactive, discussion-based professional learning grounded in the four pillars of the Music As a Vehicle® framework: Developing a Mindset for Equity, Cultivating an Affirming Learning Environment, Diverse Repertoire & Materials, and Real-World Curriculum & Instruction for Variability.
Your team will leave with:
- A clear picture of what culturally responsive arts practice looks like in action, so your team can recognize it, plan for it, and build toward it with intention.
- A new lens for seeing students, moving from demographics and diversity labels to frames of reference and assets they bring
- A shared vocabulary across all four pillars of the framework, so your team is speaking the same language about the same work.
- Signature tools which past participants consistently name as the thing they’ll use on Monday.
- A copy of the book for every participant (up to 50 copies included) to use as an ongoing implementation resource long after the session ends.
- Concrete next steps for each teacher, tailored to their classroom reality.
This is not a lecture. It’s a facilitated learning experience designed for teams of K-12 music and arts educators who are ready to move culturally responsive practice from a belief they hold to a practice they can demonstrate.
BOOK TALKS BY THE NUMBERS
Every book talk ends with an anonymous participant survey. Here’s what teachers from recent book talks have said:
100% identified a specific action step they’ll take from the session
91% agreed the session provided tools they could implement immediately
87% said they plan to implement at least one new technique within a week
87% said what they learned will have a positive impact on their students
Across the broader body of A. Cuthbertson Consulting’s work: 95% of the thousands of music and arts educators Ashley has served through hundreds of professional learning sessions highly recommend her as a facilitator.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
$5,000, all-inclusive.
- 90-minute interactive book talk, delivered virtually or in-person
- Up to 50 copies of Music As a Vehicle® for your team
- All facilitator materials and participant handouts
- A personalized follow-up email within 48 hours of the session, including a specific recommendation for your team’s next step
- A 30-minute strategy call two weeks later to review the recommendation and plan what’s next
Smaller team? Reach out. We can adjust the book count and investment to fit.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE BOOK TALK
One-and-done PD doesn’t work. You know it, your teachers know it, and it’s exhausting to keep chasing providers who leave your team energized for a week and no further along a month later.
Here’s what I’ve learned after delivering this session to music and arts teams across the country: the book talk is a starting point, not a destination. Your team will leave energized, better aligned, ready for more, and looking for a clear path to keep building.
Following our session, we’ll meet for a complimentary 30-minute strategy call where I’ll share a personalized recommendation based on what I observed about your team’s readiness and needs. Some teams are ready to keep going on their own with the book as their guide. Others benefit from a structured book study, a targeted deep-dive on one concept, or our flagship Pathways Program for full team transformation.
You’ll never get a menu of options and a “pick one.” You’ll get one clear recommendation from someone who just spent 90 minutes observing your team in action.
WHAT LEADERS AND TEACHERS ARE SAYING
“In the past when we’ve had workshops on Culturally Responsive Teaching, our community has at times gotten defensive and closed off. I really appreciated Ashley’s approach.”
Deanna Kennett, Assistant Director, Ensemble Connect, Carnegie Hall
“You are so good at breaking down concepts into practical chunks that are directly applicable to our time and place. You reinvigorated our enthusiasm for working across disciplines to provide our students with a big picture understanding of why they are learning what they are learning.”
Lisa Byrne, Arts Department Chair, Mayfield Junior School (Pasadena, CA)
“Often topics are explored in a very high-level way and folks struggle with how to implement strategies in real life classrooms. Ashley gave our teaching artists concrete resources to explore, implement, and adapt. Her approach was non-threatening, based in research and experience, and the clear framework gave them something concrete to wrap their minds around.”
Amy Rhodes, Director, Ensemble Connect, Carnegie Hall
“I appreciate that your presentation was encouraging us to move in a different direction without criticizing the work that we are already doing.”
Tara O’Connor, General Music Teacher and Choir Director, A.M. Kulp Elementary, North Penn School District
ABOUT ASHLEY CUTHBERTSON
I’m Ashley! I taught music in K-12 classrooms for 12 years, and I know what it feels like to sit through PD that checks a box but doesn’t change anything when you walk back into your room on Monday. That’s the PD I refuse to deliver. It’s why I created Music As a Vehicle®, and why I built this book talk.
Today, I work with arts leaders and their teams to take culturally responsive and equity-centered practice from theory to visible, actionable, and measurable in real classrooms.
I’m a Nationally Board Certified Teacher with an M.Ed, certifications in Kodály and Arts Integration, and 15+ years in the field. I’ve served thousands of music and arts educators across the U.S. and internationally through hundreds of professional learning sessions, and 95% highly recommend my sessions to a colleague.
I built this book talk for leaders like you: people who believe in the power of arts education, who care about the unique needs of their arts teachers, and who need a partner to help their team move culturally responsive practice from theory into the classroom.
FAQ
When should I book?
2026-2027 dates are filling, and most districts & educational institutions plan book talks around their fiscal year. I recommend booking your planning call to discuss a minimum of 6 weeks ahead of time to allow for us time to plan well.
Virtual or in-person?
Both work! The experience is designed to be equally strong either way. In-person requires travel costs above the $5,000 investment, which I’ll quote transparently on our call.
How big can the group be?
The session includes 50 books, so up to 50 participants is the standard. Smaller teams are welcome, and we can adjust pricing. For groups larger than 50, reach out and we’ll talk through options.
What if my team is not music-specific? Can arts teachers across disciplines attend?
Yes! The framework originated in music, but the four pillars of the framework apply across arts disciplines. Visual art, theater, dance, and media arts educators get a lot out of the session and the book.
What happens if we want further support after the book talk?
That’s exactly what the 30-minute strategy call two weeks after your session is designed to surface. No pressure, no long menu of choices. Whether you want further support or not, I’ll share one clear recommendation based on what I observed.
READY TO BRING A BOOK TALK TO YOUR TEAM?
2026-2027 dates are filling. Let’s find 20 minutes to talk through what your team needs and whether this is the right fit.
$5,000 all-inclusive. Virtual or in-person.
Want to preview the book first? Read a sample here.
