From Theory to Practice Series
Live monthly webinar series, winter 2024/spring 2025
Session 2 registration is now open!
Register now for “Breaking Barriers to Culturally Responsive Teaching”
Wednesday, January 22nd from 6:30-8:30pm EST
Live webinar via Zoom
About the webinar
Implementing culturally responsive instructional practices in music education can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with barriers like limited time, limited resources, fear of causing offense, or uncertainty about where to start. These challenges can make even the most passionate music educators hesitate to take the next step toward creating equitable, affirming, and engaging music learning environments.
In this interactive webinar, K-12 music educators and instructional leaders will explore three of the most common obstacles to culturally responsive teaching in music education and learn proactive strategies to address them. You’ll gain practical insights and actionable steps to overcome these barriers, helping you move confidently toward a music program that is both equitable and rigorous.
Whether you teach elementary general music, high school orchestra, or serve as a middle school principal, this session will equip you with tools to break through challenges and build a foundation for culturally responsive instruction that resonates with your learners and helps them thrive.
**Come live to receive a copy of my “Guide to Proactively Addressing Barriers to Culturally Responsive Music Teaching” resource!**
Webinar Objectives
You will:
- 3 common obstacles and barriers that make it tough for music educators to implement culturally responsive instructional practices.
- Understand proactive ways to address obstacles and barriers in order to move towards an equitable music learning environment for all learners.
- Be able to identify key steps you can take to address obstacles and barriers so you can confidently build a foundation for high quality, culturally responsive music instruction that learners are excited to engage with.
Feedback from previous webinar participants
“I was blown away by all you shared. I wrote fast notes but still want to review the webinar. Your presentation gently touched on so many specific things I wish to address and improve with instruction. I loved the approach of cultural relevance and doing a deep dive that honors the intention and origin of the music. I appreciated your final reminder about making small shifts! Everything was meaningful, well presented, and abundant!” – Susie Rising, Music Educator, Baltimore County Public Schools
“We have been discussing culturally responsive classrooms in staff meetings and it was great to see a music lesson example. “ – Amy Deloria, Music Educator, Maryland
“This was one of the best workshops I’ve ever attended and I’ve been teaching for 38 years! It tied together all the different strategies and multiple levels of learning in a doable way.” – Beth Evans, Music Educator, Alexandria, Virginia
Webinar Logistics, Registration, & Fees
-Audience: K-12 music educators & instructional leaders
-Time: 2 hours
-Location: Virtual
-Registration Fee: Free!
Here’s what music educator, Diane Murray-Charrett, shared about our professional learning offerings!:
Hear what teachers & instructional leaders say about our professional learning offerings here!
About the Facilitator
Ashley Cuthbertson, M.Ed, NBCT (she/her) is a nationally recognized educational consultant, speaker, and author of Music As a Vehicle: A Practical Guide to Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching in Today’s Music Classrooms.
Her work helps PK-12 music and arts educators create affirming learning environments and design engaging, high quality arts instruction that is culturally responsive and relevant to the diverse and ever-evolving needs of today’s learners. Described as an “engaging and charismatic” teacher educator and consultant, educators report that her professional learning programs are “engaging,” and “safe,” and they provide strategies that “will have a positive impact” on their students.
Ashley serves as the founder and principal consultant of A. Cuthbertson Consulting, a national educational consulting firm committed to shifting the landscape of arts education by helping music and arts educators make culturally responsive and equitable teaching and learning the norm, not the exception. In this role, she partners with schools, districts, and organizations to ensure their arts educators are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to create equitable program policies, cultivate affirming learning environments, and design culturally responsive curriculum and instruction that provides pathways to success for all learners.
Prior to her work as an educational consultant and speaker, Ashley was a dedicated PK-12 general music, choral, and band music educator with a track record of success working with students in a wide variety of diverse communities across public, private, and charter schools. Ashley consistently received highly effective teacher ratings, and demonstrated the ability to move students’ musicianship skills forward while creating culturally responsive, learner-centered academic environments. Additionally, Ashley was a teacher leader in her school district, and she served as an adjunct professor on the faculties of Loyola University Maryland and the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Additionally, Ashley is a passionate advocate for music and arts education. She serves the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) as a member of the Music Education Policy Roundtable and NAfME Equity Committee, and the Virginia Music Educators Association as chair of the DEI Council.
A nationally board certified teacher, Ashley holds a Master of Education degree from Loyola University Maryland, a Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University, as well as certifications in Arts Integration and the Kodály approach.