Music Ed Insights

Adult learning expert Dr. Julie Ressler joins us to unpack imposter phenomenon—why some of the most competent, caring educators still feel like they’re faking it. Drawing on her research with high-achieving professionals (including school-trained musicians and leaders), Julie explains why she prefers “phenomenon” over “syndrome,” how IP shows up in teachers as overpreparing, perfectionism, and fear of being “found out,” and why it often hits hardest when we step into new roles or high-pressure schools. From there, we explore practical strategies K–12 music teachers can use right away: reframing negative self-talk with a growth mindset, recognizing the difference between healthy stretch and toxic self-doubt, using “evidence files” to counter distorted beliefs, and modeling for students what it looks like to pursue excellence without pretending to be perfect.

Alan and Steve check in halfway through summer and somehow get from community band concerts and arranging music to “dad books,” artificial intelligence, young people wanting less gimmick and more authenticity, and whether we might be seeing a small return to kindness in public life.

Steve has a theory that AI is the new World War II book for middle-aged dads. Alan has been working with hundreds of students and noticing more resilience, more phone-free thinking, and a stronger desire to keep things real. Along the way, they revisit the idea that AI can be useful when it helps us think better—but dangerous when we let it think for us.

It’s a relaxed, groove-based summer conversation about what we’re reading, noticing, hoping, and still trying to figure out. 

Alan and Steve talk with Susan Smith live at the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference about small band empowerment, smart repertoire choices, adjudication, and what it means to teach the students in front of you. Susan challenges the idea that smaller programs should have lower standards, reminding directors that success is about culture, musical growth, and meaningful experiences—not just size or ratings. Along the way, she offers practical advice for young teachers, festival judges, mentors, and anyone working to build a strong program with the kids they actually have. 

Alan and Steve respond to Mia Silverio’s Prof G article “What AI Is Doing to School,” which raises serious concerns about students outsourcing writing, attention, and critical thinking to AI. Rather than treating the article only as doom and gloom, they see an advocacy opportunity for music educators: band, choir, orchestra, jazz, and other fine arts classes still require students to think, listen, problem-solve, practice, make mistakes, and improve in real time. They discuss how music may be one of the best places in school for students to build the very skills AI can tempt them to avoid.

Recorded live at the 2026 Iowa Bandmasters Association conference, Alan and Steve sit down with conductor and educator Cynthia Johnston Turner for a candid conversation about what really matters in the band room. Cynthia unpacks how she moved from a fear‑ and product‑driven rehearsal culture to one centered on psychological safety, inclusion, and community—without lowering musical standards. She shares practical ideas for engaging 21st‑century learners, balancing “old school” structure with modern expectations, setting healthy boundaries with students, and bringing improvisation and creativity into the concert band setting through clear rules and low‑risk experiments. Band directors at all levels will find honest reflection, concrete strategies, and permission to separate their self‑worth from how the ensemble sounds.

For just $5 per month, become a Music Ed Insights Insider to receive early access, ad-free episodes and more! https://musicedinsights.supercast.com/

Alan and Steve dig into a common teacher frustration: students who don’t take deadlines seriously. Alan shares a practical approach to setting deadlines that actually mean something—by clearly explaining the “why,” distinguishing between preferred and true drop-dead dates, and avoiding fake or inflated due dates that desensitize students. Steve adds perspective as someone who struggles with deadlines himself, highlighting how transparency and consideration for others’ time can motivate better follow-through. This short episode offers a concrete communication model educators can use right away to build trust, reduce chaos, and help students grow into more responsible adults.

For just $5 per month, become a Music Ed Insights Insider to receive early access, ad-free episodes and more! https://musicedinsights.supercast.com/

Alan and Steve talk with educator and mind‑shifting coach Mitch Weisburgh about how music teachers can help students—and themselves—move from limbic “survival mode” into resourceful, resilient, and collaborative mindsets. They explore how to respond when students say “I can’t do this,” how to use music itself as a powerful self‑regulation tool, and how small shifts in language, silence, and curiosity can transform behavior and engagement in the music room. Mitch also shares practical strategies for navigating conflict with colleagues and administrators, advocating for music programs, and catching our own brains when they’re “lying” to us.

Become an Insider for early access, ad-free episodes and more! 

Alan and Steve share a fast, practical debrief tool you can use after a concert, contest, trip, marching season, or school year: WWW/TALA — What Went Well and Take A Look At. Built on Alan’s longtime approach to project improvement, this quick tip shows music teachers how to gather useful feedback in just a few minutes, avoid over-talking the debrief, and save the right notes so next year’s planning is smarter from day one.

DJ, author, and music business professor Amani Roberts joins Alan and Steve to unpack how today’s students are listening to and creating music—and what that means for K–12 music educators.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why teens prefer singles and short-form content over full albums
• Strategies for teaching deep listening using artists like Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar
• The rise of beat-making and bedroom producers, and what’s lost when theory and ensemble work fade
• Simple ways to get started with GarageBand, DAWs, and found sounds in your classroom
• How declining school music programs are reshaping the skills of working artists today

Amani also shares highlights from his book on the history of R&B groups, his life as a touring DJ, and a few personal favorites—from a memorable Tina Marie concert to a go-to Vegas restaurant.

Student trips are more expensive and more complex than ever—so are they still worth it? In this episode of Music Ed Insights, Alan and Steve return to the very same Disney resort room where they recorded a student travel episode two years ago to unpack what they’ve learned from nearly 30 years of group travel. They explore the non‑negotiables that make trips work: staff‑led communication and hype, crystal‑clear expectations and time boundaries, and intentional chaperone selection and preparation. They also dig into early organizational moves like rooming lists, how to handle rising costs and “entitled” questions from parents, and what to do when (not if) something goes wrong. Along the way, they highlight how travel helps students navigate money, public transportation, shared spaces, and life’s inevitable curveballs—while building resilience, empathy, and community for both students and adults.