Shared Professional Development Day 2026
Philadelphia Music Education Collaborative Shared Professional Development Day.
This event features interactive sessions designed for Philadelphia region arts educators. Scroll below for more details on each session.
Friday, October 9, 2026
Rush Arts Academy
11081 Knights Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Additional parking is available next door at FitzPatrick Elementary
SCHEDULE
8:30 Coffee/Tea
9:00 – 9:45 Keynote
10:00 – 11:15 Session 1
11:15 – 12:15 Lunch (provided)
12:15 – 1:30 Session 2
Lead support for this project is provided by the
—- Sessions —-
Afro-Brazilian Traditions Through Percussion
Presenter: Dendê Macêdo
Explore the vibrant rhythms and cultural traditions of Bahia, Brazil, through an interactive percussion workshop with master teaching artist Dendê Macêdo. Participants will learn foundational Afro-Brazilian rhythms while exploring their connections to history, community, movement, and cultural identity. Through hands-on music-making, call-and-response, and ensemble playing, educators will experience approaches they can adapt to engage students across grade levels. No prior musical experience is necessary—just a willingness to participate, listen, and make some noise!
Harmonizing Differences: A Strengths-Based Approach to Neurodiversity for Music Educators
Presenter: Elyse Wilson
This interactive workshop guides participants in reframing neurodiversity and learning differences into musical assets, exploring how common diagnoses manifest in the music room as both unique strengths and distinct challenges. Together, we’ll explore how common student profiles such as ADHD, Dyslexia, and Autism Spectrum Disorder manifest in the music room, reframing potential hurdles such as sight-reading or sensory overload as powerful assets like hyperfocus and intuitive ear training. Through collaborative, hands-on scenarios across choir, orchestra, jazz, and modern band settings, you’ll learn differentiation strategies to bring to your classroom that maintain high standards while considering your students’ unique needs. You will walk away with a ready-to-use strategy toolkit and a curated resource guide you can put into direct practice in your very next rehearsal.