Shane brings nearly two decades of teaching experience and deep insights into the challenges of making popular music education work in real classrooms. In this conversation, we talk about:

• The “schoolification” of popular music and how to keep it authentic

• Shifting from being a director to a facilitator of learning

• Balancing student choice with the rigor administrators expect

• Practical steps like documenting progress, goal-setting, and embracing mistakes

This is an inspiring and practical conversation for educators who want to create programs where student voice drives learning without losing structure.

Support the podcast and future seasons here: https://gofund.me/05130db2

In this special episode of Beyond The Stand, I wrap up Season 1 by sharing major announcements and key takeaways from my capstone project journey.

Announcements:

• My Master’s degree is officially complete – thank you for all your support!

• This episode marks the end of Season 1, which is also the completion of my capstone project.

• Planning for Season 2 is already underway (and one interview is recorded!).

• I’ll be taking a short break to settle into the school year before launching Season 2.

• I’ve launched a GoFundMe to help with production costs, technology, site management, and marketing for Season 2. You can support here: https://gofund.me/05130db2

What I’ve Learned:

1. I’m not alone – There’s a growing network of educators teaching popular and commercial music.

2. It’s both/and – We can grow traditional programs by adding popular music education, not replacing them.

3. Student voice matters – Involving students from the start is the first, practical step to building a successful PME program.

Season 2 will focus more on practical strategies and tools educators can use right away. Please share this podcast so more teachers can join the conversation and find the confidence to teach popular music in their own programs.

In Part 2 of my conversation with students Brody Watson and Audrey Priddy, we move beyond what happens in the classroom and into the deeper impact of Popular Music Education on their lives.

We talk about:
How music helped them find identity, confidence, and creative freedom
The overlap between music, theater, and visual art
What they think school music programs often miss—and how to make space for more students
Why this kind of learning might just be the future of music education

This episode is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and what students are capable of when we listen, trust, and give them room to lead.