In this episode, I sit down with Dr. David Dockan of LSU to explore how music classrooms can become spaces where every student feels seen, valued, and empowered. David brings deep insight into the role of Democratic Music Education (DME), Popular Music Education, and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in helping students take ownership of their musical journey.

Together, we dig into:

• What belonging really means in a music classroom

• How DME and student voice can transform the learning environment

• Ways popular and culturally relevant approaches create space for students to express who they are

• How teachers can reclaim their agency by staying curious, understanding their community, and adapting their practice

• Practical starting points for educators who want to build more inclusive and responsive music programs

This conversation is full of encouragement and actionable ideas for any teacher who wants to cultivate musical spaces that truly reflect the students in front of them.

If you’d like to support the continued growth of the podcast, you can contribute here: https://gofund.me/05130db2

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.