Welcome to Season 6 of the Pass the Baton podcast! As a new school year begins, Kathryn and Theresa kick off the season by looking beyond lesson plans, classroom setup, and first-day logistics to explore the invisible decisions that shape the entire year. Through five reflective questions, they discuss what teachers can truly control, what students should own, how classroom routines communicate trust, when compliance is necessary (and when it isn't), and which traditions are worth keeping—or reimagining. Together, they challenge listeners to create learning environments that prioritize student ownership, creativity, and meaningful engagement from day one.

Rather than offering another back-to-school checklist, this conversation encourages educators to begin the year with intentionality. Kathryn and Theresa share practical examples from their own classrooms while reminding listeners that small mindset shifts can have a lasting impact on students' confidence and growth. The episode concludes with a simple intentions exercise, inviting teachers to reflect on what they want students to leave their classroom believing, what they will stop doing this year, and what they want students to truly own as learners.

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• Pass the Baton website
• Join the Coffee Club
• Support Pass the Baton
• Amplify student voice with Exit Tickets for Self Reflection

In this Best Of episode, we revisit our conversation with Australian composer and educator Jodie Blackshaw. A self-described "composing first educator," Jodie shares how her background in composition, teaching, and Orff-Schulwerk has shaped her belief that all students should have opportunities to create, explore, and think like composers. Her student-centered approach challenges traditional ensemble models by placing creativity, ownership, and musical decision-making at the heart of learning.

Throughout the conversation, Jodie discusses the importance of scaffolding creative experiences, building safe environments where students feel comfortable taking risks, and helping young musicians develop both independence and self-discipline. Whether you teach band, choir, orchestra, or general music, this episode offers practical ideas for empowering students and creating classrooms where learning grows through curiosity, experimentation, and creativity.

Connect with Jodie and Learn More:

• Website: Jodie Blackshaw
• Teaching Performance Through Composition
• Rhythm and Pitch Pack #1

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Learn more about Pass the Baton

• Pass the Baton website
• Join the Coffee Club
• Support Pass the Baton
• Amplify student voice with Exit Tickets for Self Reflection

As part of our Best of Pass the Baton series, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations from the podcast archives. If you're interested in creating a music classroom where students experience greater autonomy, creativity, and joy, this episode is one you won't want to miss.

In this encore presentation of Episode 77, Kathryn and Theresa sit down with Grammy Music Educator of the Year Stephen Cox as he shares his unique approach to music education and discusses his work with the Willis Wonderland Foundation. Drawing on his 14-year teaching career in Texas, Stephen reflects on how he developed a progressive, student-centered approach to band that prioritized student voice, intrinsic motivation, and meaningful musical experiences. He shares how empowering students to lead and make decisions transformed both his teaching and his students' growth.

Stephen also introduces the work of the Willis Wonderland Foundation, where he is helping develop free songwriting resources for teachers. Created to honor the legacy of legendary songwriter Allee Willis, the foundation provides educators with tools to inspire creativity through songwriting and student expression. Whether you're hearing this conversation for the first time or listening again, Stephen's ideas offer a compelling vision for how creative freedom and student empowerment can transform music classrooms.

Connect with Stephen and learn more:

• Website: https://stephentcox.com/
• The Willis Wonderland Foundation

Resources suggested by Stephen:

• Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead)
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
• Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation
• Punished By Rewards: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes

Support the show

Learn more about Pass the Baton

• Pass the Baton website
• Join the Coffee Club
• Support Pass the Baton
• Amplify student voice with Exit Tickets for Self Reflection