As a first year teacher in Dallas ISD, I will never forget how I was offered a job and given the choice of teaching 4th grade or General Music. I chose music because I knew that it would be fun and engaging.

What I didn't know was that I would have double classes, and see over 880 students each week. I was completely overwhelmed.

But with the help of a great friend and mentor, I made it through that first year and continued teaching for 23 years. Although I had many successful experiences with my students, I was faced with a new challenge. The rise of standardized testing in our schools stood as a giant shadow over the arts. Since music was a non tested subject area, I had to find new ways to keep my class relevant and valued to my campus without sacrificing my class content. Once I realized that the core subjects were already embedded in the very heart of music, I began to design arts integrated lessons. A few years later, STEM came along, and I was able to include the arts by adding the "A".

Today I have the privilege of sharing the Arts Integration and STEAM approach with educators and school administrators. If you would like a classroom with highly engaged students involved in activities that are relevant and utilize critical thinking skills, I can show you how Arts Integration can transform your school today.