MENC: The National Association of Music Education Announces New Online Mentoring Program for Music Educators

MENC: The National Association for Music Education will host a nine month Online Network Communities Mentoring Program beginning in September 2002. The program is designed to utilize the existing online communities for free professional development of teachers through mentoring provided by experts in the field of music education.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Lasko or Angela Harper, MENC Public Relations, at (703) 860-4000

MENC: The National Association of Music Education
Announces New Online Mentoring Program for Music Educators

RESTON, VA (August 31, 2002)-- MENC: The National Association for Music Education will host a nine month Online Network Communities Mentoring Program beginning in September 2002. The program is designed to utilize the existing online communities for free professional development of teachers through mentoring provided by experts in the field of music education. The network communities are part of MENC's key objectives of advancing music education as a profession and providing information, resources, and services to its nearly 100,000 members.

A team of experts in music education will provide online mentoring for teachers in various specialities of music education and by contributing to and monitoring MENC's online network communities during the 2002-2003 school year. MENC members visiting the band, orchestra, chorus, general music, research, technology, early childhood, and Collegiate networks will be able to get expert advice in answer to their questions.

The mentoring program is funded by a grant from the United States Department of Education. According to MENC executive director, John Mahlmann, "We are delighted to offer this new benefit to our members and to be able to do so through funding from the Federal government. By this grant, the government has both recognized and acted on its need to do more to support music educators in the field by funding professional development activities for them."

The grant is part of the Federal government's strategy for improving teacher quality, by "encouraging induction and mentoring programs for new teachers that are focused on research- based practices," according to the strategic plan of the US Department of Education.

The field of experts include notable MENC members form all parts of the country. For a complete schedule and more information, visit http://www.menc.org/networks/experts/expertsmain.html

MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the world's largest arts education organization, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. Nearly 100,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC's activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.
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