Grammy Award–nominated educator Dr. Alice Hammel was the 2023 NAfME Lowell Mason Fellow, VMEA Outstanding Educator (2018), and is the current Past-President of VMEA. She is a widely known music educator, author, and clinician whose experience in music is extraordinarily diverse. She is a Disabilities Specialist, and has many years of experience teaching instrumental and choral music in public and private schools. Dr. Hammel has put these varied experiences to great use while compiling a large body of scholarly work. She is a co-author for many texts: Q&A for Teaching Band to Students with Differences and Disabilities, Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities (A Label-free Approach and a Practical Resource), Teaching Music to Students with Autism, Winding It Back, and Universal Design for Learning in Music Education. Dr. Hammel is Past-President of the Council for Exceptional Children – Division for Visual and Performing Arts Education and was awarded their Past President Award for Excellence. Dr. Hammel has served NAfME as a member of the National Executive Board, The Equity Committee, and The Music Teacher Professional Initiative.

Workshops

An Introduction to Neurodiversity - Music Education

This session will provide an introduction to neurodiversity and its related umbrella terms that you may encounter in your classroom. Understand the neurodiversity paradigm and social model of disability, and discover how music educators can create inclusive, accessible, and success-oriented learning environments for all learners.

Strategies for Including Students with Disabilities in Music Classes and Ensembles - Music Education

This session is a primer on including students with disabilities in music classes and ensembles. The session will provide an overview of disabilities, 504 Plans, and IEPs, and will present various strategies for successfully including all students in all music classes.

You Have Questions, We Have Answers! Including Students with Disabilities and Differences in Band - Music Education

Do you have questions about students with disabilities in your band classes and rehearsals? Topics include behavior, cognition, communication, emotion, physical and medical, sensory challenges, and more! The presenter plans to answer questions, offer on-the-spot feedback, and inspire discussion about why including everyone in our band programs is so important.