Charles Stroud was born in Athens in 1939 to a tight-knit community. Stroud describes many of the neighborhood figures of his childhood as cousins, uncles, or aunts, even if they weren’t related by blood. Stroud was an educator in Macon and Athens…
William Kilgore is a band director at West Jackson Middle School in Jefferson, Georgia. Kilgore discusses his path to teaching, administration obligations, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. He describes his teaching style, how he motivates…
Sarah Black is an orchestra teacher at North Gwinnett Middle School in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Black discusses her path to teaching, her music education, and the challenges and rewards of teaching. She also talks about how she motivates students and how…
Bo Na is an orchestra teacher at North Gwinnett Middle School in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Na discusses her path to teaching, challenging and rewarding moments, and her teaching style. She also talks about influential teachers and motivating her students.
Mary Land is a Professor of Music at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. Land discusses why she became a teacher, why she moved from teaching middle school to teaching music education in college, and what factors lead some teachers to…
Audrey Murphy is a band director at Hopewell Middle School in Milton, Georgia. Murphy discusses her path to teaching music, the requirements, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She also talks about proud moments and the importance of…
Erma Davis is a music teacher at Snellville Middle School in Snellville, Georgia. Davis discusses her early teaching experiences, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and how she overcame those challenges. She talks about her teaching approaches,…
Luther Harris is a music teacher at Buford Middle School in Buford, Georgia. Harris discusses the demographics of the school, his workload, and his path to teaching. He also talks about rewards and challenges of teaching and recalls proud and…
Scott Smith is a music teacher at Central Middle School in Carrollton, Georgia. Smith discusses his teacher training, why he stayed in the profession, and why some teachers have left teaching. He talks about his successes and challenges and ways he…
Mary McGowan is a music teacher at Adamson Middle School in Rex, Georgia. McGowan discusses her career path, her teaching style, why some choose to leave the profession, and shares some of her proudest moments.
Laura Montanari is a music teacher at Growing Up Green Middle School in Long Island City, New York. Montanari describes her path to teaching, her proud moments and challenging moments, and mentoring.
Roland Ventura is a band instructor at Pinckneyville Middle School in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Ventura discusses his path to teaching, the work environment, and his passion for teaching. He also recalls challenges and proud moments he’s…
Lori Schwartz Reichl has been a public school music educator for 15 years. She has successfully led middle school band programs in Pennsylvania and Maryland.This interview was recorded remotely.
Christy Todd is the 2024 Georgia Teacher of the Year and a middle school music teacher in the Fayette County Georgia School District.This interview was recorded remotely.
