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Who We Are
The SongWorks Educators Association (SWEA) is a community of educators who engage learners through SongWorks, a principles-based approach to teaching music.
SongWorks principles and practices offer teachers both grounding and flexibility in making purposeful, caring choices in their interactions with people and music. Songs are the foundation for study and learning experiences that nurture playfulness, responsiveness, and musicality.
Through developing and sharing ideas centered around the SongWorks teaching approach, SWEA members support each other in growing as educators and learners.
Events
Certification Courses
July 13-17, 2026
Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Conference
April 2026
Online
News
Exploring Dvořák’s New World Symphony
Each year, my fourth grade students participate in the Carnegie Hall Link Up program presented by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. They learn multiple pieces of music, several of which include recorder parts for them to learn and play during the concert! We devote a lot of time to preparing for this special event, and so I decided to create materials that would make the experience more playful and musical.
Music and Literacy Connections
With the support of the British Columbia Literacy Council I had the pleasure of threading together the teaching of music with the teaching of literacy in a few primary classrooms this spring. I planned for each session with the question: What literacy experiences...
From the President
Hello Everyone, As I write this, I have only ten days left before inservice days start for the new school year. It’s hard to believe that we’re about to jump back in and do it all again! I have spent the summer biking, gardening, and working on house projects that I...
Exploring Dvořák’s New World Symphony
Each year, my fourth grade students participate in the Carnegie Hall Link Up program presented by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. They learn multiple pieces of music, several of which include recorder parts for them to learn and play during the concert! We devote a lot of time to preparing for this special event, and so I decided to create materials that would make the experience more playful and musical.
Music and Literacy Connections
With the support of the British Columbia Literacy Council I had the pleasure of threading together the teaching of music with the teaching of literacy in a few primary classrooms this spring. I planned for each session with the question: What literacy experiences...
Resources
Looking for Songworks I & II or other printed resources?
Head over to our Books page for these and more!
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From the Archive
Take a Musical Field Trip: Play an Experience Game
Teaching is a journey in more ways than one. In her very first publication from 1975, Dr. Peggy D. Bennett explores one facet of this metaphor as she draws connections between field trips and song game experiences, highlighting the social, emotional, and educational benefits of both.
Voice Discovery in a “Safe” Atmosphere: What Every Child Needs
Singing alone is a key factor in developing skills in healthy, accurate singing. This article offers ideas for creating a “safe” atmosphere for children to sing alone and for giving feedback about the singing.
We’ve Had a Good Time Playing the Game: Now What? (Revisited)
From the ArchiveHave you ever felt stuck or unsure what to do next after you’ve played a game with your students? In this article from the August 2013 MEI (SWEA) Newsletter, Dr. Peggy Bennett gives us specific ideas for how to progress from sounds to symbols in order...
Take a Musical Field Trip: Play an Experience Game
Teaching is a journey in more ways than one. In her very first publication from 1975, Dr. Peggy D. Bennett explores one facet of this metaphor as she draws connections between field trips and song game experiences, highlighting the social, emotional, and educational benefits of both.
Voice Discovery in a “Safe” Atmosphere: What Every Child Needs
Singing alone is a key factor in developing skills in healthy, accurate singing. This article offers ideas for creating a “safe” atmosphere for children to sing alone and for giving feedback about the singing.