Inclusive Music Education That Works.
We help music educators and schools create accessible, high-performing music classrooms and ensembles through differentiated instruction, inclusive rehearsal strategies, and practical professional development—so every student can learn, play, and thrive.
About Modulating Minds
At Modulating Minds, we believe every student deserves the chance to make music—and every teacher deserves the tools to make that possible.
We partner with educators, administrators, and student musicians to build inclusive, accessible, and high-performing music classrooms. Our work focuses on helping teachers reach diverse and exceptional learners through differentiated instructional materials, practical professional development, and hands-on coaching.
From rehearsal clinics and resource design to full-scale professional learning programs, Modulating Minds provides real-world strategies for teaching special learners in musical spaces—without sacrificing musical excellence.
The goal is simple: to help schools create music programs where all students, regardless of ability level, can participate fully, learn deeply, and perform proudly.
Who We Help
Music educators are passionate, but they’re overwhelmed — expected to meet every learner’s needs with limited time, training, and support.
Modulating Minds bridges that gap with tools and training built for music classrooms, not adapted to them.
“Inclusive music education isn’t about lowering the bar — it’s about building a stage where every student can stand and play their part.”
Differentiated instructional materials
Inclusive rehearsal and classroom strategies
Professional learning for diverse student needs
Practical plug-and-play strategies for real music educators
Ongoing support for music educators and programs
Planning Period PD
Professional development that actually supports music teachers
Professional development that actually supports music teachers.
Through 10 interactive sessions and a 12-module self-paced course, educators learn how to differentiate instruction, manage diverse rehearsal rooms, and build inclusive classroom systems that last. Everything is designed to fit into a single planning period—no wasted time, just strategies that work.
Rehearsal Clinics and Workshops
Hands-on Coaching to strengthen ensemble performance and support teacher development
Hands-on coaching for real classrooms and real results.
Our rehearsal labs and workshops bring evidence-based inclusion practices directly to your ensemble. We help teachers refine tone production, pacing, and student engagement while adapting instruction for every learner—so the music improves and everyone belongs on stage.
Curriculum and Resource Design
Accessible materials aligned to standards and the Universal Design for Learning
Accessible materials built for modern music classrooms.
We create differentiated unit plans, adaptive resources, and performance assessments aligned to UDL and state standards. Whether you need a single inclusive lesson or a full-year framework, we design resources that help every student succeed without watering down the artistry.
Testimonials
As a first-year teacher, I was feeling very overwhelmed, but her tips for classroom management and organization made such a huge difference. My classroom runs smoother, I feel more confident, and I’m not running on fumes every day. Honestly, I don’t know how I would’ve made it through my first year without her help
— Music Teacher, GA
“The coaching gave me real strategies, not just theory.”
— New Teacher, Savannah
“Because of Dr. Washington, I now use more efficient techniques that allow my students to retain information and they are able to demonstrate these skills consistently.”
— Band Director, GA
Quickstart Differentiation Guide for Inclusive Music Classrooms
Get Your Free Differentiation Guide!
Adapt your teaching without overhauling your entire program. This free guide gives you Tier 1 strategies you can implement this week.
What You'll Get:
✅ Practical differentiation techniques
✅ Tiered ensemble strategies
✅ Visual reference for planning support levels
Grace Notes
The Half-Hour Holiday Rule
The Half-Hour Holiday Rule
There’s a strange pressure that shows up during every school break—the quiet panic that if you stop moving, you’ll somehow fall behind.
You promise yourself rest, but then you find a stack to grade, a hallway to organize, an idea for next semester that “can’t wait.”
Before you know it, the break is gone, and you’ve traded rest for a different kind of work.
Here’s a new rule to try: take thirty minutes each day of your break for something that serves you, not school.
Read fiction. Take a nap. Sit outside and watch the world go by without feeling guilty about it.
The world will not combust. Your students will still learn. The emails will still be there—but you’ll meet them with a full tank instead of fumes.
The point isn’t productivity disguised as rest; it’s permission.
Permission to exist as a whole person outside of your role.
That’s what sustainable teaching actually looks like—cycles of exertion balanced by deliberate stillness.
Use this half-hour to remind yourself what life feels like when you’re not measuring it in lesson plans or learning targets.
Because a rested teacher is a better teacher—not out of duty, but out of presence.
Spend one of those half hours reflecting with your Key Changes Journal Template. Jot down what restored you most this week and how you can protect a small version of it once school starts again.
