Voice with Vielka: Teaching Kids To Sing With Confidence
About the Podcast
This show is for people passionate about teaching kids to sing with confidence! Topics are centered around the five pillars of The Vielka Method™: singer’s mindset, songs you love, singing tools, sight singing, and songtelling. Meet amazing people and gain best practices to help you grow as a singer, educator, entrepreneur, and human being.
About Vielka
Based in NYC, Vielka's mission is to help humanity sing. With over 25 years in music education, she is the founder of the international voice studio, Vielka’s Young Singers Academy, and The Vielka Method™ voice education approach. Previously, Vielka worked for Juilliard, Carnegie Hall, and NYU where she served as a thought partner for music teachers and creator of music education resources.
Learn more about Vielka at www.vielka.com and follow her at @voicewithvielka.
Voice with Vielka: Teaching Kids To Sing With Confidence
In Conversation with Nevada’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, Laura Jeanne Penrod
In this episode, Laura Jean Penrod, an award-winning educator and advocate, shares insights on how personalized, competency-based learning (CBL) and technology can transform education. She emphasizes that instead of adhering to rigid pacing guides, educators should focus on meeting students where they are, allowing them to learn at their own pace while mastering the necessary skills. This approach, combined with thoughtful integration of technology like AI tools, can help reduce the workload on teachers and enhance the learning experience for students by providing more tailored support.
The conversation also highlights the importance of critical thinking and digital citizenship in today’s educational landscape. Teachers play a crucial role not just as instructors but as guides who inspire curiosity and model ethical use of information. Penrod encourages educators to prioritize both their well-being and that of their students, fostering environments where learning is engaging, inclusive, and student-centered. Ultimately, her message is one of hope and progress: with the right tools, mindset, and collaboration, teachers can be agents of meaningful change in education.
About Jeannie
Laura Jeanne ("Jeannie") Penrod's journey as a high school educator has spanned 18 years in the Clark County School District. She facilitates meaningful learning experiences with students using project-based learning (PBL) and social-emotional learning (SEL) to foster student reflection and advocacy. She is passionate about teacher leadership and has engaged in local, statewide, national, and global fellowships. She is the 2024 Nevada State Teacher of the Year and the recipient of the 2024-25 NASDTEC Forward Fund for the country's western region.
Where Listeners Can Find Laura Jeanne Penrod:
Learn more about Vielka at www.vielka.com and follow us at @voicewithvielka.
Graphic Design by Jeff Yas
Podcast Music by Andrew Markus