In this episode we look at the book Pass the Baton. Theresa Hoover is a music educator, speaker, and writer. She is an advocate for student voice in the music room and works to empower students throughout their musical experiences while helping teachers transform their classrooms into student-centered learning environments.Currently, Theresa teaches middle school band in Northern Virginia, opening a brand new middle school in 2019. Prior to moving to Virginia in 2016, she taught instrumental, general, and vocal music in a variety of settings in Pennsylvania for 13 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Penn State University and a master’s degree in wind conducting from West Chester University, both in Pennsylvania.Theresa is a recognized presenter and clinician at conferences at the local, regional, and national level including the International Music Education Summit, the Virginia Society for Technology in Education, and several state music education conferences. She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and was selected as a member of the Google Certified Innovator program, participating in the London 2019 cohort.In addition to her school teaching, Theresa was the founding director of the Chester County Youth Wind Ensemble and currently serves on the staff of the Virginia Winds Academy. She has also been the guest conductor for several elementary and middle school ensembles in Pennsylvania and Virginia.When not teaching you can find Theresa curled up with a good book, on the running trail, traveling to visit family and friends, or spending time with her dog Dizzy.Kathryn Finch has twenty-two years of experience in the elementary general music classroom and currently teaches in a northern suburb of Chicago. She speaks passionately about the shift in music education from teacher-led activities to student-led activities and focuses on practical ways music educators can transform their classrooms to empower their students to own their learning.She has been a guest on the Music Ed Mentor podcast on empowering music students, and recently joined the team at Activate! magazine as a contributing author of general music lesson plans. A published work of Kathryn’s, Creating Adaptive Instruments with a Makey Makey, can be found in the fall 2019 issue of the Illinois Music Educator Journal as she is also passionate about an inclusive music experience for all her students. Kathryn has coauthored two teaching resources, "Full STEAM Ahead: Lessons to Shift Instruction, Empower Students, and Transform Your Music Classroom" and "Everyone Loves a Story: Bringing Books to Life through Music." You can read about Kathryn’s professional journey at www.ponderingsfromafinch.com.Kathryn received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Augustana College and her master’s in music education from VanderCook College of Music. She is a co-creator of the #BlairFinchProject, certified in all three levels of Orff Schulwerk, an Apple Teacher, and serves as a technology leader in her school district.Kathryn lives near Chicago, Illinois, with her husband, two children, an energetic Brittany spaniel, and an emotionally challenged Chihuahua. If she isn’t writing, Kathryn is taking walks with the dogs, experimenting in the kitchen, or creating sewing projects with her family to support local organizations.Check out www.passthebatonbook.com for more info and free resources!Find them both on twitter at @MusicalTheresaand @SingingFinch1