Summer Teacher Institute - Presenters
Selected Presenters for the 2007 Summer Teacher Institute
- Keynote speaker: Timothy D. Taylor, Ph.D., Professor, University of California-Los Angeles and author of Global Pop: World Music, World Markets and Strange Sounds: Music, Technology and Culture
- Rock History 101 Teachers:
- Jason Hanley, MA, Ph.D. (ABD), Education Department Manager, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Hanley, who leads the Rock Hall’s monthly Rock and Roll Night School series, designs curriculum for and teaches the Museum’s k-12 level programs.
- Susan Oehler, MEd, Ph.D., Education Programs Manager, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Oehler, who leads the Rock Hall’s monthly Teachers Rock series, designs curriculum for and teaches the Museum’s k-12 level programs.
- Breakout session leaders include:
- Steve Armstrong, Social Studies Department Supervisor, Hall High School, West Hartford, CT and Adjunct Professor of History, Central Connecticut State University. Armstrong is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council for the Social Studies and is president of the New England History Teacher’s Association.
- Gabriel “Asheru” Benn, M.Ed. President, Educational Lyrics, LLC and Rock Creek Academy
- Danielle N. Dachtler, MA, First Grade Teacher, University School, Shaker Heights, Ohio and creator of the theme unit, “Cleveland Rocks!”
- Joe Knap, MA, English Department Head, Bay High School, Bay Village, Ohio. Knap is a recent Martha Holden Jennings Scholar who has taught high school since 1973 and has incorporated popular music in curriculum for 20 years.
- James Moore, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Social Studies and Multicultural Education, Cleveland State University. Dr. Moore taught high school social studies courses for 22 years in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and International Relations for ten years at Florida International University (F.I.U.)
- Additional presenters include:
- Ashley Keith Davis, BFA, MM, DMA, Artistic Director of the Stax Music Academy, an after school music program serving youth in the Memphis, TN area. Davis is an accomplished musician, songwriter, and producer whose credits include work for Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Whalum, the Richard Smallwood Singers, and the National Civil Rights Museum.
- Bakari Kitwana, MA, M.Ed., Director of Rap Sessions: Community Dialogues on Hip-Hop, Co-founder of the first National Hip-Hop Political Convention, and author of The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture.
- Meredith Melragon, Ph.D., Teacher on Special Assignment--Technology, Dublin City Schools and Apple Educator
- David Smolover, CEO, WorkshopLive and Founder, National Guitar Workshop and DayJams
- Education and Curatorial Staff of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
- Performances by:
- Roots of American Music an organization employing more than 30 musicians/educators who collectively have thousands of school performances to their credit
- Stax Music Academy student ensemble



