Fields of Study:
Music Education

Degrees and Studies:
Ph.D., Northwestern University

Biographical Information:
Dr. Smith’s research addresses the impact of teacher imposed structure on children’s musical compositions. Her work also focuses on the revision process in children’s compositions and the effect scaffolding can have on that process. Another area of research interest is the professional experiences of beginning music educators in urban settings.

Dr. Smith is co-author with Dr. Michele Kaschub (University of Southern Maine) of the book, Minds on Music: Composition for Creative and Critical Thinking (Rowman and Littlefield, 2009) and co-editor of the forthcoming book, Composing our Future: Preparing Music Educators to Teach Composing. Dr. Smith’s writings have appeared in the Music Educators Journal, General Music Today, Research Studies in Music Education, Music Education Research International, and Research and Issues in Music Education and in state journals in Maine, Illinois and New York . She has presented sessions at divisional and national NAfME conferences, national College Music Society conferences, The Society of Music Teacher Education, the International Conference on Assessment in Music Education, the Research in Music Education conference in Exeter, UK and state conferences in Maine, Illinois and New York. She has served on the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal and served as guest editor of an issue of that publication on teaching opera to children.

Prior to coming to the Aaron Copland School of Music, Dr. Smith had a thirty-year career in the public schools of Maine as a general music specialist.

At the Aaron Copland School of Music she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in general music, foundations of music education, and music methods for elementary teachers. She supervises student teachers and advises the graduate music education portfolio projects. She is the undergraduate coordinator for music education.

Office:
NMB 252

Phone:
(718) 997-3590

FAX:
(718) 997-3849

email address:
janice.smith@qc.cuny.edu