Biography
Dr. Ashleigh Cicconi, MT-BC, LPMT, RYT, holds degrees in music therapy, education, and educational leadership, and is a state-licensed and board-certified music therapist. Specializing in early childhood and special education, Dr. Cicconi has worked in both private and public school systems for over 10 years, as well as maintained her own private practice. Ashleigh is currently an adjunct faculty member at Towson University, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in music education, special education, and music therapy. Her research has focused on utilizing trauma-informed art and yoga practices for enhancing overall teacher wellbeing throughout K-12 settings, with the belief that teacher wellbeing is a central component for creating healthy, safe, and inclusive learning environments. As the current Maryland Music Education Association President of the General Music Teachers Association and a statewide presenter, Dr. Cicconi has a myriad of experiences in combining music education and music therapy techniques for diverse classroom and community settings.
Teaching Philosophy
Music is a whole brain experience. Effective learning in any subject is not simply compartmentalized into one neural pathway but rather woven throughout the brain with the use of visual, auditory, linguistic, and emotional stimuli. Teaching should be ever involving and encompass varying aspects of neurological processes into order to make information meaningful and memorizable for students.