BCMEA 2023 Keynote Presenter
Taes Leavitt
Taes Leavitt has spent the last 15 years creating empowering television and stage content for youth as half of the Juno Award and Canadian Folk Award-winning children's music duo, Splash’N Boots. As “Boots”, Leavitt has co-written and co-produced 13 original studio albums (over 150 songs), winning 2 Juno Awards and receiving 8 nominations for her work. Splash'N Boots have delivered over 5,000 musical performances throughout North America, the Middle East, Australia, Europe and the Caribbean, collaborating with internationally renowned musicians and performers such as Alice Cooper, Brett Kissel, Sharon and Bram, The Wiggles, and The Strumbellas. Since 2014, Leavitt has created, written, and performed 100 episodes of the music-based preschool TV show The Big Yellow Boot, now airing in 8.5 million homes on Treehouse TV and Disney Canada. As an expert in youth entertainment, Leavitt is regularly called upon to write, produce and direct original segments for television, including work on iconic children’s entertainment property Sesame Street.
Keynote Address Snapshot
Big Heart Journey for Educators
Teaching music is a rewarding and enriching experience, but it can also be emotionally demanding. As a music teacher, it's essential to take care of your own well-being so that you can provide the best possible support for your students. Together, we'll explore strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and finding balance in the classroom and beyond. We'll also discuss how to support the emotional needs of your students, from recognizing and responding to signs of distress to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. By prioritizing our own emotional health and learning to support our students in meaningful ways, we can create a positive and impactful music education experience for everyone involved.