JESSICA ANNE BARON (a.k.a. "JESS")
Founder, Executive Director
Jessica Anne Baron is both a practical Midwestern doer and a non-stop California dreamer. The result is a long career that has included advanced studies, degrees and work in clinical, behavioral and developmental psychology and a lifetime of personal musicality with over forty years of experience teaching music to beginners of all ages. Her pioneering work in the field of Music Integration has changed the way many thousands of educators approach the art of teaching, and placed instruments and the ability to make music in the hands of well over a million children.
Possessed by a vision to make music accessible to every child and adult, she founded Guitars in the Classroom in 2000, and has never looked back. She created GITC to meet diverse human needs and to help others discover their own potential. Because singing together in groups is an uplifting experience and generates a feeling of belonging and connectivity, it creates a safe learning environment. GITC is a safe place to learn. Because music opens up pathways to the brain, it is especially helpful for students who learn unconventionally, for students suffering from trauma, and for English Language learners. GITC is a forgiving and supportive place to take creative risks, Because music is the medium through which anything within and between people becomes possible, teaching music is Jess Baron's passion and GITC began as her secular ministry. It is now something much more than that with a faculty of 56 trainers and teaching artists reaching 1400 teachers each year in 37 states.
PUBLICATIONS
Jess has authored countless magazine articles as well as eight books including her co-authored, "Let's Make Music" and the entire SmartStart Guitar series (Hal Leonard Publishing), Your Musical Child: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps (String Letter Publishing), The Green Songbook (Alfred Publishing), the newest co-authored SmartStart Ukulele Method for Beginners (Korg).
TEACHING FROM THE HEART
Jess Baron's collaborative style and dedication to developmental education have helped her gather, train and support a compassionate faculty and board of directors with rich and diverse skills and talents. Her background in educational and psychotherapy contributes important principles to GITC's process so students are less likely to fall prey to frustration, confusion or discomfort along the way to learning to sing and play instruments. Her training as a specialist in behavioral disabilities and human development takes every learning and personality style into consideration and she attempts to guide others in teaching slowly and deeply, paying attention and responding to students' experiences and needs. When choosing and training GITC faculty, Jess seeks music educators who are eager to make sure that students who learn differently will be fully supported in the program.
Jess Baron's respect and love for people and for music has helped GITC become a truly collaborative and participatory organization that is constantly being improved by capable individuals in the ever-growing GITC community. In addition to building partnerships with school districts and individual schools, Jess deeply enjoys her work within the music products industry cultivating positive pathways for business leaders and artists to make a difference for students while building a brighter future for music in education.
Founder, Executive Director
Jessica Anne Baron is both a practical Midwestern doer and a non-stop California dreamer. The result is a long career that has included advanced studies, degrees and work in clinical, behavioral and developmental psychology and a lifetime of personal musicality with over forty years of experience teaching music to beginners of all ages. Her pioneering work in the field of Music Integration has changed the way many thousands of educators approach the art of teaching, and placed instruments and the ability to make music in the hands of well over a million children.
Possessed by a vision to make music accessible to every child and adult, she founded Guitars in the Classroom in 2000, and has never looked back. She created GITC to meet diverse human needs and to help others discover their own potential. Because singing together in groups is an uplifting experience and generates a feeling of belonging and connectivity, it creates a safe learning environment. GITC is a safe place to learn. Because music opens up pathways to the brain, it is especially helpful for students who learn unconventionally, for students suffering from trauma, and for English Language learners. GITC is a forgiving and supportive place to take creative risks, Because music is the medium through which anything within and between people becomes possible, teaching music is Jess Baron's passion and GITC began as her secular ministry. It is now something much more than that with a faculty of 56 trainers and teaching artists reaching 1400 teachers each year in 37 states.
PUBLICATIONS
Jess has authored countless magazine articles as well as eight books including her co-authored, "Let's Make Music" and the entire SmartStart Guitar series (Hal Leonard Publishing), Your Musical Child: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps (String Letter Publishing), The Green Songbook (Alfred Publishing), the newest co-authored SmartStart Ukulele Method for Beginners (Korg).
TEACHING FROM THE HEART
Jess Baron's collaborative style and dedication to developmental education have helped her gather, train and support a compassionate faculty and board of directors with rich and diverse skills and talents. Her background in educational and psychotherapy contributes important principles to GITC's process so students are less likely to fall prey to frustration, confusion or discomfort along the way to learning to sing and play instruments. Her training as a specialist in behavioral disabilities and human development takes every learning and personality style into consideration and she attempts to guide others in teaching slowly and deeply, paying attention and responding to students' experiences and needs. When choosing and training GITC faculty, Jess seeks music educators who are eager to make sure that students who learn differently will be fully supported in the program.
Jess Baron's respect and love for people and for music has helped GITC become a truly collaborative and participatory organization that is constantly being improved by capable individuals in the ever-growing GITC community. In addition to building partnerships with school districts and individual schools, Jess deeply enjoys her work within the music products industry cultivating positive pathways for business leaders and artists to make a difference for students while building a brighter future for music in education.
INFLUENCES
Among others, Jess's favorite psychotherapeutic influence is Erik Erikson whose work in child, adolescent and adult development is accessible, practical, joyful, curious and supportive of individuals to meet and address challenges,
and to achieve their potentials at every stage of life. She is also a strong proponent of understanding how children process information as this influences their ability to navigate in complex environments and form meaningful relationships. She recommends Thomas Hartmann's book ADHD Hunter in a Farmer's World to understand what is called Attention Deficit Disorder and Carol Kranowitz's The Out-of-Sync Child to explore neurodiversity and sensory Integration.
Among others, Jess's favorite psychotherapeutic influence is Erik Erikson whose work in child, adolescent and adult development is accessible, practical, joyful, curious and supportive of individuals to meet and address challenges,
and to achieve their potentials at every stage of life. She is also a strong proponent of understanding how children process information as this influences their ability to navigate in complex environments and form meaningful relationships. She recommends Thomas Hartmann's book ADHD Hunter in a Farmer's World to understand what is called Attention Deficit Disorder and Carol Kranowitz's The Out-of-Sync Child to explore neurodiversity and sensory Integration.
Trained in Orff Schulwerk and Kodaly approaches as a music educator. As a young woman, she completed almost four years of special education training in Behavioral Disabilities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before leaving pre-degree when that state of Wisconsin outlawed mainstreamed education during her senior year. She resumed her undergraduate studies later in California and earned her B.A. in Child Development from Cal State Northridge. She received the CSUN Alumna of the Year award for her innovative work in music integration 3 years later. Jess went on to student clinical psychology with an emphasis in child psychology and Marriage and Family Counseling, earning her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los-Angeles in 1991.
Since her college days in Madison, Jess has devoted herself to bringing developmental and educational psychology to music education, eventually pioneering the field of Music Integration through her non-profit Guitars & Ukes in the Classroom. Her breakthrough work teaching beginners of all ages to sing, play guitar and ukulele, and to reach personal, academic, cognitive and behavioral goals through music is changing the nature of teaching and learning around the United States. The organization has made it possible for her to train many other master-level educators to take the work into school communities of all sizes and kinds with ongoing support from foundations, individuals and music products sponsors.
Jess continues to devote herself to the cause of making music accessible for educators and children through GITC and especially enjoys developing positive collaborations and partnerships as new pathways for access to the arts for students in Title 1 schools. Most recently she began developing Adaptive Music training for special educators, paraprofessionals and related service providers. This form of training with GITC is called AMASE: Adaptive Music for Achievement in Special Education. AMASE conferences in Southern California are now receiving support from The NAMM Foundation, the Qualcomm Foundation, the Nordson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Jess remains active in classrooms and continues to draw inspiration by collaborating with other teachers and specialists to create best practices and purposeful new curriculum.
Book/CDs by Jessica Baron (Prior to 2007, Jessica Baron Turner)
If you are interested in learning more, we recommend this recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune by journalist Lisa Deaderick interviewing Jess, or listen to this 2018 radio conversation with Jess by journalist Jessica Grinspan on AKindVoice.org. You can also write to Jess at jess.guitarsintheclassroom@gmail.com
Since her college days in Madison, Jess has devoted herself to bringing developmental and educational psychology to music education, eventually pioneering the field of Music Integration through her non-profit Guitars & Ukes in the Classroom. Her breakthrough work teaching beginners of all ages to sing, play guitar and ukulele, and to reach personal, academic, cognitive and behavioral goals through music is changing the nature of teaching and learning around the United States. The organization has made it possible for her to train many other master-level educators to take the work into school communities of all sizes and kinds with ongoing support from foundations, individuals and music products sponsors.
Jess continues to devote herself to the cause of making music accessible for educators and children through GITC and especially enjoys developing positive collaborations and partnerships as new pathways for access to the arts for students in Title 1 schools. Most recently she began developing Adaptive Music training for special educators, paraprofessionals and related service providers. This form of training with GITC is called AMASE: Adaptive Music for Achievement in Special Education. AMASE conferences in Southern California are now receiving support from The NAMM Foundation, the Qualcomm Foundation, the Nordson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Jess remains active in classrooms and continues to draw inspiration by collaborating with other teachers and specialists to create best practices and purposeful new curriculum.
Book/CDs by Jessica Baron (Prior to 2007, Jessica Baron Turner)
- SmartStart Ukulele for Beginners Coauthored by Tiffany Stalker
- The Green Songbook
- YOUR MUSICAL CHILD: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps (String Letter Publishing, 2004).
- Guitarra de smartStart metodo y cancionero
- SmartStart Guitar for Late Bloomers and Baby Boomers
- SmartStart Guitar 43 Songs for Home and School
- SmartStart Guitar for Beginners
- Let's Make Music! Coauthored by Ronny Susan Schiff
If you are interested in learning more, we recommend this recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune by journalist Lisa Deaderick interviewing Jess, or listen to this 2018 radio conversation with Jess by journalist Jessica Grinspan on AKindVoice.org. You can also write to Jess at jess.guitarsintheclassroom@gmail.com