In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, Lesley Moffat welcomes Kate Fitzpatrick Harnish and Bridget Sweet, co-authors of Motherhood in the Music Education Academy, for an honest conversation about parenting, caregiving, and the realities of building a music education career while raising children.

Kate and Bridget share the personal and professional experiences that led them to write this book, including navigating demanding teaching roles, tenure-track expectations, pregnancy, miscarriage, child loss, and the isolation that can come from trying to do meaningful work in systems that were not built with mothers in mind. They talk about how silence around these issues can be harmful, and why visibility matters so much for current and future music educators.

This conversation also explores the gap between being expected to care for students and not always being supported in caring for your own family. Kate and Bridget highlight the importance of finding community, asking questions, learning your rights, and not assuming institutions automatically know how to support pregnancy, parenting, or bereavement well. They also remind listeners that priorities can shift season by season, and that it is okay to define success in a way that reflects your actual life.

Whether you are a mother, a parent, a caregiver, someone thinking about starting a family, or someone who wants to better support colleagues navigating this intersection, this episode offers thoughtful insight, reassurance, and a much-needed reminder that these stories deserve space in music education.

In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, Lesley Moffat talks with jazz educator and author Milas Yoes about how to start, grow, or strengthen a jazz band, even if jazz was never your primary background. If you’ve ever felt underprepared to teach jazz, this conversation will help you see that you likely know more than you think you do, and that confidence can be built step by step.

Milas shares why he wrote Diving into Jazz Band with Confidence and Joy for directors who may have landed a jazz band assignment without much formal jazz pedagogy training. He talks honestly about the importance of choosing music that truly fits your students, especially paying close attention to rhythm section needs, instrumentation, and skill level so students can be successful instead of overwhelmed.

The conversation also highlights one of the most rewarding parts of jazz education: improvisation. Milas breaks down a simple and approachable way to introduce improvisation using a groove, limited note choices, call and response, and “safety in numbers” so students can experiment without fear. He reminds us that the first solos are supposed to be messy, and that jazz creates a unique space for students to take risks, find their voice, and sometimes thrive in ways they do not in traditional band settings.

This episode is a great reminder that jazz band is not just another ensemble. It can be a place where students blossom creatively, build confidence, and connect with music in a deeply personal way. And for directors, it can become one of the most joyful parts of teaching.

In this energizing episode of Band Director Boot Camp, Lesley Moffat talks with educator and speaker Phil Januszewski about what it takes to move beyond survival mode and build a career that feels sustainable. Phil shares the idea of identifying your “errs” - the roles, interests, and parts of yourself that make you who you are - and intentionally making space for them in your daily life.

Together, Lesley and Phil unpack why so many educators lose sight of themselves in the constant role of giver, and how even small, scheduled moments of joy can help refill your tank. They talk about building structure that supports your well-being, habit stacking, decluttering habits that no longer serve you, and finding ways to bring your natural gifts into the classroom so both you and your students benefit.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering where you went in the middle of serving everyone else, this conversation is a powerful reminder that taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is necessary. This episode will leave you thinking differently about your time, your energy, and the small choices that can help you thrive for the long game.

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