Dr. Ashley Shank

Biography

Ashley Shank coordinates the student teaching program in the music education area. Her duties include assigning student teacher placements, in-servicing new cooperating teachers, conducting student teaching seminars, supervising student teachers, and teaching music education courses. She has significant experience in public school education, having taught elementary general music and arts infusion in the Urbana School District in Urbana, Illinois, and choral music at Brashear High School in Pittsburgh Public Schools. Prior to her appointment at Penn State, Shank taught at Susquehanna University where she served as the director of the music preparatory program and early childhood music program in partnership with Summit Early Learning. Her interests include the importance of pattern recognition in music learning, developing comprehensive musicianship, educating special needs music students, integrating arts education, and preparing students for the 21st-century job market. She enjoys sharing her experiences with new music commissioning, grant writing, and non-profit administration. In addition, she is an active flutist and teacher, as well as a performer in various settings, particularly interested in new music from Russia and the Soviet Republics. Her private students have earned top chairs in district, regional, all-state, and all-east festivals, and have received superior ratings in solo and ensemble festivals. She has continued her flute studies at the college level.

Research Interests