Kara Ireland D’Ambrosio
She/Her | kara.irelanddambrosio@alliant.edu
California Teaching Credentials | Adjunct Professor
Biography
Dr. Kara Ireland D鈥橝mbrosio is an Adjunct Professor of Education at the 糖心传媒 School of Education (since 2023) and an Adjunct Professor and Facilitator of Music Education at Boston University. Previously, at San Jos茅 State University, she advised master鈥檚 projects and taught several undergraduate and graduate courses in music methods and research. From 2000鈥2023, Dr. Ireland D鈥橝mbrosio taught TK鈥8 music at Woodside School, where she received a GRAMMY Gold Award for Excellence in Music Education in 2002. She served two terms on the Bay Section Board of the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) as Special Representative for Classroom Music (2006鈥2010) and Higher Education Representative (2017鈥2021), and also served on the CMEA State Council of Representatives as the Higher Education Representative.
Dr. Ireland D鈥橝mbrosio has chaired the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) Field Placement Forum for several years and was elected to the CCTE Board of Directors in 2022, where she served as a peer reviewer of research and advocates for strong partnerships between universities and local school districts. At San Jos茅 State University, she previously served as the Secondary Education Field Placement Coordinator and Head of Supervisors. Her recent scholarship includes co-authoring 鈥淐ompassion and Care Through Musical Social Emotional Learning鈥 in
The Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education (Hendricks, 2023) and authoring 鈥淓mbedding Social Emotional Learning in Pre-Service Music Education Preparation鈥 in Portraits of Social Emotional Learning in Music Teacher Education: Teaching Music with Heart (Edgar & Melago, 2024). She is a featured educator in the Quaver Professional Development Program and is deeply committed to inclusive, strength-based music education that supports all students in finding their voice.
Professional Interests
- Income Inequality
- Inclusion/Special Education
- Dis/Ability Education
- Social Emotional Intelligence Integration
- Arts Integration Curriculum
Education and Certifications
- Doctor of Musical Arts, Music Education, January 2015 Boston University, Boston, MA Qualifying examination areas: Musicology, Music Education, Music Theory
- Dissertation: The California Music Project Teacher Training Program as an Intervention in Poverty and Income Inequality
- Committee members: Susan Wharton Conkling, Ph.D. (First Reader/Adviser), Donna T. Emmanuel, Ph.D., Andrew Goodrich, D.M.A.
- Master of Music in Music Education (Kodaly), 2001 Holy Names University, Oakland, CA
- Thesis: Compiled Folk Song Collection and Retrieval System
- Bachelor of Music, Music Education, 1995 University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH Honor Student
- National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Music Education
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 2004
- Renewal 2015 State of California Professional Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential (Music), Grades PK-12 and Adults, current (160227718) State of California CLAD Certificate, Grades PK-12, granted 2005 Kodaly, Level III Certificate, 2001 State of New Hampshire Experienced Educator Certificate (Music), Grades PK-12, 7/1/2004-6/30/2007 Orff Schulwerk, Level I Certificate, 1997
Courses
Educational Foundations: The Learner and the Learning Environment
Scholarship & Contributions to the Field
“Author-Chapter 6- Embedding Social Emotional Learning in Pre-Service Music Education Preparation
in the book, Portraits of Social Emotional Learning in Music Teacher Education
Teaching Music with Heart, Edited by Scott N. EdgarKathleen A. Melago, 2024
Co-Author of Chapter 16- Compassion and Care Through Musical Social Emotional Learning, The
Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education Edited by Karin S Hendricks, 2023
Peer Editor, The Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education Edited by Karin S. Hendricks, 2022
CMEA Magazine, Author, articles, 2022-present
California Counsel on Teacher Education, Field Placement Forum article, biannual, 2018-2022
The California Music Project Teacher Training Program as an Intervention in Poverty and Income
Inequality, Dissertation, Proquest, 2015
Northern California Bay Section California Music Educators Association, TEMPO, General Music
Education Articles, 2006-2010, 2017- 2019