Peter Conniff has been teaching elementary music for the past 32 years going from not really knowing what he was doing to being a presenter and successful teacher of musicianship to hundreds of kids each year! He started his education as an undergraduate studying instrumental music at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam in the state of NY. Thinking he was bound for the band director’s chair he found himself teaching in an elementary school. These two years of teaching part time instrumental and part time general music turned the light on that general music was really the place he wanted to be! After two years of teaching in NY, he began his masters in music education at Michigan State University. Armed with a new professional direction he thrived at MSU and became steeped in Music Learning Theory and how Orff and Kodaly can all weave together in music curricula .That started his Michigan career at Kentwood public schools where he has been teaching for the past 28 years. He helped start the ukulele program there, has been a strong partner in developing the curriculum and loves a good spread sheet. He has enjoyed presenting at MMEA sessions, MMC sessions alone and in collaboration with colleagues at Kentwood over the years and is excited to get back to sharing with colleagues today!