Music Education Family Ties

Growing up as the daughter of a beloved music educator, Tiphanie McClenton watched her father, Arthur, play just about every instrument and passionately teach music to students in all age groups, ranging from young children to college-age adults.

“I saw him in action as a little girl, and as I grew up, I watched him around the city, encountering former students and seeing the impact he had,” McClenton says. “I went to college with a few of his students. That’s been my whole life: People hear my last name, and they immediately think of my dad.”

McClenton’s mother, Stephanie, is also a musician who plays the flute and clarinet. Her grandmother, Bernice King, loved to sing. It’s no wonder that the younger McClenton chose a career in the music field.

“Becoming a musician was pretty much a family influence,” she says with a smile.

Developing Lifelong Appreciators of Art

McClenton — whose own primary instrument is the flute — found her calling teaching music at Bryant Elementary School in Mableton, Georgia, and the Cobb County School District. There, she teaches all grade levels from kindergarten through 5th grade, and McClenton provides performance opportunities for every student. She even created two specialty ensembles and gives personalized and individualized attention to each child.

“My teaching philosophy is simple. I always operate from the idea that every student has the right and ability to learn,” McClenton says. “It’s my job as a teacher to figure out how to touch every student. My goal is not to make all my students grow up to be world-class musicians. My goal is to make them lifelong appreciators of the arts as a whole — not necessarily just music, but all art.”

McClenton loves tailoring her lessons so that every student is successful, regardless of mental and physical capacity.

“I do make sure that all my lessons touch every type of learning style,” says McClenton, who incorporates material designed for visual, auditory and tactile learners in her lesson plans. “The students don’t really realize it, but they are getting the same information in a variety of different ways.”

Sounds of Bryant Orff Ensemble

Wanting to give students something fun and specialized to do, McClenton created the Sounds of Bryant Orff Ensemble and the Bengal Beat Squad, both specialty music groups.

Sounds of Bryant, for 4th and 5th graders, is an Orff ensemble based on the pedagogy of Carl Orff, a German music educator, that incorporates the playing of less-common instruments — mini xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels — with movement, singing and imaginative play. The ensemble meets after school twice a week and performs at school and in the community, including a recent performance in front of judges at the Southern Star Music Festival that earned the young students a gold trophy.

“These judges usually hear middle and high school students all day, so I take our trophy as a huge accomplishment,” McClenton says. “We always get very high ratings from the judges for stage presence and discipline.”

Bengal Beat Squad

McClenton’s other specialty group, a drum group called the Bengal Beat Squad for 4th graders, just completed its first year. The kids enjoyed the activities so much that at the end of the year, they pleaded with McClenton to open the group to 5th graders so they could return! The group meets once a week after school, and the members perform their own Bengal Beat Squad song at all school performances.

Kids love participating in these groups for the same reasons that many enjoy team sports, McClenton says. It gives students something fun to do and a sense of belonging.

“We’re a little family. … It gives them a place to blossom, a place to feel like they belong,” she says.

She has witnessed children turning into leaders during their rehearsals, and their involvement in music after school seems to keep them out of trouble, McClenton says.

“That makes a difference in their little lives — to be successful at something and belong to something,” she says.

McClenton, who was recognized as a 2026 Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator, gets a lot out of running the two specialty groups, too: “If I had another day of the week, I would start another group!” she says.

“I love what I do. … I have a passion for it,” McClenton says. “I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do. I always say that I’m just trying to teach a little music and have a little fun along the way and trying to make every day meaningful and enjoyable.”

An Impactful Teacher

McClenton’s passion and hard work has earned her the respect of colleagues, students and parents. Dr. Sara Womack, supervisor of general and choral music, dance and theater for Cobb County School District, says that McClenton does an amazing job and that her students are very dedicated and disciplined.

“She’s a leader in the classroom as well as outside the classroom for other teachers,” Womack says. “She makes sure that all students have access to high-quality music experiences despite what other challenges they may be facing. … Students feel safe to make mistakes in her classroom and to learn from their mistakes. She’s just an awesome teacher – one of our shining stars in the district.”

Felicia Davis’ two now-college-age kids — Tyler and Amanda — learned so much and had fun during their time with McClenton. Davis has kept in touch with the music teacher over the years. “She dealt with kids in a way where they felt important while learning how to play instruments,” Davis says. “She always instills such pride, dignity and confidence in her students.”

Davis remembers watching her kids perform when they were in elementary school. “The kids performed at a higher level,” she continues. “You would cheer for your children, and, at the same time, you really enjoyed the performance. They sounded so professional!”