Marijke Smedema

Marijke Smedema is a specialist music teacher and interschool cultural coordinator in special education, affiliated with the Research Group Arts Education at Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK). She holds a Master of Education in Arts from AHK and combines academic research with practical teaching roles. Her work focuses on integrating music into special education to support social-emotional and musical development.

• Educations:
  • Social Pedagogical Assistance (Fontys University of Applied Sciences)
  • General Music Education/Remedial Music Practice (Conservatorium Maastricht)

Research interests include music’s role in special education, assessment frameworks, and inclusive pedagogy. She led the 'Music is More' project, developing a monitoring system for social-emotional and musical growth in pupils. Publications and workshops emphasize practical applications of music in education.

Her work with Musicians without Borders and roles as a guest teacher at Conservatorium van Amsterdam highlight her interdisciplinary contributions. Current focus: advancing arts education through innovation and teacher development.