 Dr. Jan Harriott is an Associate Professor of Elementary Music Education at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She holds a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Music Education, with an emphasis in Kodaly, from the University of Oklahoma; a Master of Arts in Clarinet Performance from California State University, Sacramento; and a B.S. in Education (Music) from Northern Illinois University.
Dr. Harriott, Coordinator of Music Education, teaches elementary music methods classes to both the elementary teachers and the music majors. Her other courses include Introduction to Music Education, supervision of the K-12 music student teaching and elementary field experiences, music education graduate courses, and music appreciation. In addition, she is advisor to the collegiate chapter of MENC at Kearney (awarded Outstanding Chapter in Nebraska for 2005-2006) In 2008, she was part of a two-week UNK faculty professional development team at Shandong University in Weihai, China.
Dr. Harriott is a native of Peoria, Illinois. She has taught music to students of all ages throughout the United States and in parts of Europe, which includes seventeen years of public school elementary general music teaching in the states of Illinois, Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. She was awarded the title of her school’s “Teacher of the Year” in 1995 in Oklahoma.
Kodaly certified with much Orff experience (Orff Level I certified), Dr. Harriott’s expertise is in early childhood music education. Her dissertation chronicled the life and contributions of Barbara Andress to Early Childhood Music Education. She is a composer of children’s songs and an author of a recorder method book as well as many music activities, which include four lesson plans for MENC’s “Liberty For All, A Musical Journey, Volume I” (2006). Recently, Dr. Harriott authored an on-line article for the MENC Collegiate Newslink, "Tips for Success in Student Teaching and Beyond" (March 2010).
Dr. Harriott is an active clinician at the local, state, and national level. She has presented sessions at the national and regional conferences for the College Music Society (CMS), MENC, American Orff Schulwerk Association, Sigma Alpha Iota, as well as for the Nebraska Music Educators Association and many early childhood music workshops throughout Nebraska. She also was a two day clinician in elementary music education for the Great Plains Music Education Workshop at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas (summer 2010).
Dr. Harriott’s recent research is on making musical connections to beginning clarinetists/instrumentalists. This creative teaching approach bridges the gap between the elementary child and the beginning instrumentalist and uses Orff/Kodaly techniques and activities. She and Amy Walworth, a UNK music education masters graduate and public school music teacher, presented a session on this topic at the NMEA (2009), at the University of Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium (summer, 2010), and will present at the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) National Conference in Minneapolis (March, 2011).
Dr. Harriott also enjoys playing the clarinet and is a member of the International Clarinet Society. Her article, “A Visit to the Royal Flemish Music Conservatory in Antwerp, Belgium” was published in The Clarinet in 1990. She has performed chamber music in America and in parts of Europe. At UNK, Dr. Harriott was principal clarinet in the Kearney Symphony Orchestra (2003-2005, 2009-2010) and currently performs in various chamber recitals. Her teachers include Wilber Smith, Fred Westphal, Ramon Kireilus, Walter Boeykins, and David Etheridge. She is currently receiving occasional clarinet coaching from Brad Behn in Oklahoma City.
 email: harriottjm@unk.edu
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