About
Dr. I.J. Routen
She approaches the arts as a way in: a point of entry into math, science, history, literacy, and shared understanding.
A Lifetime Helping People Learn in Full
Dr. Routen has spent a lifetime helping people remember that learning is a living, creative act. To know her only by titles is to miss the heart of her work: relationship, belonging, and a rigorous kind of joy.
Long before titles and honors, she was a musician, a listener, and a teacher who believed that music, movement, visual art, and story are not “extras,” but languages—ways human beings make meaning, build belonging, and understand the world together.
Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dr. Routen is a retired, award-winning arts educator and jazz musician with more than 30 years of service in public education. She most recently served as Fine Arts Coordinator for Elementary Schools in the Little Rock School District, where she led district-wide efforts to integrate the arts into everyday classroom learning for thousands of students and educators.
But to know Dr. Routen only by her résumé is to miss the heart of her work.
Listening before leading—always.
Rigor and warmth can share the same room.
A Relational Practice
Dr. Routen’s teaching is grounded in relationship—between teacher and student, between disciplines, and between curiosity and care. Her classrooms and workshops are known for being rigorous and warm, playful and precise. Children feel seen. Educators feel supported. Learning feels human.
She often says that the arts are a window—a way into math, science, history, literacy, and into one another. This philosophy guided her leadership of arts-integrated initiatives across LRSD and continues to shape her work today through Artistic Destinations.
IJ is incredibly gifted at multitasking and maintaining a high level of expectation for colleagues and young learners. More recently, she has been experiencing fine arts disciplines other than music, and developing a love and competence about their practices.— Sharon Boyd-Struthers, Instructional Specialist at Little Rock School District
A student note
“Thank you Dr. Routen for coming every week to work with us for the spirit fest, and thank you for picking our class to perform. I appreciate you so much and I love you.”
— From a student (Spirit Fest)
Arts Integration in Motion
Dr. Routen’s work is guided by widely recognized arts learning processes—helping students create, perform/present, respond, and connect—while staying grounded in the Orff-Schulwerk approach educators know and trust.
Create
Generate ideas, improvise, compose, make, and shape original work.
Perform / Present
Share learning through music, movement, spoken word, and visual art—individually and together.
Respond
Reflect, notice, describe, and interpret—so learning becomes transferable.
Connect
Link artmaking to community, culture, content areas, and lived experience.
Orff-Schulwerk Processes
Musician, Mentor, Advocate
Dr. Routen’s musicianship and teaching have always lived together—each strengthening the other.
In addition to her work as an educator, Dr. Routen is an accomplished jazz musician. She has performed with ensembles such as the Stardust Big Band, appeared at venues including the Ohio Club in Hot Springs, and remains deeply connected to the jazz community. She is a member of the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to music education and culture.
Dr. Routen is also honored in the Arkansas Music Educators Association Hall of Fame as both a teacher and an administrator.
She is Orff Schulwerk certified, has completed advanced master classes, and is an active member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA). Dr. Routen regularly presents workshops nationally and internationally, collaborating with educators and Orff chapters across the U.S. and abroad.
Throughout her career, she has been a visible advocate for arts education—appearing on local media, mentoring fellow educators, and building interdisciplinary teams that center creativity, equity, and student agency.
Leading with rhythm, listening, and trust.
Music as community practice—one phrase at a time.
A passionate and experienced leader in music education, Dr. I.J. Routen served as the Coordinator of Elementary Fine Arts at the Little Rock School District for over 20 years. Throughout her career, she has inspired both students and teachers with her unique approach, cultivated through her own ongoing journey of musical discovery across cultures.— Beth Melin, Principal, Lower School (PK-5)
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Read full recommendation
Dr. Routen is a dedicated advocate for music educators, providing impactful professional development and personalized coaching to support their professional growth and effectiveness. She is passionate about the journey of young learners, seeking ways to build community and cultivate self-expression through the integration of the arts.
Her deep knowledge in areas such as composition, jazz, improvisation, Orff Schulwerk, and world music allows her to effectively inspire, motivate, and encourage learners of all backgrounds and ages.
xo,
Beth