Music is my life and I try to inspire the more than 400 students I teach weekly at my amazing elementary school! I teach students from all backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and ability levels a plethora of music history, music theory, the basics of instruments and reading music, as well as the basics of singing and performing. My students are enthusiastic learners and always excited to play the various instruments I have (drums, keyboard, and more!) and sing and dance to the songs I teach them.
There are so many possibilities when it comes to teaching music and with my passion for enriching my students lives with this in mind, their opportunities in music are endless!
With the love I have for music, and the love for music and the arts I try to instill in my students I sometimes am held back due to lack of resources. I teach music as one of the students' special electives in grades kindergarten through fourth graders twice a week. In addition to that, each year, every grade I teach sing, dance, and perform at their grade level annual concert. It would benefit my students greatly to have access to more resources!
My Project
Each year, I plan and implement five concerts for my elementary school students. I teach every grade at my school (including kindergarten, first, second, third, and fourth graders) everything about music and once a year, they get to show what they know and have learned to their parents, family members, friends, and fellow peers and staff members at a concert. Kindergarten puts on a Thanksgiving production in which they sing five to six songs and recite poems, first and third grades put on a winter concert in which they sing six to seven songs as well as have speaking parts for a narrative that goes with the theme of the songs, and finally second and fourth grades put on a spring concert in which they sing songs to as well as make instruments to play at. In addition to this, some of my exceptional students get to sing solos or even play instruments that they have learned how to play at. The evenings are always so much fun and the students definitely catch the "music bug" after a night of performing for their family and friends.
Putting on these amazing concerts is one of the highlights of my career as a music teacher; however, I always have to borrow sound equipment from our high school to put these productions on as I do not have my own at our elementary school.
This can be challenging to plan for as not only do I need the sound equipment for concert nights, but also all of the times we practice performing. Having our own sound equipment to use whenever and wherever we need it would provide my students with multiple opportunities to practice and to be their best for their concerts!
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