My students love to explore and play our classroom instruments, and I am constantly inspired by students’ enthusiasm, curiosity, and musical creativity. In this past school year, before we transitioned to remote learning, my first graders composed new melodies and played familiar songs at the keyboard; my second graders invented new percussion instruments and played their own parts in instrument ensembles; my third and fourth graders worked hard to master tricky drum patterns and complicated chord progressions.
In March 2020, we transitioned to remote learning, and many students did not have instruments to explore and practice at home.
Now we are working to build stronger connections between school and home music making, and to ensure that all students have the tools and resources to play music at home, not only during remote learning, but also in the years beyond.
My Project
Over the past few months, our incredible DonorsChoose.org community has helped to provide several student instruments (my heartfelt thanks for supporting our series of “Playing in Parts While We’re Apart” projects). The success of these projects sparked an idea that, a year ago, I wouldn’t have thought possible. What if every student could practice their instrument at home?
This series of projects will help to fund a shared Community Collection of instruments for student use.
Each student will use a designated Community Collection instrument for the year (or for the unit of study), and return their instrument at the end of the unit or year so that future students can use the collection.
This first installment will provide keyboards for fourth and fifth grade students. While we learn remotely, students will meet virtually with their classmates and with me to learn and rehearse repertoire. Students will work towards creating shared recordings and virtual ensemble videos, preparing their own parts to contribute to group recording projects. When in-person music instruction resumes, students can use their designated Community Collection instruments in the music classroom and also bring their instruments home to practice. In all learning formats, students will have instruments at hand.
But the benefit of our new Community Collection will extend far beyond this school year. Having a sustainable, shared collection of student instruments would allow for students to explore and practice at home all year long-- not just this year, but for many years to come.
It's an ambitious goal. We will need many instruments! But every donation, and every instrument acquired, brings us one step closer. Please look out for other projects in the same series, each of which will provide a set of Community Collection instruments for a specific grade level or student group to use.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Schwartz and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"NY","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":2,"name":"Elementary School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/making-music-at-home-building-a-communi/4993934/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":300,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Schwartz","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"426650426","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Woodside","teachersOnPage":[3869045],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":4993934,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":108919,"schoolName":"Woodside Community School 361Q","authorIds":{"3869045":{"owner":"Ms. Schwartz","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[4993934],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3869045_orig.jpg?crop=2111,2111,x208,y170&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1628789862977","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":20854185,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":3869045,"schoolCounty":"Queens","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"NY","name":"New York"}}
