This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
I have the pleasure of working in an urban public school located in a large metropolitan area. The school's community has been hit very hard by the economic problems faced by the city, resulting in 93.2% of the students receiving free lunch. Yet, with the high level of poverty and crime in their community, my students strive to be their best. Ruby Payne’s (2009) article titled “Poverty Does Not Restrict a Student’s Ability to Learn” discusses how understanding the culture and climate allows teachers to meet a student where he/she is and move them forward. The staff at my school has embraced this philosophy and often volunteers their time before and after school to help our kids grow.
Nelson Mandela once stated that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” My students are a group of very bright and enthusiastic learners.
They are articulate and eagerly consume and apply new information. They often find success because of their diligence and hard work. I have no doubt that, if given the tools and opportunities needed for success, many of them will help change their community in a more positive and productive manner.
My Project
Our school emphasizes the importance of being proud of your heritage. Lessons learned in music classes support students who have a low sense of purpose and lack of belonging. Music in many instances encourages students to be their best. This increase in self-worth often displays itself across all academic disciplines. Visiting "Hitsville USA - Motown Museum" can have a positive influence on education and self-esteem.
This experience is an opportunity for my students, who are all persons of color, to see their own history represented through music expression.
All students deserve to see themselves in the historical narrative, and for them to be able to connect to their own history through art allows for them to make an emotional connection to the history we are learning in class. Motown was the sound that changed America.
The music generated from groups such as the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes , and many more, communicated and brought together a racially divided community, city, state, country, and the world. No other record company has had such a historic influence on popular music and culture. My students have grown up in the world of hip hop and would benefit from educationally understanding how the “Motown sound” contributed to the music they listen to today and its influence on the world.
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 Dr. Blakely and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.