The cost of a Primary Line Diatonic Deep Bass Metallophone from LMI Music is $964, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
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.
Attending a recent workshop on Dalcroze Eurhythmics inspired me to bring movement and motion to my elementary music students! The Dalcroze philosophy involves learning through movement. The Swiss musician and educator, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, integrates rhythmic movement, ear training, and improvisation in his teaching philosophy of eurhythmics. Lessons in this approach encourage students to focus on musical elements such as tempo, dynamics, patterns, and meter. By focusing on musical elements, students begin to appreciate related skills such as focus, self-control, coordination, cooperation, self-expression and creativity. Thus, the learning approach becomes an interdisciplinary experience as these skills carry over across all curricula. This approach to teaching music will enhance the learning of every student at Poe Elementary School!
To begin incorporating this movement approach, part of the classroom is already designated as a “word wall.” Here, students begin class by choosing a “movement” word. Together, we practice moving in space with our bodies. Students love to explore motions such as “throw,” “bend,” and, “melt.” Each student is immersed in concentration as they execute these movements with a pulse. Inevitably, students want to repeat this activity multiple times asking, “Can we do it again?!” Another great advantage to the incorporation of movement is that all students can complete the activities. That is, students from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade show positive responses to Dalcroze movement. This warm-up gets each child thinking about musical concepts while encouraging exploration of their coordination and expression.
The introductory Dalcroze activities are very successful in my development as a teacher as well as my students' learning experiences. Therefore, I would like to take the approach to the next level. Now that we are moving and learning how to fill space within various tempos and musical styles, I would like to provide students opportunities to create their own music and movement together. The project that my music students will undertake is “Music in Motion.” We will use our movement knowledge to compose accompanying sound on musical instruments.
My classroom at Poe Montessori Magnet School in Raleigh, North Carolina consists of many small, old barred instruments that will not enable us to complete this project. Our school is committed to the Montessori philosophy that eliminates competition. Therefore, we cannot participate in fundraisers to raise money for our school and consequently, our musical instruments are old and deteriorating. It is difficult to replace so many instruments in a short amount of time because our funding is limited.
The resource necessary to allow my students to create their own music for the Music in Motion project is one deep bass metallophone totalling $674.99. This will enable every student at the school an equal amount of time for motion and music playing year after year. With proper “Music in Motion” all Poe students will encounter a complete Dalcroze experience.
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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 Mrs. Ellington and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
