Green County Middle School is a small school in a rural community. We have many wonderful, bright, capable students who struggle because they live in poverty. Additionally, our state legislature has eliminated funding for "Instructional Materials", meaning that the amount of money we have for things like classroom instruments, sheet music, art supplies, etc. for the 2017-18 school year is exactly zero.
In a small, rural community, students at our school do not have a lot of opportunities to experience music and the arts.
Some of the things I do to bring these sorts of experiences to my students are drum circles where students use percussion instruments to learn rhythms and improvisational techniques. I also read stories/books that introduce students to historically important composers and videos that allow kids to experience top-notch performances in our own classroom. We use technology to allow students to explore orchestral music, choral music and Broadway musicals that they may never have the chance to see live.
I want my students to have the same opportunities that students in larger, more affluent communities have. Our state government makes that hard when they under-fund public education, but with your help, I can bring a little musical magic them!
My Project
In Kentucky, our state legislature reduced our "instructional materials" budget to zero, meaning replacing old, worn out items or choosing new materials to reinvigorate my music classroom is tougher than ever. The items included in this project will benefit every student in our school because all students receive music education during the school year. We use many, many things in my music class, including classroom percussion instruments, DVDs and technology in music class. These items will enhance all of that! The kids will play instruments, meet great composers, listen to exceptional musical examples and experience Broadway shows and more with these items.
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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. Durham and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
