My students need 10 guitars and 10 drums for their 'Strums and Drums' music program. They also need stands and cases to keep and transport the instruments.
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
Our inquisitive and energetic students are early-beginner English language learners ages 6 to 14. Many of our students have no prior education and have come from living in refugee camps. We spend our class time on the fundamentals of learning such as basic behavior, letters, numbers and sounds.
At Focus Learning Academy of Northern Columbus, nearly 95% of our students are English language learners (ELLs).
Having previously only known life in a refugee camp, many of our students have little reference for the kind of behavior that fosters learning. In our ELL department, we provide the basics of American education for those who have little or no prior school experience. This includes an introduction to classroom etiquette and the proper use of learning tools such as pencils and erasers. The goal of our program and classrooms is for students to acquire English language proficiency adequate for the standard classroom and curriculum, to close the gap in their academic experience.
“By the tragic gap I mean the gap between the hard realities around us and what we know is possible — not because we wish it were so, but because we've seen it with our own eyes.” —Parker J. Palmer
My Project
Strums and Drums is a guitar and hand drum music program to be taught by teachers and local artists. Students in the guitar studio will learn how to handle the guitar, form notes and chords, arrange chords, and create original songs. In the drum sessions, players will use drumming technique to produce traditional beats and collaborate with others to make unique rhythms. Through these activities, players will more easily perceive the universal patterns which help make connections in language and content knowledge acquisition.
Play and art stimulate areas of the mind that enhance creative and critical thinking and decision making.
The universal qualities of music and rhythm appear in literature, academic text, speech, science and math. Strums and Drums will enhance our students' ability to learn English and grasp the concepts presented in their content classes. Adding the emotional and intellectual dimensions of music and rhythm to our students' experience will dramatically reduce the tragic gap in their education.
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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 Mr. Paddock and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
