My students need a reliable sound system that allows them to hear the subtelties of instruments in Jazz, Classical, Funk, Folk, Hip Hop and other genres.
My students come from all over the world. Our school has one of the most ethnically diverse student bodies in my district. Numbering nearly 400 students, many receive free lunch. Languages represented at my school include Spanish, Tagalog, Arabic, Hindi and Vietnamese, among others. Many students are from first generation families, some are newly arrived in the United States and speak no English.
Some of our students have experienced upheaval, trauma, and poverty in their young lives, which can be daunting.
However, my students, have shown great enthusiasm for learning music. I would like them to have opportunity to experience the joy of playing musical instruments and listening to quality performances.
Learning an instrument facilitates students learning self-discipline, requiring focus and repetition, even when it seems tedious. An additional benefit of playing an instrument is it helps build a child's self-esteem. The joy of playing an instrument and becoming a musical being is a feeling all students can recognize, participate in and have fun doing.
My Project
Students will use the stereo for focused listening activities, as well as a sound system for short videos and movement activities. In music class, students learn about timbre, the quality of different sounds. For instance, if I play the tone A on violin, how does it compare to the same tone on xylophone. Often, the subtlety of a piece of music calls for equipment that can define the nuances in the composition; from the crisp high tones of the piccolo, the plucky pizzicato of the strings, the whisper of a harp, the brush on a snare drum to Bruno Mars' funky grooves. Hearing quality acoustics can take students to another level of understanding why composers choose particular instruments to convey feelings as they do. Currently, our stereo plays intermittently in stereo. While it works, it would be a real boost for our kids to have something that works consistently and delivers quality sound.
Not only will Bluetooth alleviate the need for another cord in the classroom, students will be enjoying two-channel sound during activities!
While it doesn't seem like much, in a 30-minute music class, every minute saved is another activity we can do. Bluetooth capability would also allow me to be anywhere in the classroom instructing and cue the music as needed. I think students would notice a marked improvement in their listening experience, and may be inspired to play!
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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. H. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
