Our school focuses on a holistic education, teaching everything from math and reading, to music, arts and handwork. Our students come from 14 different school districts, and from about every walk of life, grades k through 8. Our demographics are just as diverse with some students coming from families that are financially well off, and others from single parent and lower income homes. They are as diverse as one could imagine, both ecomomically and socially.
As a public charter school, many of our students are those who have struggled to succeed in the regular channels of education.
Being a public school, we accept everyone, regardless of past education, socioeconomic challenges or family income. As such, we have a very high ratio of SPED and high need students in our student body. The majority of our students are succeeding in the orchestra, and are making tremendous progress. However, there are a number of students who are falling behind due to physical or cognitive restrictions.
My Project
Within our school's curriculum, every student learns to play a stringed instrument (violin, viola, cello, bass) beginning in the 4th grade, and they continue with it through the 5th grade. While not everyone likes (or wants) to be in a stringed orchestra, the benefits are tried and proven. After two years in strings classes, students are given more choice to do something different. We are finishing up our second year that the school has been opened, and the time has come that we need to bring alternatives to the upper grade students.
With music being a required part of our curriculum, everybody plays.
But not everybody relates to the orchestra. Ukulele and guitar, however, are more relatable to young minds. When learning ukulele, you get many of the same benefits of community, engaging fine motor skills, etc. Ukulele will be brought as an alternative to the string orchestra for the upper grade students, and may be a better beginning instrument for students transferring into the school after the 6th grade.
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