The kiddos that come through my classroom door are incredibly diverse and unique! We have approximately 480 students at our building, and they get music class twice per week for 30 minutes each. Since I see many of these students year after year from Kindergarten through 5th grade at the same school, I enjoy seeing all of the students grow and develop their unique personalities over time.
I constantly marvel at how inquisitive, creative, and expressive these kids can be!
They love to move, sing, and try new things. Also, they are often motivated by challenge and by chances to experiment on their own or in small groups. Sometimes though, it can be difficult to provide them with opportunities to explore and challenge themselves when we simply don't have enough instruments or materials to go around. With as many as 28 kids in the room at a time, they often have to wait their turn to use an instrument. Thirty minutes is often just not enough time to cycle through a full group!
It's a constant challenge for me to keep up with this fast-paced group of students, but it is so rewarding to see their enjoyment!
My Project
We've been using ukuleles for several years as a super-fun way to practice core skills such as reading music notation, keep a steady beat, and accompany singing.
It is so exciting to see how motivated the students are when we use our classroom ukuleles!
They are engaged and working hard--and building their resilience as they practice the tricky new fine-motor skills needed to play chords or pluck out a melody. Ukuleles have always been one of my favorite instruments to use in the classroom, and the students love them too.
Unfortunately, it is time for our current class set of ukuleles to be cycled out. It is difficult to tell just how long they have been in use, but many of them are showing the signs of being well-loved for a few decades! I have had to attempt major repairs on some, and most others have lost their tone clarity or intonation across the fingerboard. The students notice when their uke isn't playing well, and it can be very frustrating for them! This project is the first of three steps to eventually cycle out our class set of 28 instruments.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Yahvah and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
