Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
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Private lessons and buying a piano - these are luxuries which the majority of my students' families cannot afford. Now that our school has brought music into the curriculum, all our students have an opportunity to become musically literate and competent as performers and listeners. Our general music class emphasizes applied music theory (playing instruments from notation) and critical listening (studying musicians and genres in historical context). Our goal is that every child will finish eighth grade knowing how to (1) read music notes; (2) play a variety of instruments; (3) critically listen to music for lyrical meaning, historical significance, and musical characteristics.
Beyond musical exposure or experiences, we want to build a sequential program that provides real and lasting music education for every child. In year one, we began with congas to learn rhythm. Next, we introduced pitch with the treble clef using glockenspiels (mallet keyboard percussion instruments similar to a xylophone). In year two, we want to expand students' understanding of pitch to include the bass clef while continuing to develop their ambidexterity. The most logical next step is to teach piano because (1) it requires reading both treble and bass clefs; (2) it requires using both hands while developing fine motor skills that are not required for mallets; (3) the keys are set up identically to a glockenspiel, allowing for easy transfer of knowledge from mallets to fingers; (4) students will have a strong foundation for any future musical study.
If we have enough digital pianos to give every student access to an instrument during class, this will allow me to give every child piano lessons using the Mayron Cole Piano Method which was developed specifically for group and private instruction, and which I've used over the past several years for both private and group lessons.
About my class
Private lessons and buying a piano - these are luxuries which the majority of my students' families cannot afford. Now that our school has brought music into the curriculum, all our students have an opportunity to become musically literate and competent as performers and listeners. Our general music class emphasizes applied music theory (playing instruments from notation) and critical listening (studying musicians and genres in historical context). Our goal is that every child will finish eighth grade knowing how to (1) read music notes; (2) play a variety of instruments; (3) critically listen to music for lyrical meaning, historical significance, and musical characteristics.
Beyond musical exposure or experiences, we want to build a sequential program that provides real and lasting music education for every child. In year one, we began with congas to learn rhythm. Next, we introduced pitch with the treble clef using glockenspiels (mallet keyboard percussion instruments similar to a xylophone). In year two, we want to expand students' understanding of pitch to include the bass clef while continuing to develop their ambidexterity. The most logical next step is to teach piano because (1) it requires reading both treble and bass clefs; (2) it requires using both hands while developing fine motor skills that are not required for mallets; (3) the keys are set up identically to a glockenspiel, allowing for easy transfer of knowledge from mallets to fingers; (4) students will have a strong foundation for any future musical study.
If we have enough digital pianos to give every student access to an instrument during class, this will allow me to give every child piano lessons using the Mayron Cole Piano Method which was developed specifically for group and private instruction, and which I've used over the past several years for both private and group lessons.