Teaching Future Teachers

Twice a year, I am called upon to provide supplemental music instruction to elementary education majors at the University of North Florida.  These students are taking a course that teaches them how to integrate the Arts into their everyday lives in the regular education classroom.  Their professor, Dr. Gigi David, is an extremely talented visual artist.  She has written and illustrated several children's books and is a strong supporter of arts education.  She enlists my help to teach musical concepts that are simple enough for the "musically un-trained" to replicate in their classroom.

In years past, I packed up half my classroom and carted it over to the university to teach two sections of her class over a two-day period.  This year, we decided to bring the students to Chets Creek for the workshop.  We wanted them to see what a music classroom looks like.  We wanted them to experience me interacting with elementary-age children and wanted the experience to be as "real" as possible.

UNF Students

The students came into my classroom to observe me working with second graders who are working on the music for their holiday musical.  They observed a 45-minute rehearsal followed by a workshop with me.  I taught a lesson that integrated social studies and music ("Star Spangled Banner" - the history behind the lyrics); we did some work learning to read rhythmic notation; we analyzed a simple melody and discovered that melody can move "up, down and stay the same;" we used manipulatives to show our comprehension of the material (just as I would do with my own students); we learned a multi-cultural song from Africa and learned to play tubanos (drums) and we played with Sound Shape drums and Boomwhackers - all in two and a half hours!

Rehearsing with second graders

Answering students' questions

As they were leaving, I asked them to complete a brief "exit survey" for me so I could re-work my presentation prior to the Spring semester, if necessary.  My favorite comment of all..... "Pure, unadulterated awesome!"

Until next time...