What Is GITC?
Guitars & Ukes in the Classroom brings music to PreK -12 learning by training educators to teach all subjects through the power of song.
Founder Jess Baron shares more about the GITC philosophy and methodology in this live session with the NAMM Foundation's Eric Ebel.
Founder Jess Baron shares more about the GITC philosophy and methodology in this live session with the NAMM Foundation's Eric Ebel.
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Support all students to experience
academic success, belonging, and social emotional development
through the joy of music and the power of song!
Our Mission
GITC trains, inspires, and equips educators to engage students in learning all subjects through the joy of making music and the power of song. Our inclusive and responsive teaching approach promotes equity, academic achievement, literacy, social emotional well-being, 21st century skills, and caring classroom communities.
Our Services
GITC offers free, weekly music training and leadership classes online for anyone serving in education. No musical experience is necessary to participate. Desire and willingness to learn are the keys to success.
We also provide capacity-building, classroom teaching artist residencies, and after-school music clubs for students. GITC can be invited to present departmental in-service training for music educators, special educators, and general classroom teachers.
We are a small, grassroots organization located in San Diego, California, serving educators and schools from coast to coast.
GITC trains, inspires, and equips educators to engage students in learning all subjects through the joy of making music and the power of song. Our inclusive and responsive teaching approach promotes equity, academic achievement, literacy, social emotional well-being, 21st century skills, and caring classroom communities.
Our Services
GITC offers free, weekly music training and leadership classes online for anyone serving in education. No musical experience is necessary to participate. Desire and willingness to learn are the keys to success.
We also provide capacity-building, classroom teaching artist residencies, and after-school music clubs for students. GITC can be invited to present departmental in-service training for music educators, special educators, and general classroom teachers.
We are a small, grassroots organization located in San Diego, California, serving educators and schools from coast to coast.
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+17,500
educators trained since 2000 |
39
states are represented by the educators who are training in our programs |
22
years bringing music to cross curricular learning from coast to coast |
+250,000
students receive free musical learning through GITC each school year |
Our Vision
We envision the time when all students have free access to learning through music as a vital part of their academic education and social emotional development. Our goal is to make GITC available to educators wherever they serve through online instruction and resources.
We envision the time when all students have free access to learning through music as a vital part of their academic education and social emotional development. Our goal is to make GITC available to educators wherever they serve through online instruction and resources.
WHY GITC?
Through music, students are connecting to the material with every part of themselves. Our educators report back that the GITC approach improves student enthusiasm, engagement, literacy, academics, and social-emotional awareness.
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HOW IS GUITARS & UKES IN THE CLASSROOM'S APPROACH TO TEACHING
DIFFERENT THAN OTHER METHODS?
Founder, Jess Baron explains...
DIFFERENT THAN OTHER METHODS?
Founder, Jess Baron explains...
Get Started
I'm An Educator
I want to bring music to my district, school, classroom, or special learning environment!
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I'm An Advocate
Sing it loud, I believe in music and I'm proud! I'm ready to learn how to get involved and be a part of the solution.
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I'm a Parent/Guardian
I want my children to learn to make music at school or online.
How do I get started? |
How We Serve
GITC is a 22 year old 501(c)3 nonprofit, funded by grants and individual, community, and corporate donations. We have trained over 17,500 educators to teach through the power of song in 39 states since 2006. They are collectively reaching well over a million students with free music during the school day.
In 2021 we added after school music clubs for students in San Diego, California with support from the San Diego Foundation through the pandemic recovery program here in our hometown called Level Up San Diego.
GITC professional development (PD) courses train education professionals to become capable and confident song leaders for learning. The academic focus of our work integrating songs for learning during the school day includes literacy, math, science, social studies, and social emotional learning. At no cost to the indivual participants in our trainings, we offer these courses in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Most GITC PDs take place virtually after school with a few on weekends.
With weekly, ongoing classes and sequential levels of training, they learn to engage students in all of these subjects through classroom strumming, singing, and collaborative student songwriting.
In California, we also provide co-teaching artist classroom residencies for participating, highly engaged educators. These can be supported by school districts, indivual schools, grants, or contributions.
GITC programs make learning fun, inspiring, and memorable for teachers and students of all abilities. These include programs for English language learners as well as for students in in-person and virtual settings.
GITC is a 22 year old 501(c)3 nonprofit, funded by grants and individual, community, and corporate donations. We have trained over 17,500 educators to teach through the power of song in 39 states since 2006. They are collectively reaching well over a million students with free music during the school day.
In 2021 we added after school music clubs for students in San Diego, California with support from the San Diego Foundation through the pandemic recovery program here in our hometown called Level Up San Diego.
GITC professional development (PD) courses train education professionals to become capable and confident song leaders for learning. The academic focus of our work integrating songs for learning during the school day includes literacy, math, science, social studies, and social emotional learning. At no cost to the indivual participants in our trainings, we offer these courses in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Most GITC PDs take place virtually after school with a few on weekends.
With weekly, ongoing classes and sequential levels of training, they learn to engage students in all of these subjects through classroom strumming, singing, and collaborative student songwriting.
In California, we also provide co-teaching artist classroom residencies for participating, highly engaged educators. These can be supported by school districts, indivual schools, grants, or contributions.
GITC programs make learning fun, inspiring, and memorable for teachers and students of all abilities. These include programs for English language learners as well as for students in in-person and virtual settings.
PLEASE GIVE HERE TO CHANGE LIVES
Our Core Values
Creativity, Integrity,
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Cross-Curricular Learning,
Caring & Respect
Well-Being for All Students & Educators
Creativity, Integrity,
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Cross-Curricular Learning,
Caring & Respect
Well-Being for All Students & Educators
When teachers become comfortable enough to begin leading songs for learning, they report that student enthusiasm, engagement, literacy and academic skills, and social-emotional awareness improve. Eventually most also begin teaching ukulele or guitar as a part of daily learning. We help them procure instruments thanks to our awesome sponsors! Students begin strumming, singing and songwriting together and this joyful approach to learning together often inspires an upbeat and artistic shift in school culture.
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OFFERING MUSICAL TRAINING ALSO REQUIRES SUPPLIES!
With help from contributors and sponsors, GITC places instruments in their hands along with resources to acquire more so that each student can learn to strum and sing at school. Teachers are not asked to pay this, ever. We help them find resources and give everything we can. Your donations make this possible! Through GITC's free, inclusive approach, every student in participating classrooms learns to make music with their teacher.
With help from contributors and sponsors, GITC places instruments in their hands along with resources to acquire more so that each student can learn to strum and sing at school. Teachers are not asked to pay this, ever. We help them find resources and give everything we can. Your donations make this possible! Through GITC's free, inclusive approach, every student in participating classrooms learns to make music with their teacher.
Music Education with Music Integration - An Interdependent Vision
GITC believes that every student deserves a well-rounded education including weekly music integration for cross-curricular learning and also instruction in music taught by a credentialed music educator. We invite you to read up on the multitude of benefits in our blogs and also visit the NAMM Foundation website for music advocacy.
GITC stands with districts dedicated to strengthening their music education programs. We offer music faculties free training in our approach and select from among the participating music specialists, compassionate and patient instructors to teach music integration with GITC to their colleagues. When music specialists and classroom teachers team up, they can build a culture of music together where hearts, minds, hands and hallways are filled with song.
GITC stands with districts dedicated to strengthening their music education programs. We offer music faculties free training in our approach and select from among the participating music specialists, compassionate and patient instructors to teach music integration with GITC to their colleagues. When music specialists and classroom teachers team up, they can build a culture of music together where hearts, minds, hands and hallways are filled with song.
Contact Us
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Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom
National Headquarters Mailing Address: 1286 University Ave, #389 San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 840-1010 info@guitarsintheclassroom.org |
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