 SaysJingle Bells are ringing in San Diego classrooms, thanks to parents at Bird Rock Elementary, leaders at San Diego's VAPA Foundation, funders through DonorsChoose.org, and local contributors Bruce and Elaine Robbins, the Rice Foundation and The Paula B. Jones Foundation! This fall, when teachers Lorraine Turner and Carol Shear returned to their classrooms after taking GITC summer intensives, the halls were alive with the sound of music! These inspirational teachers decided to make hands-on learning with ukuleles a big part of their rooms this year. Thankfully, parents Valerie Zatt and Nicole Simpson-Galligan heard these teachers' passion for sharing the music. Knowing that the school budget was tight, these two got on board to connect with more parents, and collectively they raised the funds to purchase large sets of lovely Tanglewood ukes with color-coded Aquila Corde Kids Strings, and now the students in both classes are strumming and singing to learn each day! Says Lorraine...
The students are loving the ukuleles. Last Monday, I was formally observed on a VAPA lesson using body percussion with tempo and rhythm and ukuleles using call and response singing. I was quite nervous being so new to the instruments, but at my debrief of the lesson our administrator was quite impressed! And I have noticed my students are very attentive and focused during strumming. They look forward to making music together. Especially in the afternoons, playing ukes creates a gradual calm in behavior because each child can be successful and feel creative while strumming simple patterns and rhythms. ~ Lorraine Turner At the same time, teachers Mary Jennings-Mull at Fletcher Elementary and Judy Johnson at Johnson Elementary were writing successful grant applications to San Diego Unified's VAPA Foundation to request instrument support for their students. Their wishes were granted and ukuleles are in hand. And over at Paradise Hills and Jefferson Elementary Schools, educators in our Learning through the Arts residency programs were posting projects on donorschoose.org, requesting more ukuleles for their students! Throughout San Diego this month, hundreds of young students have been singing and strumming to celebrate and learn through music. We can do that when everybody pitches in. If you wish to support this community effort with a year-end donation, it's as easy as visiting our DONATE page and selecting a focus for your gift. Then more children can learn how to sing and play as part of their regular school day and folks in San Diego are leading the way. GITC's newest helper, Terry Carter, has even started a matching campaign for his online uke students and others. All of us are immensely grateful to the three companies that help make ukulele a strong part of what students experience in our programs now. They are Kala Brand Music, Korg USA and Saga Musical Instruments! Please visit our Sponsors page just to see all the fabulous companies that are bringing music into American Grass Roots through our charity this school year.
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 Guitars in the Classroom combines harmony and homework
Four strings, three chords, two verses and one musician. Add 17 elementary school teachers and staff and it’s time for ukulele lessons to begin. Instructor Quinn Fitzpatrick leads his students through some warm-up exercises, then reviews chords for the first song. “The second bar is going to be a down/up,” he says. “Remember, your default strum is always down strum.” Fourth-grade teacher Rachel Kizer can’t resist a quip.“And it’s not de fault of the operator,” she says. Although it’s dark as night outside at 4:15 in the afternoon, laughter and lightness fills the room, along with funny new lyrics to familiar melodies. Since October, various staff members at South Whidbey Elementary School have met for an hour after the school day every week to take their own class, Guitars (and ukuleles) in the Classroom. They are a mix of teachers, administrators and librarians and they face a nerve-wracking final exam — performing in the school assembly Friday. The national nonprofit educational organization, Guitars in the Classroom, provided $1,000 worth of instruments, music books and other supplies. Locally, it’s supported through a $1,7000 grant from the South Whidbey Schools Foundation. “We were excited to fund this program again,” Shelly Ackerman, president of the foundation, said. “Music speaks to us all differently, and this is yet another way educators can engage a variety of ages and learning styles for years to come.” Seated on institutional tan metal folding chairs one Tuesday afternoon, the novice uke players studiously stare down at music sheets as they strum and sing about a killer whale named Bubbles with a little curled up fin: “Most of the other orcas/ Used to look at her and say/ ‘Bubbles you silly orca/ Fins aren’t supposed to look that way.’” Inclusion, of course, happens at the end of this tale, just like in the original version. “It’s sung to the tune of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” laughs Valerie Brown. “Hopefully our audience will recognize that.” Brown, a library media specialist, loves to rewrite songs. The group will also be performing Brown’s “Living in a Whidbey Wonderland” and “Winter Break,” sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” Making up new lyrics to well-known “anchor” songs is part of the lesson plan of Guitars in the Classroom, known as GITC. Headquartered in San Diego, it teaches teachers how to integrate music into the learning process. Started as a pilot program 1998, it now reaches about one million students every year. Teachers learn the basics of music composition as they learn how to play a guitar or ukulele. Research shows music affects learning in several ways because it activates so many parts of the brain. Listening to familiar music stimulates the hippocampus, which manages long-term memory storage. Listening to music also triggers the release of dopamine, “the feel good” brain chemical. Performing music increases memory and language skills and it increases learning capacity and helps with retaining information, studies show. Figuring out how to incorporate the role of music into language arts, math, science, social studies, even English as a Second Language classes, is left up to the educators. Kizer, taking the class for the second time, came up with a sing-along for her students to memorize multiplication tables. “Math and music are very connected,” she says. “Beats and patterns mirror our math practice and thinking.” Playing the pink ukulele to her pupils, she says, also flips the teacher-student equation. “They are very kind and forgiving about singing slowly or even stopping while I find the right fingering,” Kizer admits. “They get to practice patience for me.” Fitzpatrick is well known on Whidbey Island as an acoustic guitar performer and music teacher. He’s a popular pick for music at weddings and other events. As regional director for Guitars in the Classroom Pacific Northwest and northern California programs, Fitzpatrick splits his time between Whidbey, Portland and San Francisco. Ukuleles are easier to master than their larger, more complicated guitar cousin. There’s four strings instead of six. And one of the main chords — open C— is simply strumming the strings. “Most songs have three chords and we try and keep it that way,” Fitzpatrick says. “It’s set up for success.” Some classes start with ukuleles and switch to guitars and some exclusively play one instrument or the other. “Taking on an instrument like the ukulele is way less stressful or overwhelming than most other instruments, and you get almost immediate results,” says special education teacher Becky Ward. “Within a couple of hours, you are able to play the three chords needed to play many familiar tunes.” Fitzpatrick reminds his class of the three elements of music — rhythm, melody and harmony. “Strumming is rhythm, harmony is the three chords and melody is singing,” he says. “If anyone misses a chord change, no one is going to notice except you.” Teacher Betsy Hofius shares her struggles of learning the ukulele with her second graders. “I impress upon my students that I have to practice often to be able to share songs with other people,” she says. “We talk about the parts of a ukulele and how they contribute to the sound. The songs we learn enhance literary skills — reading and listening.” The ukulele learners credit their teacher for putting up with them as rambunctious students. “Quinn Fitzpatrick is talented and brave,” Hofius proclaims. “Not just anyone can corral a group of educators at the end of the school day and convince them to listen, learn, play and laugh.” James Nelson, Karyn Lewarne, center, and Leslie Ballestrasse (top) play during a recent session of the Guitars in the Classroom program offered to staff of the South Whidbey School District. (Photos by Patricia Guthrie/Whidbey News Group) Quinn Fitzpatrick leads a Guitars in the Classroom session with staff from South Whidbey Elementary School. Rachel Kizer, left, Sarah Gillette and Valerie Brown talk about the challenges and rewards of learning to play the ukulele. “Guitars in the Classroom,” a national organization, gives ukuleles, music and other supplies to educators enrolled in its 10-week program. It's time to start thinking about teacher training classes. You can register for courses (including classes with details to be announced) by using the registration link below.
(https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GITCregistration) Alabama City: Mobile, AL Instructor: Kate MacMahon Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: U.S.A. Children's & Women's Hospital, 1700 Center St, Mobile, AL 36604 Course Level: Beginner/Beginner Plus - for medical educators, social workers & staff Day: TBA Dates: TBA 2019 Time: TBA Arizona City: Phoenix, AZ (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Gerry DeLaTorre Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Madison #1 Middle School, 5525 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Mondays Dates: Feb 11 - Apr 2019 No Class Feb 18th (President's Day) Time: 5:00 - 6:00pm California Region: Northern CA City: Oakland, CA - ON HOLD UNTIL SUMMER 2019 Instructor: Eli Wise Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: International Community School (ICS) music room, 2825 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94601 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: TBA Dates: TBA Time: TBA City: Berkeley, CA- New Program TO BE CONFIRMED Instructor: Quinn Fitzpatrick Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: TBA Course Level: Beginners Day: Tuesdays Dates: March 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm Region: Central CA City: Elk Grove, CA (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Michael Hemsworth Instructor Email: [email protected] Class 1 Location: Roy Herburger Elementary School, 8670 Maranello Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95624 Course 1 Level: Beginners Day: Wednesdays Dates: Feb-Apr 2019 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm Class 2 Location: Roy Herburger Elementary School, 8670 Maranello Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95624 Course 2 Level: Beginner Plus Day: Wednesdays Dates: Feb-Apr 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm City: Mariposa, CA Instructor: Gail Dreifus Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: at the instructor's home, address to be shared after enrollment. Course Level: Beginners Day: TBA Dates: Feb-Mar 2019 Time: TBA Region: Southern CA City: Victorville, CA Instructor: Brittan Egnozzi Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: West Palms Conservatory, 14375 Del Gado Road, Victorville, CA Course Level: TBA Day: TBA Dates: TBA Time: TBA City: Reseda, CA (Los Angeles) Instructor: Terry Brockmann Instructor Email: tab1815@lausd.net Class Location: Shirley Elementary School, 19452 Hart St, Reseda, CA 91335 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Wednesdays Dates: Feb-Mar 2019 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm City: Pacoima, CA (Los Angeles) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Billy Coane Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Telfair Elementary School, 10975 Telfair Ave, Pacoima, CA 91331 Course Level: Beginners Day: TBA Dates: March 2019 Time: TBA City: Panorama City, CA (Los Angeles) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Kristen Herbert Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Chase Elementary, 14041 Chase St, Panorama City, CA 91402 Course Level: Beginners Day: Wednesdays Dates: Feb-Mar 2019 Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm City: San Pedro, CA (Los Angeles) Instructor: Aurora Thompson Franck Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Taper Ave. Elementary, 1824 N Taper Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: TBA Dates: Feb-Mar 2019 Time: TBA City: Encinitas, CA (San Diego) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Stephanie Lewis Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Encinitas Union School District Farm Lab, 441 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Saturdays Dates: Jan 12, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 23, March 2, 9, & 16 Time: 9:30-10:45am City: La Mesa, CA (San Diego) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Julia Cole & Bari Zwirn Instructor Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Class Location: Murray Manor Elementary, 8305 El Paso St, La Mesa, CA 91942 Course 1 Level: Beginner Plus Day: Tuesdays Dates: Feb 2019 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm City: La Mesa, CA (San Diego) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Julia Cole & Bari Zwirn Instructor Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Class Location: Murray Manor Elementary, 8305 El Paso St, La Mesa, CA 91942 Course 2 Level: Beginner Plus Day: Wednesdays Dates: Feb 2019 Time: 3:30 - 4:30pm City: Lemon Grove, CA (San Diego) Instructor: Dan Decker Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: San Miguel Elementary, 7059 San Miguel, Lemon Grove, CA 91945 Course Level: Beginner Guitar/ Teacher Training Observation Day: Tuesdays Dates: March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm City: North Park, CA (San Diego) - (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Bari Zwirn Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Mid-City Community Music at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 4011 Ohio St, San Diego, CA 92104 Course Level: Strummers Day: Thursdays Dates: March 2019 Time: 4:30-6:00pm City: Paradise Hills, CA (San Diego) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Jefferson Jay Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Paradise Hills Elementary, 5816 Alleghany St, San Diego, CA 92139 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Thursdays Dates: Feb 2019 Time: 3:15-4:05pm City: Serra Mesa, CA (San Diego) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Desirée Cera Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Wegeforth Elementary, 3443 Ediwhar Ave, San Diego, CA 92123 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Mondays Dates: Feb 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm City: Midway District, CA (San Diego) Instructor: Desirée Cera Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Dewey Elementary, 3251 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92110 Course Level: Beginner with SpEd in GenEd Focus Day: Tuesdays Dates: March 19 welcome class, resumes after spring break April 1st 2019 Time: 3:45 - 4:45pm Colorado City: Aurora, CO Instructor: Joan Maute Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Sunrise Elementary School, 4050 S Genoa Way, Aurora, CO 80013 Course Level: TBA Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA City: Aurora, CO (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Terrie Catlow Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Sunrise Elementary School, 4050 S Genoa Way, Aurora, CO 80013 Course Level: Beginner with Songwriting Focus Day: Mondays Dates: Jan - March 2019 Time: TBA City: Longmont, CO Instructor: Linda Emmermann Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Hygiene Elementary, 11968 N. 75th Street, Longmont, CO 80503 Course Level: TBA Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA City: Loveland, CO Instructor: Joan Maute Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Van Buren Elementary School, 1811 W 15th St, Loveland, CO 80538 Course Level: TBA Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA Kansas City: Kansas City, KS (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Amanda Johnson Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Noble Prentis Elementary, 2337 S 14th St, Kansas City, KS 66103 Course Level: Beginner/ Beginner Plus Day: Mondays Dates: Feb 25 - Apr 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm City: Olathe, KS (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Amanda Johnson Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Ridgeview Elementary, 1201 E Elm St, Olathe, KS 66061 Course Level: Beginner/ Beginner Plus Day: Tuesdays Dates: Feb 12 - Apr 2019 Time: 4:00-5:10pm Missouri City: Kansas City, MO - IN DEVELOPMENT Instructor: Amanda Johnson Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: TBA Course Level: TBA Day: TBA Dates: TBA Time: TBA North Carolina City: Bolivia, NC (Brunswick County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Jeremy Matthews Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Brunswick County Schools Central Office, BOE Training Room, 35 Referendum Dr NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 Course Level: Beginner's Ukulele/Guitar Class Day: Mondays Dates: Feb. 4, 18, 25, March 4, 18, April 1, 2019 Time: 4:30 - 6:00pm City: Bolivia, NC (Brunswick County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Jeremy Matthews Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Brunswick County Schools Central Office, BOE Training Room, 35 Referendum Dr NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 Course Level: Beginner Plus Ukulele/Guitar Class Day: Tuesdays Dates: Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26, March 5, 19, 2019 Time: 4:30 - 6:00pm City: Wilmington, NC (New Hanover County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Jeremy Matthews Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Noble Middle School, 6520 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28405, Room 27 Course Level: Beginners/Beginners Plus Hybrid Ukulele/Guitar Day: Thursdays Dates: Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 21, 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm Washington City: Langley, WA (South Whidbey Island) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Quinn Fitzpatrick Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: South Whidbey Elementary School, 5380 Maxwelton Rd, Langley, WA 98260 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: Tuesdays Dates: Jan - March 2019 Time: 4:00 – 5:00pm City: Mukilteo, WA - IN DEVELOPMENT Instructor: Quinn Fitzpatrick Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Mukilteo Elementary School, 2600 Mukilteo Speedway, Mukilteo, WA 98275 Course Level: Beginners Day: Thursdays Dates: TBA Time: TBA West Virginia ADAPTIVE MUSIC FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOP (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Julie Schultz Instructor Email:Julie Schultz <[email protected]> Class Location: Special Education Dept - exact location please email [email protected] Course Level: Beginners Day: Friday, Feb 15 Dates: Jan 2019 Time: Please email instructor City: Bomont, WV (Clay County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Tracy Wayne Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: HE White Elementary School, 501 Bomont Rd, Bomont, WV 25030 Course Level: Beginner Plus Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA City: Clay, WV (Clay County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Tracy Wayne Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Clay Middle School Room G2, 19 Church St, Clay, WV 25043 Course Level: Beginner/ Beginner Plus Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA City: Charleston, WV (Kanawha County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Tracy Wayne Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Clay Arts and Sciences Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston, WV 25301 Course Level: Beginners Day: TBA Dates: Feb 2019 Time: TBA City: Mount Hope (Raleigh County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Andrea Sullivan Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Bradley Elementary School, 210 Bradley School Rd, Mt Hope WV 25880 Course 1 Level: Beginners Day: Tuesdays Dates: Jan 29 - Mar 2019 Time: 4:00 - 5:00pm City: Mount Hope (Raleigh County) (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Andrea Sullivan Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Bradley Elementary School, 210 Bradley School Rd, Mt Hope WV 25880 Course 2 Level: Beginners Day: Tuesdays Dates: Jan 29 - Mar 2019 Time: 5:15 - 6:15pm City: Ohio County (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) ADAPTIVE MUSIC FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOP Instructor: Julie Schultz Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Special Education Dept - exact location please email [email protected] Course Level: Beginners Day: Friday, Feb 15 Dates: Jan 2019 Time: Please email instructor City: Ohio County (ENROLLMENT HAS CLOSED) Instructor: Julie Schultz Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: Bridge Street Middle School, 19 Jr Ave, Wheeling, WV 26003 Course Level: Beginners Day: Fridays, Feb 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, April 5, April 12 Dates: Jan 2019 Time: 4:15-5:15 pm Online Site Host: Google Hangouts Instructor: Amanda Johnson, in development Instructor Email: [email protected] Class Location: TBA, online Course Level: Beginners Day: TBA Dates: February 20th-April 17, 2019 Time: TBA (instructor lives in Central Standard Time Zone/ GMT-6) |
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