Teachers, Specialists & Support Staff, you can learn to put your GITC training to work so that every student gets the chance to learn through the power of music!
We teach developmentally, gradually, and with love.
Some educators call us their "do over."
Others are beginning to make music for the 1st time.
Some are music makers who want to learn uke, guitar, songwriting, or to teach inclusively.
Everyone is welcome!
We teach developmentally, gradually, and with love.
Some educators call us their "do over."
Others are beginning to make music for the 1st time.
Some are music makers who want to learn uke, guitar, songwriting, or to teach inclusively.
Everyone is welcome!
May 28, 2026
Dear Friends and Music Lovers,
This year, our charity has been coping with very serious funding losses caused by shocking federal, state, and local cuts to Education and the Arts. It's all over the news. Public school enrollment and attendance have dropped significantly, depriving
schools of much-needed per capita funding. You may already be aware. Many school districts are in crisis. They just do not have the funds to sustain arts partnerships and services like they did before.
Even enduring foundation grantors are reducing grant amounts by as much as 40% in an effort to help more struggling organizations keep their doors open.
The current situation is forcing small nonprofits to make tough choices. Some have reduced services. Others are laying off valuable employees, or shutting down altogether. Sad stuff. We at GITC (git-see) do not believe this is a time to reduce the ways in which we serve. We are committed and determined to find a way forward, but we need your help.
If anything, we wish to do more to support the community. Working through change requires a pivot. We've been wanting to open the doors to the work we created for teachers so others who care for children and youth can participate, too. We have also starting serving families in public libraries on small grants.
Parents and community members have been asking for inclusion for a long time, so now we are figuring out the logistics. It takes time and assistance, and it takes a village to keep the music alive! A quarter century of free programs was WONDERFUL. But we need your support to make this work!
Since the City of San Diego is set to eliminate all operational support for GITC and about 200 other Arts organizations here,
we realize that we finally have to charge a very modest price for our services, while offering scholarships for educators in need.
That means our little operation, with just 2 full time administrators must ask you wonderful friends to pay a modest amount to take summer classes in an effort to cover basic costs. Please understand - this is a step we had hoped never to cross, but like others around us, we are in survival mode.
We love you and we don't want to lose you. So we are making a very simple scholarship application available for those who are in need of support. This is a community and we help each other.
When you register for class this summer, you'll see that we are asking for $10 per class session (coffee and a cookie), for a series of 4 classes. Just $40. By comparison, private music lessons around the US run an average of $75-$100 for just one hour. $40 covers the cost of four hours if enrollment is strong. These dollars will help us break even, and you'll pay 90% less than taking private lessons - and get to hang with GITC friends, and make new ones, too. (There is always a chance to donate more for anyone who wants to make learning possible for our scholarship applicants.)
Thank you, friends, for understanding, and for helping us get through this difficult time. Music uplifts us all, and we at GITC are grateful for the chance to continue bringing the music affordably and responsively with care. We trust that gathering more great people together in community to learn, create, and play together is going to be joyful. We hope you will choose to make music with us.
With utmost care and appreciation,
Dear Friends and Music Lovers,
This year, our charity has been coping with very serious funding losses caused by shocking federal, state, and local cuts to Education and the Arts. It's all over the news. Public school enrollment and attendance have dropped significantly, depriving
schools of much-needed per capita funding. You may already be aware. Many school districts are in crisis. They just do not have the funds to sustain arts partnerships and services like they did before.
Even enduring foundation grantors are reducing grant amounts by as much as 40% in an effort to help more struggling organizations keep their doors open.
The current situation is forcing small nonprofits to make tough choices. Some have reduced services. Others are laying off valuable employees, or shutting down altogether. Sad stuff. We at GITC (git-see) do not believe this is a time to reduce the ways in which we serve. We are committed and determined to find a way forward, but we need your help.
If anything, we wish to do more to support the community. Working through change requires a pivot. We've been wanting to open the doors to the work we created for teachers so others who care for children and youth can participate, too. We have also starting serving families in public libraries on small grants.
Parents and community members have been asking for inclusion for a long time, so now we are figuring out the logistics. It takes time and assistance, and it takes a village to keep the music alive! A quarter century of free programs was WONDERFUL. But we need your support to make this work!
Since the City of San Diego is set to eliminate all operational support for GITC and about 200 other Arts organizations here,
we realize that we finally have to charge a very modest price for our services, while offering scholarships for educators in need.
That means our little operation, with just 2 full time administrators must ask you wonderful friends to pay a modest amount to take summer classes in an effort to cover basic costs. Please understand - this is a step we had hoped never to cross, but like others around us, we are in survival mode.
We love you and we don't want to lose you. So we are making a very simple scholarship application available for those who are in need of support. This is a community and we help each other.
When you register for class this summer, you'll see that we are asking for $10 per class session (coffee and a cookie), for a series of 4 classes. Just $40. By comparison, private music lessons around the US run an average of $75-$100 for just one hour. $40 covers the cost of four hours if enrollment is strong. These dollars will help us break even, and you'll pay 90% less than taking private lessons - and get to hang with GITC friends, and make new ones, too. (There is always a chance to donate more for anyone who wants to make learning possible for our scholarship applicants.)
Thank you, friends, for understanding, and for helping us get through this difficult time. Music uplifts us all, and we at GITC are grateful for the chance to continue bringing the music affordably and responsively with care. We trust that gathering more great people together in community to learn, create, and play together is going to be joyful. We hope you will choose to make music with us.
With utmost care and appreciation,
Jessica Anne Baron
Founder, Executive Director
Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom
Founder, Executive Director
Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom
GITC TEACHES SONG LEADERSHIP FOR LEARNING
Students in GITC classrooms become enthusiastic music makers when their teachers and support specialists make singing and strumming a part of daily learning. These teachers may never have played a note in their lives. Our weekly courses provide teachers with training and support, and access to deeply discounted instruments for students. In time, even total beginners become fearless music leaders and songwriters for learning. They receive constant encouragement from their students who are very grateful for the chance to sing, strum, and compose their own songs together. This mutual learning process has a marvelous effect on student-teacher relationships, increasing admiration, trust, and authenticity.
Students in GITC classrooms become enthusiastic music makers when their teachers and support specialists make singing and strumming a part of daily learning. These teachers may never have played a note in their lives. Our weekly courses provide teachers with training and support, and access to deeply discounted instruments for students. In time, even total beginners become fearless music leaders and songwriters for learning. They receive constant encouragement from their students who are very grateful for the chance to sing, strum, and compose their own songs together. This mutual learning process has a marvelous effect on student-teacher relationships, increasing admiration, trust, and authenticity.
OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AFTER SCHOOL
GITC offers weekly after school music leadership classes for teachers, teacher aides, school specialists, classroom volunteers and classified staff. Everyone is welcome.
We believe any adult who has a positive experience of making music can become "that special person" who helps a child discover their voice. We are determined to make sure every teacher who wants to learn to incorporate music as a teaching strategy gets that chance.
GITC offers weekly after school music leadership classes for teachers, teacher aides, school specialists, classroom volunteers and classified staff. Everyone is welcome.
We believe any adult who has a positive experience of making music can become "that special person" who helps a child discover their voice. We are determined to make sure every teacher who wants to learn to incorporate music as a teaching strategy gets that chance.
CLASSROOM TEACHING ARTIST RESIDENCIES
GITC offers teaching artist residencies for highly engaged classroom teachers who also participate in our professional development courses. The residencies focus on student singing, songwriting and strumming ukuleles or playing guitar for literacy, math, and cross-curricular learning, and for Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Our highly qualified teaching artists visit residency classrooms weekly and co-teach with the classroom educator, helping them develop music leadership skills. At the end of the residency, students can strum and sing, and teachers can teach through the power of song!
GITC offers teaching artist residencies for highly engaged classroom teachers who also participate in our professional development courses. The residencies focus on student singing, songwriting and strumming ukuleles or playing guitar for literacy, math, and cross-curricular learning, and for Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Our highly qualified teaching artists visit residency classrooms weekly and co-teach with the classroom educator, helping them develop music leadership skills. At the end of the residency, students can strum and sing, and teachers can teach through the power of song!
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Classroom co-teaching artist residencies are available in person at this time in San Diego and Los Angeles schools from preschool through middle school. We can also schedule remote residencies into participating classrooms anywhere by teaching virtually.
Residencies can be contracted by and for highly motivated teachers and their students.
~A short term residency focuses on a theme or unit of study
~A semester-long residency supports Literacy, Math or SEL.
~A long term co-teaching residency includes up to 20 weeks of co-teaching, coaching, and support for building independent music leadership.
Classroom co-teaching artist residencies are available in person at this time in San Diego and Los Angeles schools from preschool through middle school. We can also schedule remote residencies into participating classrooms anywhere by teaching virtually.
Residencies can be contracted by and for highly motivated teachers and their students.
~A short term residency focuses on a theme or unit of study
~A semester-long residency supports Literacy, Math or SEL.
~A long term co-teaching residency includes up to 20 weeks of co-teaching, coaching, and support for building independent music leadership.
MUSIC FACULTY TRAINING
In addition to making music part of learning in general elementary classrooms, GITC trains music teachers to play and incorporate ukulele and guitar as a part of their general Tk-8 music classes. We are often asked to work with an entire music faculty for a school district. These trainings are hand tailored to meet the goals of the music department. From within the group of certificated music teachers who train with GITC, we seek individuals with a passion for sharing the music with their colleagues in the general classroom. In this way, GITC forges and nurtures deep and meaningful relationships between music educators and general educators, expanding the role of music in schools. This kind of creative relationship breaks down barriers and helps music flow throughout the school day and across the curriculum!
ADAPTIVE MUSIC TRAINING (a.k.a. AMAISE)
AMAISE stands for Adaptive Music for Achievement in Inclusion and Special Education. We pronounce it "a-maze."
Learning to make music is valuable for every student and it can have an amazing impact on quality of learning, social relationship building, and quality of life.
For children experiencing medical, cognitive, neurological, motoric and social-emotional challenges and for their teachers, support providers, and paras, AMAISE training has proven to be a true life-changer for students, families, teachers, beahvioral support providers, therapists, and whole school inclusion. We offer workshops, intensives, in-service training, and specialized residencies for homebound and hospitalized students, too. Everything is "made to order" so please get in touch to brainstorm a training that fits your school's needs.
Educators who learn to adapt music and develop innovative techniques and accommodations to meet students "where they are," maximizing on their abilities and developing new ones, can radically improvide their students' learning, joy, and quality of life. Doing this with support from GITC makes this easier. We hope you'll join us!
In AMAISE workshops and courses, we teach through movement, drumming, strumming, and singing songs. We also include keyboards, a wide variety of percussion instruments, chimes, and instruments students can blow or hum into. Troubles literally "melt like lemondrops" everyone begins to make music together.
GITC supplies specialized instruments and accessories so students with a broad range of challenges can learn to hold, shake, strike, chord and strum them with support, then independently. Nothing motivates any of us more than the joy of strumming, feeling and hearing a ukulele, guitar or inventing and repeating a rhythm pattern on a drum or with a shaker. With AMAISE, music-making becomes a medium for students' personal success and also opens the door to a vibrant approach to creating positive, whole-group social experiences. The difference accessible music can make in the learning environment is as dramatic as night and day. It all hinges on educators and specialists adopting this important work.
Anyone who want to make a difference can support this endeavor. If you believe learning can be AMAISE-ing for students in Inclusion and Special Education and you want to help, please get in touch with us HERE.
AMAISE stands for Adaptive Music for Achievement in Inclusion and Special Education. We pronounce it "a-maze."
Learning to make music is valuable for every student and it can have an amazing impact on quality of learning, social relationship building, and quality of life.
For children experiencing medical, cognitive, neurological, motoric and social-emotional challenges and for their teachers, support providers, and paras, AMAISE training has proven to be a true life-changer for students, families, teachers, beahvioral support providers, therapists, and whole school inclusion. We offer workshops, intensives, in-service training, and specialized residencies for homebound and hospitalized students, too. Everything is "made to order" so please get in touch to brainstorm a training that fits your school's needs.
Educators who learn to adapt music and develop innovative techniques and accommodations to meet students "where they are," maximizing on their abilities and developing new ones, can radically improvide their students' learning, joy, and quality of life. Doing this with support from GITC makes this easier. We hope you'll join us!
In AMAISE workshops and courses, we teach through movement, drumming, strumming, and singing songs. We also include keyboards, a wide variety of percussion instruments, chimes, and instruments students can blow or hum into. Troubles literally "melt like lemondrops" everyone begins to make music together.
GITC supplies specialized instruments and accessories so students with a broad range of challenges can learn to hold, shake, strike, chord and strum them with support, then independently. Nothing motivates any of us more than the joy of strumming, feeling and hearing a ukulele, guitar or inventing and repeating a rhythm pattern on a drum or with a shaker. With AMAISE, music-making becomes a medium for students' personal success and also opens the door to a vibrant approach to creating positive, whole-group social experiences. The difference accessible music can make in the learning environment is as dramatic as night and day. It all hinges on educators and specialists adopting this important work.
Anyone who want to make a difference can support this endeavor. If you believe learning can be AMAISE-ing for students in Inclusion and Special Education and you want to help, please get in touch with us HERE.
FAQs
CAN ANYONE HELP START A GITC PROGRAM?
Yes, anyone who is deeply interested in bringing this work to education in their community can help get a program started. It takes a village to raise a program! Whether you are a teacher, administrator, parent, musician, music teacher, therapist or donor, you can play an important role in establishing GITC where you are. Please reach out to us to brainstorm the process. Together we will look for the best fit for your district, qualify and train the right faculty trainer, establish a host school, and lay the foundation for the new program. This does take time, energy, money and elbow grease but it's all worth it when the program launches!
Yes, anyone who is deeply interested in bringing this work to education in their community can help get a program started. It takes a village to raise a program! Whether you are a teacher, administrator, parent, musician, music teacher, therapist or donor, you can play an important role in establishing GITC where you are. Please reach out to us to brainstorm the process. Together we will look for the best fit for your district, qualify and train the right faculty trainer, establish a host school, and lay the foundation for the new program. This does take time, energy, money and elbow grease but it's all worth it when the program launches!
HOW CAN I BRING GITC TO MY DISTRICT?
When a school district or individual public school asks to host GITC, then interested teachers are invited to voluntarily sign up for a workshop or to enroll in a class that meets each week after school. No musical experience is required. Our methods are quite easy for beginners to learn. Each teacher receives a ukulele to keep and a guitar they can borrow long term. We teach them to sing, play, write and lead songs for learning, and how to facilitate making music with their students. While the teachers gain music and leadership skills, they co-write songs that correspond to their current curriculum and they create musically infused lesson plans.
When a school district or individual public school asks to host GITC, then interested teachers are invited to voluntarily sign up for a workshop or to enroll in a class that meets each week after school. No musical experience is required. Our methods are quite easy for beginners to learn. Each teacher receives a ukulele to keep and a guitar they can borrow long term. We teach them to sing, play, write and lead songs for learning, and how to facilitate making music with their students. While the teachers gain music and leadership skills, they co-write songs that correspond to their current curriculum and they create musically infused lesson plans.
WHY DOES GITC TEACH WEEKLY?
Some organizations offer teachers a weekend workshop or week-long class once a year and they charge teachers for their services. Not GITC. We choose to take a road less traveled by offering weekly classes for educators, staff and specialists because musicality takes time to grow. Workshops give inspiration and a nice launch but what then? We provide beginners with the time and support they need to learn at their own pace.
Some organizations offer teachers a weekend workshop or week-long class once a year and they charge teachers for their services. Not GITC. We choose to take a road less traveled by offering weekly classes for educators, staff and specialists because musicality takes time to grow. Workshops give inspiration and a nice launch but what then? We provide beginners with the time and support they need to learn at their own pace.