Mx. Cosgrove's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 12

• New School Year, New Instruments!

  Funded Dec 3, 2024

  Your donations to my project has turned my classroom into a musical web of collaboration and learning. Because of the amount and variety of instruments in the classroom, students can come in at any skill level and grow as musicians. Students who never played guitar before this year are now making bands with their friends to play corridos. Students accompany themselves on piano while they sing in their home languages, such as Tigrinya or Arabic. It's remarkable to see how an instrument allows a child to develop their sense of self. Thank you for participating in that process!”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.

• Nueva Guitarra

  Funded Mar 5, 2024

  Thank you for your ongoing support of my students. The 12-string guitar you provided us with has changed the musical landscape of my classroom. The 12-string gets played in our new student-run Latin Club, which helps students connect to the music that is special and familiar to them. Additionally students have been exploring soundscapes from classic psych-rock songs that use 12-string guitar. Most importantly, the 12-string guitar provides students with intrinsic motivation to deepen their guitar knowledge beyond the curriculum.”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

• Guitars for Self-Expression

  Funded Aug 5, 2023

  My job as a music educator is to provide students with the skills necessary to pursue their chosen musical pathway with passion and integrity. I don't expect my students to become experts in a specific musical craft with only 51 minutes of class time a day and 20 different units in a year, but I DO expect them to leave my class equipped with the skills and materials to become experts when they make that decision.

  This is why having a classroom full of approachable instruments is so important; if a student learns HOW to learn an instrument, there is no stopping them from pursuing that skill for the rest of their life. Thank you for stocking my classroom with guitars so that my students can be equipped for a meaningful, music-filled life ahead.”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 7 other donors.

• Silent Music

  Funded Feb 28, 2023

  Last week my students put on a showcase that, according to many audience members, was one of the best on record at Senn High School. The balanced levels, the polished performances, and the confidence of the performers all contributed to the quality of the show, and none of it would have been possible without an adequate rehearsal environment. YOU made that happen!

  The Silent Rehearsal Station supplies fostered a familiarity with sound equipment to the extent that the entire class now knows the basics of running a mixing board. Additionally, my students understand the uses for different cables, pedals, and adapters. Most importantly, my students developed the ability to listen to one another in a collaborative musical context.”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

• I'm Cordy?!

  Funded Jan 13, 2023

  We just finished with one of the busiest, most intense weeks of the school year: SPRING SHOWCASE WEEK! Our students worked extremely hard to make it happen. They practiced outside of school hours, organized rehearsals, and learned to balance live sound. The show was a huge success, one of the most polished performances in the history of the program, and it would not have been possible without your help.

  I make no exaggeration; every facet of the showcase and rehearsals leading up to it involved cables. Amps, Mics, Sound Boards, all of it depended on your contributions, and we are grateful for your help. Thank you!!!”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors.

• Tele You Friends!

  Funded Oct 26, 2022

  The Telecaster guitar has been an integral part of americana, country, and rock music since its birth in 1951. Now it is an integral part of the Senn High School music program! Students were so excited about the instrument that they immediately began playing it and setting it up... even without taking off the label!

  Students use the telecaster guitar both in rehearsals and performances. It has been an excellent opportunity for students to explore a variety of nuanced tones, amp settings, and pedals.”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and one other donor.

• Moral Fiber? How About Cable Fiber!

  Funded Sep 19, 2022

  You can buy instruments, you can buy, amps, you can buy microphones, and you can buy PA speakers, but if you don't have the cables to connect it all together, you can't use any of it! That is why your help on this project was so important. Students can now plug in and turn up. With the cables also came additional learning opportunities, such as differentiating between different types of cables, learning to wind them so they don't get damaged, and learning to stay organized! One student has even started knitting cable-keepers... who would have thought that instrument cables would have been an opportunity to develop community in the classroom?!”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by STAG Industrial and one other donor.

• Actions Speak(er) Louder Than Words

  Funded Sep 1, 2022

  We can hear ourselves! The floor monitor speaker is now a mainstay, both in the classroom and on stage. Students pump their vocals and the keyboard through the speaker. This both allows students to hear the music they make so they can tweak and improve in the moment AND allows teacher feedback to come across via the keyboard and microphones.

  The speaker has not only been an integral tool for hearing and improving the music we make, it has also provided students with an excellent model for learning to use sound equipment. Thank goodness they've learned how to avoid feedback by now :D”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Tullman Family and 8 other donors.

• Let's Make Some Noise!

  Funded Aug 29, 2022

  The materials received for this project laid the foundation for a successful school year. The goal of our program is to give students opportunities to creatively embark on music-making projects in a small, student-led ensemble setting. This means dividing up the class into several small groups, each of which needs enough music supplies to create a full band. Of course, this would not have been possible without instruments and proper maintenance materials.

  Students have been using the instruments every day in rehearsal and, excitingly, got to show them off at our first school concert recently! Please enjoy the attached photos.”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Tullman Family and 6 other donors.

• Amplifying Quiet Kids

  Funded Jun 29, 2022

  Each day at the beginning of the class period we hold what is called a "Group Jam." All 20 members of our Electroacoustic Ensemble sit in the same room and play the same song together. We have drums, bass, keyboard(s), 5 electric guitars, auxiliary percussion and thanks to you, an acoustic guitar that can be HEARD! Students with an interest in acoustic music can now make their musical contributions known and fill out the ensemble with an entirely new texture. The Acoustic-Electric Guitar has also opened a series of experiences around learning to work with different types of gear for different purposes. Great learning and teaching tool!”

  With gratitude,

  Mx. Cosgrove

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 4 other donors.