Past projects 15
Give "Keys" for Student Learning and Coping
Funded Aug 29, 2021Your gracious contributions to my class have enabled me to allow students to explore music in creative ways and actually learn to play the keyboards in the 6th grade music classroom. There are a handful of students who come into my room each day at recess and play songs or write songs on the keyboards with the headphones. As a teacher, there is no greater joy than watching students take the tools and training you've offered them and use them on their own. I'm excited for what lies ahead for these students because of the tools you have provided.
In our 6th Grade classes, I am teaching basic keyboarding skills and how to play 4 simple chords. There were only a handful of students who had access to a keyboard at home when asked, so this is the only place and time they will have any exposure to the instrument. It has been a challenge for many to try and move their fingers independently. I am happy to report that today we had a 81% class success rate on playing all four chords. I'm excited to see how the students are growing and moving from an "I can't do this" attitude to an "I will be able to with practice" mindset.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Hawkins
I Can Hear Me Now!
Funded Feb 12, 2020I appreciate so much the whisper phones. My students were using them so much to hear their own pitches and singing. It has been wonderful for language and pitch development.
My older students have used these when problems arise in matching the group. We have seen lots of improvements in the quality of their tone.
In the future we will continue to use the tools to help students develop their sense of pitch and hearing. I cant wait for these groups to grow and hear what a difference having these phones have made.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Hawkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Stahl Family Fund and 4 other donors.Music Marketplace Brings "Golden" Behavior!
Funded Sep 23, 2019Thank you for creating a whole new level of excitement among my students! The "Great Day Store" has been a big hit with students at school. What students are being able to learn through saving, spending, and making smart choices has also been amazing!
Being a music teacher, I service all grades k-6. The "great day gold tickets" that your donation helped to create have inspired lots of "boarder-line" behavior students to straighten up in order to be able to keep their tickets. The younger students especially are fond of the behavior game. 1-4th graders will stop talking or start singing louder all for a shot at the prize box.
I have also noticed that many students come to the store with thoughts of spending their 4 of 5 tickets, only to decide to save for something much bigger.I'm super proud of those students for being responsible with their tickets and also for thinking that saving can be a good choice I was also pleased at how much math this is teaching as they add up their totals. . None of this would be possible without your generous gifts! We have the "gold" paper for the tickets and cool prizes worth purchasing!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Hawkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Economics Arkansas and 2 other donors.Investing in a Future Career
Funded Aug 20, 2019These instruments are benefitting my students in so many more ways than I expected! My 2nd graders were able to play them in a dall musical, the fifth grade class is learning about the chromatic scale using them, and the 6th grade is learning about the profession of being a composer. I can not thank you enough for your contribution to my class!
The 2nd grade always does a musical, and in the past, I chose just a couple of students to play instruments because it was so inconvenient to try and track down enough for everyone. This year, with the addition of my new handy xylophones, kids were able to practice on their own instrument, put it away, and transport it to the performance space. They did so well because of thw size and portability. Half of the class played them, and the other half split between claves and the triangle. The instruments really made the song special, and the students loved the experience.
This week, my 5th grade classea are using them to explore creating a random ckmposition using each of the motes in the chromatic scale. They could not do this sucessfully without your help!
My 6th grade students will be composing using these instruments shortly. Our next unit will involve careers in music, specifically composers. I am excited to teach this unit using these instruments as the older students work to create melodies that they can build from.
Thank you again for giving.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Hawkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Economics Arkansas and 30 other donors."Stands" Up for my music students!
Funded Mar 27, 2016Having this project funded was an unexpected blessing for my students. I celebrated the news with them for an entire week as each group of students walked into my classroom and saw the music stands. Students were really excited. Many of them could not believe that someone would care enough to donate something like this to them. It was nice to see how truly grateful they were. My Rivercrest Elementary students continue to treat them respectfully because they are so appreciative.
Last year at Christmas, you would see a huddled group of 25 students in my class, elbowing for space around the smart board. After receiving the stands, classes look completely different. Students were looking at their sheet music more, able to make personal notes on their music copies, and progressing a lot faster in their work. From boom whackers to drums, students of all ages have been able to look at notation with the help of those stands. We've also used the stands for choral groups as they learned dance moves. They have enhanced the educational experience in my classroom greatly!
At a concert we held last year, the recorder choir of about 15 students used our new stands as they performed. Students said they felt like real musicians because of the stands. I'm happy to say that many of those students are now enrolled in the Junior High band due to their experience with the recorder. While we could have insisted they memorize the pieces, they were able to play more tunes because they had the stands to hold their music.
Thank you again for your generous spirit!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Hawkins
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and 2 other donors.