My students come from all over the world. Our school has one of the most ethnically diverse student bodies in my district. Numbering nearly 400 students, many receive free lunch. Languages represented at my school include Spanish, Tagalog, Arabic, Hindi and Vietnamese, among others. Many students are from first generation families, some are newly arrived in the United States and speak no English.
Some of our students have experienced upheaval, trauma, and poverty in their young lives but all have shown great enthusiasm for learning music.
I would like them to have opportunity to experience the joy of playing quality musical instruments and listening to quality performances.
Learning an instrument facilitates students learning self-discipline, requiring focus and repetition, even when it seems tedious. An additional benefit of playing an instrument is it helps build a child's self-esteem. The joy of playing an instrument and becoming a musical being is a feeling all students can recognize, participate in and have fun doing.
My Project
I am in my second year teaching music at my new school in a classroom that has only a few barred instruments. Xylophones and glockenspiels are basic instrument needs in an Orff music room!
Xylophones and glockenspiels not only sound beautiful, they help students visualize tonal intervals on a manageable scale while aiding singers in matching pitch.
Carl Orff (composer of Carmina Burana) and Gunild Keetman developed an approach for elementary music called Orff Schulwerk. In the Orff music room, students combine music with movement, speech and drama. Barred instruments, such as xylophones and glockenspiels, are an integral part of an Orff experience. And, students love playing them, which keeps them engaged and challenged!
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. H. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
