“I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” This quote from Plato explains it perfectly. We need music and we need music in all forms to be effective educators.
We are a Title 1 elementary school with many students who have learning disabilities and who already have many struggles in life.
Our students are strong and resilient. They have the brightest smiles and the biggest hearts which also means they hurt deeply and need the most love from us. I want our students’ dreams to come true for them. Our students absolutely love to dance and sing and want desperately to learn to play an instrument. They are very curious but have doubt as to whether or not they can achieve something new. I love watching their faces as they persevere and conquer a new task.
My students will begin with the basics of guitar learning how to play chords and strumming patterns. As we grow we will start playing songs and hopefully one day accompanying other students and themselves. With each child having his own guitar and music stand he will be able to learn hands on how to hold a guitar and play.
The old proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” is so applicable to our school.
If my students can learn to play a guitar now, in elementary school, then they will be able to play for their whole lives and who knows where it can take them. The sky is the limit.