This project will provide instruments and music training for Prek-5th grade classrooms in Title I (low income) schools that are lacking the resources to give kids the chance to learn. With your help, we will accomplish this by training the classroom teachers and special educators to play ukulele, sing, write and lead songs for learning. And we'll place sets of ukuleles in the classrooms so children living below the poverty level will have the opportunity to learn to make music in 2015 & beyond!
In these urban communities in our lowest performing & most economically challenged schools, access to musical instruments is an insurmountable barrier to learning to make music. Schools are in need of our help to put instruments into their students' empty hands. Because ukuleles are "cool", easy to play, transport, store in a classroom and safely share, young students love playing them! And Prek-5 teachers are excited to learn to lead the way everyday, writing new songs for reading, math & more.
This project will train teachers in California, Michigan and Massachusetts to teach ukulele, singing and songwriting as a part of essential academic instruction, boosting student engagement in learning as well as cultivating academic success. Singing and strumming unites the students and opens them up to learning. This project will empower GITC to place sets of 6 ukuleles in each participating classroom this year so kids can take turns accompanying their classmates as they create original songs!
This work instills life-long love of learning & success and music. It imparts a permanent solution because teachers train and keep playing for years at school. All children are reached, including those in Title 1 and public school classrooms- GITC creates precious musical opportunities for everyone. This approach makes classrooms happier places, enables students to bring up their grades and test scores, schools get stronger, and teachers acquire an inspiring new way to do their best!
