Guitars and Ukes In The Classroom

Ukes revolutionized our programs because it meant that children could learn to strum as well as sing at school- en masse. The smaller instruments are easy to store safely in a classroom and with just 4 strings, they are even easier for small hands to play. Student instruments are super affordable. GITC teachers have created all sorts of amazing ways to display them to keep them handy.

GITC focuses primarily on preserving beautiful and charming songs from the canon of children’s folk music. These tried and true melodies work magic in delivering ideas and lesson content. They are easy for teachers to recall and learn to play- and ALSO to teach! We dubbed these songs from childhood “anchor songs” because they are anchored in our memories and are easy to share.

Next, we introduced lyric writing for learning. It’s the old Mad Libs game set to music! Teachers are natural songwriters. It’s just about getting started. When creating a new lyric is as simple as taking the original noun or verb out and putting a different one in its place, the process becomes fun and fairly straight forward. When there is room in your lyric for some descriptive writing, you can add an adjective or an adverb. Pretty soon, you have a new song and a grammar lesson at the same time. This “copy change” or “zipper” songwriting is as old as the hills. Also called “piggyback songwriting,” it lends itself to the elementary English Language Arts (ELA) approach of giving students practice in writing with new concepts and vocabulary using what are called “sentence frames.” The teacher provides the beginning of the sentence and students fill in the rest using their new ELA skills.

Then there are all the embedded music lessons that GITC students get as a natural part of learning academics through the power of song. By playing the steady beat, learning to create rhythm patterns, singing melodies in tune, choosing and keeping the tempo and varying the volume of songs for the purpose of artful expression, teachers and students are developing essential musical skills together. They are collaborating!

This integrated music doesn’t take the place of music education at all - it just supports the learning process. Every student deserves and can benefit from weekly music education taught by a highly skilled music teacher!

GITC’s recipe for success has always been simple. First we identify the right faculty trainer so teachers can learn over time in a safe, supportive environment. Learning to make music as an adult takes courage and teaching adult beginners requires someone with unconditional love, a patient soul, and a shared vision of the GITC mission. They must want to take their time, respond to the teachers’ needs, and make learning to sing and strum fun and easy. Below are a few of our trainers and teachers having a great time at the 2018 winter NAMM Show! (Front row: Val Simons, Ruth Haller, Gail Dreifus. Back row: Dan Decker and Linda and Gerry DeLaTorre)

GITC faculty trainers also need to have significant classroom experience to understand how to adequately address academic content standards with lyric writing so students are constantly learning. They have to lead with their hearts and share songs about friendship, problem solving, and cooperation so kids learn to treat themselves and each other fairly and with kindness. They need to be comfortable coaching songwriting so teachers can successfully write new songs for assisting students with classroom tasks and routines so everything from starting the day to cleaning up the classroom before going home goes more smoothly. Folks who train teachers with GITC are not in the work to create great guitarists. Rather, their goal is to help make music a teaching and learning strategy for other subjects so teachers can enhance student learning throughout school day.

You might be wondering how we fund this amazing nonprofit effort from coast to coast. First of all, we have an amazing board of directors. Everyone donates their time and works hard together. Second, we have the nicest sponsors in the world! Third, there is a place in this work for everyone. We ask who in the community can help to keep the process free by donating instruments, supplies and funding for programs.

Why is the GITC approach working? Bottom line, we care about teachers. And teachers care about GITC. We know they deserve a lot more support, pay, and credit than they get. People think the work is easier than it actually is. A teacher’s job is never done. The school day ends and their work keeps going with informal parent conferences, student study team meetings and IEPs, lesson planning, grading, preparation and reflection about how each of their kids is doing. These professionals need a place and a time each week to gather with their colleagues to do something fulfilling and creative - something that rejuvenates them. Because teaching is hard. And music helps.

When they can sing and play guitar and uke, their stress goes down and their smiles go up. When they can song-lead for learning with students, every child is engaged and happy. When they can share a song with their students right in the middle of a language arts or math lesson- one that builds understanding- their students have a new way to learn together and succeed!

When they can pass out ukuleles so students can practice phonological awareness, vocabulary, grammar, creative writing and so much more, every student gets on board.

Guitars in the Classroom spreads love and appreciation, develops respect and patience, makes worries disappear, and instills hope and builds confidence in children. Anyone can help. If you’d like to get involved with Guitars in the Classroom, please visit our website at www.guitarsintheclassroom.org and drop us a line! You can request more information by writing to us at [email protected].