NEW HIRE TRAINING
Over the summer, ETM hired nine new teaching artists to join its roster. The teaching artists gathered at P.S. 83 in East Harlem for five days in August to familiarize themselves with ETM’s teaching philosophy.
Led by Director of Programs Pete Pauliks with support from the program staff, the workshops covered topics including classroom management, lesson planning, integration strategies, benchmarks, what to expect on the first day of school, and more. Each new teaching artist was given the opportunity to lead a mock lesson to gain experience and receive feedback.
ETM provided each teaching artist with an array of resources to consult throughout the school year including songbooks, lesson ideas, and a customized lesson planner to help organize lesson plans and track student progress.
ETM thanks P.S. 83 and Principal Frances Castillo for allowing us to use the school’s classrooms for New Hire Training.
ACADEMY
The Teaching Artist Academy took place for three days in September. New and returning teaching artists, as well as six NYC Department of Education music teachers, attended the Academy, giving everyone an opportunity to meet each other and reinforce teaching strategies.
On the first day, attendees participated in a guitar workshop, led by Glen McCarthy of George Mason University and the National Association of Music Education (MENC). As part of ETM’s new initiative to provide guitars to each partner school, the workshop gave participants a hands-on opportunity to learn how to use the instruments in music class. Many teaching artists have already reported that the guitars are very helpful as a teaching tool in the classroom.
On the final day of the Teaching Artist Academy, the teachers were split up based on their specialty. Strings teachers met at P.S. 68, and Band and General Music teachers met at P.S. 121.
After lunch, all participants reconvened at P.S. 121 to observe a live choral rehearsal with a group of 4th graders, led by Director of Programs Pete Pauliks. The teaching artists and music teachers observed and took notes as Mr. Pauliks warmed up the students through vocal exercises. He then taught two songs to the students.
Afterwards, the participants discussed the lesson. One teaching artist was impressed with the level of difficulty of the songs Mr. Pauliks chose to teach, and stated, “I learned that kids will rise to the level you expect them to.” By observing a live class, teaching artists were shown in “real time” the level of skill and musicianship they can expect from their students.
The participants enjoyed the sessions, saying, “The workshop re-sparked my enthusiasm for the coming year!” and, “I enjoyed [the session]. It gave me ideas, and I enjoyed meeting people at ETM and feeling the unity of the program. I thought it was an excellent start.”
ETM thanks Principal Anne Marie McGoldrick of St. James School, Principal Rachel Donnelly of P.S. 121, and Principal Cheryl Coles of P.S. 68 for allowing us to use their schools’ facilities. ETM also thanks the Dana Foundation and the Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation for providing grants to support teacher training.
Click here for more photos from training!
