On March 6, ETM Director of Programs Peter Pauliks led two workshops in the M.S. 424 music technology lab for parents and classroom teachers from the school community. The sessions aimed to introduce parents and school staff to the kind of technology, software, and assignments that the students of Hunts Point Middle School encounter in their music classes.
In the session for parents, children joined their parents and assisted in producing an original composition using GarageBand software. “Watching students and parents work alongside one another during the parent workshops was wildly impressive,” commented Mr. Pauliks. He also noted that the middle school students pride themselves in their newly learned skills and have taken ownership of the lab as a space for learning. Parents and classroom teachers alike commented that they would love to come back for another lesson to build on their skills. One classroom teacher noted that she expects M.S. 424 students will display new talents in the projects and portfolios they create in their music technology classes.
The M.S. 424 music technology lab is supported by grants to the school from New York City Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo and the Bronx Borough President’s office, and ETM’s ongoing partnership with M.S. 424 is supported in part by the Emily Davie and Joseph S. Kornfeld Foundation, Council Member Arroyo, and the New York Community Trust.
Through such workshops, ETM hopes that this lab becomes a hub of activity for both students and parents. By building a shared understanding and appreciation for such music technology, ETM is working to weave music into school culture and cultivate a school community that supports music education.
