Whittier Daily News 6/8/05
After-school curriculum strives to keep music in the schools
By Tracy Garcia , Staff Writer
WHITTIER -- Today's classroom curriculum is so focused on the core academic subjects of English and math that there's little time for anything else even music education, officials say.School funding cutbacks haven't helped much either, but none of these obstacles was enough to stop parents at Orange Grove Elementary School from raising money to offer a pilot after-school music program to students in all grades.
On Tuesday, kindergartners through second-graders had their final after-school music lesson, where they demonstrated to visiting parents and community leaders what they've learned about beats, rhythm and mixing songs with literature to help them learn.
Third- through fifth-graders will have their final lesson Thursday. In total, the program served between 80 and 100 students. "It starts with pattern and rhythm and melodies. The kids come alive and it's a really neat experience for them,' said Nalini Lasiewicz, one of the program's teachers.
"It's just charming,' she added. "The kids are so happy to be there and they're enlivened and exhilarated by the whole thing. It's fun to watch.'Principal Jeanie McHatton said the effort began with the school's English Language Advisory Council (ELAC), made up of parents of English language learners.With support from the PTA, they organized fundraisers and joined with the Crossroads of Music, a nonprofit early childhood music education program sponsored by the Lasiewicz Foundation.
Crossroads of Music put together the curriculum for the after-school program with help from a grant from the Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation and sent in a master teacher to help get the program going.One or more apprentice teachers were also on hand to help conduct the lessons, which included singing, percussion, movement and learning to play instruments like recorders and specially made xylophones. "I wish there were a lot more programs like this after school,' said Elaine Hinojos, 34, whose son and daughter both participated this year. "My daughter would come home and she'd just keep singing the songs, and she always wanted to come every week. I just hope it continues next year.' Tracy Garcia can be reached at (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3051, or by e-mail at tracy.garcia@sgvn.com .
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