TRAVERSE CITY -- In just six weeks, Hope Hales went from zero to playing simple songs on the guitar.
The Elk Rapids School District paraprofessional works in a ECP special needs preschool classroom at Lakeland Elementary School. When she heard about a free Guitars in the Classroom program held this fall for teachers, she immediately signed up.
Always interested in the instrument, Hales was intrigued by another way to connect with her students, ages 2 1/2-6 years old. Now she can strum basic songs and integrate her students' names or special interests into a song.
"The students just love it, they love being able to touch the guitar and feel the sounds of the guitar," Hales said. "For some of them, it's their first time having any exposure to an instrument of any kind, a large instrument besides a shaker."
Amy Martin, of Mesick, launched the local opportunity for the national Guitars in the Classroom, last week concluding the basic class for 12 students. All educators, Martin's students came from school districts around the region, including Bellaire, Frankfort-Elberta, Traverse City, Benzie and Leelanau Montessori. Participants ranged from principals to teachers, elementary to middle school level.
Lessons were held in Traverse City at the Ondas Cultural Arts Studio. Around the end of January, Martin will offer another beginning class as well as a beginning plus class.
"The guitar has a real cultural currency, so if a teacher can pull it out with the kids it means a lot to them, it holds a lot of clout," said Martin, who has a bachelor's degree in music education and a master's in educational technology.
A teacher who taught music in both the Grand Rapids and Kaleva Norman Dickson school districts, Martin read about Guitars in the Classroom in an acoustic guitar magazine.
"I looked it up and said, 'I can do that,'" she said. "I applied and went through a grueling interview. They wanted me to be able to walk in and do it: be competent in guitar, lead songs, teach a group of adults the very basics and how to integrate it into their classrooms."
Like Hales, the ability to share new guitar skills with students motivated other Guitars in the Classroom participants.
"It just helps make learning lighter," said Clarissa Wright, a fifth-grade social studies and reading teacher at Frankfort Elementary School, of the guitar.
A musical novice who could not even read notes, Wright was amazed when, before the end of the first class, participants were strumming songs.
"The hardest part is finding the time to practice," said Wright, who is still working on ways to integrate the guitar in her classroom. "She's not just teaching us to play the guitar, but teaching us to reach the child through rhythm and music."
Martin was undaunted when 10 of her 12 students arrived at the first class saying essentially, "I've never played the guitar before, so I hope I don't hold you back." Guitars in the Classroom is designed to work with teachers at all levels of musical and guitar ability. During the session, students progress from strumming to learning chords and standard tuning.
"The point is not to become a classical guitarist, but that is available if they want it," Martin said of the concept. "If somebody wants to go faster, I can give them other things to do and there are plenty of other guitar instructors around if they want to go further."
For more information on Guitars in the Classroom, see www.guitarsintheclassroom.com.
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