11 May 2014
Michelle Northfield, the K/1 teacher at Stuarts Point Public School, has returned from summer holidays all trained-up and inspired to teach more music to her class and the whole school.
Michelle attended the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's new teacher training course TunED Up in January. It was an intensive five day music training program designed to equip primary school teachers with the skills and techniques to confidently teach music to their students.
Only twenty primary teachers were chosen from across the state to take part in the inaugural course which took place at Sydney University. The teachers, including Michelle, were selected because of their passion for education and ability to share their new skills with other teachers within their schools.
TunED Up is part of the award-winning education program by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. During the workshop the 20 teachers from NSW public schools worked with musicians and staff to develop their musical experience, pedagogy and classroom practice, instrumental knowledge and competence with digital music resource - leaving them equipped to confidently teach music in classrooms.
Stuarts Point Public School is lucky to have its own music room equipped with marimbas and a wide selection of other musical instruments.
Michelle has already begun choir practice at lunch-times with a good roll-up of students, using conventional instruments and chopsticks to accompany the singing. Her class are gaining the benefits as well, as they have already performed a newly learnt song and dance "John Kanakanaka" on the first assembly of the year in front of the rest of the school and parents. Michelle commented that embedding music in our everyday routines is highly important and the rest of the staff are all excited with the prospect of enhanced musical expertise and practise in the school.