Teachers Take Time to Say “Thank you, Quaver!”
By Kristin Clark Taylor
Here’s the great thing about gratitude: It grows when it’s shared.
The more you build it up, the bigger it becomes, kind of like making a snowman. What starts as a tiny mound of snow grows bigger and bigger until — voila! — with a little effort and a lot of fun, you’ve suddenly got someone standing in your front yard with a carrot nose and charcoal eyes!
Gratitude grows, too … if you grow it.
For this gratitude-growing exercise, we asked a few teachers to reflect on why they’re grateful to have Quaver resources in their classroom. And now, let’s grow this gratitude by sharing it:
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Kaundria Gay, Music Specialist, Hearne Elementary, Houston, TX
Which Quaver resources are you most grateful to have in your classroom?
“I am most grateful for the Art Music Movement videos. I use the videos with my Kinder and 1st-grade students as warm-ups. The students love them because they can use their imaginations and turn into a new person!”
Which song/lessons do you think your students are most grateful to have?
“I know it’s early, but my students are most grateful for ‘Cray, Cray Christmas!’ Everybody loves this song, even the adults! I’ve had many teachers come up and tell me they play the song on YouTube for their kids at home! Everybody learns this song for our annual Schoolwide Sing-Along. When we perform it, I make sure the base is loud and the cafeteria/gym instantly transforms into party!”
What’s the one word you use to describe Quaver resources?
“Spectacular!”
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Jennifer Sonstroem, Music Specialist, Laurel Park Elementary, Apex, NC
Which Quaver resources are you most grateful to have in your classroom?
“It’s not easy to choose just one because there are so many! My students and I are enjoying the new content in Quaver this year! I also love to supplement the K-5 curriculum with song-based lessons for enrichment. The Pre-K SEL and other SEL songs have been especially beneficial for my younger students this school year.”
Which song/lessons do you think your students are most grateful to have?
“We do so much with ‘Pumpkin Bones’ this time of year – involving all grade levels/ECS students, many instruments, and curricular connections throughout!”
What’s the one word you would use to describe Quaver resources?
“Engaging!”
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Jason Leach, Physical Education teacher, Independence Elementary, Keller, TX
Which Quaver resources are you most grateful to have in your classroom?
“I use the new QuaverHealth curriculum. I am using the health tracker with one of my 4th-grade classes to determine if it would impact their daily habits by them having to enter in information each day.”
Which song/lessons do you think your students are most grateful to have?
“My students love to answer questions and make connections. They have enjoyed the social behavior lessons. It has been great to hear their responses to the questions and scenarios.”
What’s the one word you would use to describe Quaver resources?
“Engaging!”
Jim Meske, K-5 General Music Teacher and Music Coordinator, Westdale Elementary School, Northlake, IL
Which Quaver resources are you most grateful to have in your classroom?
“I am most grateful for Quaver’s Resource Manager on my Teacher Dashboard. This useful tool helps me build and create lessons that meet the needs of all of my students. I can easily search for screens I have created and customize my lessons using the large variety of Quaver resources available!”
Which song/lessons do you think your students are most grateful to have?
“My students are most grateful for the ukulele lessons. They love to celebrate playing their first song with all four strings, ‘Ukulele Breakdown.’ The joy and singing that occurs during the musical interludes is an unforgettable moment as I strive to instill a lifelong love of music in my students.”
What’s the one word you would use to describe Quaver resources?
“Captivating!”
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Stacy Redding, Music Specialist, Bethune Elementary, Dallas, TX
Which Quaver resources are you most grateful to have in your classroom?
“I’m grateful to have QuaverEd SEL, as it adds stability and guidance through the CASEL areas of Social Emotional development. I’m grateful to have QuaverEd PreK, as it adds other songs and materials to add to my Kodaly early learning scope and sequence.”
Which song/lessons do you think your students are most grateful to have?
“PreK loves ‘Charlie over the Ocean’”!
“Kinder loves ‘You-Nique’ in Spanish”!
“First loves ‘Stinky Pirates!’”
“Second loves ‘Rocky Mountain/Walking home’ partner songs!”
“Third/Fourth/Fifth grades are working on the Sound Science project. I’m using the Sound Science project but adapting it for each grade level in their science work and our Music Science TEKS. Loving the experiments!”
What’s the one word you would use to describe Quaver resources?
“ENGAGING!”
“E: Exceptional
N: Noteworthy
G: Games-centered learning
A: Adaptable
G: Great for individual student devices
I: Individualized
N: New-fashioned
G: Growing curriculum!”
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So this much we know for certain: When we come together to give thanks, our gratitude grows!
Kind of like building a snowman.
Kristin Clark Taylor is an author and a journalist.
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Want to grow your gratitude even more? Click on Quaver’s “Song of the Month”!
