Feel (and see!) the World-Wide Rhythms this Company Creates
By Kristin Clark Taylor
If you’re a music teacher and you’re reading these words, you’ve probably already felt the steady beat and the toe-tapping rhythms that Quaver creates.
You already know the fun that unfolds within this instructive and engaging music-based curriculum. Countless kids in your classroom have already bopped to the beats and learned from the lively lessons.
But if you haven’t yet felt the fun — if you’re new to teaching, or maybe settling into a new school or school district that hasn’t yet acquired this colorful, cutting-edge teaching tool — you should definitely be making the moves to acquire this resource as you step into the New Year!
From Dallas to Dubai, from Pittsburgh to Puerto Rico, around and across this glorious globe, the Quaver curriculum – like music itself – is everywhere.
It should definitely be in your classroom, too.
Quaver resources were used by more than 31,000 educators around the world in 2021, spanning all 50 states and more than 41 countries. This means that over seven million students experienced the power of a seriously fun education.
A “Virtual” Celebration of Music and Music-Making
Even though the world as we know it seems to have been turned upside down this past year, the comforting fact of the matter is that the sweet sound of music still connects us, especially in these decidedly disconnected times. Music is the healing balm; the connective thread. Teachers have relied on music – and the Quaver curriculum specifically — to remain resilient and resourceful. As they rearrange classrooms and reimagine curriculums, it’s Quaver that they turn to first.
Quaver’s new video, “Music is Everywhere,” celebrates the joy of music and the amazing adaptability of our teachers. The fun, fast-moving video features music teachers from across the USA — and a few sweet-singing Quaver staffers, too!
So sit back. Toe-tap. Snap-snap your fingers and come along for the joyous ride!
Let’s listen to a few of the teachers who participated in the video:
Drew Osborn, a K-4 music teacher at Elm Tree Elementary in Bentonville, Arkansas, says he had a “great time participating in the video!” (Hint: He’s the one playing the steel drums and wearing the big smile!)
“I just waited until the end of the school day when it was super-quiet, closed my classroom door, turned my music on, and followed the click track!” he says, describing how he was able to participate virtually in the video.
Drew, who first started singing in church when he was five, says music is in his blood – and in his bloodline.
“My grandmother played piano in the church from the time she was 13, right up until the day she died, at 89 years old — for 75 years,” he says with pride.
“The theme of the video, ‘Music is Everywhere’ really resonates with me, because music has certainly been there for me throughout my entire life.”
Drew is ecstatic to have Quaver resources in his classroom.
“My kids love Quaver! They love the creatives. They eat them up. I’ve got 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-graders figuring our chord progressions. That usually doesn’t happen so early; it’s way beyond their skill set. But the tools that Quaver provides has helped get them there!”
Drew likes to share the story of how David Mastran, the forward-thinking founder of Quaver, first met Graham Hepburn (Quaver’s co-founder) on a cruise ship years ago.
“I’m really glad they found each other on that cruise ship! Because without them, Quaver would not be!” Osborn says with both a smile and a note of gratitude in his voice.
Jeremy Nemec, a K-5 General Music teacher at Fischer Elementary in Elmhurst, Illinois, described his participation in the video as “great fun!”
“We’re celebrating the ‘Music is Everywhere’ theme in my classroom, so it felt like the perfect fit. My school is highly diverse; we have more than 30 countries represented in our student population, so this message is real,” he says.
What is also “real” is the feeling of human connection and deep belonging the video evokes, even though each participant joined virtually. Proof positive, of course, that music – and Quaver! – constantly connect us, in both the good times and the bad.
Jeremy couldn’t agree more.
“Even though we all participated from our own remote locations, it still felt like we were together,” he says.
“This is what I try to teach my students: That music pulls us all together. I teach them and tell them that music is not just entertainment; it’s a part of who we are. Music lives within our hearts and connects us all.”
So take another peek at the video. Step into the New Year with renewed confidence and resilience. Become a part of a global community of educators who are using this curriculum to make learning fun.
Can you feel an extended hand reaching towards you?
It’s a welcoming hand; a hand that’s inviting you to join the Quaver journey.
Let your journey begin.
Kristin Clark Taylor is an author and a journalist.
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To learn more about how to join the Quaver Qmunity, go to www.quavered.com.
