Teacher Marisa Martinez says music key to learning

San Francisco Chronicle / sfgate.com ^ | Sunday, October 31, 2010 | San Francisco Chronicle Staff

[thecodont]

Kindergarten teacher Marisa Martinez was tired of political promises, unfulfilled vows to restore California classrooms to their former glory. She despaired as she saw her beloved art and music disappear from the schools as money dried up, leaving teachers scrambling for pencils and paper. To Martinez, 41, paintbrushes and pianos weren't luxuries; they were necessities.

A professional musician as well as an educator at San Francisco's El Dorado Elementary School, she decided to take things into her own hands. With her own money, she created a CD of songs she sings to her predominantly low-income students, tunes with a bluegrass, folksy feel that address the basics of life and literacy with humor and joy. It's called "Chicken & ABC's." The project was both a labor of love and an artistic uprising against broken political promises from a frustrated and funny teacher who signs her e-mails, "With Love, chickens, Chihuahuas, children and Peace."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/31/BAT71G3HOS.DTL#ixzz13zm3HTnc

[netmilsmom]

>>With Love, chickens, Chihuahuas, children and Peace.” <<

I threw up in my mouth just a bit.

[devane617]

Nothing wrong with innovation. I love to see people try...I say, good on you.

[dr_who]

I think donuts are far more important to learning. We should have the Dept of Education do a ten year study to settle it.

[Florida native]

Music is the key...Japan has some of the best musicians and music programs and they are far ahead academically.

Music helped me in English (listening, reading), Math (fractions/counting), and Science (physics/sound waves/pitch/velocity).

[Florida native]

However, I don’t go with the psychobabble/mumbo-jumbo that some music teachers incorporate...but Music can enhance academics.

[mnehring]

bfltr

[DTogo]

she created a CD of songs she sings to her predominantly low-income students, tunes with a bluegrass, folksy feel

If she were a Conservative she'd be smeared as a racist or exploiting the poor with stereotypical music.

Yes, America has become that cynical and jaded.

[DTogo]

Japan has some of the best musicians and music programs and they are far ahead academically.

Score-wise, perhaps. Creative thinking? No.

[11th_VA]

I seem to recall hearing a teacher in Brazil(?) got his kids into classical music, and their academic scores have skyrocketed. A border town in Texas has used chess as a way to motivate students - they have some of the best chess teams in the country, and kids at the elementary level are now training to be national champions. Bottom line is, competition grows excellence - it can be sports, arts, etc.

But giving every student a trophy just because they participated, cheapens the hard work others put in - that's where the RATS go off the deep end ...

[Kieri]

Every so often, when I need to remember a fact or grammatical rule, Schoolhouse Rock tunes start to play in the back of my brain. They were definitely worth knowing!

[pops88]

“Nothing wrong with innovation.”

If this is innovation, Sesame Street has been one of the best kept secrets for over 30 years. Who can forget the song, “One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten?” I can still sing it at 51. And of course “Rubber Ducky” is classic. When I was homeschooling, I taught my daughter the months of the year using Paul Anka’s “Calendar Girl.” I also taught her something using a cheerleader routine. Even my high school chemistry teacher said music was one of the best ways to learn and taught a few ditties. Kudos to the teacher, but this isn’t exactly a new concept.

[Grizzled Bear]

It was already done by “School House Rock.” They were much cooler.

....conjunction junction, what’s your function?

[freedumb2003]

With Love, chickens, Chihuahuas, children and Peace

Amen!

[random_user_827]

A professional musician as well as an educator at San Francisco's El Dorado Elementary School,

So that explains it. To a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[bboop]

YOU ARE SO FUNNY.

[Lancey Howard]

I don’t understand - - how often do you have to replace pianos?

[Kickass Conservative]

“I don’t understand - - how often do you have to replace pianos?”

When you lose the keys?

[Deo confidimus]

Hilarious!!! ;)

[Kickass Conservative]

I’ll be here all week.