New Experiences, September 2021

Author: Heather Blake

Serving at Diggs-Latham Elementary School has quickly become one of the greatest joys of my week and is a period of time that I look forward to far beyond what I could have expected. The first day of service, I remember being nervous to stand in an unfamiliar environment and present new knowledge in a creative, interactive manner. However, the moment I stepped into the classroom and heard the student's giggles and welcomes, I was reassured with positivity and an openness to learn, while simultaneously teaching.

When first playing duos for the students I was impressed with how much they interacted. Whether they laughed when a certain piece was playful, or presented a somberness when a piece was slower, I actually became more of the "actor" we have been discussing. In fact, I notice that my own creativity increased from the energy of the students. 

I have been impressed with how much some students remember from their short violin lessons from week to week. My team members and I have been teaching two students together at a time and have observed how much they learned from each other, similar to the mirrored learning we discussed in training.