MAKE MY MUSIC Songs for the Classroom Teacher

I am author, musician, and teacher who has worked in public school classrooms for the past twenty five years. My specialty is elementary music. Funny, I started off as an aspiring band director until I worked as a teacher’s aide for an community outreach Kodaly program for the Third Street Music school in New York City. It was love at my first ‘so-mi.’ I have also taught in Palo Alto, California and Fredericksburg, Virginia.

My preferred way of teaching is to sit on the floor in a circle with my students. I use puppets and percussions instruments. I use manipulatives like felt solfege boards, popsicle sticks and mini whiteboards for notation and composition. My classroom curriculum incorporates movement and dance.

Author of the book "Language Arts, Math, and Science for the Elementary Music Classroom: A Practical Tool" Oxford University Press. Recorded and produced the album "Dinobone, Dinobone Have You Heard?" Special Moment: Having more than 800 lower elementary students sing and sign the song Still in My Heart to visiting Soldiers on Veterans Day at our school.

My music training is in Kodaly and Orff methodology along with a certification in Suzuki flute 1A and 1B. I am a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and earned the degree of Master in Music Education.

Aside from teaching in public and private schools, I have performed as a solo children's music artist with my Dinobone Show (California, Virginia) and as a rock drummer (New York City). I am married with two college aged daughters. Life is good.