School: Fort Osage High School
Class: Setting the Tone (Freshman Choir)
Instructor: Julie Ammon
Client: Independence Rehabilitation Center
Problem: How might we use musical experiences to enrich the lives of the elderly and/or disabled?
Summary of Project
Students met with the Independence Rehabilitation Center Director and Activities Director to identify how musical experiences could positively affect their residents. They discussed and researched what music and musical games would be most effective and presented their project to the choir class before to get feedback and to discuss the importance of always planning for the “what ifs” that may come up. Students utilized problem-solving through technology issues and learned how to interact and adapt to situations that were unfamiliar to them. They became more compassionate after this experience.
Key Takeaways or Advice
Due to the demand of preparing for concerts and music contests, it’s difficult to use 4 weeks of class time. Students are involved in so many extracurricular activities that adding one more thing to their plate is hard for some.
I offered lettering points for their music letter when I presented 3 options. I was very happy to see how many students wanted to help with the Independence Rehab Center. I saw groups of kids come together that don’t normally hang out together. The students had a choice and student voice was encouraged. It started out with a few of the strong personalities running the show to everyone getting a piece of the pie when job titles were assigned. This allowed for all 14 kids to provide leadership in their own way. Kids learned how to plan for the unexpected (ex, What do you do if technology doesn’t work? What are some things you may see/smell when you go to a Rehab Facility? etc)
I was very proud of my students and saw a lot of growth over a short amount of time!
Learning Standards
I can…
- Conduct research about the music that would best serve the audience by talking to the music teacher and Activities Director
- Utilize critical thinking skills
- Collaborate with other students who chose the same CCP (this was important and fun for me to see different friend groups coming together for a common goal)
- Draft and edit professional emails
- Set up a meeting with the facility
- Integrating technology and other resources into the CCP.