First, I’d like to thank you for taking time here while I share my vision and passion for music education.

Let’s begin with why I choose to be a music teacher. Both of my parents were musicians, private music teachers, and my father was a K-12 general music teacher and band director. From this musical household, I naturally was led to be active in band, orchestra, choir, Solo and Ensembles and accompanying. I began piano at age 7. I began on clarinet in our 7 piece German Band at age 13. At age 25, I took over my dad’s church choir. Although I studied music Education at Hope College right after high school in 1980, In 1983, I took time off to raise a family. I designed and organized a home education program for my eleven children which lasted 25 years. I also cultivated a number of private music students during this period in band, orchestra, and vocal studies. In 2011, I trained with Professional Educational Service Group, PESG, now EduStaff, as a substitute teacher. Through this, I have experienced and observed a variety of subjects, grade levels, and approaches to instruction and classroom management. Although I am relatively recent graduate in Bachelors in Music Education (2018, Calvin University), I believe I possess a large tool box of teaching skills, plus the emotional stability which younger instructors have not yet attained.
 
In my chosen internships with Calvin University, I wanted to prepare for any level of teaching. For example, I student-taught at NHA River City Scholars, a K-8 public charter school, in which I assisted with elementary music, beginning band, & MS music appreciation. In elementary level, music is like playing games. The music games are so much fun, yet designed to teach specific musical concepts. I adore the Game Plan Curriculum for Grades K - 5. There are clear, progressive objectives, and assessments built right in, with a wealth of variations and extensions which I may adapt to a diversity of learner levels.

After this 7 week internship, I then completed a public Junior & High School band placement, which included jazz band and mariachi band experiences. Further, I ran a Middle School band program at Innocademy, a public charter, last year. (The instrumental program was dropped due to restructuring) I love the middle school age students. I believe that this is such a vulnerable age for growing youth. Music can supply a sense of belonging, expression, and repose that these sensitive adolescents crave. Music can supply that need to escape life’s stresses for a bit. I feel very qualified for any grade level of music. Elementary is a amazing opportunity to turn kids on to a love of music, and provides a wonderful outlet to guided movement, both fine and large motor skills, and developing the aural sense of pitch, dynamics and rhythms. As students mature, the unity ensembles provide, whether choral or instrumental, lead students to potential lifelong involvement in music. Music is one of the school subjects which can carry into adult life beyond 12th grade. As I presently perform in choral groups, play clarinet and piano in community ensembles, and sing and play piano for religious services, I model the adult music involvement possibilities.
 
I am a balanced, mature music teacher for your family. My background is three dimensional: possessing breadth, (K-adult!) width, (vocal, instrumental, elementary music, piano, theory, music appreciation) and depth. (over 30 years performing and over 20 years teaching in the private sector). Furthermore, I continually reflect, explore, and seek refinement and new ideas in teaching by attending Michigan Music Conferences, online courses & videos, and belonging to Music Professional groups such as National Association for Music Education.

I maintain a high standard of professionalism, strive to coordinate well with others, and am not afraid to ask questions, suggest innovative ideas, or experiment with what works best from day to day. I am highly organized, detail-oriented and also goal oriented. I can provide purpose and logical direction to both daily lesson plans and long term targets.

I am eager to jump in and provide quality education and collaborative instruction with other teachers. Unlike others my age who have taught for 30 years and are burned out, I possess that stable, mature outlook that is treasured among educators.

Thank you for your time.

Musically Yours, 
Kreenah Dunsmore