Mission
Statement
The guitar is an ideal vehicle
for
lifelong active music making.
It is a highly motivational instrument
that can help school music
programs reach many of the
students not now involved
in music classes.
The Teaching Guitar Workshops
are designed to help teachers establish
and expand school guitar programs.
The staff is dedicated to
teaching guitar in the classroom
using a broad, multi-style approach
that includes diverse
techniques and methods.
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Message
from the Chair
Greetings!
Welcome to the home of guitar education,
a place where music teachers of all disciplines and grade
levels can learn - in a very short time - the nuts and bolts
of teaching guitar in the classroom.
You
have come to this site for any number of reasons. Perhaps
you learned of our workshops from a colleague or an MENC
publication. Perhaps you were linked from another
web site. Perhaps you need help because your students or
school administrators have asked you to teach guitar in your
school. Maybe you are already teaching guitar and need fresh
ideas.
We can be that resource for you. We are
the MENC Guitar Taskforce, made up of teachers like you,
and just like you, we are diversified in our training and
experiences. At our summer workshops we are carefully paired
to give participants a wide variety of ideas and strategies.
Throughout the thirteen year existence of
this program we have watched interest in guitars in schools
grow exponentially as music teachers learn the amazing attributes
of the instrument. Playing the guitar evokes a passion in
young people that can last a lifetime. We must enhance that
passion by giving students a comprehensive knowledge of the
instrument. Best of all, taught thoughtfully and sequentially,
guitar classes meet the rigors of ALL of the National Standards
in Music Education head on!
Below, we share comments from evaluations
at summer 2007 workshops:
“This workshop has opened my eyes
to the versatility of the guitar and made me a better musician.”
“After several years of teaching
elementary stings, I have become excited about teaching again.
Even if I am not able to establish more than an afternoon
after school guitar class, many of the techniques I learned
here are transferable to my string classes. The fresh outlook
has re-inspired me.”
“The workshop exceeded my expectations!
I was dreading my new assignment, but now I feel like I will
definitely survive my first year teaching guitar – and
might even like it! The materials given to us are fabulous.
Thank you! The instructors were fantastic-expert and approachable.”
We invite you to join us in our workshops
and prepare for new adventures in music with guitars.
Suzanne
Shull: Chair, Teaching Guitar Workshops |
