When it came time for the music department at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison to think about an upgrade, it didn’t take long for Music Department co-chair Jane Brown to find exactly what she needed.
Lauren Kisare (standing) works on the newly installed Yamaha Music in Education (MIE) Keyboard Lab at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison. JEFF GRANIT staff “About four years ago, I saw a demonstration of the Yamaha Music in Education Keyboard Lab, and I absolutely loved it,” Brown said.
“It really seemed to be a whole curriculum that could be utilized, and I thought that it could empower our students.”
After a fundraising effort and some help from The Wardlaw-Hartridge Parents’ Association (WHPA), the keyboard lab was installed on Jan. 11 and 12, with the first day of actual instruction occurring Jan. 13. A maximum of 14 students can participate in class sessions with the new equipment. There is also one teacher module, which enables the instructor to see what each student is doing at any particular time. Something as specific as finding out which note a particular student is playing at any given time can be determined by the teacher through the module.
Wardlaw-Hartridge School music students work on the newly installed Yamaha Music in Education (MIE) Keyboard Lab at the school. Below: Music teacher Shannon Caldwell holds up a display poster of a keyboard. More photos at www.gmnews.com. PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff “Even though there is so much going on at one time with a class full of students that are using the equipment, the teacher module is really a great thing, because let’s say a student plays a wrong note on the keyboard. I can see that and then, if need be, give that student the extra help,” said Shannon Caldwell, Lower and Middle School choral music teacher.
“Also, most other programs that we looked at for our students just offered the equipment, and that was it. With Yamaha, students can do so many different things, like play in ensembles and utilize listening equipment. We’ve been waiting for a long time to get all of this equipment because it really offers a chance for all of our students to take part.”
Caldwell also noted that The Wardlaw- Hartridge School will be the first school in New Jersey to use the lab’s At Home component, a feature that will allow the Lower and Middle School students to play online music games assigned as homework. After playing the games, they would take a quiz and the results would be sent to the teachers.
Brown said that the total cost was nearly $13,000.
“We applied for some grants and we received private donations as well,” Brown said. “We don’t look at this as taking the place of our music curriculum at the school. We see it more as a way to supplement what we are trying to teach our students.”
Students in the school’s prekindergarten program up through the high school can use the equipment. More than 750 sounds can be utilized, as well as 80 CD songs that come with curriculum. A textbook also accompanies the Music in Education lab, and teachers are also able to add their own play lists.
Brown also mentioned that students are able to take quizzes and tests on the keyboards. She said that there is still a learning curve for the students, as far as finding out just how much the keyboards can really do.
“And we [the teachers] are still learning as well,” Brown said. “It’s all a work in progress, but the kids really are loving it so far. The versatility of this equipment truly is amazing.”