Katie London has been exposed to music and education her entire life. She says, “My father was actually a band director, so I grew up specifically in the world of music education.” Katie, who is now a music teacher at Southside Elementary, continues, “There are several other educators in my family, so it’s something that has always been part of my life...I didn’t really want to leave the music world, not just because it was comfortable to me but because it felt like home for me...I really wanted to share what I had gotten from my teachers, from my dad, from other music educators that influenced me in my own musicianship and life. I wanted to turn that around and share it with younger generations behind me.
With this goal in mind, Mrs. London comes to work eager to invite her students into the inspiring world of music. She says, “I love just being with the kids and seeing them experience music in different ways. We play different instruments. We get up and move to the music. We sing and use our voices. It’s so fun for me to see the light bulb turn on and see students click with things.” Katie also finds it encouraging when students share with her how they have experienced music outside of school. She remarks, “I love it when students tell me something that they heard at home or sang at home that related to something we did in class. They’re so excited to tell me that they’ve made that connection in their lives outside of this building. It’s so rewarding to see that.”
Katie is intentional about creating these real-world connections for students. She likes to have them consider the role of music in their favorite movies. For example, Katie may have them discuss how the shift in music adds to their surprise when it is revealed in Frozen that Prince Hans is actually a villain. She explains, “They experience music a lot, whether or not they are thinking about it; it may not be at the forefront in their mind...I want my students to leave here with a general understanding and appreciation for music...I want them to find something about music that they enjoy.”
Mrs. London is passionate about reaching her students with music and seeing them “evolve and grow and create.” In order to keep helping students engage and connect with music, Katie is also passionate about furthering her own learning. To do this, she decided to pursue National Board Certification. She chose this process because of its reflective approach; Katie knew that it would help her evaluate her current teaching methods and adjust them as needed. She said that the process does not necessarily make a teacher change everything they are doing in the classroom, but rather it has them reflect on what they are doing and why. The process also has the teacher ponder if their lessons and strategies could be more effective if done in a different way.
To apply this, Mrs. London explains, “In music education, there are certain things that I will always do and bring out because it’s appropriate and developmentally correct, but you also don’t want to always keep it exactly the same. Each group of students that comes through every year is different. They need to have that same content but maybe in a different setting or activity.”
In regards to certifying in music education, Katie says, “It covers a wide range from simple, elemental things about music all the way through history and analysis. It tested my knowledge and made me reach back into some of the really intense collegiate courses I took...There was a section on the test that asked me to write a short composition, so it tested my own musicianship, which I think is good. You need to have good musicianship and understanding of music to be able to teach music content well.”
It is evident that Katie has a heart for music, for students, and for providing kids with the opportunity to experience music. She is grateful to work in a school district where the community truly values music and arts education for students. We are certainly thankful to have Mrs. London in Woodford County! Congratulations, Mrs. London, on becoming a National Board Certified Teacher! We are so proud of you!
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