The AMIGO Project: Carol Boyd on GITC and GLAD

On behalf of the Oakley Union School District, I want to express my great appreciation to the NAMM Foundation for it's help in supporting the Guitars in the Classroom program in our district. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, our visual and performing arts program and district plan is on permanent hold. If it were not for GITC and the NAMM Foundation, this great program would not have been possible this year.

Our teachers were so appreciative of this fantastic opportunity to engage in professional development in the arts, and specifically in music. They have all raved about the experience of learning to strum and make music. The teacher is such a wonderful model of excellent instruction. In addition, our teachers enjoyed meeting and working with others across the district; it is always so helpful to share our craft with other enthusiastic professionals.

Our District Visual and Performing Committee has really promoted learning with and through the arts. One of our focus professional development programs is Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design). As I am writing this letter, we have a group of teachers in GLAD training in our summer school. GLAD is a model of professional development in the area of language acquisition and literacy. The strategies and model promote English language acquisition, academic achievement, and cross-cultural skills. GLAD was developed and field tested for nine years in the Fountain Valley School District and is based on years of experience with integrated approaches for teaching language. Tied to standards, the model trains teachers to provide access to core curriculum using local district guidelines and curriculum.

GLAD is an instructional model with clear, practical strategies promoting positive, effective interactions among students and between teachers and students. GLAD develops metacognitive use of high level, academic language and literacy. During the staff development, teachers are provided with the instructional strategies, the theory and research that support the model, and the curriculum model that brings these all together in the context of district and state frameworks and standards. The second part of the training is a demonstration session in the classroom where the model is demonstrated with students.

GLAD training results in teachers’ renewed commitment to high expectations and high standards for all students. The results for students have been continued gains in standardized test scores as well as renewed involvement in a classroom that is, not only student-centered, but fosters a sense of identity and voice.

GLAD is all about using lots of language including both written and oral verse, rhymes, chanting, and songs. Many of our teachers develop their own chants and songs to promote learning the content of our state standards in social studies and science, as well as in English/Language arts and mathematics. Playing guitar is such a perfect accompaniment to both planned and spontaneous verses during learning and really supports the teachers’ use of GLAD strategies in the classroom. Our English learners and special needs students are especially benefitting from this “right brain” approach to learning in the classroom.

Gina Minder, one of our Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Specialists did such a great job of coordinating this event across our district. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Guitars in the Classroom through the support of GITC and our enthusiastic guitar-playing teachers.

I am forwarding this letter to the Oakley Union School District Board of Education. This letter will be placed on their July board agenda so that both GITC and NAMM can be publicly recognized for your contribution to our district teachers and students.


Sincerely,


Carol Boyd, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services


cc: NAMM Foundation
Gina Minder

GITC-Kabul

A little over 10 years ago, Executive Director Jessica Baron created Guitars in the Classroom with a simple but powerful idea. So powerful in fact, that in a completely grass-roots effort we now have programs in 24 states, and 10 Universities. Who would have thought that we'd make it all the way to Afghanistan?

I came into this organization about 1 1/2 years ago as a volunteer. One thing led to another, and I am now essentially working as an employee, covering a wide variety of tasks and projects. For me, this is a really exciting time to be a part of this organization. The internet and the way people connect on it is changing every day. There is an unprecedented need for change in not only the way we treat our environment, but also in the way we treat each other.

At the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), Guitars in the Classroom is extremely proud and excited to announce that we have a GITC-UP program in place, being taught as you read this. We recently heard from the teachers who were elated at receiving their shipment of Godins and said that "it's surreal to have guitars in Afghanistan!".

This is really possible due to our gracious sponsors, and a few intrepid individuals with a vision worthy of pursuing. In the next update we'll look a little closer at the beginnings of GITC-Kabul, and how it was made possible.

See you next time,
Nick Sinutko