Education

Kelvin Grove Middle School

Music is Important for Life Long Learning

The music program at Kelvin Grove Middle School in Lockport (Illinois, USA) plays a vital role in helping the school fulfil its objective of developing productive citizens who are life-long learners. Music is an obvious outlet for children's self-expression and creativity, but it also aids children's physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Mrs Sarah Randolph, the school's Music Coordinator, has been using Auralia and Musition for three years. In that time, she has seen a dramatic improvement in the quality of performances by the students at Kelvin Grove:

"These programs help us to not only meet, but exceed, State and National music standards in the USA." Sarah Randolph

Catering to Both Ends of the Musical Spectrum

Kelvin Grove Middle School is located in Lockport (Illinois, USA), around 35 miles outside Chicago. The school aims to provide a happy and supportive learning environment for all its 400 students, some of whom have special needs. All students, who range in age from 9 to 14 years, learn to play an instrument (piano, organ or guitar), and sing for their classmates.

One of the challenges for all teachers is designing and conducting classes that cater to all needs and abilities of all the students - how to extend the advanced students and engage children who struggle. Sarah Randolph finds this particularly challenging in classes with students with special needs.

Auralia 4 and Musition 4, which can be customised to suit all abilities, are the ideal learning solution for a school like Kelvin Grove. Students proceed at their own pace through extensive and drills covering 75 ear training and music theory topics. Teachers can move through the classroom, helping students with issues as they arise.

"I am able to work with students who need extra help (and special needs children) while allowing advanced students to reach their full potential and not wait until the other students catch up." Sarah Randolph

Making Learning Fun & Effective

Teachers like Sarah Randolph know that having fun in the classroom promotes learning. She likes that all her students enjoy using Auralia 4 and Musition 4. The intuitive interface and interactive exercises make even the most complex musical concepts accessible and appealing for students. The students at Kelvin Grove use Auralia 4 and Musition 4 to prepare for exams, and this is reflected in improved test results.

Sarah Randolph says, "Students do as many drills as they feel they need to pass our tests with at least a 90 per cent average."

More Time for Teaching

One of things Sarah Randolph likes most about Auralia 4 and Musition 4 is that she can track the progress of her students from one year to the next. She can also set worksheets and quizzes, choosing from the thousands of exercises and drills that are standard on Auralia 4 and Musition 4. Students' results can then be exported, to help prepare reports.

"It not only reduces my grading load, it's saving paper and trees!" Sarah Randolph

But more importantly, it leaves Sarah more time for her students: