Let It Be For Chip Joseph, learning about history, culture, and music will always be tied to his love of the Beatles. He remembers vividly his third-grade teacher, Mrs. Harper, who every week took the class down to the auditorium to listen to Beatles music. While sharing the music she loved, she spoke about the science of creating instruments and the intricate patterns of the notes and musical cadences. Now a first-grade teacher at South Anna Elementary School, in Montpelier, Virginia, Joseph applies Mrs. Harper's method of teaching in his own classroom. A day rarely goes by when Joseph does not use his guitar as a teaching tool.
Music resonates for the kids on many levels.
Joseph remembers one student who was clearly struggling with multiplication. She and I made up a song for multiplication right then and there. Through the act of creating a rhythmic song, she was able to personalize the content and understand the rules of multiplication. Later, we taught the song to the rest of the class. Joseph knows that to incorporate the arts into the classroom often involves giving up some degree of control.