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Mrs. Kathleen Riley, a music teacher at EverGreen Elementary School, is familiar with research showing when students play piano and other keyboard instruments, they use parts of their brain that connect to spatial awareness skills which strengthens their ability to think ahead, to anticipate.
“Some studies show that parts of the brain used for both music and math are active during keyboard use,” said Mrs. Riley. “If we could have as many little hands as possible working on keyboards, we could compose our own mini tone poems, use the recorded track accompaniments to our own melody lines, and write our own folk dance creations.”
Seeing the possibilities for her students, Riley began looking for funding.
Locally, she applied for a Wayne County Community Foundation Mini-Grant; that $390 award will provide three Casio 61-key portable keyboards. Not stopping there, she submitted a written proposal to the Kappa Delta Pi Education Foundation headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana for a $125 Classroom Teacher Grant.
These grants provide members who are practicing teachers with funds to support specific innovative and creative programs or activities at the classroom level. These projects are designed to engage students in the learning process through interactive activities, to purchase classroom supplies, or fund field trips for which school funds aren’t available.
The Kappa Delta Pi award will provide yet another Casio keyboard.
“I then received a letter from a generous donor who heard about the Kappa Delta Pi award, one of 100 in the country, and the donor has contributed two additional keyboards to our classroom project!” Riley added. “This, plus the keyboard machine we had at the former Lake Ariel School, will create a mini keyboard lab of seven instruments for our students at EverGreen.”
Principal Ellen Faliskie added that, “Mrs. Riley always does so much to enhance the students’ appreciation for music. We are very grateful for her efforts in obtaining the keyboards.”
Mrs. Kathleen Riley, a music teacher at EverGreen Elementary School, is familiar with research showing when students play piano and other keyboard instruments, they use parts of their brain that connect to spatial awareness skills which strengthens their ability to think ahead, to anticipate.
“Some studies show that parts of the brain used for both music and math are active during keyboard use,” said Mrs. Riley. “If we could have as many little hands as possible working on keyboards, we could compose our own mini tone poems, use the recorded track accompaniments to our own melody lines, and write our own folk dance creations.”
Seeing the possibilities for her students, Riley began looking for funding.
Locally, she applied for a Wayne County Community Foundation Mini-Grant; that $390 award will provide three Casio 61-key portable keyboards. Not stopping there, she submitted a written proposal to the Kappa Delta Pi Education Foundation headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana for a $125 Classroom Teacher Grant.
These grants provide members who are practicing teachers with funds to support specific innovative and creative programs or activities at the classroom level. These projects are designed to engage students in the learning process through interactive activities, to purchase classroom supplies, or fund field trips for which school funds aren’t available.
The Kappa Delta Pi award will provide yet another Casio keyboard.
“I then received a letter from a generous donor who heard about the Kappa Delta Pi award, one of 100 in the country, and the donor has contributed two additional keyboards to our classroom project!” Riley added. “This, plus the keyboard machine we had at the former Lake Ariel School, will create a mini keyboard lab of seven instruments for our students at EverGreen.”
Principal Ellen Faliskie added that, “Mrs. Riley always does so much to enhance the students’ appreciation for music. We are very grateful for her efforts in obtaining the keyboards.”
