Grenier encourages students to become better musicians

Jennifer Grenier wants her elementary music students to shine.

“Show me how a star exits the stage,” Grenier instructed one section of Howard Elementary School first-graders at the conclusion of a recent class.

As a K-5 music specialist for Fremont Public Schools, Grenier encourages all of her students to exhibit “star behavior,” from standing tall with their shoulders back to following instructions from their conductor.

Becoming a first-class musician takes practice. And since most practices begin with a warm up time, music class is no different.

After greeting the students and positioning them into rows, Grenier cranked up the Village People’s familiar song, “YMCA,” on the CD player. She led them through a series of motions, adding in different steps and disco moves along the way.

“Good performers don’t look at their feet. ... Get that brain awake,” Grenier said.

Following the lively warm up, it was time for the first-graders to gather around Grenier at the piano and practice songs from the “World’s Largest Concert.” As part of Music In Our Schools Month -- celebrated throughout March -- the World’s Largest Concert is designed by the National Association for Music Education to link students around the world through music.

“I want to hear it loud and proud,” Grenier said.

Making the most of the

30 minutes of instruction time, the class then shifted its focus to writing a five-line piece of music. Grenier began by drawing a series of blanks on the marker board at the front of the classroom as the students sat “criss-cross applesauce” with their legs crossed.

“Are we playing Hangman,?” one curious student asked Grenier.

Using their knowledge of quarter notes, eighth notes and quarter rests, class members took turns choosing notes for the music piece before Grenier led them through reciting the notes.

She praised them for their work, telling them that writing a rhythm is actually a standard skill for fourth-graders.

“It’s not too hard for us, though, because we’re master musicians,” she said.

As the third session of first-graders wrapped up their music time, they returned to their classroom and two sessions of third-graders made their way into the music room.

The third-graders learned the musical alphabet and completed a work sheet independently on the different notes.

“Music is a multi-tasking skill,” Grenier explained to the third-graders. “Kids who can read music are better mathematicians, readers and scientists.”

Grenier has been teaching music for 20 years. This year marks her fifth in Fremont. She rotates between Howard, Clarmar and Milliken Park elementary schools.

“I am a multi-sensory person and music feeds that,” she said.

Preparing lessons for six different grade levels can be difficult.

“It is very challenging, but it’s exciting, too, because you get to watch the progress and see where they go,” Grenier said. “My previous position was K-12, so I did all of the show choirs and the barbershops. Then you’ve really got to see the big picture.

“The nice thing about Fremont is that I can specialize in elementary. That’s a wonderful advantage.”

Just like in other subjects, music teachers have national standards they are to follow for each grade level.

“The most important thing is how far we grow during our time here,” she said. “For me, the life skill that I want them to take away is the life-long love of (music) first of all, and then secondly I try and tie it in with all of the areas of the curriculum.”

For example, Grenier said, performing music is a good way for students to become more comfortable with public speaking.

“Some of these kids really need that social experience,” she said.

Watching students develop their knowledge of music, such as the fourth- and fifth-graders composing music, is rewarding for Grenier.

“If you give them a little nudge, they will go so far,” she said.