Life-Changing Experience
I learned about Bridging Cultures with Music while it was still a dream. Witnessing life being breathed into that dream was inspiring in the extreme. While I was a student at Western Kentucky University, I was given the opportunity to travel to Africa and be a part of an organization bringing Western classical music instruction to children in Tanzania. There I learned how music transcends languages, forms bonds, and cultivates character and a place of belonging in the lives of young people. My heart was heavy as I said goodbye to my students and newfound friends. In leaving, I doubted that I would feel such a strong sense of purpose again.
This is why being asked to be a part of the team of teachers for Bridging Cultures could not have come at a more perfect time. I had witnessed how music could change lives. I thought of the gleaming smiles that playing the violin had brought to my students the previous summer. I remembered how, despite the omnipresent language barrier, music had provided a means of communication. I reminisced on how our group classes quickly bloomed into “families” and I was filled with excitement for the English-as-a-Second-Language students in Bowling Green. I could not wait for the kids in this program to be given a new outlet for expression, creativity, and community.
In the ensuing semesters of teaching with Bridging Cultures with Music, the students constantly challenged me to improve as a teacher. During class I was inspired to think on my toes in order to present concepts in creative ways. Every student digested information differently. Some asked for multiple demonstrations, some learned through repeating actions many times, and others did best by simply talking through every new direction. Catering to each learning style proved difficult in a group setting, but it stretched me and then stretched me some more. I learned a great deal about the importance of giving concise instructions and cultivating ways in which students could also inspire one other. Working with a team of teachers allowed us to play to each other’s strengths (figuratively and literally) and encourage each another to strengthen our weak areas. As my own teaching matured each week, I noticed my colleagues growing, too. All the while, the students were exuding more and more joy, excitement, and confidence.
I have no words to express how grateful I am for the chance to be a part of this program. Teaching violin to ESL students was one of the most profound experiences I have been gifted in my life. If they are fortune enough to be offered the chance to participate, I believe every current and future violin student at WKU should eagerly seize it. The changes that Bridging Cultures with Music brought to my life and the lives of those students at Bowling Green High School give me enormous hope for the future of our community.