Meet Emily Maurek our newest FAME Teacher Spotlight!
Emily, a FAME member since 2014, graduated with her B.S. Music Education from Ball State University in 1995 and went on to receive her M.S. in Music Technology from Indiana University in 2004. Her primary instrument was clarinet. She has experience teaching 8th grade general music and currently teaches K-4 general music in the Lake Central School Corporation in St. John, Indiana
Classes/Workshops Emily has attended in First Steps or Conversational Solfege
First Steps in Music, 2008 and Conversational Solfege 1&2, 2009 @ Silver Lake College
Conversational Solfege Upper Levels 2014 @ the Hartt School of Music
FS and CS Teacher Trainer Apprentice 2015 and 2017 @ Silver Lake College
How did you come upon Dr. Feierabend’s materials & philosophy?
It was a pivotal and career-changing moment for me personally and professionally. Our school district was about to begin its first ever full-day Kindergarten offering and the Kinders would be attending all special-area classes including music — once a week for 45 minutes. To be honest, I was really sweating it. I knew we had to have ironclad pedagogy from the start and it had to be developmentally appropriate. Independent of that I also felt my program was lacking and, for reasons I couldn’t identify, I was having trouble connecting with some of my students musically. A friend of mine, Jenny Zent Call, told me that the answer was a simple fix— seek out Dr. John Feierabend and attend a week-long class called First Steps in Music. So I Googled it, signed up, packed up and spent a week at Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, WI. That week changed my life. It may sound cliche, but for me it was one of those experiences where time stops and suddenly there’s a clear direction put right out in front of you to follow and for every turn the path takes the doors just keep swinging open. That was 2008 and I feel like a completely different teacher and musician. I’m so grateful for all the wonderful friends and experiences I’ve had since that initial First Steps in Music class. My classroom is a joyful, musical place to be!
What do you find to be the most powerful aspect of Dr. Feierabend’s philosophy for your teaching?
Dr. Feierabend’s commitment to the psychology of ‘how children learn music best’ to me is so powerful. I deeply appreciate having a framework and a structure to my teaching and discovering that framework was pivotal for me as a teacher. There is so much “noise” in the world of Music Education — which on one hand gives music teachers many different options — but on the other hand leads to, I feel, what amounts to pedagogical confusion. I very much appreciate the clear, concise process Dr. Feierabend has created to give music teachers a developmentally appropriate method to creating Tuneful, Beatful and Artful students.
How has FS/CS changed your teaching?
After that initial First Steps class, the depth of knowledge and research behind FS and CS gave me permission to fundamentally change how I taught just about everything. FS and CS have also done so much for me in terms of creativity — the wonderful literature, the opportunities for creative movement and the integrated use of classical music all lend themselves to rich imagery and imaginative experiences my students and I love. I appreciate the emphasis on echo and solo singing and the switch from Sol/Mi to Mi/Re/Do. In addition, I feel my own personal musicianship has also improved. By striving to be the best vocal model possible for my students I, in turn, have greatly improved my own singing abilities. I am so energized by the focus upon developing Tuneful, Beatful and Artful children. It was (and still is) so liberating!
How has FS/CS changed your students?
I have lots of smiles in my classroom! There is something for every child to experience and enjoy in music class each week. FS and CS lessons are filled with engaging activities and opportunities to grow — all in a fun and playful way. I am also so pleased to see the enormous gains in the quality of musicianship of my students. With FS and CS kids truly internalize pitch, beat/rhythm and expressiveness and I see the benefits daily. The fact that Dr. Feierabend’s processes are so seamless makes learning so delightful.
What would you say to encourage a teacher just starting out with John’s materials? And/or, how would you encourage a teacher who has used the materials for a while, but may be overwhelmed?
Phone, email or click to find a friend!! Feierabend people are the best people and chances are that someone has encountered the same situation or issue you are experiencing. Whether it’s on the FAME website, the Facebook Fundamentals page or by email there are definitely resources for you. Also, the team of FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainers are always available to answer questions, fill in the gaps, and most likely there is a TT willing to travel to your area to help. Teacher Trainers are always eager to help and we too are just a click away!
Bio
Emily Maurek received a B.S. in Music Education and a minor in journalism from Ball State University in 1995 where she also was a Undergraduate Fellow in Music History. In 2004 she completed a Masters’ Degree in Music Technology from Indiana University and was the Chancellor’s Scholar Award for the Department of Fine Arts. She has also taught eighth grade general music in Michigan City, Indiana and since 1998, has been teaching Kindergarten through fourth grade general music and choir with the Lake Central School Corporation in St. John, Indiana.
Emily has presented numerous sessions as well as research in conjunction with the Indiana Music Educators’ Association and recently served on the state of Indiana Fine Arts Standards in Music revision committee. In addition to hosting student teachers she has also presented lectures and collegiate folk dances to undergraduates at Valparaiso University and Indiana State University.
In 2015 she completed a FAME Teacher Trainer Apprenticeship in First Steps in Music with Dr. Feierabend at Silver Lake College. In 2016 she co-presented a First Steps in Music session at the Biennial FAME Conference at Gordon College. She also serves as the site coordinator for the 2018 FAME Conference in Chicago. This summer, Emily looks forward to completing her Conversational Solfege Apprenticeship with Dr. Feierabend at Silver Lake.
Emily teaches privately and resides in Valparaiso, Indiana with her husband, John and their son Max.