School System:
University of Hartford Magnet School
West Hartford, CT

Grade Taught:
PreK – 5th Grade

Education:
1975 B.M. Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
1996 M.M.E. The Hartt School, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT

FAME member since:
Founding member July 2012

Classes/Workshops in First Steps or Conversational Solfege:
FSM / CS 2012

What is the most powerful aspect of FS/CS:
I have been using First Steps and Conversational Solfege for a very long time and am continually amazed by the integrity of the sequencing, the beauty of the resources, the wealth of activities that support each step, and the seamless transitions between them.

The breadth and depth of the resources is astounding. Only the very best musical examples are represented in these collections. These gems nurture my students’ musical growth, while providing them with knowledge about our history, life, values, customs, and humor.

The materials are multifaceted, allowing me to visit them again and again in keeping with the developmental abilities of my students. We continue to layer additional skills as my students grown and mature. They love revisiting old gems and being challenged to interact with them in an even more musical way.

The wealth of activities provides ample opportunity through multiple learning styles to ensure that concepts are understood and mastered before moving on. Both FS and CS provide time for individual skill development while providing rich experiences for community music making.

How has FS/CS changed your teaching?
I have been teaching for a very long time. Working with several methodologies has given me the opportunity to observe, first hand, what does and doesn’t work. This works. In the short time that my students are with me, I know that they are enriched by the music that surrounds them. Both FS and CS help me make every second of my teaching meaningful and relevant in my quest to nurture each student to the best of their ability.

How has FS/CS changed your students?
My students have a joyous time in music class. They are introduced to wonderful songs and dances and surrounded by exemplary materials to nurture their musical growth. My students are developing a great love for music through interaction with great literature, either by singing, moving, listening or reading. Both FS and CS have respect for my students as musicians. My students are happily moving their voices, moving their bodies and in turn, being moved by the beauty of the music I share with them. They are on their way to a life filled with the love of music.

Lillie’s Bio:
Lillie is known for her work with young children and for instilling a love of music within them. This is her thirteenth year at the University of Hartford Magnet School and her fourteenth as a director for the Connecticut Children’s Chorus. In 1998 she received the Teacher of the Year Award from Canton Schools (CT) for her innovative and inclusive music programs. In 2008, Lillie received both the Teacher of the Year Award from UHMS and the Outstanding Elementary Music Educator Award from the Connecticut Music Educators Association. Lillie is a frequent clinician at local, state and national conferences. She also teaches at Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Gordon College in Boston, and The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. She is Past President of KESNE, and a member of NAfME, OAKE, CMEA and ACDA, where she served as the National Children’s Honor Choir Chair for the 2010 Conference.

Congratulations Lillie!