Guitars in the
Classroom
Something different….
For teachers with no musical
experience, a way to begin…
And for some,
to begin again…
And through these new
beginnings, to make music
a part of learning everything
For
children,
music
makes
academic
learning
matter
more
because
it’s fun,
it evokes
feelings,
and best
of all,
music
makes
learning
LAST.
What is Guitars in the Classroom?
a.k.a. GITC (git-see)
• GITC is a non-profit organization. We provide
music integration training for pre-school through
middle school classroom teachers and learning
specialists by empowering local music teachers to
take the lead!
• Our approach provides a new way to bring guitar
education to general and pk-8 Music Classrooms.
We Utilize a “Train the Trainer” Model
This program model
empowers & pays 1
qualified music
instructor to train up to
24 classroom teachers
per group to integrate
songs for teaching
across the academic
curricula. Many of
our instructors are
elementary school
music educators who
play basic acoustic
guitar.
When you help
teachers
with unexplored music
inside them
experience their
creative potential
for the 1st time,
you will transform
their lives,
their teaching,
and the lives
of all children
they will teach
now and into the future.
By including the classroom teachers in
making music, you will build a hunger for
more music instruction in your school!
How GITC Makes Guitar Accessible
We designed a developmental approach
in Open G or “Slack Key” tuning because
it helps beginners develop hand coordination,
strength, and musicality in achievable steps.
that lead to later success in standard tuning.
GITC Chords vs.
Chords in Standard Tuning
GITC chords are intended to create guitar readiness . Ours is a
developmental method. Some contain notes not found in these
chords in their standard forms.
We permit this because it builds fine motor skills in the fingering
hand while allowing participants to experience playing fluidly and
singing without having to stop for chord changes. The emphasis on
making music leads to understanding.
Beginners fall in love with playing right away and are motivated to
share their musical adventure with the kids in their classes. The
approach builds musical self confidence and joy without finger pain!
Feeling this kind of passion, hope and drive, beginners pursue
learning to make music, eventually developing higher level skills and
abilities. It gets better because GITC provides a good beginning .
How do teachers utilize their GITC training?
Classroom teachers may choose to lead
singing only, or to integrate hands-on guitar
with their song-based instruction
By rotating students through a “guitar station.”
How Song-Based Instruction
Facilitates Student Success
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Boosts Student Engagement & Focus
Improves Listening Skills
Provides Daily Oral Language Participation
Promotes Memorization
Improves Auditory Sequential Memory
Song Forms foster Parts to Whole Thinking
Song Forms foster Whole to Parts Thinking
Activates Kinesthetic Learning
Promotes Phonemic Awareness
Builds Vocabulary
Increases Language Fluency
Improves Reading Comprehension
Deepens Student Connection to Content
Music educators either choose to integrate guitar
in a small sections that fit with other
instrumentation such as Orff , or by dedicating
time for guitar lessons for everyone.
What would you do
if integrating group
guitar in your music
class were easy?
Music educators speak about GITC
“I am a music specialist of 31 years. I had
always wanted to use guitars in my classroom
music instruction but did not know where to begin
or what curriculum to use . Soon after, I was
introduced to the GITC program. Several of our
classroom teachers had been enjoying weekly
lessons and I joined in.
The best part about Guitars in the Classroom
for me as a music specialist was that I could use
the exact same teaching strategies and materials
with my students as the classroom teachers were
learning in their GITC music integration lessons…
a delightful double dip.
Learning how to play guitars has become the
highlight of my students’ learning for 3 years
running. I recommend GITC to any district,
classroom instructor, or music specialist like
myself.”
Dixie Jacobsen, Music Teacher,
Cardiff Schools, CA
What if teaching GITC meant the faculty at your school
felt musically able and eager to participate in musical
activities with you? How might that change your
teaching experience? How might it affect your
students? Your administration? Your community?
Jack Johnson’s new foundation is
funding the development of our
Green Songbook workshops for
teaching eco-sustainability
through song!
GITC works with artists
in many capacities
who wish to promote
the inclusion of music
in academic learning!
George Winston has helped GITC
raise funds for GITC programs in
Louisiana and will play for us again in
2010-2011.
So how does it work?
GETTING STARTED
In the beginning, we teach familiar songs without
any chord changes, such as this one. Singing and playing
feel natural.
There’s a Hole in the Bucket
Open G
1. There’s a hole in the bucket
We introduce
Dear Liza, Dear Liza,
Body Percussion
before
There’s a hole in the bucket
Strumming.
Dear Liza, a hole!
2.
Open G
Then fix it, Dear Henry,
Dear Henry, Dear Henry
Then fix it, Dear Henry,
Dear Henry, fix it!
We work with
feeling and
playing the
steady beat
The first note beginners learn is a “C”.
Play it by placing your pointer (P)
on second string in the 1st fret.
In the first 2
weeks, we play
familiar songs
with just Open G
and the C Note,
and we point out
auditory cues for
chord changes
such as key
words or
rhymes. This
builds musical
success. Doing
leads to smiles &
understanding.
Name songs can
help kids
establish a sense
of belonging in
the classroom.
Get On Board (traditional)
Capo position: 5th fret
First Singing Note: 3rd string open
Open G
I’ve got a friend that we all know and Lucy is her name!
Open G
I’ve got a friend that we all know and Lucy is her name!
C Note
Get on board, Children, Children,
Open G
Get on board, Children, Children,
C Note
Get on board, Children, Children,
Open G
C Note Open G
There’s room for many- a- more !
The first chord form beginners learn is a D7 that we
call “Easy D” because it is easier to play than D or D7
in standard tuning, and the fingering is similar to D7
in standard tuning. It will help students make a
transition from Open G to Standard Tuning later.
In GITC’s AMIGO program, funded primarily by the NAMM Foundation, teachers learn to lead songs in
Spanish and English to help their ELLs acquire English proficiency:
Buenos dias
the tune of “Are You Sleeping” traditional
Capo Position: none First Singing Note: 3rd string (G) open
Open G
Buenos dias, buenos dias
Open G
¿ Como es-tas ? ¿ Como es-tas ?
Open G
Muy bien gracias, muy bien gracias,
Easy D Open G Easy D Open G
¿Y us- ted?
¿ Y us- ted?
We work with
feeling and
playing the
divided beat
After singing the verse in Spanish, teachers lead the
verse in English so children develop comprehension
and language proficiency!
Open G
Good morning ! Good morning!
How are you? How are you?
Very well, thank you.
Easy D
Open G Easy D
Open G
How about you?
How about you?
The repetition in song forms like this one reinforces
learning beautifully!
EASY C and C MAJOR
The 3rd chord beginners learn is what we call “Easy C.” It’s
easy because there is no painful hand stretch involved. This
transitional chord is actually a Csus (suspended), that level
of music theory is not useful to absolute beginners who
want to make music now, think later.
When beginners can play Easy C competently, they add
their 3rd finger to the 1st string, strum from the fourth string
downward, and the chord becomes a C major. This form of
the C major chord also does not contain a stretch- but it
allows the beginner to develop a callus on their ring finger
and here all three notes in a C major. This chord prepares
them to be able to handle playing a C chord in standard
tuning later.
La familia (The Family) traditional
Capo position:5th fret First Singing Note: 3rd string open
From the AMIGO Project
Open G
Esta es mi mamá
Open G
This is my mother
Open G
Este es mi papá
Open G
This is my father
Easy D
Este es mi hermano alto
Easy D
This is my big, tall brother
Open G
Esta es mi hermana
Open G
This is my sister
Open G
Este es el bebé
Open G
This is the baby
Easy C
Easy D
Open G
Y nos que-remos to-dos
Easy C Easy D
Open G
And we care for each o-ther!
My Roots Go Down
by Sarah Pirtle
Capo:
fret
First Singing note: 4th string open
From The Green Songbook (from Alfred publishing, fall 2010)
5th
Open G
Chorus: My roots go downDown to the earth
Easy C
My roots go down
Open G
Down to the earth
Open G
My roots go down
Open G
Down to the earth
Easy D Open G
My roots go down! i i
Open G
1. I am a redwood on a mountainside
Easy C
Open G
I am a redwood on a mountain-side
Open G
I am a redwood on a mountainside
Easy D Open G
My roots go down! i i
Open G
2. I am a sunflower feeding the birds
Easy C
Open G
I am a sunflower feeding the birds
Open G
I am a sunflower feeding the birds
Easy D Open G
My roots go down! i i
3. I am a rose on a thorny bush
4. I am a flowering plumeria tree
In Six Weeks Beginners can:
• Strum the even and uneven beats in both
directions.
• Sing songs-without halting- while changing
between three or four chords.
• Make up new lyrics to fit a familiar melody.
• Lead students with call and response singing.
• Integrate songs into lesson plans.
• Begin to tune their own instruments
Imagine Your Teaching with GITC
If your students had these
skills, what would that allow
you to do in your music
classes?
If the teachers in your area
had these skills, how might
that allow you to interact
with faculty members and
administrators at your
school…. and out in your
community?
Who Makes GITC Possible?
Instruments and supplies
are generously provided
by NAMM member sponsors!
Some funding comes to GITC from
foundations such as
The NAMM Foundation,
The D’Addario Music Foundation,
The Bill Graham Foundation,
The Aria Foundation
& The Music for Life Alliance!
Organizations such as
GAMA and the California
Arts Council fund special
GITC projects!
Schools often
contribute through
their professional
development
budgets or PTOs.
Businesses help out.
For example,
Bookman’s
Books supports
Training in Phoenix,
AZ because GITC
Boosts literacy.
Guitars in the Classroom is immensely grateful to these
sponsors and many more! For a full list, please visit our
website at www.guitarsintheclassroom.org!
Get connected!
• Please visit us online at
www.guitarsintheclassroom.
org
• Sign up for more
information today before
you leave!