WILLARDS – An artist-in-residence shared his love of music and steel drums to students at Willards Elementary School this week as part of an arts integration program.
On Monday, steel drum builder and musician Kevin Martin introduced second grade students at Willards Elementary School to the art of steel drum music as part of a week-long program that integrates school subjects into the arts.
Martin – whose company, Rockcreek Steel Drums, works with Young Audiences of Maryland to offer steel drum programs to schools across the state – said the week-long residency will integrate certain school subjects through the arts.
“This residency is unique in that it’s an arts integrated residency,” he said. “An arts integrated residency serves duel purposes, to put on a concert, but to combine it with subject matter that they’re learning in the classroom.”
Carolyn Check, a second grade teacher at Willards Elementary School, said this week’s arts integration program will give students a better understanding of space and the solar system.
“I think it reminds them that learning can be fun,” she said. “The best part about arts integration is they’re not even realizing that they are learning. It really seems to stick with them.”
While most of Monday’s lesson was focused on getting students acclimated to the steel drums and teaching them new songs, Martin said he plans to utilize the steel drum and other objects to enforce lessons on the solar system throughout the week.
“As a teaching artist, that is always the challenge,” he said, “finding something that is real, has a connection and helps them learn.”
Martin added that each of the second grade classes will learn different songs and at the end of the week will have to opportunity to perform at a concert in front of students and parents as part of American Education Week. Third grade students, who took part in the arts integration program in recent weeks, will join their classmates on stage.
Check said she is excited to see what students will learn throughout the week.
“I’m excited to see what he has to offer,” she said. “I think some of them have different outlets they feel more comfortable with. They might feel more comfortable with music as opposed to writing or math even. Some of them might feel right in their element here.”
For his part, Martin said he is excited to introduce the steel drum art form to students.
“As a steel pan builder there are only 100 of us in the world and there are so few instruments,” he said.
Martin explained that this week’s lessons at Willards Elementary School will be one of several residencies, workshops and assemblies he has planned throughout the year. His goal is to teach 25,000 students from New York to New Orleans this year.
