“No other resource has that same spark.”
By Kristin Clark Taylor
“What Every Teacher Needs”
Whenever Carol Froehlich uses QuaverMusic in her classroom, she says she witnesses something wonderful and significant.
The elementary music teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, describes the scenes so vividly that it almost feels like you’re standing in the classroom with her.
One reason her observations are so lucid and compelling is because she’s able to view Quaver through a couple of different lenses – through her own eyes as an educator, but also through the eyes of her students.
Put simply, she sees how they see Quaver.
“When I play one of their favorite songs, or when they see one of the favorite characters appear,” Froehlich says, “something happens.”
She pauses briefly, determined to describe the classroom scene.
“It’s almost like they’re transported into a world of music and fun that belongs just to them.”
It is this deep connection and this level of engagement, she says, that sets Quaver apart from its competitors.
“There are other tools and curricula out there, of course,” she readily admits, “but no other resource has that same spark.”
Froehlich says that her younger students in particular, are “mesmerized” by the catchy songs, the lively lessons, and the sense of connection they feel with the characters on-screen.
“I know it’s animation and you know it’s animation,” she explains, “but what my first-graders see are characters that are vibrant and alive.”
The older students, of course, are a bit more discerning, “but they enjoy it every bit as much as the younger ones, so learning is occurring at every level.”
When Froehlich views the value of Quaver through her own lens, she sees a teaching tool that has become, in her own words, “indispensable.”
As a busy educator with a rigorous teaching schedule and little time to spare during – and between — classes, two of her top priorities are time management and customizability.
“I’m lucky to have a resource that allows me to link outside videos and websites into my lessons seamlessly and quickly,” she says.
Again, Froehlich brings things back to the basics:
“I use Quaver because it’s the very best,” she says.
“Quaver is what every teacher needs.”
Beyond the Classroom
Ms. Froehlich is not alone in her praise.
Quaver is trusted by more than 28,000 schools in all fifty states (and more than forty countries), with over ten million students impacted.
Why do educators turn to Quaver first?
Because the lesson plans are thoughtfully designed by musicians, educators, and experts to reinforce the students’ overall understanding of music and enhance the learning experience far beyond the music classroom.
Froehlich, for one, appreciates the fact that Quaver uses music to nurture and develop the whole child in ways that are enduring and sustainable.
As a tool for developing readiness skills, for example, she says there’s nothing better.
“When my students sing a song like ‘You-Nique,” she says, “we’re reinforcing kindness and self-confidence, and this is what sets them up for success.”
According to Froehlich, who is also the chorus teacher, it is through the power of song that students deepen their connections and learn to become compassionate, responsible human beings.
Pennsylvania educator Carol Froehlich says Quaver’s popular song You-nique “provides a blueprint for success and emotional growth.”
“Quaver creates so many jumping-off points for social and emotional learning, but at the same time, they get right to the nitty-gritty of music theory,” she says appreciatively.
Enhance, Not Replace!
Reflecting on her early days with Quaver, Froehlich recalls feeling a bit intimated by the sheer magnitude of the curriculum as well as it’s “high-tech” approach to teaching.
She also vaguely feared that this new curriculum—the first online music resource she’d ever tried—might somehow minimize her value as a teacher.
All of these worries, she quickly realized, were completely unfounded.
“I realized very early on that Quaver was easy to navigate and that it was never meant to replace me, but to enhance the already-great things that are happening in my classroom.”
Calling all educators: Are you ready to enhance all the great things that are already happening in your classroom?
Go to QuaverEd.com/Music to make it happen!
Kristin Clark Taylor is an author and a journalist.
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