At a Glance:
- Client: Isabella Baer, a music teacher, opera singer, and Director of Music at a British International School in Mexico City.
- Challenge: Keeping students engaged and preventing boredom in music lessons, while also preparing them for a post-pandemic world that requires technological literacy.
- Solution: Implementing Flat for Education to support her "dynamic teaching" methodology, fostering creativity, and making composition accessible to all students.
- Key Results:
- Made composition fun and accessible for students from grades 1 through 9.
- Enabled a dynamic teaching approach that keeps students engaged by seamlessly shifting between activities.
- Empowered students to feel validated and confident through the creation of their own compositions.
- Successfully integrated technology into the curriculum, preparing students for a technologically advanced world.
The Client: Isabella Baer, a Teacher with a Vision
Isabella Baer, a Director of Music with over 25 years of experience, is a visionary educator and an accomplished opera singer. Raised in a family of musicians, she believes that music education is a vital part of a child's development. At her British International School in Mexico City, she teaches a wide range of subjects, from general music and choir to composition and ethnomusicology. Her teaching methodology, "dynamic teaching," prioritizes student engagement and creativity above all else.
The Challenge: Fighting Boredom and Bridging the Digital Divide
Isabella, like many educators, faced the challenge of keeping students engaged and preventing them from getting bored with repetitive, formal educational processes. The value of music education is often overlooked, and she believes it's up to teachers to make a strong case for its importance. Her challenges included:
- Preventing Disengagement: She needed tools and methods to quickly change activities, shifting from rhythm to melody or composition and movement to keep students focused.
- Making Composition Accessible: Before using Flat for Education, teaching composition to younger students was too complex. She needed a tool that would simplify the process and allow even her youngest students to get started.
- Preparing for the Future: In a post-pandemic world, she needed to embrace technology as a fundamental part of the learning process to prepare students for a technologically advanced society.
- Building Confidence: She needed to find a way for students to feel "validated and empowered" through music, strengthening their self-expression and confidence.
The Solution: A Dynamic Platform for a Dynamic Teacher
Isabella discovered Flat for Education through other educators and quickly realized it was the perfect tool to support her "dynamic teaching" methodology. The platform's intuitive and collaborative features allowed her to achieve her pedagogical goals.
Making Composition Fun and Accessible
Flat for Education made composition accessible and fun for Isabella's students from grades 1 through 9. The user-friendly interface simplified the technology to a point where even young children could easily engage with it. For students who had never composed before, this was a revelation:
"My experience with Flat for Education has been amazing. Before, my students have never composed. This is the first time they have ever been able to create their compositions. And they are so enthusiastic about it."
Embracing Technology in the Post-COVID World
For Isabella, technology is not just a temporary solution; it's a vital part of modern education. Flat for Education's intuitive design made the transition friendly for those who were unfamiliar with technology, and its cloud-based features brought new possibilities to education. By using a tool that democratizes technology, she is able to prepare her students to face a technological world.
The Power of Play and Self-Expression
Isabella believes that children learn better through play, and Flat for Education became a space for that. Through the creation of a song, no matter how simple, her students felt validated and empowered. By using Flat, they not only learn theory, but they also develop crucial communication and self-expression skills. As she says, music education helps us expand our creativity and intelligence:
"Have you ever heard that creativity is intelligence having fun? That is what music does."
Feature Spotlight: A Toolkit for Dynamic Teaching
Isabella's success is a direct result of key features that empower her "dynamic teaching" philosophy, allowing her to keep students engaged and present.
- Fluid Composition and Play: The intuitive notation editor makes it easy for students to transition from listening to creating. By simplifying the composition process, the platform becomes a space for joyful exploration and play, which Isabella believes is vital for learning.
- Encouraging Mindfulness and Focus: The focused nature of the platform, where students are engaged in creating music, acts as a tool for mindfulness. It helps students tune out distractions and be present in the here-and-now, a key goal of her teaching.
- Seamless Integration: The cloud-based nature of the platform allows Isabella to quickly and effortlessly shift between activities—from rhythm to melody to movement—without logistical hurdles. This keeps her classes dynamic and prevents boredom.
- Empowering the Youngest Composers: With its accessible design, the platform democratizes technology, making composition possible for students as young as grade 1, which was previously too complex. This empowers them to feel a sense of creative accomplishment from an early age.
The Results: Inspired, Confident, and Creative Students
By using Flat for Education, Isabella has seen a powerful transformation in her students' engagement and a clear validation of her "dynamic teaching" methodology.
- Increased Engagement: Her students are no longer bored. The seamless shift to composition keeps them engaged and present in the classroom, fostering a lifelong love for music.
- Empowered Creators: Students who had never composed before are now creating their own pieces, developing a strong sense of ownership and self-worth.
- Social and Emotional Growth: Music education is now a tool for developing social, emotional, and communication skills, which have a positive influence on their individual dimension and social interactions.
Conclusion: Preparing Students for the World
Isabella Baer's story proves that the right technology is an indispensable tool for the modern music teacher. By embracing a dynamic and playful approach with a platform like Flat for Education, she is not only teaching music but also preparing her students with the creativity, confidence, and technological skills they need to succeed in the world.
Ready to bring dynamism and creativity to your music program?
If you are interested in learning more, explore the interview below!
Musically Yours,
Flat for Education
Isabella, your commitment to your students and your innovative teaching methods are a true inspiration. Thank you for sharing your story with our community!