A week or so ago one Auckland music teacher found out she had won a national award for excellence in teaching for her work at King's prep school in Remuera.
The award recognises her innovative approach to music, and the effects that has had on her 450 students.
You will not find any triangles or recorders in the music class at Kings prep, since year five, and regardless of musical experience, their music teacher has made them play real grown up instruments like the trombone, the sax, and the drums.
And it has earned Emma Featherstone, a National Excellence in Teaching Award.
“It is a huge honour to receive a national award on that scale and I’m absolutely delighted,” says Featherstone.
“To learn a musical instrument before the age of 12 is really key to developing the synapses in the brain of a child and that is one of the major thrusts of where we come from,” she adds.
Humble music teacher by day, Featherstone's alter ego is all rock, in the 90's while living in Hong Kong she was the drummer for chart topping all girl band Sisters of Sharon.
At the height of their fame their faces adorned coffee mugs, mouse pads, even boxer shorts.
“I'd walk down the street and be asked for my autograph. At times I’d want to buy a pair of shoes and be swarmed by autograph hunters,” says Featherstone.
While there are some clear similarities here to Jack Black's School of Rock, unlike the school in the movie Kings is totally aware of the rocker in their midst - it is one of the reasons they hired her.
“She'll tap into the most talented and perhaps a boy who is really struggling, she will make both feel at ease in a program, she's got a real skill at getting the very best out of each individual boy,” says the principal of Kings.
Every classroom has its protocols, in Emma Featherstone’s the rules are simple: enjoy music, play music, and then the real learning can begin. It is a whole new direction in music teaching.
source: newshub archive
