OM Smith Kawenni:io Elementary School in Ohsweken
Music Monday 2017 partnership with OM Smith and AG Hodge
Music helps spread culture and children carry it with them for a lifetime. Students from Agnes G. Hodge Public School on Clench Avenue participated in Music Monday this week for the first time, while Skyping with students from Oliver M. Smith Kawenni:io Elementary School in Ohsweken, who were also singing. “This is a day of cheerleading for music in our schools,” Judy Muir, music teacher at Agnes Hodge said. Music teachers at both schools — James Matin from Oliver M. and Muir — spent months co-ordinating the joint performance in their respective schools to ensure students saw part of the bigger picture as school's across Canada performed the song Sing it Together, written by award winning Canadian artists Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas.
Children from both schools used a variety of different instruments both traditional and non-traditional, including bucket and garbage drums, triangles, wooden and metal xylophones and more. Despite some technical difficulties with Skype, the event was a success. Suzie Miller, an instructional coach with the Grand Erie District School Board, said she wanted to highlight music at the schools because they are some of the few who still have music teachers. “These schools have become sister schools to give them a link to First Nations through the pen pal program and it seemed natural to start with music,” she said.
Children from both schools used a variety of different instruments both traditional and non-traditional, including bucket and garbage drums, triangles, wooden and metal xylophones and more. Despite some technical difficulties with Skype, the event was a success. Suzie Miller, an instructional coach with the Grand Erie District School Board, said she wanted to highlight music at the schools because they are some of the few who still have music teachers. “These schools have become sister schools to give them a link to First Nations through the pen pal program and it seemed natural to start with music,” she said.
