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Get Inspired, Be Inspiring!
Our focus is on YOU, the teachers and parents who are with children everyday.
We want to help you get inspired so that you can be inspiring to your students and other teachers. So please, comment, share ideas and contact us about anything.
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About US
It started more than a decade ago when Elizabeth attended Gordon College and discovered the possibilities music could play in her philosophy of education. She opened her laptop and started typing. Now, it is our hope that we can reach other teachers and parents who want to inspire their children with all the arts to make them more well rounded, complete people. That’s what having an Inspired Classroom is all about!
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About the Author
Elizabeth M. Peterson, M.Ed.
Elizabeth Peterson has devoted her life to education and to reaching out to other teachers who want to remain inspired. Mrs. Peterson teaches fourth grade in Amesbury, Massachusetts and is the host of www.theinspiredclassroom.com. She holds an M.Ed. in Education, “Arts and Learning” and is currently enrolled in a C.A.G.S. program through Plymouth State University with a focus in “Arts Leadership and Learning.” Through her studies, she has developed techniques to bring music into her classroom and connect it to all areas of the curriculum. As Music Consultant for the Educational News Quarterly, she has authored a series of articles entitled, “Music for Every Classroom.” She also teaches workshops on the integration of the arts into the curriculum, leads an arts integration PLC (PLaiC) and is adjunct faculty for PSU. Mrs. Peterson believes there is a love of active, integrated learning in all children and from their enthusiasm, teachers can shape great opportunities to learn.
Background Information, Schooling and Teaching Experiences
Elizabeth Peterson, formerly Trask, grew up in a 1681 salt box colonial with her parents Richard and Ethel in Danvers, Massachusetts. She attended the Highlands Elementary School around the corner from her home. In the second grade, she began piano instruction with Catherine Johnson. While in fifth grade, under the instruction of Mrs. Jan Collins, she decided she wanted to become a teacher – preferrably of the fifth grade.
After attending the Dunn Middle School, she entered Danvers High School in 1990 where she was a three season athlete and was involved in colorguard as well as numerous other academic, musical and social activities. She graduated in 1995 and went on to attend Gordon College where she majored in Elementary Education and Music.
Many of her peers thought it odd for Elizabeth to major in music when she wasn’t truly interested in teaching it. The truth was that she just loved music, but she wanted to teach all the subjects to her students. While student teaching at the McKeown School in Beverly, Massachusetts, in a fifth grade classroom with cooperating teachers Emily Morency and Pauline Boutin, Elizabeth began to see the possibilities of how music could be integrated into the core curriculum on a daily basis. She began developing many of the activities, lessons and projects found in her book, Inspired by Listening.
The year 1999 was a big year for Elizabeth. That year she graduated from Gordon, got married to her husband Brad, got her first teaching job as second grade teacher at the Centerville School in Beverly, Massachusetts and entered the master’s program at Endicot College, focusing on Arts and Learning.
While being further educated and challenged by great professors like Stephanie Grenadier at Endicott, Elizabeth continued to use music in her second grade classroom everyday…by listening to it with her students. Her students enjoyed listening to the music and furthering their appreciation for it by working with the music in various creative ways.
Soon, the commute from New Hampshire to Massachusetts wore down on Elizabeth (and her little Ford Escort) so she decided to look for a job closer to her new home with her husband. On a whim, she figured she would try a job as a music teacher at a middle school for a couple of years, hoping she would be able to get back into the general classroom. Her years of piano study, numerous courses pertaining to her music degree and integrative work using music in the general classroom proved to be what was needed to do quality work at her new position as general music teacher and choral director.
Now, after seven years as a music teacher at Hampton Academy (a Middle School), she is happily back in the general classroom the Cashman Elementary School in Amesbury, Massachusetts. She continues to pride herself in her work integrating music with all the other subjects she teaches while keeping to the integrity of the art of music. Her students receive a well rounded education.
As her family grows (she and Brad have a four-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter) so does her ambition to keep music (and all arts) alive in schools. “The arts are what make us human. Without them we would be an unfulfilled people: misdirected in virtue and lacking in spirit.”
“Let the music be your master. Will you heed your master’s call?”
~Led Zepplin
Endorsements
I have used all the activities, lessons and projects found in Inspired by Listening in the various classrooms in which I have taught, including 2nd and 4th grade general classrooms and middle school (6-8) music classes.
These are some things people have said about my written work and teaching strategies integrating music into the core curriculum.
From Classroom Teachers
“As a language arts teacher, I sometimes forget the “art” part of my curriculum. This book reminded me that I could incorporate music and the arts into my everyday lessons.”
“Teaching the parts of speech in my language arts class can often be a grueling and difficult task. I’ve used the tools from Inspired by Listening to make grammar exciting again by incorporating music that the kids love.”
Jennifer AC Nadeau
7-White Language Arts teacher
“This is definitely something I will use in my classroom with the lesson plan base to guide me. This is for the layman teacher that doesn’t have a background in music. It allows you to bring music into your program without being a specialist.”
Joyce Combe
2nd Grade Teacher
“This is an excellent resource that is classroom teacher-friendly even for those without a musical background but who are seeking to integrate a purposeful love for music into their curriculum.”
Melissa Brown
5th Grade Teacher
“When you teach a specific content area it can be awkward to reach beyond your comfort zone for new ways to reach your students. This book makes incorporating music easy and natural. I was amazed at how well my language arts students responded to some of these ideas.”
Jennifer AC Nadeau
7-White Language Arts teacher
Educational Professionals
“Whether you teach social studies, math, English or all three, Inspired by Listening shows you how to integrate music into your curriculum with easy to create lessons for studnts of all ages. All you need to do is create the mood whether it’s a rainy Friday afternoon, Monday morning, or better still, every day!”
Judy DeFilippo
Professor, Simmons College
“I am most impressed by the integration of musical and other teaching goals. You have given an excellent example of music, both for its own sake and as a tool for enhancing other skills. The balance, use of age-appropriate activities and modalities, and quality of work is outstanding.”
Stephanie Grenadier
Professor, “Arts and Learning” Graduate Program, Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts
“Your curriculum is very strong. Your evolution of Active Listening is notably credible, with transferable skills beyond the immediate curriculum. You are teaching to the “whole” person by including all the senses.”
Enid E. Larsen
Assistant Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, Endicott College, School of Graduate and Professional Studies, Beverly, Massachusetts
From Parents of Former Students
“I am very impressed with the attention spent on listening to and learning music in the classroom. My son likes to select music to listen to and sits in our living room while actively listening. I am amazed at how well he remembers songs.”
Kathy S.
Parent
“This has been a year full of music for my daughter. Your emphasis on music has opened a new world. Your class has definitely increased her appreciation for a variety of music. I do believe she has a better understanding of the complexity of music and will stop to identify a song or a composer. She has enjoyed the way you have brought music into the classroom!”
Beth C.
Parent
From Workshop Participants
Elizabeth is very knowledgeable and accessible.
Elizabeth is a fantastic speaker! I would like to attend more of her workshops/presentations!
Interactive, interesting
I am able to walk away with many ideas
I liked the innovative ways the instructor had of teaching music and integrating it throughout varied subjects.
The instructor was very knowledgeable of her subject and conveyed her ideas clearly and in an interesting way. I’ll be able to use what I have learned.
A lot of ideas and ways to incorporate the arts into the curriculum. A lot of hands-on participation.
Elizabeth did a great job of trying to include the age groups and topics being taught of all the class members.
I loved the variety of methods discussed. Very inspirational!
