About The Teacher:
Contact Information
Memorial School: 508-359-5135 X 5109
Dale Street School: 508-359-5538
Email: druggiero@email.medfield.net
Teaching Responsibilities: Kindergarten and Grade One General Music
Four and Five General Music
Dale Street Chorus - Grade 4
Memorial School: 508-359-5135 X 5109
Dale Street School: 508-359-5538
Email: druggiero@email.medfield.net
Teaching Responsibilities: Kindergarten and Grade One General Music
Four and Five General Music
Dale Street Chorus - Grade 4
Biography:
I have taught music in Medfield for 20 years. For the first two years of my career, I taught in both Sharon and Newton, bringing my total of years taught to 22. Currently, I am assigned to the Memorial and Dale Street schools, and I like to be called, "Mr. R".
At Memorial, I teach kindergarten and grade one general music. During my tenure there I have composed and taught various patriotic and social competency songs. The competency songs are now sung in class, and the patriotic songs can be heard during the grade one annual music show, A Salute to the America, which is usually ready for production around Memorial Day. At Dale Street, I teach grade 4 and 5 general music and grade 4 chorus.
In January, 2011 I started the Ngoma Dzakanaka Marimba Bands, here, in Medfield. These groups, whose title means, "beautiful songs", are extra-curricula and fall under Adult Education. These bands are comprised of students in grades 5-8 and the perform in and around Medfield. I also run a marimba class students in grades 4-5. In this class, children build skills while playing various marimba pieces, and at the end of the year, the students might be invited to be part of the performing groups. Currently, the program is inactive, but will start up again in the future.
I was a Music Education major at Rhode Island College and have earned my Masters in Education from Lesley University. The focus of that degree was Arts Integration. I am also Level III-certified in Orff Schulwerk, which is an approach to teaching music. I have served as a clinician at the Massachusetts Music Educators Conference and have taught at the Massachusetts General Music Festivals. I also serve as treasurer for the New England Chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association. I was one of the 2012 recipients of the Excellence in General Music award and the 2015 recipient of the Bob Maguire Global Perspectives Award.
In 2011, I co-composed a book of Zimbabwe-inspired marimba pieces that can be successfully taught in the general music classroom. It is entitled, High Sticking and was released under Beatin' Path Publications. It is currently selling in major music catalogs, such as Music is Elementary and West Music. One of the compositions was also used as part of the marimba curriculum in the World Music Drumming Program. Finally, I co-wrote an article about teaching marimba that was published in the Fall 2015 Massachusetts Music News.
At Memorial, I teach kindergarten and grade one general music. During my tenure there I have composed and taught various patriotic and social competency songs. The competency songs are now sung in class, and the patriotic songs can be heard during the grade one annual music show, A Salute to the America, which is usually ready for production around Memorial Day. At Dale Street, I teach grade 4 and 5 general music and grade 4 chorus.
In January, 2011 I started the Ngoma Dzakanaka Marimba Bands, here, in Medfield. These groups, whose title means, "beautiful songs", are extra-curricula and fall under Adult Education. These bands are comprised of students in grades 5-8 and the perform in and around Medfield. I also run a marimba class students in grades 4-5. In this class, children build skills while playing various marimba pieces, and at the end of the year, the students might be invited to be part of the performing groups. Currently, the program is inactive, but will start up again in the future.
I was a Music Education major at Rhode Island College and have earned my Masters in Education from Lesley University. The focus of that degree was Arts Integration. I am also Level III-certified in Orff Schulwerk, which is an approach to teaching music. I have served as a clinician at the Massachusetts Music Educators Conference and have taught at the Massachusetts General Music Festivals. I also serve as treasurer for the New England Chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association. I was one of the 2012 recipients of the Excellence in General Music award and the 2015 recipient of the Bob Maguire Global Perspectives Award.
In 2011, I co-composed a book of Zimbabwe-inspired marimba pieces that can be successfully taught in the general music classroom. It is entitled, High Sticking and was released under Beatin' Path Publications. It is currently selling in major music catalogs, such as Music is Elementary and West Music. One of the compositions was also used as part of the marimba curriculum in the World Music Drumming Program. Finally, I co-wrote an article about teaching marimba that was published in the Fall 2015 Massachusetts Music News.
Philosophy:
Music has validity as its own subject. It is necessary for teaching the whole child. It can also be used to help teach other curricula subjects and other life skills that are important to a child’s development.
Since each child is different and learns differently, Music can help reach those children who respond best to the musical elements, and in turn, give educators a greater degree of success as they strive to transfer valuable knowledge to their students.
Learning Music should be an extremely active, participatory process. On any given day, children should continually be engaged in a combination of singing, playing instruments, moving or dancing, creating, and improvising. Moreover, there should be a place for every child in each music-making experience.
All children possess varied musical abilities; however, in spite of their inherent abilities, everyone can contribute to the music-making experience and grow as a musician. In addition, children should be given the opportunity to make music in a non-threatening and non-competitive atmosphere, where they are provided with structure and at the same time, given the freedom to create. Furthermore, children should always feel a sense of pride at whatever musical level that they have attained, and therefore, should always leave a musical experience feeling successful.
In the end, not all students will leave the Medfield Public Schools and seek a career in Music, but all will leave with valuable life skills. They will also possess a life-long love of music that they will hopefully pass on to future generations.
Since each child is different and learns differently, Music can help reach those children who respond best to the musical elements, and in turn, give educators a greater degree of success as they strive to transfer valuable knowledge to their students.
Learning Music should be an extremely active, participatory process. On any given day, children should continually be engaged in a combination of singing, playing instruments, moving or dancing, creating, and improvising. Moreover, there should be a place for every child in each music-making experience.
All children possess varied musical abilities; however, in spite of their inherent abilities, everyone can contribute to the music-making experience and grow as a musician. In addition, children should be given the opportunity to make music in a non-threatening and non-competitive atmosphere, where they are provided with structure and at the same time, given the freedom to create. Furthermore, children should always feel a sense of pride at whatever musical level that they have attained, and therefore, should always leave a musical experience feeling successful.
In the end, not all students will leave the Medfield Public Schools and seek a career in Music, but all will leave with valuable life skills. They will also possess a life-long love of music that they will hopefully pass on to future generations.
Mr. R's Current Music Schedule:
To view, print or save a copy of Mr. R's 2020-2021 music schedule, please click on the word "schedule" below.
MUSIC SCHEDULE
MUSIC SCHEDULE
Mr. R's Email Address:
If you need to contact me, my email address is: druggiero@email.medfield.net.
