Music
Welcome to Elementary Music!
Teacher: Erin Berfield, eberfield@ccboe.com
I grew up in Linden, PA. I attended Jersey Shore Area Schools and graduated high school in 2001.
From there, I went on to get my undergraduate degree at Lycoming College. I participated in the Lycoming Choir, Lycoming Chamber Choir (a select group of choir members), and the Lycoming College Tour Choir. I had the opportunity to tour around the United States and to Spain.
I graduated in January 2006 with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Math. I took a long-term substitute position teaching elementary music. I had a blast and knew I would teach my own elementary music classroom someday.
I started teaching music at Malcolm Elementary in August 2006 and have been teaching there ever since.
I also have my Master's of Education in elementary reading and math.
If I'm not teaching, you can picture me at home with my husband, my son, and our dog. I can usually be found relaxing on the couch either reading a book, watching tv, or crocheting a blanket. Sometimes, you can catch me doing all three at one time!
What will we learn in music?
PK-1st grade students will learn how to be tuneful, artful, and beatful. We will learn how to sing echo and call and response songs. Students will learn how to move to different types of music. Students will also learn how to keep a steady beat throughout a variety of different tempos. In addition, students will learn about the different families of instruments and how they are played.
2nd and 3rd grade students will continue learning how to be tuneful, artful, and beatful, but they will also incorporate Conversational Soflege rhythm patterns into their curriculum. Students will learn how to read, decode, play, and create rhythms grouped in 2 or 3. By the end of the 4th quarter, students in third grade will be able to read notes on the treble clef staff.
4th grade students are continuing with Conversational Solfege patterns grouped in 2s and 3s but will also add a melodic component. They will learn Solfege (do, re, mi, etc.) and be able to read, play, and create these patterns. During the second half of the school year, I hope to bring back the recorder in order to prepare them for instruments in 5th grade.
Chorus students will work to prepare 2 concerts: a virtual winter performance and hopefully, an in-person spring concert. In addition to learning how to sing as a group, students will get a chance to create music on a variety of classroom percussion instruments.
Strings students are currently learning how to hold and play their instruments using fingers on the D string. We will be moving to learning how to use the bow in our upcoming classes. Strings students should practice for a minimum of 10 minutes at least 3 times a week. More practice is always encouraged.