St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College Benefits From Music In Schools Programme

St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College is singing the praises of the Culture, Health, Arts, Science and Education (CHASE) Fund, after becoming one of the most recent beneficiaries of its Music in Schools initiative.

The College received a $2-million grant in the 2021/2022 financial year, and Acting Principal, Winsome Francis, says the money was used to purchase much needed musical instruments, including a bass guitar, xylophone, conga drum and more.

Mrs. Francis lauds CHASE for recognising the importance of music education in stimulating learning across different age groups and tells JIS News that the support came at the right time.

“These instruments provide an opportunity for more people to get involved with music, not just our students but also our staff,” Mrs. Francis notes.

“With the Fund’s support we can look into how we can improve on the use of music in teaching and learning as well as in a wider space. As we go forward, we will ensure that… our students and community understand the value of these resources, so that they benefit us in the short and long term,” she adds.

Mrs. Francis points out that while music is a wonderful teaching resource, it is also a therapeutic resource and “given the period that we have gone through with COVID-19, music has been helping and continues to help”.

Since its inception, the CHASE Fund has been responding favourably to educational facilities that have sought funding to strengthen existing music programmes. The initiative targets students at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels and is aimed at fostering talent and skills development in arts and culture.

Project Manager of the Fund, Latoya Aquart-Foster, said the organisation expects St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College and other beneficiaries to fully utilise the musical instruments and equipment provided.

She adds that the educational facilities must “invest in their respective music programmes, so that more students can benefit from the empowerment that music provides through self-expression”.

The benefits of the Music in Schools programme are two-fold. Students who have successfully completed their studies and become professional educators can impact others, including children at the early-childhood level. Music in early-childhood schools is also highly beneficial to children, because of their need for sensory and auditory stimulation and development.

Mrs. Aquart-Foster stresses that music contributes to brain development and creates pathways in the brain that improve a child’s cognitive functioning at the early-childhood level.

She also points out that students with an interest in the performing arts, and music in particular, have been able to gain early exposure that gives them an outlet for self-expression, and build their self-esteem and confidence, while sharpening their technical skills.

In the meantime, Music Teacher at the St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College, Horace Mason, calls the grant a really good investment by the CHASE Fund.

“We thank the CHASE Fund for this opportunity. Based on my observation, there has always been a lack in relation to support for music programmes in schools. I am excited that this opportunity was given to us to get new instruments to build our programme,” he says.

Head of the Aesthetics Department and Senior Music Teacher, Clyde Walters, is thrilled that students can now explore music beyond the recorder and keyboard.

Mr. Walters is even more pleased that the assistance has strengthened the college’s one-year music programme, which is offered to students studying early-childhood and primary education.
He notes that the entire school community is benefiting from the Fund’s input. In addition to improving knowledge, students now have more enhanced extracurricular activities from which to choose.

Worship ceremonies have also been transformed into a more enjoyable and engaging experience for students and staff. The college is also moving closer to establishing a long-desired music band to provide entertainment at internal and external events.

St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College now joins several other institutions that report positive social impacts coming out of the Music in Schools programme.