My name is Mrs.Hayslip and I love teaching music!  I have taught music in one form or another since I was in high school.  My background is choral (voice) and keyboards, and I also play the flute, ukulele, and the mountain dulcimer.  I have led choirs of all ages and taught piano....well, it seems like forever!!  I have taught in public and private schools in Ohio, Florida, and here in Shreveport.  My music degree is from The University of Akron (go Zips!), and I completed part of my master's degree there and at Kent State University in Ohio.  I finished my master's degree at Centenary College. By the way, I'm not originally from Ohio.-- I grew up in Houston, Texas.

 

Some interesting background is that I have lived in 8 states and a foreign country.  I served (with my husband and children) as a foreign missionary in France for six years, and I also have a degree in French.  We were in Paris for 2 years and then lived on the Belgian border for 4 more years.  During that time, among other duties, I led and played on various worship teams -- in French, of course!

 

I enjoy a broad variety of music genres -- and I like to give students exposure to many different styles.  I know that the current trend in music education is world music, and obviously, I think there is a place for that; however, after living and raising a family overseas, I see that we also need to understand our own national identity.  Therefore, I like to incorporate American folk songs and teach students about their heritage, or if they are not from America, they learn what is unique about American music.  You know.....the songs we adults sang when we were kids.

 

I also like to use a variety of teaching methods to get the students interested in music and expand their musical horizons.  Among the instruments we play (according to ages and abilities) are:  rhythm (rhythm sticks, tambourines, cymbals, bells, triangles, woodblocks, and more),  wood and metal xylophones, conga drums, hand drums, boomwhackers, mountain dulcimers, ukuleles, and soprano recorders.    Besides singing and playing instruments, we also do some dancing.  Last year, the Kindergarten classes learned simple square dance steps, and the 5th grade did a more elaborate dance to a calypso song.  I hope to incorporate more dancing into the classes this year.  Regardless, I always have a LOT of movement happening in every class.