Young learners have an unlimited potential that can only be unlocked through new experiences. It is my responsibility as their teacher to help design an environment where students can feel safe and secure to experiment, make mistakes, and be creative. In order to build the ideal environment, I owe it to my students to show up as a dependable and approachable teacher.

In a reflective interview, two of YAMA’s Assistant Teachers (ATs), Rachel Mendoza and Itzel Perez, describe what it is like being an Assistant Teacher at our Garfield Elementary site.

We at YAMA have been trying to hone in on why YAMA is what it is, and what makes it that way. A YAMA Board member recently made the observation that none of us (the Teaching Artists, or TAs) are teaching in the way we were trained. We are striving for more, reaching for a different culture.

First, though, I have a question for you: Do you believe in magic? Or, if it is easier on your sensibilities to rephrase the word ‘magic’, do you believe in the power of intention?

As I prepared for my second year of teaching at YAMA this fall, I forced myself to look ahead to the darker days of winter when the gloss of learning a new instrument starts to fade and motivation issues set in. In the beginning, classroom management is made easy by the fact friendships haven't yet blossomed and the student's eagerness to impress their new teacher.