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Content for this post provided by Dr. Wendy K. Matthews.

A new partnership between Music Education and the Career and Community Studies (CCS) program has created a new mutual-learning environment known as “Music Club.”

The students involved come from the Glauser School’s Instrumental Methods class—a course for music education majors which develops skills in teaching beginning through middle school bands and orchestras—and the CCS program. Kent State’s CCS program doesn’t result in a degree. It is a leading, nationally-recognized four-year course of study focusing on preparing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and autism, for adult life through academic pursuits, peer socialization, and career discovery and preparation. Graduates of CCS become more self-determined persons who are better prepared for independent living and the achievement of career goals.

Music Club provides an environment and opportunity for both groups to teach and learn instruments.

Students in both programs have described the service-learning experience as transformative. Music education students have been able to gain valuable and much-needed experience in teaching and developing skills in teaching beginning instrumentalists. It’s also helped them become much more aware of the needs and develop an appreciation of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

“The music education students commented that these experiences helped them see themselves as teachers,” says Wendy K. Matthews, Ph.D., instructor for the methods course, “and that they were excited to face the challenges of student teaching in upcoming semesters.”