Heidi Betschart

I'm nicknamed the 'everything' music teacher. 20 years experience and counting! Views expressed are my own, not that of my school district.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

It’s never too late to start learning a musical instrument. It’s never too late to start singing in a choir. It’s never too late to start reaping the rewards of making music by yourself and with other people. It’s never too late to enrich your life through the power of music.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

I teach music in the hope that the lives of some of the young people I teach will be utterly transformed with the same positivity and longevity that mine has been due to Music Education. It won’t happen to all of them, but I work tirelessly in the hope that it’ll be most of them.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Music in schools isn’t a luxury - it’s a linchpin of educational success.

[Heidi Betschart @FatesArrow]

@StevesMusicRoom The first time I heard the term, I was wondering what they were talking about. When I did figure it out, in context of the situation, I put it into my own rock/pop based terminology.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Someone’s day at school was made better because of music. Someone’s day at work was made better because of music. Someone’s weekend will be made better because of music. So many things are made better because of music.

[Heidi Betschart @FatesArrow]

I encourage this with the children at school, because your voice is your own, unique instrument. Sing!

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Sing, sing, sing. Sing by yourself. Sing with your family. Sing with your friends. Sing in a choir. Sing in the car. Sing in the shower. Don’t let anyone stop you from singing, or tell you that you shouldn’t sing. Your voice is yours. Use it. Enjoy it. Sing, sing, sing.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

There are so many things I love about Music Education. One of them is how it embraces and ignites the outliers. It embraces those who struggle to build friendships and it ignites those who don’t excel academically. It provides young people with a foundation on which to flourish.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Young people who struggle with more ‘traditional’ subjects often flourish in the areas deemed as ‘extra’. Music is one such area. Young people are often unrecognisable in music to how they are outside of it. Music helps many young people to find their place and to shine bright.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Being able to play a musical instrument really is a gift for life: 🧵

When someone starts to learn a musical instrument, they gain another voice and a wonderful means of expression. (1/7)

[Music Will @musicwillorg]

Thank you @utkrazy from our partner @CMAFoundation, we couldn’t have said it any better ourselves!

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Everything education leaders want to achieve by reducing music is actually achieved by increasing it. When music is at the heart of education, everything improves.

[Heidi Betschart @FatesArrow]

@VFleischfresser I have done this quite a few times over the past 25 years and I return to the same idea. There is nothing else that I would rather do.

[Heidi Betschart @FatesArrow]

@VFleischfresser I was just talking about this (sort of) with my Lyft driver yesterday. He called music "medicine" for the body and soul. We were listening to music from his native country of Ghana and I remarked that it was fun for my ears even though I didn't recognize it. Music connects us.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Music helps calm nerves. Music helps to psych us up. Music helps bring friends together. Music helps provide a meaningful purpose. Music helps provide a sanctuary and safe space. Music helps provide an emotional outlet. Music helps people get through the day like nothing else.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

While many young people can’t wait to leave school, those in music ensembles dread their final rehearsals and their final performances. Why? Because music is so much more than just a subject - it’s a place of belonging and a place of meaning. It’s somewhere that means so much.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Music Education is for life. It’s for our personal lives. It’s for our social lives. It’s for our family lives. It’s for our professional lives. It’s for the challenges and the celebrations in our lives. It’s for whatever is needed in our lives. Music helps us get through life.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Learning an instrument helps improve health and wellbeing. Joining a choir helps improve health and wellbeing. Joining a music ensemble helps improve health and wellbeing. Making music with other people helps improve health and wellbeing. Music helps improve health and wellbeing.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

If someone is struggling academically, they should learn a musical instrument. If someone is struggling socially, they should learn a musical instrument. If someone is struggling with their health and wellbeing, they should learn a musical instrument. Music is often the answer.

[Vaughan Fleischfresser @VFleischfresser]

Not every young person we teach goes on to study music. Not every young person we teach goes on to make a living from music. That’s ok. Every young person we teach takes music with them into life after school. Having music in your life is a priceless gift of immeasurable benefit.