Andrea Baker

“The Piano Lab”, Baker’s innovative teaching idea, will promote playing the piano among the students in grades two through six under the  direction of the music teacher.  Although the students currently learn how to play percussion, strings and woodwind instruments they have  not, up until this project, been able to learn the piano. Through learning to play the piano, students will improve their self-discipline  and stimulate their minds. It can also lead to reducing stress that is involved with school and help them express their emotions.  Coordination, fine motor skills, memory, vocabulary, and speech also will be enhanced, along with being exposed to different styles of  music as they learn to play. This project gives the students a hands-on opportunity to apply their theory skills from general music class  to an instrument other than those taught in band or strings. Baker, who lives in Cincinnati, hopes her program also will help increase  student self-esteem and instill a sense of accomplishment.