Mary Lynch Elementary teaches students importance of music

This is part 1 of a series that highlights children in the community, along with their families, teachers and mentors to recognize the Week of the Young Child, a national celebration of early learning and child development.

The celebration runs from April 11-17 with themed days-of-the-week, highlighting the critical role of play, creativity and collaboration in a child’s development.

Part one corresponds to Music Monday.

KIMBALL -- The students at Mary Lynch Elementary start learning about music at the age of five. 

Kristi Hiles-Smith, band director and elementary music teacher, emphasizes the importance of kids being exposed to music at a young age. 

“First and foremost, I want my kids – whether they’re kindergarten, first graders, or band kids – I just want them to enjoy music,” Hiles-Smith said. “I just want them to have that lifelong love for music because I feel like it can be so fulfilling for a person’s life.” 

With the kindergarteners, she teaches them short, fun songs and adds instruments wherever she can, like triangles and hand drums. 

“And just getting them to keep a steady beat, and recognizing when their part plays – you know they don’t just all get to play at the same time – and even helping them figure out how to rotate to the next instrument,that’s a working together strategy," she said. 

First grade is when they start learning how to read notes and rhythms, starting with quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests.  

“And of course we threw in Dr. Seuss songs because it’s Read Across America week,” Hiles-Smith said. “We try to get kids to understand that music is part of all of our celebrations, so if it’s Valentine’s Day, we try to do Valentine’s Day songs and just incorporate different music from different holiday’s.” 

Hiles-Smith said she enjoys seeing the kids’ growth from when they start in kindergarten to when she sees them again in fifth grade. 

“It’s fun because I get to start them at kindergarten and first grade and they’re so enthusiastic about everything, and they’re showing that love for music, then I get them again as fifth and sixth graders,” she said. 

Fifth grade is when the kids start band where they’re learning various instruments – the trumpet, flute, drums – which Hiles-Smith says helps develop their brains and teaches them social skills, leadership, accountability, and dependability. 

“I look at all the things a band kid has to do at once, and I know their brain has to be really engaged with what they’re doing in order to do that,” Hiles Smith said. “It’s very fun for me to start with a group of fifth graders – take a kid who has no idea how to play an instrument – then they get to where they’re playing real songs. I just love to see the confidence in kids and see them have those successes.”