The El Dorado Middle School orchestra is being joined by Kansas State University Music Education Major Katelyn Valdez this quarter. Valdez is a student teaching intern working on the classroom experience portion of her degree.
“They are lovely students and the staff is super nice,” Valdez said, noting that she was already familiar with some of the students from seeing them at K-State during music events. She looks forward to the days when she is teaching her own secondary orchestra and can take them to similar events and music festivals.
“It’s really important to expose them to that stuff,” Valdez said.
Music has been part of Valdez’s life from an early age. In kindergarten, she saw a woman playing the violin, decided that was something she wanted to do also, and began taking lessons. When she was twelve, she completed a job shadow with an orchestra teacher. This experience introduced an interest in teaching to her passion for music.
While Valdez gains hands-on teaching experience, the students will benefit from her passion for music as she works with them. She shares the same hope for these students as she does for her future students.
“I hope they learn that music is for everyone, and it’s a lot of fun!” Valdez said.
After spending the first half of the semester with Mr. Monroe and the EMS orchestra, she will spend the second half with Music Teacher Taylor Bradley at Skelly.
