String Students Teaching Students by Jasmin Dean
What do hair, frogs and pepperoni pizza have to do with music? Ask any of the 55 fourth- through sixth-graders who come to the UTSA String Project classes every Tuesday and Friday at the 1604 Campus. Most likely, they will explain that this odd assortment of things helps provide an understanding of how to make music with a stringed instrument: Hair and frogs refer to mechanical parts of the bow. Pepperoni pizza? Saying the words in staccato manneróPEP-per-O-ni-PIZ-zaóis just a fun way to teach rhythm.

Last year the Department of Music began participating in the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) String Project Consortium, a program that benefits children wanting to play a stringed instrument (violin, viola, cello and bass) as well as university students wanting to teach music. The goal of the project is to help alleviate a national string teacher shortage by encouraging musicians to become teachers. The project also provides financial incentives by offering assistantships to undergraduate music education majors, as well as giving them supervised teaching experience.


Luis Ramos, student coordinator of the project, finds comfort in feedback from the master teachers who supervise the classes at UTSA. Also, "I enjoy teaching these kids, especially in our group lessons," Ramos said. "It is amazing how smart kids are, and they learn fast."

The ASTA String Project Consortium assists universities in building the practical training component of their music education program. The UTSA String Project is based on current models at the University of South Carolina and the University of Texas at Austin and was originally funded by a 10-year, $100,000 grant. The ASTA Consortium has now asked individual projects to secure their own funding beginning fall 2003.

"This program is an exciting oppor-tunity for UTSA string students to learn the art of teaching in a controlled and stimulating environment. Furthermore, it brings national recognition to UTSA's growing orchestral program and highlights our commitment to music education," said Gene Dowdy, master teacher of the String Project and chair of the Department of Music.

The UTSA String Project enrolled 55 students with six student teachers and two supervisory teachers, Dowdy and fellow master teacher Andrea Yun. The first year of the project focused on beginning string instruction. This year students are receiving advanced instruction, music theory and ensemble classes in which they are encouraged to continue advanced orchestral training with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. Next year, the project will expand to offer classes at the Downtown Campus.

"The potential of the String Project is unlimitedóthe fact that it helps grade-school students while also educating our future educators is an amazing process," said Yun. "The college students enjoy working with the students very much, and the safe teaching setting makes it possible for them to try things that they might not feel comfortable to try in a public school setting. Even as the master teacher, I am learning new things about teaching and learning every day."
óJasmin Dean