Southside Elementary’s Music Education teacher, Kati Sears, has won the Music Educator of the Year award for the Bighorn Basin by the Wyoming Music Educators Association.
“I am honored and humbled to be chosen by my colleagues and friends in the BigHorn Basin,” Mrs. Sears said. “I work with the absolute best music educators in the state, and to be recognized by them is a tremendous honor, one that I do not take lightly.”
Everybody starts somewhere, and for Mrs. Sears, her love for music began in the fourth grade.
“My high school babysitter took me to a musical audition when I was in fourth grade,” Mrs. Sears said. “I got the part of the youngest orphan in our high school musical, Annie.” I loved singing – I had a great middle school music teacher that saw my potential and encouraged me to take private voice lessons. From then on, I was in band, choir, show choir, and theatre.”
Just as Mrs. Sears inspires her students, her musical career has also had a huge impact on her son.
“She’s the reason I’m super into music now,” sophomore Austin Sears said. “She is the one who kept pushing me forward, she’s gonna keep pushing me hard because that’s what she does.”
When looking at other classrooms, you tend to see lots of paperwork, but in Mrs. Sears’ room the kids are constantly up and doing things.
“I think you learn better when you do something. We are always moving,” Mrs. Sears said. “Dancing, playing, singing, and creating in my classroom, we explore music in so many ways, and it helps solidify learning.”
Mrs. Sears has inspired her son not only in music but also motivated him to explore a career in education.
“I want to be a music teacher when I grow up,” Austin Sears said. “Seeing that I come from a background where my mom was also successful in the field inspires me. I’ve observed her classroom a few times, and she’s able to just get the class engaged in music.”
The inspiration between these two goes both ways, with Mrs. Sears adapting what she teaches as she watches her son excel in percussion.
“Since I’m a percussionist, she started incorporating drums into her lessons,” Austin Sears said. “She ordered a bunch of brand new drums for the class, and she started teaching them how to do it. Once I start being a teacher cadet, I’ll be able to come in and teach them how to play.”
With this branch of elementary education, students start at all different levels, which leads to a more personalized learning experience.
“I meet my students where they are, I try to make learning fun while still challenging them,” Mrs. Sears said. “I have the privilege of working with students from kindergarten through fifth grade. That allows five years of learning, growing, and making music together as a group. It is so fun to watch my students blossom into amazing musicians.”
The benefits of these music classes last the students far beyond their elementary years.
“[Music classes] get them interested in the musical field and all of that,” Sears said. “It improves their hand-eye coordination and their motor skills and stuff, and it can increase counting skills, because music is a lot of counting.”
These music classes culminate in programs such as Grandparents Day, Kindergarten Circus, and the Christmas programs.
“She does a lot of work that goes underappreciated,” Austin Sears said. “All the music teachers at the elementary level, they’re doing a lot of work behind the scenes that isn’t really getting recognized, especially during the Christmas program, the kindergarten circus, and grandparents day, and they’re able to pull it off so efficiently.”
Pulling off these programs takes dedication and a close-knit team.
“I work with the greatest elementary team, Mr. Jaycox at Parkside and Ms. Andrews at Westside are amazing to work with,” Mrs. Sears said. “We are able to combine our after-school Kids’ Chorus and perform in the community numerous times throughout the year.”
These programs allow families and the community to get an insight into the music classes.
“Our parents and community get to see what we have been working on every time we give a program,” Mrs. Sears said. “We live in a wonderfully supportive community, and I feel lucky to be here in Powell teaching in our district.”
