Hardy Elementary music teacher Dustin Dotzler had a quick response: “Everything we DO in music is higher-level!” says Dustin.

Teacher Spotlight – Dustin Dotzler

Hardy Elementary

by Frances Haman-Prewitt

I often ask teachers how they teach higher-level thinking skills.  Hardy Elementary music teacher Dustin Dotzler had a quick response:  “Everything we DO in music is higher-level!” says Dustin.  “This is where the students apply what they learn in other classes – they read, interpret, write music, and even do math and social studies.”
Sure enough, there was “music math” on Mr. Dotzler’s white board.  Students were asked to add, subtract, multiply and divide whole notes by half notes and quarter notes, substituting the number of beats assigned to each symbol for that symbol.  In other words, they were learning algebra.  In music class.   Go figure.
Dustin works hard to find out what other Hardy teachers are teaching so his music class can reinforce their work.  For example, he teaches a science unit on how sound is made, covers the Star Spangled Banner when social studies classes are studying the War of 1812, and asks his students to use musical “word wall” vocabulary words to write about pictures of people making music.
Dustin is one of many excellent teachers in Hamilton County schools.  As a Leadership Fellow and former Osborne Fellow, he credits the Public Education Foundation for giving him many of the tools he uses to help his students succeed.  He even uses these skills to help the entire district – Dustin was just re-elected as President of Hamilton County’s General Music Teachers Group.
Take a video peek into Dustin’s classroom at www.pefchattanooga.orf/ExcellentTeachers and learn more.  You’ll be inspired to cheer on all the excellent teachers who are working hard to help your child succeed in school.