I've known about Music for Minors for many years and knew about the fantastic work they've been doing in the Bay Area. As a new Board Member, I recently attended a staff event where they introduced all the new music teachers for the new academic year. It was an amazing and energizing event to witness and be part of. You could feel the enthusiasm and commitment to the programs by the active participation of all the attendees.
As a new Board Member I was informed of facts about MFM that I didn't know and I want to share a few with you.
1) They have been around since 1976
2) They serve over 20,000 students
3) Their instructors are all well trained and qualified music professionals
4) They work closely with the schools and have the support of the school administration.
I am so proud to support Music for Minors! I love to see them bringing music to thousands of children. I see the engagement of the students in the social media posts and all the teaching artists are so excited to be in the classroom making music with the kids. I especially enjoyed the time Google Orchestra and Music for Minors collaborations. I took my daughter to one and she still talks about all the different instrument families found in an orchestra and she dreams of playing the cello and violin one day! Thank you Music for Minors for bringing musical dreams to our youth !
Having lived all over the Bay Area, I never realized that not all schools had access to music programs. When I discovered Music For Minors, I was astounded! Their dedication to their students, teachers, and community is inspiring. Watching the joy and excitement on the kid's faces is what it's all about. All children deserve the opportunity to learn and music and Music For Minors delivers!
Having been associated with Music for Minors for nearly three years, I am consistently inspired by the profound mission of this organization. Their unwavering commitment to ensuring every child has access to music education in school is truly commendable.
Our CEO's leadership style has given rise to a work culture that genuinely feels like family. This environment is not just a workplace, it's a gathering of individuals unified by a shared passion for inclusivity, collaboration, and a love for music and education.
As a member of the office staff behind the scenes, I am in awe of the dedication, passion for music, and talent the MFM educators bring to their work with the students everyday. Music education, as championed by this organization, is more than a mere extracurricular activity. It stands as a fundamental subject, instrumental in honing a child's memory, sparking creativity, facilitating emotional expression, cultivating problem-solving aptitude, and most crucially, bolstering self-esteem.
Music for Minors' curriculum deserves a special mention. It's a gateway to enhanced cultural cognizance, introducing children to diverse music genres spanning various cultures. This not only broadens their musical horizons but also fosters a greater understanding and appreciation for different societies and ways of life.
Music for Minors represents more than a mission; it embodies a harmonious blend of purpose, passion, and community.
Music for Minors is a wonderful organization with a deep history in the Bay Area. I love seeing their social media posts and the musical work they are doing with schools. Arts education is so important for elementary-aged children and I'm so glad MFM is doing their part for our students!
As a donor to Music for Minors, I like to think I am investing in creating a better future for students.
Learning the fundamental structure of music is part of a well-rounded education. However, this program brings so much more to students and schools.
Students are given opportunities for artistic self-expression and to see themselves in the world through a culturally relevant curriculum.
Music for Minors’ high quality educators, whose backgrounds range from advanced degrees in music and education to decades of musical experience in a variety of artistic environments, bring a passion for teaching music to children that creates joy and helps strengthen school community bonds.
The true power of this program is helping children develop self-assurance about their own abilities and skills, acceptance and trust of themselves, a sense of control of their lives, and the positive attitudes and attributes necessary for building healthy and productive human relationships.
I would love nothing more than to see this program grow and expand so that more children, families, schools, and communities can benefit.
I am thrilled to have joined the M4M Board after experiencing their work both as a district partner and as a parent of 3 students who went through the program. Their staff is talented, equity-focused and passionate about motivating all children. All students need exposure and opportunities for high quality music experiences and M4M provides that for their schools. I am grateful to be part of their work!
Music for Minors is an excellent, much needed nonprofit organization. They provide elementary music education to various schools and thousands of students all across the Bay Area. Their music teachers are amazing! Keep up the good work!
Music for Minors brings so much joy in music making for every student! I especially love seeing all the social media posts of the incredible work the teaching staff are doing with their students. You can clearly see how passionate the teaching staff are and how engaged all the kids are in the classroom in singing, playing and learning. It’s an empowering and joyful musical atmosphere. Music education makes a major impact in every child’s future and I’m proud to support Music for Minors organization and all their endeavors!
As a former educator with Music for Minors, I can proudly say that it is one of the best places to work - they support their educators with regular professional development and supportive program managers who can help navigate the day to day in classrooms. The educators provide top notch music to schools, and students who have had MFM for several years are musically literate and intelligent. It's so fantastic to see students thrive in schools that wouldn't otherwise have access to the arts.
In my 16 years of employment with Music for Minors (I recently retired) I witnessed tremendous growth on many levels – number of students reached, bay area locations served, curriculum development, responsiveness to the varied needs of the diverse communities served, securing financial stability – to name a few. Music for Minors’ dedicated team of staff and board strives for excellence and is passionate about serving the community.
Music for Minors brings over 45 years of expertise and has become a a leading provider of elementary music education in the bay area. It is well deserving of our continued financial support - so more kids can experience music education as part of their regular school day.
This is a nonprofit with a long evolving history, the most impressive of which occurred during and after COVID when MFM pivoted temporarily into an online format in order to continue serving their students and survive the pandemic. At the same time they transitioned their music teachers from contractors to benefited employees. This has greatly improved their teacher retention rate year over year (to nearly 100% this year) and I expect the resulting continuity may even improve the quality of teaching, if that is possible…
October 25, 2022
Recommendation that Music for Minors be awarded:
“Top-Rated Nonprofit Badge, through Great Nonprofits”
I absolutely loved sharing music with public school children. My 16 years of working with Music for Minors (MfM) provided me with many rich experiences, and some challenging ones. When I asked for advice regarding my challenges, I was always given suggestions that worked. After my initial 10 weeks of training, I was excited to enter kindergarten classrooms. I am grateful that I had the necessary prerequisites, most importantly the ability to sing on pitch, and a love of working with children.
My goal as a music teacher is perfectly aligned with the mission of MfM: “To inspire a lifelong love of music.” I especially loved working with the young children, and received the most heart-warming compliment from one of them. This child was in my Kindergarten music class, and her words were shared with me by the 1st-grade music teacher, who had stated to her class that music should be a joy. This child promptly replied: “We love music! We had Mrs. Poulos for our Kindergarten music teacher.”
The MfM training gave all of us many activities that encouraged students to move, even when sitting in a circle, which was how we began the K and 1st-grade music classes. We were encouraged to move around the circle of students to make eye-contact and smile as we sang.
A love of music was the goal, not perfection. Little kids need to move.
I have taught music in all of the lower-grades, K-5th grade and always received the feedback from MfM that supported my teaching. We were asked to attend workshops which provided us with new material, bringing fresh inspiration to our teaching. If the Covid pandemic had not happened, I would still be teaching. My last class was in March 2020, when the school closed. Due to my age of 78, and my asthma, I have not yet returned to the classroom, though I would love to do so.
I strongly recommend Music for Minors to be awarded the “Top-Rated Nonprofit Badge, through Great Nonprofits.” They have earned it and I also send a yearly donation. I want school children to experience and love music!
Donna Poulos
Music for Minors has made such an impact on students who wouldn’t otherwise get music education. In the middle of the pandemic, MFM brought remote learning to students in order to remain a consistent part of their lives and provide them some relief from the stressors of growing up away from friends in such hard times.
Music for Minors has been a part of my life for the last 15 years. Over the years, I have been a parent of children in the program, a staff member, and a donor. I know firsthand that Music for Minors achieves excellence in programming and financial accountability. I am proud to be a longtime supporter of Music for Minors!
It is with great pride that I have watched Music For Minors grow and thrive for over four decades. In 1973, Calif. Proposition 13 cut funds for music in the schools. Responding to the great loss felt by parents, children and teachers, Grace Johnston, our founder, enlisted the help of Los Altos School District, Junior League of Palo Alto, AAUW, and Packard Foundation to bring music back into the schools. Today trained docents teach singing, dancing, instruments, and music literacy in 50 elementary schools throughout the Bay Area. Let the beat go on!
I have been a donor to Music For Minors for 20 years and I agreed to serve on the Board eight years ago. I cannot overstate the impact that MFM has on children in our elementary schools. I have attended classes where I see the joy that children have as they learn music and I have talked to parents of children who discovered a love of music in MFM classes. Finally, the educators and staff at MFM are passionate about their work. I am privileged to support the MFM mission of nurturing a lifelong love of music in our children.
MFM gave my kids a boost to pursue music as they continued on in school. There have been so many life lessons they learned through music -- the importance of working hard/practicing to achieve something that at first seemed out of reach; the value of listening and collaborating, and the ability to express themselves creatively. Music helped them connect with their peers and has become an enduring part of their lives as young adults, not only deepening their enjoyment, but also influencing who they are and how they operate as successful and engaged citizens. Thank you MFM!
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As a parent with two children who were educated by Music for Minors in their early elementary years, I would like to say how grateful I am to the organization. They do a wonderful job of nurturing a love and appreciation for music. As my children have grown, music has remained an important part of their lives and has been a source of joy and means of self-expression. They were so fortunate to have been touched as young people by this remarkable organization.
Music For Minors brings music to students, particularly in those districts that would otherwise not be able to afford musical instruction. As a volunteer docent, MFM provided excellent training for someone like myself who previously never had teaching experience of any kind. The experience of teaching children itself is also rewarding, as students definitely have a wonderful time with song, dance and chant - it's a part of their school week that they look forward to; as a volunteer, I find it fulfilling, knowing that I've contributed to their education while making it exciting and fun.
I have been part of the MFM family since 2010 as a board member and donor. In that time I have seen the organization grow and reach many more children--always with the goal of giving the gift of music education to even more students. The pandemic really opened our eyes to the vulnerability of some schools with very limited resources that had to be reallocated and their music program had to be suspended. The loss of music compounded the hardship for many of the students. As an organization, MFM is determined to make the funding security of these schools a priority and have already taken successful steps toward that goal. The educators, staff and board are committed to the mission, goal-oriented and very talented. I am proud to be part of it.
The Music for Minors program had had a profound impact on my school community. Music helps students regulate their feelings and helps them navigate all they encounter in elementary school! Our students love the program so much that they cry at the end of the school year. They love our music teacher and have such great fun singing the songs and playing music games each week. The curriculum used by Music for Minors is inclusive and culturally responsive. The Music for Minors team is so supportive and wonderful to work with. Music for Minors is a wonderful organization!
I was a volunteer music educator at Music for Minors for all of the 10+ years I lived in California, and I absolutely loved the experience! When I first moved to CA, I found an ad seeking volunteers for MFM, and although I had very little experience at the time with either children or education, its mission of providing music education for all children resonated very strongly with me, as someone who wasn't a professional musician but who had found joy, comfort, and community in making music all my life. I felt very supported and welcomed as a new educator, and over the 10 years I volunteered with MFM, I was amazed and privileged to see the leaps and bounds the organization made, from the increasing the training and resources available to educators to the development of a professional educator program to the embrace of technological platforms, all in the hopes of being able to provide a quality music education to more and more students who don't have access to one. When I moved away from CA two years ago, one of the things I regretted most was no longer being able to actively volunteer with MFM. But I am very happy to continue to support their efforts from afar!
My two children were fortunate enough to have Music for Minors as their music program in elementary school. My kids always came home excited on music days and shared the songs they sang at school. This is a great program that gives young kids a love for music.
I have been associated with Music for Minors for over 40 years. I started out teaching for them and later became a board member and chair of the board. It is a wonderful organization that now serves over 25,000 children in the Bay Area who otherwise would not have music in the classroom. There is tremendous energy at MFM. We are continually upgrading our quality curriculum and bringing the best teachers and volunteers to our organization. The science has proven again and again the importance of music in brain development and enjoyment of school. It works in both capacities to help kids flourish.
We are fortunate to have MFM bringing music to so many Bay Area kids!
Looking back on 10 years with the Music for Minors Board from which I've recently retired, the strong, multi-talented management team and strong Board stand out. After high growth, the management team and Board are now regrouping and refreshing with new talent. The way they are going about this speaks volumes about the quality of the organization and gives assurance that they are on their way to bigger and better. Everybody likes children and music. But this organization is extraordinary.
MFM is an authentic, amazing, and outstanding organization. What they offer is to provide quality of music education to elementary schools, with their heart and passion. And MFM staff are also wonderful to work with. I am one of their contracted music teacher who have never worked for any organization like MFM with high level of organization skills and thoughtful people. I hope that MFM will be continuously expand their business and that more and more children will be exposed to the wonderful music world!
Music for Minors is one of the best non-profits that effectively and efficiently puts music education into schools. The organization is led by dedicated staff and volunteers that feel passionate about the importance of having music as a part of the school curriculum.
Music for Minors filled and continues to fill a void of elementary school enrichment through music. One of the points I want to address is that, personally, it gave me the training to be a successful music docent and give back to my community in a very worthwhile, meaningful way. We all have talents. Sometimes they are a little hidden, or go unshared. I have always loved music and play several instruments. But, again, the structure, training, and name of Music for Minors added tremendously to my ability to enrich children's lives through music for over 10 years.
Music For Minors is an established and respected nonprofit in the San Francisco Bay Area. They provide quality music education in schools where students would otherwise go without. I have been involved with them in one way or another since 1988 and continue to support the important work they do. I myself am a retired elementary school music teacher.
I teach for Music for Minors and I couldn't be happier with this nonprofit. This organization is getting music to children which is so important for their development. I have found Music for Minors to be incredibly professional, supportive, and effective in achieving their goal of getting music education to school aged children. I am very grateful to be part of this amazing nonprofit!
I was a 62 year old retired Acoustical Engineering Consultant with a strong background in vocal and trombone music making when I first heard about Music for Minors. I decided to give it a try. I went through their 13 week training program and became a classroom docent at a Title 1 school. At first I was afraid that the huge difference in our ages would make it difficult for me to have a rapport with the kids. But it turned out otherwise. For that year and five more, I had a ball teaching them about music notation, different musical instruments, and even dances. After six years teaching, I spent another six years on the board of this great organization. At age 81, I still support it and continue to believe in their mission. All kids deserve to be exposed to music.
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MFM is an amazing organization that has allowed me to personally make a positive contribution to the lives of hundreds of young kids through music. I didn't learn of MFM until, at the age of 61, I was retired from a PHD level engineering job and self-employed by my own acoustical consulting company. As a youth I had played the trombone in numerous bands, and ever since my teenage years, I had been singing in choruses and choirs. Therefore, having the available time and the musical background, I was in a perfect position to take advantage of MFM's program. I took the amazing 14-week training course they provide through a local community college, and in late 1998, I walked into my first classroom, a third grade at a Title 1 (less affluent) school in San Jose. When I looked at the 33 faces staring at me, I noticed that nearly all of them had black hair (my hair was blonde at that age). I wondered if I would be able to establish a rapport with kids young enough to be my grandchildren and with kids from cultures somewhat different from mine. I needn't have worried. Music seems to easily overcome age and ethnic differences. I taught them songs I had learned in camp when I was that age. I taught them folk dances I had learned in graduate school. I taught them basic musical symbols and notation. I taught them rhythmic claps that we then used to reward classroom accomplishments. I brought in instrumentalist friends, who explained their instruments and often let the kids try to play them. We put on performances for the parents. The kids loved it, and so did I. For five additional years, I was a MFM docent at three different San Jose schools. Unlike many docents, I didn't have kids in a particular school, so I went wherever MFM needed me. As my confidence grew, I gradually increased the number of classes I taught. It was especially gratifying when, between classes, I would wander out on the playground at recess and see kids teaching other kids the songs and dances I had taught them. After I stopped teaching, I joined the board, and have been on it for the last three years.
In the early 1990's, when my oldest was starting Kindergarten, I discovered to my dismay that there was no music program at their school!! I savvy PTA president referred me to Music for Minors, and a few of us parents banded together and took the very comprehensive training program, and went on to start a music program at one elementary school that was so well loved that a full time music teacher was hired by the district (they now have more than 1), and the program grew to covering program 3 elementary schools and one middle school, and included annual musicals!
Also, at our elementary school, there was a tragic accident on a Thursday afternoon and we (the docents) were teaching 6 classes on Friday a.m. To be singing together (and specifically a song we already had learned, called "Together Tomorrow" by Tom Chaplin,) was uplifting and comforting for us all.
Music is a universal language that speaks to us all in some way. And the facets of learning music are so multi-cultural and multi-dimensional, ranging from physical to intellectual to emotional learning, there is so much to be gained. Having taught in the program both as a docent and as a professional educator on and off for over 20 years, I can only say it is a wonderful investment to make in our children!!
To be a member of the Music for Minors family is an honor and a privilege because our mission is to BRING MUSIC INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WHO WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE AND ASSIMILATE A LIFELONG LOVE OF MUSIC.
Speaking as an elementary school teacher with a passion for music, I believe a childs learning modalities are stimulated when music is an integral part of their lives be it in or out of the classroom setting. Music effects moods, body rhythms, relationships, and more.
MFM has and will continue to enrich childrens inner and outer beings and provide our next generations with a ZEST in every realm of development.
I am a principal pf a school in San Mateo. We love the Music for Minors program! the docents are amazing! Our children love when they are there and they love the lessons. Working with the MFM group does put extra work on my plate- it completely enriches our school!
The Music for Minors Program is great. Our primary students develop a strong musical foundation. Most of the participants go on to play instruments in middle schhol and high school. In a age when schools are cutting electives and extras, Music for Minors offers students an essential ingredient to a well rounded education.
In the fall of 1999, I received fantastic training from Music for Minors that has allowed me to share my love of music with over 1000 young students in the last ten years. The information I received, the resources I have had available, and the support for my efforts in teaching music under the sponsorship of Music for Minors has been invaluable. Without this, the school at which I volunteer would not have a music program for the younger students (K-3).
I've been a docent for 7 years, providing 1/2 hour music classes to two local 2nd grade classrooms. Music for Minors trains its docents (the training is thorough and brilliant), develops the relationships with the schools, and provides ongoing support. All you have to do is prepare your lessons and show up to give them. MFM offers docents free workshops throughout the year so they can continue to build their repertoire and skills. I can't speak highly enough about MFM. It provides a critical need for our children. Arts are basic!
For ten years I have been teaching in the MFM music program which reaches into classrooms that have no specific music program in their curriculum. Music for Minors prepares their teachers with a college course in the basics of music, then supplies them with a library of materials to use in the classroom. Each week we go into the classrooms and provide the students with singing, movement and rhythm instruments. There are always on-going programs to give MFM teachers new materials and ideas to enhance their programs. The quality and generous spirit that you find in MFM teachers is truly an inspiration. We are there to share music to all children. When a school decides to hire a music teacher, we then leave and know that our mission in music has been accomplished.
Once upon a time, my friend Ellie convinced me to become a MFM docent and share my love of music with our most important gifts, our children. As I began the discovery of what music does for children, I realized the credibility of Music for Minors and its rich resources. As a passionate elementary teacher, I believe that in order to raise a whole child, music must be an integral part of their daily routine. I am so proud to still be enveloped in Music for Minors, 22 years later!
I first found out about Music for Minors (MFM)in 2004, and it sounded like just the organization I was looking for to expand the music offerings at my children's elementary school. The staff at MFM was very supportive of my efforts to start the MFM program at Marshall Lane. The docent training program led by Chris Burke is excellent, and it gave me a solid foundation for teaching music in the classroom. The wealth of resources available to new and continuing docents is fantastic. I truly enjoyed my five years as a docent with MFM.
As a founding member of Music for Minors I have been privileged to see how music in our public schools has enriched and enhanced education for our children,. They learn to clap, sing, move and use sequential learning which helps in all academic work. We teach about 7,000 children per year and have been in Santa Clara, San Mateo Counties for over 30 years. Without this program, children would have no music. It is essential to contiue to this program. Without it we will leave a gap in our society where as adults, none of these children will have any appreication for the arts.
MFM is a truly amazing organization. Not only does this organization allow children to gain an understanding of music that they would not otherwise have, they also do so with an unbelievably low budget. For over 20 years, this organization has relied on donations to offer training to thousands of Bay Area students. Through its various fund raising events, MFM also fosters community cohesiveness that accompanies wonderful music recitals and concerts in pleasant venues. Most of this is accomplished through a network of volunteer docents and donors, a network that is difficult, at best, to replicate in other non-profit groups that provide arts education.