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Guy McClure
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For immediate release
January 29, 2013
Athens State
Education Professor Develops Program with Decatur Youth Symphony
ATHENS,
Ala. - Athens State University Assistant Professor of Elementary Education Mary
Harris recently developed a program with the Decatur Youth Symphony which
integrates leadership and mentoring skills for symphony members and elementary
music students.
In February,
Harris conducted a half day workshop that integrated Steven Covey’s Seven Habits
program that enhances leadership and mentoring in advance of the symphony’s
Each One, Teach One program.
Each
One, Teach One involves students from the chamber ensemble working weekly with
the Decatur City School’s Apollo students – third graders from the system’s first
year violin program. Each mentoring
session paired more accomplished students with younger students.
“Working closely with the Decatur Youth
Symphony’s Executive Director Sharon Landis I’ve witnessed both of these groups
flourish in their music and personal interactions,” stated Harris. “We've discovered that not only is the
marriage of the seven habits an effective approach for the mentoring process,
but the habits have positively impacted the students’ personal lives.”
Harris
hopes to begin to collect data about the participants' perceptions of the
program. This data should lead to research publications as well as be helpful
for the DYS's fund raising.
Harris
worked with Athens State’s Assistant Professor of Education Chris Inman to
develop a method of communicating the successes and addressing
questions outside the mentoring sessions. Inman created a social arena that is both
useful and safe for the participants. His
expertise greatly enhanced the communications with the symphony students.
“When
first approached about serving as an educational advisor to this group, I was
wary given my lack of musical expertise,” continued Harris. “However,
I am grateful for this opportunity and feel as though my offer
of educational advice has advanced the Decatur Youth Symphony
mission.”
Harris and the Athens State administration hope to continue
and enhance the collaboration between the Decatur Youth Symphony and the
University.
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