FAQ
- What is ETM-LA (Education Through Music - Los Angeles)?
- How does ETM-LA decide which schools will be chosen as partner schools for its programs?
- What are ETM-LA's objectives?
- How does ETM-LA bring music education to partner schools?
- Does ETM-LA interfere with teaching the basic subjects?
- How is ETM-LA program unique?
- What are the benefits of music education?
- How can I learn more about ETM-LA?
Q: What is ETM-LA (Education Through Music-Los Angeles)?
A:ETM-LA's mission is to promote and support music instruction in disadvantaged schools in order to enhance students' academic performance and general development. Founded in 2006, ETM-LA, Inc. is an affiliate music education program based on the ETM® model, which has over 19 years of success in New York City. Currently, ETM-LA serves approximately 1500 Los Angeles schoolchildren with weekly, yearlong music instruction including such disciplines as violin, cello, guitar, flute, chorus, and general music.
Q: How does ETM-LA decide which schools will be chosen as partner schools for its programs?
A: ETM-LA partner schools are all serving at-risk students. Typically, more than 80% of the students are eligible for the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program, determined by family income, over 90% are minorities, and 10% are disabled. The schools traditionally do not have music programs, but all have a desire to provide music education to the children they serve.
Q: What are ETM-LA's objectives?
A: ETM-LA's ultimate goal is to ensure that every child has access to a comprehensive music education. We form partnerships with schools and create individualized plans with four objectives:
- Quality music instruction for every student
- Providing our partner schools with highly trained professional teaching artists and music teachers.
- Involving parents and educators in the idea that music education is essential to a child's academic growth and development.
- Ongoing assessment and evaluation.
Q: How does ETM-LA bring music education to partner schools?
A: ETM-LA supports reform in partner schools with several services:
- Working with each principal to create a long-term plan of arts instruction and integration.
- Recruiting and employing teaching artists to serve as faculty to provide instruction in chorus, general music, early childhood movement, violin, cello, recorder, flute, composition, and guitar.
- Providing customized training for teaching artists, music and academic teachers and principals through mentoring and professional development workshops throughout the year.
- Presenting workshops to parents that explain our programs and goals.
- Providing students with enrichment opportunities.
- Monitoring the progress of the program and providing accountability for the school administration.
- Guiding and assisting each school in working towards the program's financial self-sufficiency.
Q: Does ETM-LA interfere with teaching the basic subjects?
A: No. A complete music education as part of the core curriculum can help students to make connections among, and excel in, the core subjects.
Q: How is the ETM-LA program unique?
A: ETM-LA is unique because we:
- Involve every child at each of our partner schools, including those with special needs
- Provide comprehensive, sequential, skills- and standards-based music instruction that lasts through the entire school year and progresses from year to year.
- Involve the entire school community in developing a school culture that embraces the arts.
- Work to create sustainable programs.
Q: What are the benefits of music education?
A: Extensive research on the effects of music on children show that learning music through listening, performance, voice, and instrumental instruction increases children's reading, writing, mathematical, and spatial temporal reasoning skills. It also encourages self-discipline, respect and understanding of other students, and aids in a child's general development.
Return to questions
Q: How can I learn more about ETM-LA?
A: To learn more about ETM-LA and the ETM-LA program, call Victoria Lanier, Executive Director, at 818-433-7600 or email vlanier at etmla dot org.
Return to questions
ETM-LA Students
Quotes
The violin is very cool.
-Paul, Student at Castelar School
Our Wish List
$25
Recorders for an entire class
$75
Entire semester of music for 1 child
$150 - ADOPT A CHILD
1 full year of music for 1 child
$1000
An entire semester of music for 15 kids
ADOPT A SCHOOL
$5,000 Level
$10,000 Level
2009-2010
Partnerships with 8 schools serving over 2,000 children in LA!
