When Circleville Elementary School music teacher and band director Danielle Hommel learned she’d be teaching her classes of third, fourth, and fifth graders virtually, she wasn’t sure what that would actually look like.


What You Need To Know


  • Hommel incorporates dance breaks, games and other techniques to keep her students engaged in music class through the computer screen
  • Hommel says her students have benefited from the social-emotional benefits of music during this difficult year
  • Several Circleville Elementary School students have participated in the Concerts in Motion program. Through the program they perform concerts for New Yorkers who are alone during this difficult time

"First I was thinking 'well how do I even approach this? How, what are my class sizes going to be like? My lesson sizes for fifth grade band, how am I going to be able to connect with them, and see if they have the right posture, the right fingering, the right embouchure and there's so many things to consider when you're first learning how to play an instrument?'" said Hommel.

But since September, Hommel has made it work, incorporating new activities into her classes like dance and games using emojis.

"I have a lot of fun in music class because we do all these fun activities and the dances in the morning," said one student.

"I had to start thinking outside of the box a little," said Hommel. "I want to think what can I do that’s gonna grasp their attention."

Teaching a classroom of fourth graders how to play "Jingle Bells" on a recorder through a computer screen is not easy, but Mrs. Hommel figured out a way to show the students correct finger placement by holding her instrument close to the camera to demonstrate each note.

"I focus on what I can do. That’s the most important part. I can teach fingerings, I can teach rhythms, I can do the best I can with posture knowing that they don’t necessarily have all the equipment like music stands or chairs at home," said Hommel.

It’s hard on the children too. With lagging internet connections and glitchy screens, it's hard to learn to play an instrument through a screen.

"When I see them kind of lying down in their bed or just looking sleepy, I really want to motivate them with the music and say look let's stand up let's move, let's dance, and I start to see that smile creep up on their faces and that’s what really makes me happy," said Hommel.

Some of Mrs. Hommel's students have even joined a program called "Concerts in Motion," where they get a chance to perform virtual at-home concerts for New Yorkers who are isolated at home.

"Music is such a social aspect of all of our lives and to be able to share it in this way whether it's virtual or whatever is a wonderful experience for people to communicate and try to have happy thoughts during this rough time," said Hommel.