My name is Jessica Martinez and it has been a delight teaching at Rodriguez Elementary. Music teachers have the opportunity to build strong relationships with all their students to create a fun and engaging classroom. I want to provide a safe haven for my students to safely and freely express themselves as that is what the music classroom provided for me growing up.

I have studied the teachings of the Kodály Concept inspired by Hungarian composer and educator, Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967).  The goal is, “to support music education of the highest quality, promote universal music literacy and lifelong music making, and preserve the musical heritage of the people of the United States of the America through education, artistic performance, advocacy and research.” The process involves a sequential layering of skills and concepts designed to build success for every child. Students are immersed in music, different cultures, and singing and then later taught the solfa, rhythm names, and music notation. The process begins with singing games and leads to instrument playing, improvising, composing and arranging, reading and notating, analyzing, and evaluating. The Kodály approach is a dynamic, exciting way of teaching based on kinesthetic, auditory, and visual activities with the aim of instilling a love of music in each child.

I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and the youngest of five. I graduated from Texas State University with a B.M. in Music Studies. While I adore music, I also have a multitude of hobbies! I absolutely love baking, watching anime, collecting adorable items, and spending time with my friends and family (which includes two cute dogs)!

“Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not a torture, but a joy for the pupil; instill a thirst for finer music in him, a thirst which will last for a lifetime... Often a single experience will open the young soul to music for a whole lifetime. This experience cannot be left to chance, it is the duty of the school to provide it.”