Jon Newlie

Doherty Lower School Music Teacher

B.M. Music Education, University of Dayton

Teaching Philosophy

Important skills I want to teach my students

I believe the most important skills for students to develop in Lower School music are rhythm and pitch. Students can continue making music into Middle and Upper School with a strong foundation in rhythmic and melodic performance.

Teaching methods to reach these goals

Rhythmic achievement is accomplished through consistent practice on the Kodaly syllables (ta, titi, etc.) against the steady beat. Simplified symbols are learned at young ages, gradually adding the true musical notation for each rhythm as the concept is solidified. More complex rhythms are added to students’ vocabulary as mastery of the material is demonstrated.

For pitch, we learn songs by rote repetition, identifying high and low pitches at a young age and gradually learning to match specific pitches on solfege (do, re, mi, etc.) in the upper grades.

My favorite projects

My favorite project of the year is the Unit III musical. We start rehearsals in January and perform our final product in March. I get to collaborate with Natalie Bird, our Lower School drama teacher, which is so fun to bring music and drama together on stage. Students really take ownership of their role in the show, I look forward to seeing all students step out of their “box” and create live art as a team.

What I like best about teaching at Seven Hills

I love the atmosphere of Seven Hills. Students, faculty, and parent support collectively make it such a great place to be a teacher. I look forward to coming in every day and bringing my energy, positivity, and excitement to my student’s musical experience.