Our Spring 2023 Spotlight Recipient: Jeannyvett Colon
Passion for Inspiring Others
Jeannyvett Colon began her music journey in her home country of Puerto Rico at the age of 8. Her earliest lessons were on the piano. She started playing the clarinet at the age of 13. Following her high school graduation, she attended and graduated from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music with a degree in Clarinet Performance. In order to make money during her schooling, she worked with Corporacion de Las Artas Musicales (which is now called 100 by 35), to teach piano and clarinet lessons. Prioritizing her education, she went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico. Jeannyvett is the first person in her family to attain a graduate degree.
Because of her love for teaching and learning, Jeannyvett has inspired many of her own family members to get college degrees. One of her cousins that live in Puerto Rico is studying Forensic Science, while another one has become a Nurse. Yet another cousin is building a CPA office in Texas, as another serves in the Marines in California. Her family legacy is now forever changed.
Dr. Brandie Buford met Jeannyvett during the summer of 2017, as Jeannyvett was beginning her third year of teaching in Texas. Although Brandie taught 5th grade at that time, they collaborated to merge the joy of writing with the musical arts. Their projects engaged 5th graders, parents, and the community in diverse and inclusive performances. Dr. Buford shares, “Jeannyvett’s passion for music has inspired several generations of learners to explore and appreciate their individual talents in the arts. She not only selflessly gives and serves her students, she also serves her fellow teachers and families.”
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Jeannyvett and Diane Wohlert teach music and PE at Emerald Heights, sometimes combining classes to collaborate and do cross-curricular activities.
Passion for Serving
Jeannyvett is currently in her 4th year of teaching music at Emerald Heights Elementary in Silverdale, Washington, serving 20 classes of 1st-5th grade students. She also directs the choir, leads Safety Patrol, and is the Equity Lead for her school. Jeannyvett is an integral part of her school environment. Not only does she serve in the aforementioned areas, but she is also the elementary union representative for her school district, helping teachers access their association benefits. Jeannyvett is also the only Hispanic teacher at her school and wants to make sure that her voice as well as those like hers are heard. She has the privilege of translating for the families at the school as well as assisting them with IEPs and accommodations. Her relationship with her students extends to their families when she serves in this capacity.
PE specialist, Diane Wohlert and Jeanny often work very closely together. Sometimes in collaborative activities, the students in their classes become “Team Music” or “Team PE!” It’s a friendly competition between their disciplines and is always tempered with the understanding that there is great value in both music and P.E. Parents at Emerald Heights have commented on how much fun their children are having because music and P.E. work so well together. Sometimes they team teach together to collaborate on cross-curricular activities. Diane remarked that “Jeanny has made me a better teacher as well. Her enthusiasm for learning new and interesting ideas to bring to our students is contagious. I am very lucky and appreciative to have a specialist teacher like her every day.”
Halloween costumes with Jeanyvett’s co-workers at Emerald Heights.
Passion for Moving
Prior to completing two levels of Orff Schulwerk, Jeannyvett was terrified to allow her students to move around; she was afraid to lose control of her class. After experiencing Orff Schulwerk firsthand, she started implementing movement in a structured way– teaching about levels, pathways, and directions. Now she can’t imagine a classroom without movement and exploration. She says, “I allow my kiddos to just be joyful. I love their giggles and their creative ways! As soon as they enter my classroom they ask me to move!” She feels the connection she has made with her students is the most important contribution she could make to her school community. Colleague and friend, Auri Roberts states, “Jeanny is an amazing music teacher. She meets the needs of all learners and engages students in learning. She is mindful and considerate of the needs of individual students both academically and socially.”
Jeannyvett and her PE teacher Diane Wohlert with cake on their faces after their students surpassed a fundraising goal during field day.
Passion for Teaching
Jeannyvett’s passion for teaching and connection are powerful forces with her students as well as her colleagues. She created two social media groups to help keep her Orff levels colleagues connected, encouraged, inspired, and up-to-date on great opportunities to deepen their practices in elemental music and movement. One of her colleagues, Eleanor Burns, notes that “Jeanny has such a passion for teaching music. When we are in workshops together she is always asking questions to make sure that she understands. Her energy is so contagious. You will always be smiling when around Jeanny. She is always trying the things that she learns with her students. Jeanny is always willing to help and always looking out for everyone. She is always eager to share ideas and lessons that she creates.”
Jeanny enjoys teaching many different things through elemental music and movement. She especially loves to teach recorder to her students. She prepares them using a bracelet that helps them remember to keep their left hand on top as well as using bubbles to help them to learn how to use a gentle air stream before giving them recorders to play. Once they have their recorders in hand, she incorporates accompaniments using barred instruments to level up musical experiences. It seems her students will always ask for more! She loves enriching her lessons using stories, games, and interesting items like Balinese-style shadow puppets to engage her students in as many ways as possible.
Staying in touch with her roots as a private lesson instructor, Jeannyvett also takes time to assist her students individually. She helped a student learn English by adding him to her choir earlier than she normally would. He is now speaking and understanding English much better than he would have because of his time in the choir. Another student had an incentive put in place such that if he gets his classwork done instead of procrastinating, he can visit and play recorder duets with Mrs.Colon during her planning time. His work completion has become very consistent since this has been implemented. He now wants to “do music” when he gets older.
Her conservatory professor, Sonia Ivette Morales-Matos, shares that “Jeannyvett is a very passionate teacher. She is very creative and resourceful, and above all, she loves kids. She is constantly looking for opportunities to have her students grow as musicians and as human beings, through classroom activities and performances in and out of the school. She has high standards for what music pedagogy should be and as a result, she is always in pursuit of professional development. She shares her knowledge and resources with other teachers, including myself, and has become a mentor to many of her colleagues.” Jeannyvett regularly attends professional development and immediately brings those ideas back into her classroom to share with her students. In her own words, “I am a life-long learner!”
“I’m so grateful for this music journey. I can’t imagine my life any other way. I absolutely adore going to work. I get to make music everyday with my favorite musicians!” ~Jeannyvett Colon