Our Winter 2024 Spotlight Award Recipient - Carrie Cruz
It is with joy that the American Center for Elemental Music and Movement recognizes Carrie Cruz as the peer-nominated Spotlight Award Recipient! Recognized by nomination for her exceptional contributions as an elemental music and movement teacher, this recognition highlights her innovative approach to education and her profound impact on her students and community.
A Passion for Music and Movement
Carrie's journey into the world of elemental music and movement began back in 2001, and she has served most of her career in the general music setting. Inspired by the belief that music and movement are essential for holistic development, she has dedicated herself to creating inclusive and engaging learning environments based on the elemental approach. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of creativity, expression, and physicality in education, making her classes not just lessons, but transformative experiences using multiple senses.
Innovative Teaching Methods
Throughout her career, Carrie has developed a unique curriculum that combines music, movement. In Carrie’s words, “Students are given fewer opportunities to move around during the school day and spend more time sitting and looking at electronic devices. I give my students opportunities to move, create, and collaborate in a safe environment where they are allowed to take risks and learn as a community.” Her classes encourage students to explore their creativity while building essential skills such as coordination, rhythm, and emotional expression.
Carrie’s ability to connect with her students is one of her most remarkable qualities. She is busy with 33 sections of PreK-5th grade general music, plus a 4th and 5th grade choir that meets after school once a week, and understands the different learning styles of her students and tailors her approach to meet their individual needs. In the word of her principal, Dr. Reta Hayes, “Carrie Cruz’s impact to our school is of great value. She teaches our kids so much regarding diversity, culture, reading vocabulary, and math vocabulary and counting through music.” This adaptability has created a nurturing environment where students feel safe to express themselves and take creative risks.
Community Impact
Beyond the classroom, Carrie is actively involved in her community and the greater elemental music and movement profession. She is well known in her professional development community, as Deanna Bell tells us: “Carrie is an outstanding music educator, professor, musician, and leader in our community. She is a well known clinician and has served on both the Alabama Orff and Kodály executive boards. Carrie has a positive impact on her school community and the community of educators in Alabama.” These events and professional development opportunities not only bring people together but also highlight the importance of arts education in fostering social cohesion and personal well-being.
Carrie’s impact ripples through her community, and her colleague Tiffani Stricklin gave us some insight into her positive influence: “Carrie is an asset to not only her school, but on the district, state, and national level. She continues to take training courses, such as Orff and Kodaly. Using the knowledge she has gained from her own professional development, Carrie presents at various conferences throughout the United States. Carrie Cruz is a true advocate for music education!”
The Spotlight Award
The Spotlight Award recognizes outstanding teachers in the field of elemental music and movement, celebrating their contributions to arts education and their ability to inspire others. In being nominated by her peers and colleagues, and highlighted with this recognition, ACEMM hopes that the spotlight on her work within her school, her professional development community, and the national elemental music and movement organizations with inspire and drive others to continue practicing, seeking, training, and evolving in this transformative discipline.
Looking Forward
As she moves forward, Carrie Cruz remains committed to her mission of making music and movement accessible and valuable to all. Her story is an inspiring reminder of the transformative power of music and movement in education. Her recognition as a Spotlight Award recipient not only honors her past achievements but also motivates others to explore the limitless possibilities of creative expression through the elemental approach. In a world that increasingly values the arts, Carrie Cruz shines brightly as a leader and advocate, inspiring the next generation of artists and educators.