Mrs. Ely's New Roles at Oakhill Day School

We are excited to tell you all about Mrs. Ely's new role at Oakhill. Mrs. Ely is teaching Pretoddler, Toddler, and Preschool music this year. She has hopes to instill a love of music in our youngest musicians here are Oakhill.  We are so happy to have Mrs. Hill continuing to be a pivotal part of our Music Department.  

What position did you hold prior to this current position? 

I have been at Oakhill for 26 years. I have taught early childhood PE, I have been a Teacher Assistant, and I have taught Music classes for Pretoddler through 8th Grade. I have taught private after-school Piano Lessons and Guitar Lessons for 20 years.

What made you interested in this new career opportunity? 

My positions at Oakhill may change yearly depending upon where I am needed. Music is what I truly love teaching. 

What do you hope to bring to this position and/or your students?

I hope to be a positive role model for my Early Childhood students, instilling in each of them, a true love for music. Music is so important in our lives! It is in everything we do.

What excites you about this new position? 

Music is so fresh and new to young children. It is exciting to me, to watch their faces light up as they are encouraged to sing and move to the beat. It is also exciting to see their smiling faces as they are learning to appreciate music. 

What led you to education? 

I wanted to teach because I hoped to teach to students in a way that made the subject-matter easy to understand. 

What is your favorite memory of school from when you were a child?

I always just loved the vibe of school from early on. I actually went to Oakhill as a child, but it was called Linden East, then. I had great teachers who made me feel valued and understood.
 

How did you get ready/prepare for your first day of school at Oakhill Day School?

I began choosing songs for our performances and also began working on lesson plans using Themes for each grade level.