Teacher Feature: Maria Del Valle

• Maria Del Valle
• Posted 2/7/22
• 0 comments

Get to know our authors. In our  ”Teacher Feature,”  you will not only learn about our contributors’ professional endeavors but also get to know them as  humans  too.  Just like our readers – our authors are actively teaching in schools across the United States. 

Maria Del Valle is an activist, mother, musician, teacher, consultant, and social entrepreneur. She is originally from Puerto Rico and is based in New York City. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Florida with a Performer’s Certificate in Flute. She is pursuing a Masters Degree in Music Education from Longy School of Music at Bard College.  

Maria is a flute player with 11 years of teaching experience creating music programs in international schools, charter schools, and El Sistema programs throughout New York City and abroad. She currently teaches 3rd-grade musicians at The Equity Project Charter school, where where she has created partnerships with the New York Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall.  

Maria co-founded Upbeat City Arts, a community for Urban Arts educators to support one another and share resources, and founded Shine on Kids Arts Initiative, a community-based arts program for children and families based in Uptown Manhattan.  

In 2020 and 2021, she was named a quarterfinalist by the RECORDING ACADEMY© and THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION© Music Educator Award and am a winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award. She loves to travel, read, make music, and is dedicated to decolonizing the music curriculum, creating culturally responsive lessons, and making arts accessible for all children.  

Some interesting facts we learned about Maria…

How did you end up becoming a music teacher?

I grew up in a musical family; my mother is a cellist and music teacher, my uncle is a reggaeton producer, and my great grandparents were singers. I wanted to become a music teacher to provide access to music education to everyone.

Did a teacher influence your decision to enter education?

My mother influenced my decision to enter education.

What inspires you to share your experiences with other teachers?

The conversation in Music Education in Urban settings is overwhelmingly full of what is difficult or what did not work. I want to shift the conversations towards Culturally responsive lessons that are tried and true in the classroom to support and empower teachers.

What is your favorite music teaching moment?

My favorite moment as a music teacher is the moment when students get to make their first sound on the recorder. That is the moment where they get to put into practice blowing with warm soft air and discover beauty when they follow those steps. I love seeing the look on my student’s faces when they discover that they can now play this wind instrument.

What has been the biggest surprise/revelation about being a music teacher?

I live in New York City and experience music all around me. From my neighbor playing loud music on the street to performers playing in the subway, to concerts in the park. I love that I can have those experiences and bring them into the classroom and it is relevant to what I am teaching.

How do you deal with stress?

I make sure to take time for me, to spend time with my daughter, my partner, and my puppy at home and ensure that this time is separate from work time.

Fun Facts About You?

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is either lasagna or butter chicken with garlic naan.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.

I have a Brindle Pit-bull mixed rescue dog that I got at the start of the pandemic. My daughter named him Moon after the book Goodnight Moon.

What is your favorite style of music to listen to?

My favorite style of music to listen to is reggaeton or Afrobeat.

What is your favorite school appropriate beverage – are you a cola or coffee drinker?

My favorite drink is a large iced coffee with cream and liquid sugar from Dunkin Donuts.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is the Harry Potter series.

If you could be a superhero, who would you be and why?

If I could be a superhero, I would be Marisol Rios De La Luz, the Superhero from the comic series La Borinquina, a graphic novel by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. I would choose this superhero because she brings about unity and healing after Hurricane Maria in the comic series.

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Maria! Check out her Music ConstructED articles below.