Teacher Feature: Haviland Gilbert

• Haviland Gilbert
• Posted 11/2/20
• 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.   

Hello, my name is Haviland Gilbert. I currently teach Elementary music in the Kennewick School District in Kennewick, WA. I teach K-5 Music, along with a select 4th and 5th-grade marimba ensemble at Lincoln Elementary School, and instruct an after-school orchestra program at Sage Crest Elementary. Prior to moving to Washington State, I taught music in the Des Moines Public Schools. I graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Music Performance, and a K-12 Honors Teaching Certificate. I am a Level 1 and Level 2 Google Certified Educator, and a Google for Education Certified Trainer. In addition to teaching public school music, I also play with the Mid-Columbia Symphony and sustain a private double bass studio.  

Some other interesting facts we learned about Haviland…  

How did you end up becoming a music teacher?  

I was heavily involved in Choir and Orchestra at my high school. I loved music because it gave me a sense of purpose and if you worked hard and collaborated with others, we could accomplish great things. All throughout college I wanted to be an orchestra director. Like many music education majors, my views towards my career changed when I had my student teaching experience. I loved the flexibility that came with teaching General Music. There are so many options to accomplish standards and so many different ways to encourage students to be life-long music lovers. 

What inspires you to share your experiences with other teachers?  

I love it when an activity goes extremely well in my classroom. I often talk about it to other teachers in my school, but being the only music teacher, they don’t usually understand what I’m telling them! I love collaborating with other teachers in my district, but if I find something that is changing my classroom, then I want to share it to a broader audience.  

What is your favorite music teaching moment?  

My favorite music teaching moment happened this school year during remote learning. I was using First Steps in Music with a new Kindergarten class, and when I started singing, I saw the faces of four or five students light up. I was confused at first, but then they told me that their older siblings had taught them these songs when they were in Kindergarten. I thought it was so amazing that my students loved the content this much, that they would go home and share it with their younger siblings. I felt extremely validated as a teacher and could tell that my students loved my class enough to share it with families! 

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

I originally thought that being a music teacher was just going to be about strictly teaching music. I was so wrong! It’s about connecting with your students, and connecting with your community. If your eyes aren’t open to this, and you’re not constantly building relationships with your students and colleagues, then they won’t value what you’re teaching. My favorite quote regarding this is by Theodore Roosevelt. “They don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”. It’s so true! Why should my 5^th graders care about what I’m teaching them if I don’t care about their interests or what kind of music they enjoy. Building relationships with certain students can be extremely challenging, but sometimes thinking outside the box by playing a game of four square with them at recess, or eating lunch with them in the cafeteria can go a long way.  

How do you deal with stress?  

I go to the gym 3-4 days per week right after school. I don’t let anything from school follow me into the gym and I’m able to work out stress or frustration that happened during my day. I throw on a good podcast and just let myself completely zone out. Exercising also give me more energy throughout the week to keep classroom extremely active. 

Fun Facts About You?    

What is your favorite food?  

I really enjoy Thai and Indian food. I also really enjoy a good breakfast sandwich. 

Do you have any pets?   

I have a Smooth Collie named Ollivander, and a Cardigan Welsh Corgi named Alma. They both have a ton of energy and love to go on longs walks. I never thought that my Corgi could have more energy than my Collie, but she never stops moving. 

What is your favorite style of music to listen to? 

I am a huge classical music nerd. I listen to classical music the majority of the time. My favorite composers are Sibelius, Prokofiev, and Mahler. When I’m not listening to classical music, I love listening to Jazz, the group Beach House, and the music from the TV show, Bob’s Burgers.   

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

I’m a big coffee drinker. I drink hot coffee in the colder months and then cold brew when it’s hot out. I don’t need coffee to start my day, but I can tell in the afternoon if I didn’t get it. 

What is your favorite book?  

My favorite book changes constantly, but I think the one that stand out the most is, The Girl with Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. The whole series is great and the books are long, but well worth the read! 

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

I think I would want to Superman. Primarily because he can fly. I love traveling and visiting new locations, but I always get bored while driving. 

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Haviland as much as we have.  Make sure to check out his article - Marimbas – Challenging Your Musicality.