M-Audio Sponsors Keys to Achievement Foundation Pilot Schools
M-Audio Sponsors Keys to Achievement Foundation Pilot Schools
Foundation brings early-years music keyboard instruction programs to schools across the country
Foundation brings early-years music keyboard instruction programs to schools across the country
To further a mutual vision of implementing music education technology in schools
across America, M-Audio has partnered with the Keys to Achievement Foundation,
an organization that leverages computer technology to deliver the highest quality
music education to underprivileged children at a young age. At a time when
music education programs in public schools are shrinking—despite growing
evidence that they help children excel in science, math and other academic
subjects—the Keys to Achievement Foundation’s mission is to revive
and revolutionize music education by replicating their program in every elementary
school across the country.
The Foundation’s objective is especially unique in that it targets children starting at the kindergarten level—the only such program to do this. When a school teams up with Keys to Achievement, the foundation outfits the institution’s existing computer lab with M-Audio’s Keystation 49e MIDI controller keyboards, headphone sets, and software specially designed for 4- to 7-year-old children.
“M-Audio’s Keystation 49e keyboard controller is the perfect solution for the classroom because it has a built-in USB MIDI interface,” explains Arden. “It also offers plug-and-play functionality on both Macs and PCs. Its 4-octave keybed is ideal for the program; it fits on a school desktop, yet offers a sufficient range of high to low notes to suit the pedagogy.”
The school’s students receive two 30-minute computer sessions per week, progressing through lessons as built-in evaluation mechanisms offer feedback and track progress. Since the schools use the computer labs for various other educational purposes, it’s important to be able to set-up and tear down the keyboard workstations quickly and easily.
“The pilot school in Los Angeles initially put the keyboards in pull-out drawers, but the keyboards were such a draw, kids wouldn’t focus on the other classes! So they decided to store them in cabinets, leaving only a single USB cable at each desk. At the beginning of class, the teacher hands out the keyboards, which are light enough for the kindergarteners to carry, and easy enough for them to plug in and unplug on their own.”
Conception of the foundation
In 1999, Arden launched a piano instruction program for preschool-age children at the Whitney Young Child Development Center in San Francisco. This extremely successful community service project brought the joy of learning and playing to many disadvantaged youths. Despite its tremendous impact, it was apparent that the core one-on-one instructional format could not sustain significant growth, nor could it be transplanted to other locations.
The Foundation’s objective is especially unique in that it targets children starting at the kindergarten level—the only such program to do this. When a school teams up with Keys to Achievement, the foundation outfits the institution’s existing computer lab with M-Audio’s Keystation 49e MIDI controller keyboards, headphone sets, and software specially designed for 4- to 7-year-old children.
“M-Audio’s Keystation 49e keyboard controller is the perfect solution for the classroom because it has a built-in USB MIDI interface,” explains Arden. “It also offers plug-and-play functionality on both Macs and PCs. Its 4-octave keybed is ideal for the program; it fits on a school desktop, yet offers a sufficient range of high to low notes to suit the pedagogy.”
The school’s students receive two 30-minute computer sessions per week, progressing through lessons as built-in evaluation mechanisms offer feedback and track progress. Since the schools use the computer labs for various other educational purposes, it’s important to be able to set-up and tear down the keyboard workstations quickly and easily.
“The pilot school in Los Angeles initially put the keyboards in pull-out drawers, but the keyboards were such a draw, kids wouldn’t focus on the other classes! So they decided to store them in cabinets, leaving only a single USB cable at each desk. At the beginning of class, the teacher hands out the keyboards, which are light enough for the kindergarteners to carry, and easy enough for them to plug in and unplug on their own.”
Conception of the foundation
In 1999, Arden launched a piano instruction program for preschool-age children at the Whitney Young Child Development Center in San Francisco. This extremely successful community service project brought the joy of learning and playing to many disadvantaged youths. Despite its tremendous impact, it was apparent that the core one-on-one instructional format could not sustain significant growth, nor could it be transplanted to other locations.
Arden considered his options and determined that leveraging computer technology
would be the best way to reach young students. He dreamed of an instructional
software program that could effectively transform the computer into a private
teacher, delivering immediate performance feedback and assistance to each student
at his or her own pace. Arden wasn’t aware of a solution that catered
to very young children, and thus the Keys to Achievement Foundation was born.
Strategic alliances
The Keys to Achievement Foundation first began developing a new software program
in cooperation with Adventus Interactive, an established music education software
company. The partnership yielded Children’s Music Journey, the first
product designed to teach 4- to 7-year-olds to play music with both hands,
read music, compose and improvise.
Arden then set out to establish a partnership with a keyboard manufacturer,
and found what he needed in M-Audio. In addition to sponsoring the first few
pilot schools, M-Audio general manager Tim Ryan signed on to outfit the next
ten schools with keyboards. His offer is helping to facilitate strategic dissemination
of the program to key pilot schools in advance of the major fund-raising efforts
needed to support large-scale expansion.
M-Audio also offered support when the Keys to Achievement Foundation was featured
as a special presenter in the American Federation of Teachers’ "21st
Century Classroom Exhibit" at their QuEST conference in Washington D.C.
from July 7-10. M-Audio shipped out Keystation 49e controllers to complete
the setup, which was met with enthusiasm.
From Los Angeles to New York and Chicago… and beyond
Encouraged by the success of the pilot schools, Arden is eager to see his
vision realized on a much grander level. Starting this fall, Keys to Achievement
will launch pilot programs in inner-city classrooms in both New York and Chicago.
If received well, the program could spread throughout those districts.
“We’re at the beginning stages of building up our organization
to support future growth,” says Arden. “We’re hand-picking
districts with the greatest potential for growth in the short order as we increase
our funding abilities. We’re aiming to have early-grade music keyboard
instruction programs replicated in every school across the country. How fast
we’re able to do this depends on how fast we’re able to grow as
an organization and raise funds to support this.”
To learn more about the Keys to Achievement Foundation, please visit http://www.keystoachievement.org,
or check back with us at www.m-audio.com for
updates on future cooperative efforts.
