by Anna Peirce (7th)
Everyone loves music whether it is classical, jazz, country, rap, rock, etc. While there are a few teachers that teach music in CMS, I want to focus on just one: Mrs. Derewitz.
Mrs. Derewitz she has been teaching orchestra in our district for 19 years. She loves teaching, especially middle schoolers.
“Everyone is still learning in middle school and I want to help them along the way of their music journey,” she says.
She loves teaching all the instruments in Orchestra; while violin and viola are her main instruments, she has a lot of knowledge that she likes to share with her students. Cello and bass are more of a challenge for her but she likes to learn along the way with her students.
There are 3 concerts this year, a beginner concert, a winter concert, and spring concert. She loves to see her students learn and be proud after a concert but also wants to help them improve:
“I love to see my students proud and I’m always praising them for their hard work and perseverance. But I also tell them that they could work on their weaknesses and keep improving.”
Mrs. Derewitz makes orchestra a wonderful and joyous experience. Students who are in the orchestra appreciate her as a teacher and love to be a part of the orchestra.
Personally, it’s a beautiful, amazing, and joyful experience. Through orchestra, and the program Mrs. Derewitz facilitates, I have gained many friends. Together, the orchestra produces such a stunning, and fascinating sound, and is so incredible that I’m able to be a part of that community.
This year, Mrs. Derewitz also has a student teacher, Miss. B.
She, too, learns a lot from Mrs. Derewitz. “It’s really fun and cool to watch Mrs. Derewitz teach and help the students," Miss B. said, "and it’s really inspiring to watch someone I respect and look up to to model and do what I want to achieve.”
Mrs. Derewitz continues to look forward everyday and mentor her students through their own musical journey, and I'm excited for another two years with her.
If you have thought about joining orchestra, remember: it's never too late!