For this episode we traveled to rural Minnesota, Kenyon-Wanamingo School District to speak with a passionate music educator and band director by the name of Claire Larson.
Claire Larson’s Background
Claire grew up in Aurora Illinois where she was part of a vibrant band program.  She graduated from the St. Olaf College with a degree in K-12 instrumental music education. She also earned a Master’s degree in music education from the University of Minnesota. Claire student taught in Farmington, Minnesota and started her career in North Minneapolis at Patrick Henry High School. She also taught ins New Prague and Brooklyn Center before landing in her current position in Kenyon-Wanamingo in 2010 where she teaches grades 5 -12.
After spending just a few hours with Claire it became very clear that she is an innovator and risk taker. She has enlisted an entire community in the pursuit of education. I say education because she is very interested in the whole student through her subject matter of music.
You will hear excerpts from her students at all age levels and her administrator. These interviews were recorded independently from one another with remarkable similarity. Clearly everyone; students, faculty and administration in Kenyon-Wanamingo are on the same page!
I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Episode Overview
(00:00)  Background
(04:28)  Claire Larson Introduction
(06:34)  Description of Community
(12:13)  High School students speak
(18:05)  Use of Smart Music
(18:31)  Games: Band Karate
(19:14)  5th and 6th grade students speak
(20:12)  More technology: Site Reading Factory and YouTube
(22:16)  Risk taking
(27:20)  Milestones
(29:11)  7th and 8th grade students speak
(32:26)  Relationships and Traditions
(37:54)  Colleagues and Administration
(40:48)  Band Director Swap
And that wraps up this episode.
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Other Resources
Show Hosts
Jerry Luckhardt   https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/luckh001
Bradley Mariska  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-mariska-63ba2855
FB Website (Band in Minnesota)
www.facebook.com/BandinMinnesota