"Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interests at heart, you will let them learn while they play; they will find that what they have mastered is child's play." - Carl Orff
Contact Mrs. Wyatt: AWyatt@lps.k12.co.us
Music with Mrs. Wyatt
I believe we are all born musicians and it's just a matter of finding our song through movement, voice, instruments, and/or composition.
My parents tell me I sang clearly by the age of two. At a young age, I began dance lessons, then piano lessons. There were few moments in my life that didn't involve music. While lessons encouraged and trained my musicianship, my love for music grew from spontaneous moments where music erupted from a tune in my head.
I picked up my mother's clarinet around 5th grade and she taught me playing technique and a few short songs. In sixth grade, I reluctantly began playing trombone to diversify instruments in our school band (I had my heart set on the oboe). Little did I know, I'd be playing it over twenty years later.
In college, I played trombone and euphonium, winning auditions for each ensemble at the university. I loved my methods classes where I learned to play any instrument a beginning musician might choose (strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion). During summer months, I taught private lessons to Band students in my home town.
My first teaching position was high school and junior high Band. I noticed there wasn't a program introducing elementary students to Band before their transition to middle school, so I initiated a pull-out program for fourth and fifth grade students. Our Band numbers and musicianship grew as a result.
In 2007, I was invited to join the Peabody Elementary staff here in LPS, teaching preschool through fifth grade General Music three days a week. Now, I get to teach K-5 General Music at Centennial Academy of Fine Arts all five days. I even get to teach Band and other instrumental ensembles as part of the regular school day at CAOFA. That's so amazing! It is an honor to live in and serve the LPS community. I am one of the lucky ones. I found a job I love. It inspires me, excites me, and I learn from it daily.
Family
Along the way, I married John who is a computer programmer and VP of Digital Technology and Operations. We have three boys. Josh will be in fifth grade in fall '24. Rex is five and Miles, our preemie baby born 14 weeks early, is now two years old!
Interesting facts about me:
I love adventures! I have been four-wheeling in Death Valley, white-water rafting, and skydiving. I can water-ski, snow-ski, kneeboard, barely snowboard and learned to wakeboard a couple summers ago. I ran cross country in high school and grew up playing sports (soccer, softball, volleyball, and basketball).