I always find myself trying to peek into Mrs. Wolter’s music class anytime I am in the arts building to get a glimpse of some of the students’ faces. The students in her classroom are experiencing some of their first encounters with playing a musical instrument. I caught up with Mrs. Wolter’s this week to find out more about what goes on inside her classroom walls.

I know you come from a musical background, tell us a little bit about how you made the Ensworth connection and your path that led you to becoming a music teacher.

My father, Bob Rannells, is a trombone player who was a member of the Navy Jazz Band, The Commodores, in the 1970s. He married my mother, a Kindergarten teacher and moved to Nashville to join the “music scene”. I grew up in a family that values Music and values Education. It was an obvious choice for me to mix the love of Music and educating children and begin my journey in Music Education.

While I was studying Music in college, I met my husband, Josh, also a Jazz studies Music Major. He was the drummer for a Show Choir I sang in. We now have three beautiful daughters and a very loud house!

This is my twelfth year teaching Music in Nashville. Previously, I taught at The Oak Hill School and Christ Presbyterian Academy. I was blessed to get an opportunity to interview at Ensworth for the Lower School Music position when it opened.

What would you say is the most important thing your students can take away from music class?

I am certified and trained to teach in the Orff-Shulwerk methodology.   In Orff Schulwerk classrooms, children begin with what they do instinctively, PLAY! Imitation, experimentation and personal expression occur naturally as students become confident, life-long musicians and creative problem solvers. The Orff approach to teaching is a model for optimal learning in 21^st century classrooms. To further explain the Orff approach, watch this link. http://aosa.org/about/what-is-orff-schulwerk

 If you could trade places with any Ensworth teacher for a day who would it be and why?

I am currently enrolled in Graduate School and am getting my Masters in Educational Leadership. As I learn the skills to be an effective school leader, I would be interested in shadowing Bruce Libonn, the Lower School Director, in order to learn the day-today encounters of an Ensworth Administrator.

What are you favorite weekend activities and unwinding rituals?

Our family loves “family time”. A typical “restful” weekend looks like a Friday Night “family movie” while we eat dinner from Pei Wei, Josh’s “Saturday pancakes”, a family hike at Radnor lake, a date night with Josh on Saturday night and going to church as a family on Sunday morning!

What faculty member at the high school would you like to see featured next.

I would like to see our new Curriculum Director, Bobby Mirzaie, featured. He has provided to be a great resource for our school as he navigates his first year at Ensworth.