My name is Emily Ouellette and I am the vocal teacher for upper elementary, middle, and high school at the American Overseas School of Rome. I have been teaching general music for the past five years in Michigan, USA. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan, and and have completed professional development coursework in Orff and Gordon's Music Learning Theory. While employed in Michigan, I trained as a specialist in Music Together, an early childhood music curriculum and worked with my district's special education department to teach the curriculum to our special education classes at the preschool level. I also volunteer as a coach for Girls on the Run, an organization that promotes healthy and positive lifestyle choices for girls. I have previously filled in as the Children’s Music Director for a local church and coached for the middle school softball team. Over the summers, I teach music to grades K-12 at a special education camp and assist in high school marching band camps. On most days of the week, you can find me after school teaching private piano and bassoon lessons. These teaching opportunities have given me the chance to work with students of all ages and skills, showing me the importance of addressing the needs of all individuals in the classroom. 

Part of the addressing the needs of all students is finding a language in which they understand, even if it is nonverbal. During coursework, I participated in a music cultural exchange program where I traveled to Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing, China. During this exchange we had the opportunity to collaborate with Chinese ensembles from universities and affiliated high schools. While I prepared for my visit by learning as much Mandarin as I could, I frequently came across situations where a language barrier made communication difficult. What first seemed like an obstacle, however, turned into a learning opportunity. Over the course of the trip, we found more effective ways to communicate, including modeling, singing, and non-verbal methods of communication. I also gained a new perspective on students who are in a classroom where their primary language is not spoken.

Since my trip to China, I have had opportunities visit Tornesch and Schorndorf, Germany. Teachers welcomed me to observe their classroom as well as lead lessons with their students. Each visit to a classroom has shed light on a different perspective in education. I always welcome the unique perspective and background knowledge that each child brings and work to incorporate it in the classroom. I make sure to address different learning styles by using multiple modes of learning in the classroom, including singing, movement, reading, chanting, writing, and playing instruments.
 
No matter what is in your lesson plan, however, nothing can be accomplished without making the curriculum relatable to the student. Learning student interests can be a great tool and provide a safe place for students to express ideas and create music. Although no two classrooms are the same, I have discovered something that connects all children... Children love to play! I always work to make music instruction playful and naturally engaging for all students.
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I look forward to being a part of the AOSR family. My students’ safety and growth will always be my highest priority, and I will be there for them as much as I can. Through my experience I have found that teaching is a two-way street; you can learn from your students just as much as they learn from you. I am eager to both teach and learn in this enriching field of work.
Contact me:
Emily Ouellette
American Overseas School of Rome
Via Cassia, 811, 00189 Roma RM, Italy
+39 06 334381
eouellette@aosr.org