Bassett Unified Drum Class Teaches Rhythm, Sparks Deeper Classroom Engagement

LA PUENTE – Van Wig Elementary fourth-grade students Angel Feregrino and Andres Fregoso hit conga drums, timbales and box drums, learning about cadence and rhythm during Principal Andrew Candelaria’s interactive music lesson.

Every Friday from 4 to 5 p.m., about 15 Van Wig Elementary School students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade join Candelaria in the cafeteria for the extracurricular class.

Students gather around traditional drums, bongos, congas, timbales and cow bells, banging on the instruments with hands and sticks.

“There is a rhythm to each person’s individual voice; speech is not robotic and there are times when we emphasize certain words or syllables, there are times when we pause and with music there are notes that have different values,” Candelaria said. “The goal of the drum class is to boost students’ math, reading and writing comprehension in the classroom.”

Van Wig Elementary’s drum class is just one of the many amazing programs that will be featured at the District’s Celebrating Bassett showcase from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9 at Torch Middle School’s Watanabe Center.

PHOTOS:
 
12.11.18_BASSETT_DRUM_1: Van Wig Elementary fourth grade students Angel Feregrino and Andres Fregoso learn to play eighth and quarter note beats using timbales, conga drums and box drums during Principal Andrew Candelaria’s Friday drum class.
 
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