May 17, 2006

Zell to represent all great teachers in county

“I believe it is the responsibility of public schools to insure that children are not musically impoverished…Study after study has shown the importance of a musical education in the development of the whole child; attention, behavior, even attendance problems have been shown to improve by the addition of well-directed music programs…I believe that music classes give students a place in school where they can be joyful, creative, and imaginative in a learning context that builds discipline, community and inter-dependence.”

 

So wrote Ron Zell, a music teacher in the Buellton Union School District, who was named this year’s Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.

Zell, one of a number of outstanding countywide nominees for the honor, was selected by a committee including representatives of teachers, administrators, PTAs, and school boards.

Each year the county Teacher of the Year is a truly outstanding teacher and human being. Each one brings different skills and passions to the table, and represents all that is excellent in classrooms throughout our county.

Zell is a K-8 music teacher for Jonata and Oak Valley Schools. He has taught music in public and private schools for 16 years and currently teaches K-3 general classroom music, fourth grade chorus and recorder, fifth grade beginning band, sixth grade intermediate band, and seventh/eighth grade advanced band. In all, he teaches 540 students per week, K-8.

He received bachelors degrees in education and music from Concordia University in Portland, and received his teaching credential in music and Masters of Education from California Lutheran University.

Zell began teaching music part-time in La Patera School in Goleta and was director of music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Santa Barbara. He then became director of Christian Education at Zion Lutheran Church and School in San Francisco and subsequently held part-time music teaching positions at Adams School in Santa Barbara, El Rancho School in Goleta, and Temple Christian School in Ventura, before taking his current position in 2000.

Zell has also served as an adjunct faculty member of the University of San Diego and the University of Phoenix. He founded and directed the Joyful Note Music Education Foundation, from 1994-2000, which provided after-school music classes to children in more than 20 schools, churches, and community organizations in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. In addition, he taught more than 20 classes and workshops for teachers on using music in the classroom.

Zell stated, “As music teacher for the district, I have the privilege of teaching music to 540 students each week, in 25 classes, spanning nine different grade levels. In the music program that I have developed for the district, every student received music classes once a week….In lower-grade classes, I address state and national standards by utilizing a synthesis of nationally acclaimed, age-specific approaches to music education…emphasizing articulated, sequential development of musical intelligence using music, movement, and play as an integral way of developing a child’s natural musical abilities. In addition, these approaches sponsor creativity, enhance verbal communication improve listening skills, and reinforce positive social interaction.”

He added, “I consider myself fortunate to be in a position of nurturing the gift of music in children. Often in teaching music, however, I am reminded that it is I who receive the greater gift. I can’t tell you the number of times that a child will return to my classroom after the rest of the class has gone, and peek their head through the door and say ‘Thank you for teaching us music, Mr. Zell.’ Somehow, the day is always brighter when that occurs.”

Zell’s nomination will next be reviewed for consideration as California Teacher of the Year in the fall. The California winner will then proceed into consideration for 2007 National Teacher of the Year.

As Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year, Zell will be available to speak countywide, and can be reached at the Buellton Union School District at 688-4222, or at the County Education Office, by calling Louise Fisher at 964-4711, ext. 5281. He is an outstanding spokesperson for public education in our county and we congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.