This week, we’ve brought in a guest speaker, Codi Kreil, to talk about music therapy in the classroom!
A little bit about Codi: Music has always been an integral part of my life. Noticing that I was always tapping out rhythms on things, my parents put in me in year of drum lessons at the age of 8. I immediately was the drummer for our worship band at church, and around the age of 11, I begged to get a guitar. Many would say my guitar was my first love, and it got me through many years of teen angst. I remember sitting down for hours and just letting the sound of the strings dissolve the worries of the day. I began prolifically writing music and songs, and started up my first band in highschool. I also started teaching private guitar and drum lessons to save money for university. As a young adult taking my teaching degree, I simultaneously was working on recording and was able to release two albums during that time. Entering my teaching career, music continued to be an unstoppable force in my life. I taught elementary music and band, but most significantly, used music everyday in my homeroom classroom with children. I noticed the power of music to help them learn, engage creatively and positively impact their emotions. Along side my passion for music was a growing desire to be a counselor and use the arts (and music in particular) towards emotional and spiritual healing. I am now completing a masters in counselling psychology, which will allow me to be a music therapist. I also still play in a band, write music, and teach guitar and voice out of my home. To summarize, music is my life and I want everyone to know how awesome it is.
Find her through Instagram at @codikreil !