Gricelda Calderon received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Teaching Credential from Sonoma State University. Gricelda was a member of the Sonoma State University Symphony for 4 years where she played the violin. She also was a member of Sonoma State Concert Band, Symphonic Choir, and other ensembles.
Gricelda has experience working with multiple El-Sistema based programs like Enriching Lives Through Music, Simply Strings, and The Luther Burbank Center For the Arts. Enriching Lives Through Music provides music education for students in underserved neighborhoods in San Rafael, California. Gricelda worked with a wide array of students from different socioeconomic classes, ages, and learning abilities. Her fluency in both Spanish and English allowed her to connect with the families of students involved in this program. She will continue working with Enriching Lives Through Music as their musicianship teacher during the 2018-2019 school year. As a student at Sonoma State, Gricelda was employed by the Santa Rosa Symphony’s Simply Strings program. In that capacity, part of her responsibilities included co-teaching a pre-orchestra class to 22 second grade students, organizing concerts, and collaborating with other educators. As the lead teacher for the trumpet section at a Mariachi camp offered by the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, she gained experience teaching music of alternative styles. Her lessons ensured that students in grades four through eleven were able to interpret and perform music in the true Mariachi style.
While student teaching in the well-regarded Dixie School District, Gricelda worked with students in grades three through eight. At the district’s three elementary schools, she taught beginning orchestra classes consisting of 35 to 40 fourth grade students. This experience gave her the opportunity to hone instruction and classroom management skills.
At the middle school level, She was responsible for planning for and instructing the sixth grade orchestra. Her lessons adhered to current Common Core and state and national music education standards. Gricelda conducted her students at a performance at an adjudicated festival and several concerts throughout the year.
Gricelda's experiences in a variety of education settings have taught her about different learning styles, pedagogy, and communication needed in order to successfully lead a class. Training in Restorative Justice Practices allow her to create a welcoming and inclusive classroom culture resulting in the highest level of participation, love, and motivation to push students towards success.
When Gricelda is not teaching, she enjoys traveling, photography, exploring new places, and eating Chinese food.
This is Gricelda's first year at Ross Valley School District.
