Jason Malli Wins National Teaching Grant

Days before music technology teacher Jason Malli was awarded a prestigious national grant for his Adams Middle School classes, he learned his program was on the school budget chopping block. Unfortunately, on Feb. 1, the ax fell.

Now, with the remainder of this school year to put the grant into play, Jason (set to teach a different subject next year) is busy composing the closing notes to a remarkable, six-year educational experience for both teacher and students.

The Courier met Jason the morning after the Board of Education approved cutting Adam's music technology classes, saving approximately $45,000. Currently, Jason is teaching 18 sections, grades 7 and 8. The Courier's Feb. 2 interview was confirmed in January, shortly after Jason was named one of eight teachers nationally (and the state's only) to earn a Technology Institute for Music Educators (TIME) grant.

Because it would be impossible to ignore the news of the budget cut, Jason gave the following statement:

"I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate need for the district to eliminate the music technology program to meet budgetary challenges at this time. I will continue to be an advocate for the importance of music composition experiences for students and hope that one day the program can be revived. Until then, I am happy to be a teacher in Guilford Schools and will continue to work in any assigned position to the best of my ability."

That ability includes Jason's dual certification as both a music technology and math teacher. A composer when he's not in the classroom, Jason taught math at Baldwin Middle School for three years before learning of a new program, music technology, at Adams.

"The second I saw the posting, I put my name in for it," he says.

The first teacher to fill the post, Jason stands in his music technology lab today and recalls, "I came into an empty classroom. The first few months, there wasn't any technology. We started with a world drumming program. We borrowed instruments from the band."

Jason's original vision for his lab was "that every student that came in here would compose their own original music, with technology as a creative tool."

Most kids go through a general music class in school and many develop a passion for an instrument or vocalizing; in Guilford, excellent classes support them. But, through music technology, Jason's classes throw a bridge into the music world for all students.

"Students here are composing works they feel wonderful about. They're immensely proud of their creations," he says.

Their work also stretches across disciplines, strengthening the learning experience, Jason found. About three years ago, he signed on with a state-wide common assessment pilot project with other music teachers to show the importance of original music composition as a learning experience for middle school students. At the end of this school year, those assessment data become benchmarks for national models for middle school music programs.

"Music composition's an incredible opportunity for young minds that can touch every other academic area and has shown that, for some students who struggle [in other subjects], it can help them can find their way," he says.

Jason's music technology classes are always filled to the maximum, with kids using 10 computer stations and one of two music notation software programs, Finale and Syllabus.

"Real composers use these programs. Students open a blank document, choose instruments they want to compose for, and begin putting notes in. Their challenge is how to turn notes into music. They're problem-solving…listening to each note, making decisions."

As for the grant, kicking in this month, "It's giving us five new seats for Syllabus, so every student will be using the same program," says Jason, adding, "It's also going to be paying for a very new thing in music, a web-based notation program, Note Flight. Kids will be able to log in from anywhere," including from home or a study hall.

And it's not only available to his students, Jason says.

"The grant pays for a class subscription and that will allow me to give the account not only to each music technology student, but to every student at Adams for a year. I'm thrilled the grant is providing something for my colleagues' students, as well as my own."