“Everyday I make music with students!” Jessica Blood ’09, former member of the Shenandoah Chorus, Conservatory Choir and the Chamber Choir, is an elementary general music teacher and choral director in Frederick County (MD) Public Schools.
Blood chose Shenandoah Conservatory for its reputation and intimate classroom size. She loved the small classes that allowed her to form relationships with her peers and professors, the education classes that gave her perspective as an educator and the ensembles that challenged her as a musician. Blood also loved that she had the opportunity to tour France with the Conservatory and Chamber Choirs. But most of all, she loved being completely immersed in music during her time at Shenandoah.
For her student teaching, Shenandoah placed Blood with two amazing educators to guide her through becoming an effective teacher. Both educators have continued to act as mentors for Blood throughout her career.
Although it is incredibly fulfilling to see children enjoying themselves while making music, Blood says the most rewarding part of her job comes when she sees her students successfully grasp a concept they had struggled to learn.
Blood watches the love of music grow in her students. Her advice to music education students: “Enjoy every moment you have making music with your students! Being a music educator is a challenging job, but it is also incredibly rewarding.”