Hi! My name is Ben Knoedler and I am the Music Teacher here at St. Mary’s. I teach here on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and at St. Anthony’s in Athens on Monday and Tuesday. I live in and am from Mosinee. I still live in the same house where I grew up.
I graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 1989 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education. This is my eighth year of teaching here at St. Mary’s. I also give about 35 private music lessons per week.
The main projects that I have pertaining to school are, of course, concerts. Those concerts are in December (the Christmas Concert) and in spring.
A important part of my mission is to see to it that every student that goes through 8 or 9 years of schooling at St. Mary’s be musically literate. If they should be literate in the ordinary sense of reading and writing, why shouldn’t they also be musically literate, at least on a basic and fundamental level? Most people don’t understand that music is one of many subjects taught in schools because if it is taught correctly, that teaching will raise the potential for students to learn in other subject areas, including math, science, and language arts.
If anyone ever wants to come and talk to me about my philosophies and approach to teaching music they should do so. I am always eager to share with others my approach and how I use my abilities to foster growth and development in all of my students.