The Central Kitsap High School music program has a new face in the building. Western Washington University student Melaku Akalwold has been a student teacher under CKHS Band Director Michael Woods since the beginning of the school year. While Akalwold has been at the conductor’s stand, he’s been learning things like how to conduct, teaching technique, and communicating with players.
Student teaching is usually the first step in becoming a teacher in any field, as it provides a good way for future teachers to see how a classroom should operate from a teacher’s perspective. This also gives new teachers the opportunity to gain essential skills, experience, and knowledge about interacting with students.
“My favorite part is the students,” Akalwold said. “I am really lucky to show up every day to students who really want to be in class and really want to play in a way that’s really impressive and really inspiring.”
Having Akalwold around has really had a positive impact on the students learning their instruments. When Akalwold conducts the class, he gives Woods the opportunity to work one-on-one with students, something he couldn’t do prior to Akalwold being in the class.
“It really gives Mr. Woods a lot more free time to go through and help people individually, because Mr. Akalwold can still be at the top and direct us as a whole while he works with people separately,” Junior Drum Major Lexie Durban said. “So I think it’s really making each individual’s experience in band a lot better and a lot more in depth, learning about music and our instruments and how we fit together.”
Since Akalwold’s time at CK, Woods has taught him beneficial skills preparing him for his future career in the music industry. However, it has also been reciprocally beneficial to Woods, as he gets an extra set of hands. Akalwold also works hard to help out when he can around the classroom.
“He’s been very helpful when it comes to things like technology,” Woods said. “[Akalwold] also helps me keep up with day-to-day work that you have to do as a teacher.”
The process of Akalwold coming to Central Kitsap was quite simple. Woods and Akalwold met at the end of last year after Woods took a survey saying he was open to having a student teacher. Akalwold was highly regarded by his music director at WWU and was suggested to go to CKHS.
Akalwold quickly settled into his role as a student teacher and has been on course ever since. His last official day of being a student teacher is Dec. 20, and students are excited to see where he takes his music career.
“Most days, he’s here before I am, and you don’t see that a lot in this generation,” Woods said. “He has that attitude, and I think because he has that attitude, he will be just fine as a teacher.”
