Elementary schools around the country are pulling back on music education, but luckily there are still some amazing teachers and volunteers out there who know how important music is.
Malinda Williams is an extraordinary teacher at Baldwin Hills Elementary School in Los Angeles. As you can see on her Facebook page, she’s also a pretty big fan of the Motown classics, and it broke this teacher’s heart to think that future generations are listening to songs like “Watch Me Whip/Nae Nae,” when there is so much more out there to experience.
That’s when Williams, who teaches 3rd, 4th and 5th grade at the elementary school, decided to take her students back to the glory days when artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and of course The Jackson 5 ruled the music scene. In a musical revue called “The Sounds of Motown,” Williams students took on a bunch of favorites from the Motown era, but one video has been getting a lot of extra attention since the teacher posted it on Facebook.
The following video of some of Williams’ students dancing to “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5 has gone viral practically overnight. Williams wrote on Facebook that she feels blessed to be teaching kids to dance, many who have never had such an opportunity before. “After seeing the response I’ve gotten over these past few days, I realize that God has given me something special. “Thank you, Lord.”….This is a labor of love. Emphasis on the word labor, but a heavier emphasis on the word LOVE! I LOVE CHILDREN, I LOVE TO TEACH, I LOVE TO DANCE, I LOVE OLD SCHOOL MUSIC!”
Please help say thank you to this amazing teacher — SHARE her video on your Facebook page!