Maya McFadden Photos
Ellen Maust reads aloud to Mauro Sheridan second-grade class.
In a second-grade classroom at Mauro-Sheridan Interdistrict Magnet School students danced along to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” after learning about the “Queen of Soul.”
That happened on Friday as school district Supervisor of Performing and Visual Arts Ellen Maust visited Mauro-Sheridan to kick off both women’s history month and “Music In Our Schools” month.
Maust read aloud the book “A Voice Named Aretha” to a dozen students in Tyler Genece’s second-grade class.
At the end of this academic year Maust plans to retire after 44 years of service in New Haven’s public schools. She spent 29 years of those years as a music teacher and 15 years as the director of the music and performing arts department.
“I’m not retiring from coming here to read, though. Never,” Maust said.
When the books pages depicted images of a vinyl record, some students initially mistook it for a donut.
The book described Aretha Franklin’s “uncanny talent for music” and how singing brought her joy.
“How many of you feel joyful when you sing or hear music?” Maust asked. The entire class raised their hands.
They spoke about how Franklin’s career took off while the whole country was “having beef” as said one student, meaning the civil rights movement was fighting racism and segregation.
The book noted that Franklin refused to perform for whites-only shows, required to be paid before every performance, and used her performance money to support civil rights groups. Students said that it wasn’t fair that African Americans could perform at white-only music halls but could not attend shows.
The students looked in awe at the book’s images and at a video of a live performance of “Respect” by Franklin, who wore a shimmery elegant gown and fur coat as she sang.
“Who wants respect from everybody like Aretha?” Maust asked. All of the students again raised their hands.
One student noted that Franklin should have been on America’s Got Talent.
Maust said Friday’s visit was all about teaching youth about the importance of history and American culture. “I like to come with a message and not just a book,” she said.
She added that music and the arts “make us better people” through self-expression and “receiving and sharing messages.”
School Support Specialist Sean Hardy and Dean of Students Cedric Robinson arranged the visit to encourage the students to celebrate music through literacy and bridge the gap between the community and schools. They agreed the goal is to make students culturally literate, better humans through the arts, and to help find their voice — even if they don’t sing like Aretha Franklin.
Second-graders watch Aretha Franklin preform "Respect" for first time.
Second-grade class with Maust, Hardy, and Genece.