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"When they start orchestra in fifth grade, it gives them a whole year to learn how to read music, learn how to do rhythms, learn how to make music with a group of people, not just you by yourself," Sally Pool tells the Odessa American.
That's why the Ector County Independent School District in Texas is bringing back fifth-grade strings.
Previously, every middle school director and an itinerant instructor were assigned to teach at five days a week, but the elementaries didn't get that instruction, so the district decided to bring back fifth-grade strings.
Pool is the only itinerant instructor, but all the middle school directors have schools of their own and both high schools.
Middle and high school directors are going to the elementary schools to teach fifth-graders strings.
"When they start orchestra in fifth grade, it gives them a whole year to learn how to read music, learn how to do rhythms, learn how to make music with a group of people, not just you by yourself," Pool says.
That prepares them to go to a middle orchestra, band, or choir.
"It just makes it a lot better experience and they tend to do better grade-wise," says Riley.
The plan was to implement it over three years, but
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