Interview with Larrolyn Patterson Parms-Ford, October 30, 2019

Partial Transcript: Last year I taught for about five months and this year I guess three months so I am almost at a year.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford discusses the demographic of her school.

Keywords: Harlem Village Academy East Elementary; charter school; general music; middle class

Partial Transcript: Just all of the things in my life that I've done all have been around music. My mom said I started singing at the age of 2.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford discusses how she connected naturally to music at an early age and how easy it was to teach music concepts to others.

Keywords: Christmas Concert; Sunshine Choir; performance art; tutoring

Partial Transcript: I woke up at five in the morning to get to school. I got there at 6:45-ish. School started at 7 and I was just a wreck.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford describes a first day of class that was full of misunderstandings and how she had to prepare two curriculums because of the uncertainty of what she would need to teach but she still managed to have a successful day. She also describes how she worked around low funding and her discovery of the difference between teaching middle school and elementary.

Keywords: Brooklyn; tech class

Partial Transcript: Yeah. I used to think... that my teachers were like everything. The younger half of me was like, my teachers know everything in the world.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford describes how as time passed she realized just how much teachers don't know but she finds unique ways to increase the knowlede of her students..

Keywords: Musician of the Week

Partial Transcript: I think it started before I got here. I remember when I was in middle school and I would hear my teachers say certain things.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford describes how her education began in middle school where she was exposed to different types of music and how that helped her to decide what types of music she teaches.

Keywords: Handel

Partial Transcript: I think so. There's so many moments where I say this is so hard.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford discusses some of the pros and cons of being a teacher for less than a year. She shares how she finds herself in difficult situations yet finds great moments through her students that keep her motivated.

Keywords: Bob Marley; lack of funds

Partial Transcript: No one tells you how hard its going to be.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford discusses how easy student teaching was in comparison to becoming a teacher of her own class. She also discusses how she knows she has it easier than other teachers.

Keywords: class cart; first year teacher; kid fight; master teachers

Partial Transcript: Anytime my students come back to class and they either overjoyed to talk about the song we did in the last class.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford gives examples of how proud she feels when she can find a way to connect with her students.

Keywords: Naruto; anime; hip hop

Partial Transcript: Because she came in as early as we were. And her mindset was, I'm bringing him into school early so he can't get in trouble and somehow still, he was in a gang.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford gives an example of a student in an unsafe situation and how hard decisions had to be made.

Keywords: failed; gangs; guns; hip-hop; teacher challenge

Partial Transcript: My students. All my students that... students who say I don't know there are black music teachers...

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford describes the hope she feels when she sees the success of her students and how they appreciate the example she sets.She also describes her student's reaction as they learn to appreciate music before their time and how she brought in guest educators to discuss their love for music.

Keywords: Dean; R&B artists; funniest moment; gospel; hip-hop

Partial Transcript: Most of the kids forget that my name is Mrs. Larrolyn and defintely call me mom so I assume, motherly.

Keywords: saxaphone; teacher's pledge; teaching style

Partial Transcript: My eigth grade graders again. Because i was still doing classes over here, I had no self care.

Segment Synopsis: Parms-Ford describes how one of her students found joy even while dealing with a situation that could be seen as difficult and the way his attitude encouraged her.

Keywords: broken toe; destructive; happiness; stairs