JJ Jordan is available to teach students with diverse learning and behavioral needs, providing an inclusive learning experience for the study and exploration of music.

When I was in 5th grade, my mom came home with a flyer for the Elementary Strings program in my hometown and declared: “You don’t do enough after school right now! You should join this class!” This did not come out of nowhere, because I absolutely loved music. I’d sing my heart out at karaoke, dance Zumba with my mom’s friends, and dream about being a famous pop star. To a stubborn nine-year-old me, though, I didn’t feel like hearing my mom out. I bickered and bickered with her until I conceded with the statement: “Fine. But if I don’t like it, I’m going to quit after a month.”

Several years later, and with two degrees in music (surprise, I didn’t end up quitting), I often think about this moment and the domino effect it had on my life. In every musician’s journey, there are points in time that spark and reignite our passion: the first moments of wonder with a new instrument, the feeling of finally nailing down that tricky passage, watching a particularly impressive busker on the street, or finally performing a piece with friends that took months to master. As an educator, my job is obviously to teach, but more importantly as a music educator, I believe my job is to cultivate a lifelong love of music, in whatever form that may take for the students I work with.

With my students, I am there to help find those moments of spark, but also to work through those moments of reluctance. I encourage my students to look for music in every part of their lives, to be curious, to try new things, to stay determined in times of frustration, and to ultimately have fun! There is so much to discover when it comes to music, so let’s get to discovering!

  • Bachelor of Music in Performance (Primary Violin, Secondary Piano) – Gettysburg College (Gettysburg, PA)
  • Master of Music in Music Education – Longy School of Music (Cambridge, MA)
  • Strings Educator at Watertown Public Schools
  • Previous work at Watertown Public Schools, 6-8 General Music
  • Previous work at Cambridge Public Schools, PreK Music and K-2 Music for students with ASD
  • Practicum at Watertown Public Schools, 4-12 Strings Education and PreK General Music
  • Learn more at https://jmjordan.weebly.com