About The Teacher

James Frisque is beginning his 25th year in music education. A Janesville, 
WI native, he graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1985. He was a long-term 
substitute choral director for his alma mater, Janesville Parker Senior 
High,in the spring of 1986 prior to moving to Phoenix, AZ in the fall. He 
taught General/Vocal Music with grades K-6 in the Washington School 
District, Glendale, AZ from 1986-1995. The opportunity arose in 1995 to 
return "home" to Wisconsin where he accepted the position as a music teacher 
at both Maywood and Cottage Grove Schools. Since 1997, he has taught solely 
at Cottage Grove School in grades 3-5. He is a member of both the American 
Orff-Schulwerk Society and Music Educators National Conference. He has 
published research in the Journal of Music Education on mainstreaming 
students with special needs into the music classroom. He presented his 
findings at both the AZ state music convention and at the national music 
convention in Cincinnati,OH. Mr. Frisque has recently completed
his Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and graduated in May, 
2008 from National Louis University. He is married to Donna and has three sons, Chris, Matt and Michael.

Mission For The Class

Musical enjoyment should be a life-long pursuit. Whether as a performer or 
consumer of music, music has the power to enlighten us, inspire us, and 
connect us with our fellow human beings. It is my goal to move my students 
to the possibilities available through musical participation and 
understanding. 

Students are actively engaged in singing, moving, composing, playing 
instruments and listening to music in a variety of styles and from a variety 
of cultures. The Orff aproach to teaching music encompasses all of the above 
by engaging children's creativity and thought processes. This child-centered 
method uses bell sets, recorders and small percussion as tools to accompany 
singing and dancing in classroom activities and performance as well as aids 
for children to write their own music. In addition, students are engaged in 
the use of technology with music both in the computer lab using Music Ace 
software and playing electronic keyboards in the new Yamaha Music in Education(MIE)lab.