AAPS: Thurston Elementary teacher named quarterfinalist for 2022 GRAMMY Award for music educators

Thurston music teacher Yael Rothfeld has been named as a quarterfinalist for the 2022 GRAMMY Award for Music Educators. She is one of 219 music teachers from 204 cities named a quarterfinalist by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.

“I feel very honored to have been nominated for this award, as well as to be able to do what I do in the Ann Arbor Public Schools,” said Rothfeld, who just completed her 18th year at Thurston.  “Our AAPS families and district as a whole are strong supporters of music and the arts.  It was particularly special to receive the nomination this year.  After teaching during this challenging school year, it was definitely an exciting way to end it.

Rothfeld said that except for perhaps her first year of teaching, this past year was the most challenging year of her career.
“I had to figure out creative ways to teach things that in the past I just took for granted,” she said.  “So many things I had to start from scratch.  I learned new programs, new apps, became an expert on Zoom, and spent countless hours every day writing and creating lessons.  I enjoyed being able to teach my students, even if it was fully online.”

She said she looks forward to fall, where she’ll be able to see and interact with students face-to-face and hear the sounds of them working together to create music.

Yael was named an AAPS Exceptional Teacher in 2020.

The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.

A joint partnership and presentation of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2022.

The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher.