Fernway and Onaway music teacher Karmi James is a bit of a Renaissance woman when it comes to her interests outside of school. She's a mountain biker, rock climber, former organic farmer, professional musician, and global traveler who also just happens to be building her own wooden kayak.
Ms. James' teaching friends joke that she accomplishes more in one summer than they do in a lifetime---for example, last summer Ms. James traveled to Romania, where she competed in a "really cool and terrifying" 100-mile mountain bike race, went backpacking and went rock climbing up a 500-foot canyon. But the best part about James is that she doesn't keep her adventurous spirit and her passion for music, movement and travel to herself: she shares it every day with her students.
Three years ago, she collaborated with Onaway librarian Dawn Rivers and Physical Education teacher Sally Davros—both of whom enjoy travel—to start a third-grade multicultural performance. The annual evening of music, song and dance from around the world is the culmination of coordinated work among the three teachers. Rivers finds books for the students, Davros choreographs the dances and James handles the music.
“In Shaker, more so than anywhere I’ve taught, there’s this great collaboration. Everyone who works here is really talented, so when I can collaborate with the classroom teachers, it makes the learning for the kids that much better,” she says. “For the kids, it’s not like these specials classes are separate entities anymore. They’re all connected.”
At Fernway, Ms. James also leads the El Sistema violin program for students in grades 3 and 4. El Sistema, also at Lomond, is a program committed to inspiring social change through music and changing lives through the arts.
Before landing in Shaker five years ago, Ms. James attended Firestone High School in Akron, where in addition to participating in the IB Diploma Programme, she also participated in a program called Amigos, spending a summer in a rural Brazilian community building latrines, teaching children about basic hygiene, installing cement floors and other types of community service. “The programs really prepared me for the world beyond and gave me a broader perspective,” she says.
She is a graduate Kent State, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in musical education and performance. Ms. James also holds a master’s in gifted education from Cleveland State University.
“I love the support the District shows for the arts,” Ms. James says. “And it’s so good to know that at the elementary level, we’re building this foundation for the middle school and high school music experience. It’s really neat to see.”