Shantih Journal 3.1 | Page 88

Interview with Noah Karvelis

David White : Usually , our interviews are with writers and poets , but for this go around , since our issue focuses primarily on politics and social justice , we decided to speak with you because of your efforts with the RedForEd Movement , which — for those unfamiliar with it — seeks to better fund public education in Arizona . But before spearheading this movement , you decided to go into the field of education . What led you to become a teacher ?
Noah Karvelis : A desire to impact and benefit my community and work with young students .
DW : And how long have you been teaching ?
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NK : Two years
DW : How would you describe your own experiences of teaching in Arizona ?
NK : It has been incredible . The students and the community are fantastic . Of course , it does come with many challenges .
DW : Why teach music ?
NK : Music has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember . I can ’ t imagine teaching anything else at this point . My approach to teaching music focuses on creativity . Students in our class work to create their own songs and learn various styles , mainly popular styles , of music .
DW : In your own experiences , how does arts education , with that emphasis on creativity you ’ re talking about , affect your students ?
NK : It opens up new ways of engagement and expression . For many students , it also provides a space for them to exist in individual , authentic ways . The power of the arts and arts education is difficult to overstate .
DW : And how does teaching music speak to your passion ?