‘It’s always a good time!’ Meet the Gifford music teacher creating a unique space for students

GIFFORD, Ill. (WCIA) — Whether you play an instrument or not, you probably remember the days of elementary music class. Learning the classic “hot cross buns” on the recorder or singing a catchy tune could’ve filled the room.

That’s the reality for Cathy Dunafin every day at Gifford Grade School. She’s been a teacher for 27 years, always striving to create an open and playful space for student growth each day. It’s a job she has always dreamed of.

“Music has just been so ingrained since I was born,” Dunafin said. “It’s been forever, it’s just a part of me.”

Now, she’s passing that passion to the next generation of students in Champaign County.

“When we’re making music, it’s not just about the music, it’s about who they are as children and who they’re going to become as adults,” Dunafin described.

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Teamwork is a big part of creating a musical masterpiece. Two of her seventh graders notice that each day.

“When you put in all the work for a difficult song, it’s cool to see how they come together,” Rylan Fiedler said.

One of his classmates, Mazie Nugent, agrees.

“No matter if you make mistakes or anything, you can always fix them. It’s not that hard to fix them,” she said.

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When it comes to the younger students, like Dunafin’s fourth graders, they like simple singing and dancing.

No matter what, she always aims to make each day a little different between grade levels. That uniqueness, and watching the students grow, are two of her favorite parts of the job.

“It just gives them joy, she said. “I hope 30 years from now that part of them will continue. Just like how I learned music from my mom, I hope that they continue to sing someday to their children when they have children.”

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