Energy, love of music draw Mayfield to Iola

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August 25, 2016 - 12:00 AM

A gaggle of kindergartners entered McKinley Elementary School Wednesday morning, not sure of what to expect, but excited nonetheless.
They weren’t the only ones.
Teacher Karly Mayfield is a newcomer herself.
Fresh out of college, Mayfield, 23, is teaching music at McKinley and Jefferson schools for pupils in kindergarten through second grade.
“It was kind of comforting for me to remember the kids were just as nervous, if not more, than I was,” on their first day of school, Mayfield said.

THE PLATTE City, Mo., native grew up with her sights on a different career — journalism — in mind.
But as she grew older, so did her passion for music.
“I grew up playing the piano and singing a lot,” she said. “I just really loved music.”
She graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., in May.
She applied for teaching jobs primarily in the Kansas City area, but soon heard from her grandmother, Iola native Nancy McBride, about a teaching position within USD 257.
She had one other local tie. Mayfield’s great-grandmother, Helen Shaffer, was a long-time second grade and art instructor in Iola.
“I was familiar with the area, and I like smaller towns, and so I applied and got the job,” Mayfield said.
Teaching young students was Mayfield’s goal all along.
“Younger students are just excited for everything to do with music,” she said. “They love hitting all sorts of instruments, and they love singing as loud as they can, and not feel ashamed. They don’t have as many filters.
“I feed off of their energy,” she said.
Mayfield hopes to continue the legacy instilled by Iola’s other elementary music instructor, Karen Jesseph, who helped organize the Reba E. Davis Drumming Circle here, a group of youngsters specializing in a wide array of percussion performances.
“I went to a world drumming workshop with Karen, and I just loved it,” she said. “I got to observe her in the classroom and thought it was very cool. I really like Karen’s teaching style.” Jesseph is teaching at Lincoln Elementary and Iola Middle School.
Mayfield said Jesseph’s teaching style fits perfectly within Mayfield’s curriculum, which has two primary points of emphasis: Working on steady beats and vocal music development.

MAYFIELD already appreciates the support she’s received from throughout the district, from Jesseph, her administrators and others within the school system.
“As soon as I got here, I saw we have a ton of instruments in storage,” she said, “a lot more here than in many places. I feel a lot of support here.”

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