Guitars in the Classroom (GITC)

Guitars & Ukes in the Classroom is a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to bringing musical learning to students in public schools by training and equipping their teachers and helpers to sing, play guitar and ukulele, and to compose and teach songs to help students learn all subjects. Many GITC educators also teach their students to play ukulele as part of the regular school day! They incorporate creative, collaborative student songwriting with academic and Social Emotional Learning to deepen students' connection to what they are learning. For 22 years we have provided these services for free, removing all financial barriers to becoming musical. 

Starting in 2020, GITC expanded its reach by adding online learning for teachers anywhere in the U.S.  Our local teachers get to learn with teachers in diverse communities, becoming part of a deeply connected, inspiring community of teachers who care enought to learn to bring music to their students.  In addition to our educator training, GITC works locally in Title 1 and other classrooms with our most highly engaged teachers, supporting them to build confidence and music leadership skills with their students in grades Tk-5 through teaching artist classroom residencies.  

In 2021, we added direct services for students to our work, launching after school music clubs for Tk-12 students with Level Up San Diego. 

GITC is also pioneering a new field in music education for full inclusion of students with medical, physical, psychological and behavioral support needs who are served in Special Education or in Home Hospital Transitions Support programs. In San Diego, these services reach children county-wide!  Our work in adaptive music is partially supported by the Kennedy Center's Office of Very Special Arts. We partner with local music therapy providers Resounding Joy and the Music Therapy Center of California to provide top notch training.

GITC is an official Arts Partner with San Diego Unified School District, reaching teachers, staff and kids in 161 different schools in this large district, and in dozens of schools from Chula Vista in the South, Poway, San Marcos and Vista in the East, and Oceanside in the North, and in all districts in between.

Equipping teachers and classrooms is a big part of our equation, helping educators and schools access instruments at low or no cost. Our musical instrument and accessories sponsors help make this possible, and we are so grateful to the NAMM Foundation, and the Nordson Foundation, both based in Carlsbad, and to the Qualcomm Foundation for awarding GITC programmatic grants over the past many years. Needs are so great for music in public schools, particularly in the primary grades, and many hands are making this possible. It is our joy and reason for being to inspire and empower adults working in education to make music a part of every student's school day. We invite you to learn more, spread the word, register, or join us to volunteering in San Diego at guitarsintheclassroom.org.