Stefanie Sagaro has been teaching music to middle schoolers and high schoolers for 11 years and has had the pleasure of serving multiple terms as the president of the Dade County Music Educators Association.

Stefanie Sagaro, Music Will Teacher at the Academy of International Education Charter (AIE) School in Miami.
Before discovering Music Will, Stefanie already had a thriving music program she had built at the Academy of International Education Charter (AIE) School in Miami and was happy with the direction of her teaching. However, her friend and fellow music educator, Vivian Gonzalez, suggested that she attend Music Will’s Modern Band workshop. She went into the professional development training with little to no expectations but left inspired. It ended up aligning perfectly with the Orff Schulwerk training she was actively implementing but with the added benefit of providing her students more ownership through a repertoire that they could choose and instantly connect with.
Today, her program has a huge emphasis on composing original music, which she believes is important for any musician to practice. During the first half of each school year, she allows her students to do a lot of arranging of existing pieces and they use what they learn from that to write their own music during the second half of the year. One of her most proud moments is seeing how her students contribute to the world of music through the stories they tell.
“I have a student who has found a huge part of her identity through music. She has made social connections and has grown to believe in herself tremendously. After a recent performance, we were speaking in private and she said, ‘I did it! And if I can do that then I know I can do anything. Nothing is too hard for me.’”
Stefanie believes that teaching is one of the most honorable and noble professions one can have. She thanks her friend, Kristy Pagan, a music educator and Curriculum Support Specialist who helped her and countless other teachers realize their goals and potential.
“I get to teach and work with the most important members of our society: children. To top that off, I get to teach music of all things. Music represents what makes us human. It speaks to who we are culturally and generationally. I am so lucky to be a part of the music education community.”