The rock and roll might be a little quieter when Ballarat Specialist College’s own R ‘n R, music teachers Roland Weatherall and Russell White, retire next week.
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With more than 40 years of service between them they have transformed the school’s music program, and the lives of many of its students.
Their instrumental music program has five rock bands, a choir of almost 100, an ipad band, YouTube clips and a group of ex-students who return to the school once a week after hours to jam.
But it only began 10 years ago when Mr Weatherall, known to all as Roly, instigated the instrumental music program to build on classroom music lessons.
“I told (then principal) John Burt that if we didn’t teach kids music here, then no kids would get lessons and no one would know they could play,” Mr Weatherall said.
A decade on, the walls of the music room are adorned with pictures of students performing at various events.
“These kids now play at the State Schools Spectacular, perform at all of our deb balls, formals, assemblies, in the community and in Melbourne as guests at battle of the bands,” he said.
“What we find is when people see our band perform … they don’t realise they are our kids. People don’t realise kids with disabilities are the same as everyone else if you want to push them.”
Learning an instrument also helps many students, some of who struggle to learn in a normal classroom, to master vital skills.
“We notice a lot of kids who can’t read and write, usually by the time we finish with them after four years they are reading. And kids who can’t remember words usually find within two years their memory becomes really good.”
Mr Weatherall began at Ballarat Specialist School about 25 years ago as a private music teacher, then became a classroom assistant before starting the music program. Mr White, who had been a volunteer at the school since 2002, got involved in the music program as it grew.
“I said to Roly that I’ll retire when he retires. About six months ago he said he was going to retire but I didn’t believe it. I thought … he’d change his mind,” Mr White said.
The pair’s departure doesn’t mean the musical tempo at the school will slow, with a new passionate music teacher already on staff to take the baton.