Donna Zarrabi started teaching private and group piano lessons in 2014. She spent many years teaching the same students and creating meaningful connections with them. She loved seeing her students' musical growth over the years and alongside music directing her high school's A cappella group, it inspired her to pursue music education.

 

During her time at Crane, she created engaging lessons for her practicum classes including:

K-12 Choir, Potsdam Choral Practicum

2-4 General Music, Potsdam Elementary Practicum

Voice Instructor of collegiate students, The Crane School of Music

Elementary Piano Pedagogy Instructor, The Crane School of Music

9-10 Self-Contained Class, Potsdam High School

11-12 Self-Contained Class, Potsdam High School

She also conducted the Crane ACDA Lab Choir performance at the Crane Convocation in 2021. ​

​

Donna Zarrabi student taught in Fall 2022 at the Northport-East Northport UFSD. She spent 16 weeks teaching grades K-4 elementary music and chorus at Ocean Avenue Elementary School, and grades 5-8 at Northport Middle School. In her elementary placement, she practiced various teaching methodologies including Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, Suzuki, Gordon, World Music pedagogy, and Conversational Solfège. She taught and conducted the fourth grade chorus and was able to participate in their holiday caroling after her student teaching was completed.

​

For her Secondary placement, she taught 5-8th grade general music and chorus. She helped teach chorus rehearsals, lessons, held auditions, and created her own ukulele curriculum for the students. She created a ukulele composition project where the students had to use musical form, body percussion, and digital software to create their own songs. This was a great opportunity for her to create her first unit plan and to experience general music in the upper elementary and middle school grades. She also observed the other music teachers in the building to expand her knowledge of different teaching styles.

 

She was an active member of the Northport community, attended school events, and participated in SCMEA events during the year. Although she was only scheduled to teach 8 weeks of her elementary placement and 8 weeks of her secondary placement, she visited both schools for the entirety of her student teaching. She was able to start the school year with both schools, and was able to conduct both the elementary and middle school choirs, as well as help with the elementary musical before school. After student teaching, she started substitute teaching at Ocean Avenue Elementary School and helped fill in for a music leave replacement for the remainder of her winter break before returning to Crane for her final semester. 

​

Donna Zarrabi was the Assistant Junior Chorus Teacher at USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts in Summer 2023. She helped run ensemble rehearsals, collaborated with the choral director, and also helped substitute piano classes. 

 

In Fall 2023, Donna Zarrabi started teaching K-1 and 5-6 general music and chorus at Lloyd Harbor Elementary School and Goosehill Primary School in the Cold Spring Harbor Central School District. During her time at Cold Spring Harbor, she led the Harbortones select choir and was the Musical Theatre Director for the Into the Wood Jr. musical at West Side Elementary School. As Harbortones Director, she brought her choir to the Music in the Parks festival at Dorney Park, where the group received first place for Elementary Mixed Choir and the Esprit De Corps Award. She continued to involve herself in the district and music directed the annual 3rd grade talent show. During this year, she helped prepare her students for various performances such as Halloween parades, holiday performances, the kindergarten 100th day of school concert, chorus concerts, NYSSMA festivals, All County performances, and helped conduct and organize graduation ceremonies.

​

In Summer 2024, Donna Zarrabi started teaching at Jericho Union Free School District by leading the Chorus ensemble and assisting the Musical Theater ensemble for the district-wide Summer Music Program. She collaborated with the music faculty to add instrumental performers to the chorus performance. At the end of the Summer Music Festival, she conducted the all of the Summer Music students for a Musical Theater showcase. In Fall 2024, she started teaching K-5 general music and chorus at Cantiague Elementary School at the Jericho Union Free School District. Throughout her time teaching at Jericho, she has participated in many community and district events, chaperoned for music events, and has been the Vocal Director for the Jericho High School's musical, High School Musical on Stage. She has helped prepare her students for various events such as the PEAK festival, All County festival, and NYSSMA. As the year progresses, she enjoys building connections with her students and school's faculty. Most recently, she has been a Co-Chairperson for the Nassau Music Educators Association All County Division 1 East Chorus. This has given her an opportunity to be more involved in her music community, help lead all county rehearsals, and teach students from around Nassau county.