Making News

teaching-matters-news US Department of Education “Teaching Matters” Newsletter: “Unleashing The Power of the Music of Hardship”
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EdSource EdSource: “You reach more kids when you use the arts to teach”
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edweek-thumb Education Week, The American Education News Site of Record: “Guitar Hero? No. Musicians: The Kids Like Blues Band”
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kpbs-screen-news KPBS | “Reading and Writing Are A Snap When You’ve Got The Blues”
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ut-san-diego-march San Diego Union Tribune: “Students getting in tune with lessons”
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tech-in-the-arts Technology in the Arts: “Jon Schwartz & The Kids Like Blues Band Program: How technology and music help children learn”
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american-blues-scene American Blues Scene: “Kids Like Blues Are Getting Schooled”
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coast-news The Coast News: “Students learn to sing the blues”
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edutopia-news Edutopia: “Kids Like Blues: Using Music and Technology to Rock Your Classroom
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daily-edventures-news Daily Edventures: Global Innovators in Education by Microsoft’s VP Anthony Salcito | “With Jon Schwartz, Great Advances in Academics Come with a Steady Diet of Music and the Arts”
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cw-logo San Diego 6 TV | “Teacher Uses Music to Make School Fun”
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sandiego-times-news San Diego Union Tribune: “These First Graders Got The Blues”
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blues-blogger-news The Blues Blogger: “Thematic Teaching Using The Blues”
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american-arts-logo Arts Blog USA: “They’ve Got The Blues: The First Grade Blues”
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school-technology-news School Technology Solutions: “1st Graders Blues Band”
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teachhub-news Teach Hub.com: “Learning the Blues | The Kids Like Blues Program”
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art-logo Artists Rallying Together: “An Interview with Mr. Blues”
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Our Goal

Once we’ve used the music as a springboard to teach academic content standards, our goal is to take our work to completion by performing it onstage and recording it together in digital multitrack audio and video editing programs.

The students even learn how to operate programs like iMovie, Photoshop and Garage Band.

iMovie icon Photoshop icon GarageBand-icon

So far our performances have included playing a street fair, for a large audience of staff and students at the Cal State San Marcos College of Education and on local TV news and KPBS TV (watch these performances on our videos page). We're a real band, and we're learning and rocking! We have about ten songs in our repertoire.

For Your Further Interest

Check out these educational links, including Mr. Schwartz's approach to using fishing and hands-on science to motivate and engage students.

Social Connect

We invite you to use the Facebook & Twitter links above to get the very latest on our music and appearances.

Video: Sweet Home Chicago

Kids Like Blues Plays Sweet Home Chicago
Click video still to watch the Kids Like Blues Band music video, "Sweet Home Chicago."

Blues & Thematic Teaching


Click video still to view how our program works and details how we cover specific academic content standards.

In the News

We have been featured by US Dept. of Education, KPBS, and more. Click here to view what all the buzz is about.