July 26, 2010

James Goodwin’s , Instrumental Wind Instructor

 Born and raised near Detroit, Michigan, I began to attend Eastern Michigan University towards the end of the Vietnam War.  I then enlisted in the Army Band Program and played in Army bands in Maryland and Germany.  I then went back to EMU and received my Bachelor of Music Education Degree.  After teaching in Michigan, and later the Department of Defense Dependents Schools in Germany, I came to Iowa and taught at a Christian School in Des Moines for 14 years.  I received a Masters Degree in Music Education from Drake University.  In 1998 I began teaching for Des Moines Public Schools.  Presently I also direct the 34^th Army Band, Iowa Army National Guard, and the Iowa Military Veterans Band.  I have been teaching at Pleasant Hill Elementary since 2002 along with five other Des Moines Schools.  Hobbies include music composition and model railroading.  I thoroughly enjoy working with the students at Pleasant Hill and try to instill in them a love of music.