This week’s Welcome To Sanford Teacher of the Week is Keith Davis, the music teacher at Deep River Elementary School. In addition to being a renowned area performer in his own right, Mr. Davis has been a teacher in public schools for over two decades. He has also taught private guitar lessons at Buchanan’s Music in Sanford for more than 20 years.
Mr. Davis traces his passion for music all the back to his formative years at Jonesboro Methodist Church. As a youth, he recalls, “When I was a teenager I got a CD player and would stay in my room for hours listening to my favorite CDs.” Keith bought his first guitar when he was 14 years old and began taking guitar lessons. Then, it was on to high school, college, music classes and performing with area bands in the years that followed. In that time, in addition to the guitar, Mr. Davis has mastered the piano, recorder, bass, banjo, mandolin and dobro.
Mr. Davis brings the same enthusiasm and appreciation for musical diversity to his classrooms. In one notable career accomplishment, Mr. Davis’ class won a $5000 award for new instruments in a commercial jingle contest. This year, he observes, “We will play instruments like the xylophones and hand drums. 3rd, 4th and 5th grade will enjoy time on the recorders as well as ukuleles. The River Tones will do several performances throughout the year, along with 1st grade doing a performance called, Flakes. 2nd grade will be doing a musical called, Swamped.”
Like many educators in our community, Mr. Davis has been able to bring enjoyment to others, both by the work he does, and by the teaching he shares.
