Marina Zonova
Music Teacher
Marina Vitalyevna Zonova graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical University (MSPU), Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology, with a degree in Preschool Education Administration and Methodology. She has 25 years of experience working with children. She has worked as a music director at a preschool, a music teacher at a school, an assistant director at a children's wellness camp, and a preschool educator in Ellicott City, Maryland.
"My work with children rests on three principles: respect, mutual trust, and play. I always strive to hear each child, to understand their aspirations and abilities. My main goal is to find ways of organizing learning activities where every child feels free, uninhibited, and confident. I firmly believe that learning benefits a child only when it brings real joy and discovery, and helps them believe in themselves and their dreams. I have a passion for folklore, and I believe the songs, dances, fairy tales, jokes, riddles, and proverbs handed down by our ancestors are a wonderful resource in my work. Music lessons based on Orff pedagogy are another engaging activity for children — through these lessons, a child is immersed in an atmosphere of creativity and collaboration. Rhythm, movement, words, and play are the core building blocks of these lessons, through which children gain experience playing musical instruments (both solo and in an ensemble), learn many games, songs, and dances, and come to enjoy music and creative interaction with one another."