Making Music Together Online: How MODA’s Recorder Club Builds Confidence and Community

Can meaningful connections really happen through a screen? For many families considering virtual learning, that question comes first. Online school is often imagined as students working quietly behind laptops, but classrooms across virtual schools are proving that community, creativity, and collaboration can thrive online in powerful ways.

Dawn Firak, a music teacher at Missouri Digital Academy (MODA), is helping show what engaging, hands-on learning can look like in a virtual classroom. Through interactive lessons and her growing Recorder Club, students are not just learning notes and rhythms. They are building confidence and connecting with peers in real time.

Dawn’s teaching journey began in traditional brick-and-mortar schools, where she taught middle school choir, elementary music, and ran her own private studio. When classrooms moved online during the pandemic, she discovered something unexpected.

“I loved working online with the kids,” she says. “The connection was actually there.”

Rather than limiting interaction, the virtual classroom opened new opportunities for students to participate, collaborate, and share their creativity.

One of Dawn’s proudest accomplishments is MODA’s Recorder Club, a lively, student-driven space where kids show up excited to play, experiment, and support one another. The club also gives students a chance to continue exploring music beyond the regular class schedule.

When Dawn realized students did not receive instruments in their supply kits, she worked with school leaders to find an option that was affordable and accessible. The solution was the recorder, and the response was immediate. Nearly 30 students signed up, eager to learn an instrument together.

The club meets twice a month, and each session keeps students actively involved. Students watch clips of professional musicians, review techniques from previous meetings, and practice songs together before learning something new.

Dawn also incorporates music students already love, including songs from Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons, and Frozen. By connecting familiar music with the recorder, students begin to see how even a simple instrument can bring their favorite songs to life.

Each meeting ends with an open mic where students can perform something they are practicing or still learning. It is often the highlight of the session. Students unmute, take a brave step, and perform while classmates fill the chat with encouragement. The result is a supportive environment where students grow together and celebrate each other’s progress.

Last fall, Dawn helped organize a virtual recorder recital where students recorded individual performances that she later compiled into a single video. Ten students participated, and the final recital became a proud moment for the entire school community.

Families watched, teachers shared it, and students were excited to be part of something bigger than themselves. Moments like these show that meaningful, collaborative experiences can happen in virtual learning environments, even when students are miles apart.

For Dawn, the message is simple. Online learning does not have to feel isolating. With creativity and intention, it can be interactive, expressive, and deeply connected.

Her advice to students and families considering virtual learning is simple: “Put yourself out there. Try something new. You never know what you’re going to learn. Take advantage of the opportunities available to you, because there are so many.”

Learn more on our website and explore how online learning can support your student’s success.

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