Gary Henson plays the guitar into his students’ hearts at Harlandale ISD

Gary Henson is a self-proclaimed "jack of all trades" with a music degree, because he had worked at almost any profession you could name, including pilot, house painter, music instructor and construction estimator, to name a few. He has a country rock band called the "River City Wranglers" that plays around the San Antonio area.

He felt drawn to be a school music teacher, and someone suggested that he get his certification in special education. That would give him a better chance of getting a job, and, when a music position opened, he would be able to move into it. That was 11 years ago, and he is still inspiring students with his skills in the resource classroom at Jewel Wietzel Center in the Harlandale ISD.

He has had opportunities to move into a music teaching position. "I know this was where I need to be," he said. And the school is very glad he is there. All of his students are wheelchair bound, but Mr. Henson and his aides work diligently to get the students out of the chairs to experience the world. "When people are limited in other sensory skills, their auditory skills are very highly developed. They relate really well to music. They use music to teach numbers, words, and science and even use a brush your teeth song to teach life skills."

His goal for each student is to help each one learn to be as independent as possible. He brings his zest for living into the classroom and tries to share this with his students as well as his teaching assistants. He may not be a music teacher, but he is a teacher with music. "I get to use music as a huge part of my daily curriculum and I have endless opportunities for creativity." Watching him and his students is a total joy.