A music instrumental teacher guides students in mastering their chosen instruments, helping them develop technique, expression, and musical understanding. They inspire creativity while fostering discipline and a love for music and that’s what Ms.Wargaski does for our students here at District 21.
From the moment she first picked up an instrument, she knew music was more than notes on a page — it was a language of healing, expression, and connection. Drawn to the way music can serve as therapy, she chose to become an orchestra teacher, blending her love of sound with her fascination for the psychology of learning. She’s especially curious about what keeps students motivated, inspired, and playing — because for her, teaching isn’t just about technique, it’s about nurturing a lifelong relationship with music.
Wargaski’s mother was a 5th grade classroom teacher, and Wargaski recalls helping her mother set up her classroom every school year. She was encouraged to follow in the same footsteps even though she initially wanted to be a performer, regularly studying with musicians in the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. She earned her music education degree from the University of Illinois with an endorsement in psychology, and then earned her master’s degree at Northwestern University.
Her first teaching job was in Winnetka, Illinois where she taught the “Suzuki” method – a teaching principle that believes that every child can learn to play an instrument. That method shaped her philosophy of teaching, where she now instructs students at London Middle School, Field, Tarkington, and Riley Elementary Schools. So successful is her teaching that she currently has a student who is hard of hearing and plays the cello. She is especially curious about what keeps students motivated, and has seen firsthand how her deaf student inspires classmates to be more compassionate, patient, and understanding — showing that music’s lessons extend far beyond the classroom. “Music skills transfer to other areas of life. The grit and resilience that students learn in music class carry over to academics, sports, other fine arts, and even their future careers,” says Wargaski.
Outside of work, she continues to serve the community in a variety of ways, including volunteering her time with a refugee resettlement organization where she helps Afghan and Burmese families get acclimated. “I help them set up their apartments, take their kids to the park and guide them wherever I can. It has shaped my understanding of what the ELL (English Language Learners) go through. It has allowed me to be more gracious in my dealings with parents,” she states.
Wargaski’s influence reaches far beyond the classroom walls — her teachings have become a source of pride for parents who see their children discovering not only a love of music, but also a sense of confidence, discipline, and joy. With every note played and every lesson learned, she helps families celebrate the growth of their children, reminding them that music is not just something to hear, but something to cherish and carry with pride.
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