Preschool substitute teacher Doug Tambling always draws a happy crowd when he plays his melodica for the children. The melodica is a free-reed instrument like a harmonica, which it sounds like. It consists of a keyboard and a flexible tube to blow into. Doug has been playing keyboards since he was a child. “I could read music before I could read books.”
Doug has been subbing in our preschool since retiring two years ago from a career in biotechnology. He had become acquainted with the White Pony when his youngest son, who is now in high school, was in our preschool. “I just fell in love with this place.” He did some substitute work then and took classes in early-childhood development at DVC. Now he’s back, putting those units to good use again!
When he’s not subbing, Doug is doing ceramics work, making music, gardening (he’s a master gardener), or, in the winter, teaching skiing at Bear Valley.
Doug enjoys playing his melodica for the children, hearing them sing along, and watching them march and dance to his tunes. (Their favorites are the ABC song and “Happy Birthday.”) He’s spreading his musical joy to other rooms this week, as his substitute work takes him wherever he’s needed.