ORLANDO, Fla. — A+ Teacher Darlene Grande says she was able to see the world at a young age, thanks to her parents' careers in aviation.

She says she is proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and her diverse experiences, which have also shaped her passion for music and teaching.

The music educator at Stonewyck Elementary in Orlando also says she tries to teach with the same love, respect and creativity as her elementary and high school instructors. 

One of the ways she does that is by exposing them to live symphonies.

That starts by learning the art of directing a musical performance, which is conducting.

Every wave of the conductor's baton is leading Grande's third-graders closer to a musical adventure.

She says she wants her students to really understand what they'll see on stage. 

“We're very excited to attend the symphony and learn a lot about different composers," Grande says. "They will be able to not only enjoy the music but actually understand the complexity of the music."

Grande says there's nothing better than seeing how students react to and learn when seeing musical productions.

“They come across more confident," she says. "They come across as strong music learners.”

The hands-on type of learning in class is music to Grande’s ears as her students are able to pinpoint the different musical instruments they're hearing.

“Music is a part of the human spirit," Grande says. "Music is always going to be around them wherever they go."