What happens in a Performing Arts Workshop classroom? How does the Workshop help youth think critically, act creatively and learn the basic skills necessary for school, work and life in the 21st Century?

This is the story of what takes place in one preschool classroom over the course of 11 weeks at the Visitacion Valley Family School.

I'm Aaron Kierbel, a Workshop Teaching Artist, and I can tell you that it starts with a conversation.

Here at the Workshop, we know each school has its own specific needs and student population. What works for one site might not work for the one next door. That's why we start each partnership with a conversation.

This allows the teaching artist and the site staff to start on the same page and with the same goals in mind. For a preschool music class, we often work on goals such as: building focus and concentration, building social/group skills, and understanding beats, rhythms, loud, soft, rests and other introductory musical concepts.

These goals guide what happens over the course of the program and create a basis for reflection between the site and myself.

This is the first week in the classroom. It marks the beginning of a sequential curriculum centered around the importance of listening, following directions, and developing individual thinking through exploration of an art form - in this case World Music.

Preschool classrooms are very structured in order to help the students create routine and learn through repetition. In the first weeks, children can be reluctant to participate. But over time, a class develops trust and enthusiasm for the performing arts.

Before the kids can play on their own...		They have to use their own eyes and ears.
Watch students interpret a new sound.

Performing Arts Workshop works with diverse youth across the Bay Area. Myself and other teaching artists are trained to incorporate culturally relevant curriculum and engage English language learners.

Before the class ends, everyone puts their hands in the middle and counts to three in English, Spanish, and Chinese. This establishes a routine and honors the diverse languages spoken in the class.

Students demonstrate listening and following directions by lining up and putting the musical instruments away after playing.

Watch students mimic sounds. Before the class ends, everyone puts their hands in the middle and counts to three in English, Spanish, and Chinese. This establishes a routine and honors the diverse languages spoken in the class.

Students demonstrate listening and following directions by lining up and putting the musical instruments away after playing.

Through a variety of musical activities with instruments, everyday objects, and even their own bodies the students discover the wonder of music just about everywhere! A great activity for this is called “What's in the box?” This activity surprises the kids with an ordinary object that can make rhythm just like a traditional instrument can.

First, the children guess what the object might be by listening to the sounds it makes in the box. Then, I show them how to use the object to make music. After the children see how it works, they get to try it on their own. Guessing “what's in the box” encourages the students to think critically about the object and express themselves creatively in the group.

Aaron: What's in the box? Would anyone like to take a guess? “Is it a hamburger?” “No, it's a turtle!”

Watch the video: It's a typewriter! After the box is opened, students explore the object inside.

It doesn't take long for the students to show a growing musical interest and to participate in the activities. During "What's in the Box?" I go around the circle to demonstrate how the instrument is played, or let the children take their own try. Some shy away, but others take full advantage of making their own music in front of the class. This is also a great time to develop an understanding of rests or quiet beats in the music and to get them to follow visual and auditory cues.

Watch students interact with the microphone from the box.

Midway through the class sessions, the students feel more comfortable dancing to an energetic song and moving their bodies to the rhythm. In the Freeze Game, when the music stops the kids stop dancing, but as soon as it starts back up it's a free for all dance party! This teaches vital focus and concentration skills in a fun and engaging way.

“When I turn around I want to see frozen kids, and when I turn on the music I want to see dancing monkeys!”

Soon enough a teaching artist can bring in musical instruments for the students to experience. When the drums come out, the whole class wants to participate. The children are fascinated and galvanized when they get to mimic, play along and create their own beats on the drums.

Watch students sing Row Your Boat

Bear, Alligator, Alien Hunts and children's books such as Max Found Two Sticks are all a part of the interactive storytelling in my preschool lesson plan. When I bring out the drums, I invite the children to join me on an exciting adventure. During this portion of the exercises and activities, the students learn how to weave music into a story with call and response drumming and tapping.

By participating as a group, relationships develop between the children, their peers and adults. Simultaneously, vocabulary flourishes as they discover new words and concepts within the stories.

Watch the video: Alligator Hunt

Watch the video: Reading "Max Found Two Sticks"

Through the Workshop program, children get to experience performing in groups, making individual choices and the opportunity to perform by themselves! This can be a big step for a preschooler and a chance to show leadership in the classroom.

Towards the end of our time together, I start to step aside, allowing some of the students to take the spotlight. Finding the courage is not only a confidence booster, but this example encourages others to do the same.

Watch the video: Jasmine's Rhythm

With this preschool class, Week 10 is our last session together. By now some children have come out of their shells, some children have a prescribed channel for their energy and all children can verbally reflect on what they see, experience or create in the classroom. This is a huge step from where they start out at the beginning, perhaps having never seen a drum or heard a rumba.

In the coming weeks, these youth will continue to benefit from the vital skills and experiences gained through the program. Site staff are encouraged to continue lessons and exercises learned and even, to teach a portion of the last class themselves.

For many preschool residencies, Week 11 is a family demonstration. This gives the children's caretakers a chance to see the progress their child has made, as well as provide an audience for the kids to try out their newly wrought skills.

Although performance is not always the culmination of a Workshop program, participating in one gives children a chance to reflect on their creative choices and even revise what they might try in the future.

And here at the Workshop, that's what we're all about - teaching the 21st Century skills young people need to succeed in school, work and life.

If you and your site would like to partner with Performing Arts Workshop, please contact Karena Salmond, Program Director at karena@performingartsworkshop.org or (415) 673-2634 x202

To learn more about the Workshop's teaching methodology, the Cycle of Artistic Inquiry, click here (click the Teaching Methodology dropdown).

Click here to download a pdf of Aaron's Curriculum Overview. Performing Arts Workshop requires all Teaching Artists to prepare a general Curriculum Overview to help artists plan the progression of a residency as well as define class objectives and sequential development over a period of time. More examples and a Curriculum Overview template can be found in the Workshop Resource Center.

Performing Arts Workshop is dedicated to helping young people develop critical thinking, creative expression and basic learning skills through the arts. To learn more about the Mission and History of the Workshop, click here.

Thank you Aaron Kierbel, Sean Hennessy, Seth Goldstein and the Visitacion Valley Family School for making this possible.