Who: Alexandria Avenue Elementary
Art Form: Music
Teaching Artist: Beth Sussman
Program Dates: January – March 2008
Grade: K-3
Program Associate: Clare Schulberg

Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnership Residency Program at Alexandria Avenue Elementary, Los Angeles Unified School District

Alexandria Avenue Elementary begins 2008 with a focus on Music! Located in the mid-city area, Alexandria has an enrollment of over 1,300 students. Alexandria's mission is to continually evaluate and revise instructional methodologies to best meet the needs of their students. With an emphasis on literacy, thinking skills and application of knowledge and the commitment to continuous professional development for its teachers, Principal Peter Riddall explains that "many of the successful elements of our educational programs would not be possible without the arts. Our Language Arts and Mathematics programs only work when students are able to make connections with the world they live in. Arts programs give students opportunities to make those connections. Many of our students are also learning a new language and what better way to enhance language learning than by structured arts education?"

Four classrooms, grades K thru 3rd, have been selected to participate in the Music Center's 14-week Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnership Residency Program. An intensive professional development model that supports collaborative planning and teaching between teaching artists and classroom teachers, each Music Center residency focuses on helping educators gain skills and content knowledge in music, dance, theatre or visual arts, and explore integration strategies with other areas of the curriculum. Project components include Collaborative Teaming Time, Student Workshops, Culmination, Reflection Day, and an Evaluation Meeting.

At Alexandria's pre-project planning meeting in January 2008, the four participating classroom teachers (Ms. Leslie Lewis, Ms. Soraya Vasquez, Ms. Janine Zone, and Ms. Carla McNellis substituting for Ms. Toni Rux), Principal Peter Riddall, Assistant Principal KoongJa Lauridsen, and Music Teacher Tom Armbruster, met with Music Center Program Associate Clare Schulberg and Teaching Artist Beth Sussman to discuss student outcomes, teacher expectations and partnering strategies for the residency. Beth Sussman also provided teachers with a written outline which serves as a roadmap and planning guide for teachers.

Beth Sussman, a graduate from the Juilliard School with a bachelor's and master's degree, uses Classical Music, accompanied with movement and literature, to teach students various skills and concepts such as active listening, steady beat, comparing/contrasting, recycling, main idea, mapping/symbols, and author's intent. Second grade teacher Janine Zone shares that "students are dazzled just to see someone play the piano with such talent and passion.....to see that someone followed their dream to become a musician, and how such a commitment to diligence and hard work pays off." She continues, "Beth's exuberance and obvious love of music and children has given us all (me included) a renewed sense of joy and possibility."

Beth's upbeat personality and her ability to connect with students of all ages helps further the goal of making classical music accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Students learn music vocabulary (piano, forte, staccato, legato) and practice active listening skills while being introduced to artists like French composer Claude Debussy or by recognizing familiar theme songs from cartoons like "Tom and Jerry" and "Bugs Bunny".

Beth and her participating teachers utilize their Collaborative Teaming Time by discussing partnering strategies for the upcoming sessions. Artist and teachers will partner to introduce students to additional concepts such as counterpoint, steady beat, compare/contrast, main idea/structure, mapping/symbols, and author’s intent. In addition, they will work together to determine the structure and content for the Culmination, scheduled on Day 13 of the program. On Day 14, also referred to as the Reflection Day, teachers and students will have an opportunity to look back on their experience and discuss what they learned.

As a strategic partner helping schools strengthen arts education, the Music Center is proud to work with Alexandria Avenue Elementary. This program would not be possible without leadership support from Principal Peter Riddall, coordination efforts by Music Teacher Tom Armbruster and Music Center Program Associate Clare Schulberg, the music expertise of Teaching Artist Beth Sussman, and most importantly, the enthusiasm and dedication of the four participating classroom teachers Janine Zone, Leslie Lewis, Soraya Vasquez, and Toni Rutz and all their students.

For more information about bringing student workshops to your school, call (213) 250-ARTS or email us at schoolprograms@musiccenter.org.

Written by Cammy Truong, School Communications Associate