The Nutcracker: Learning on Display
The holiday season has officially begun – not because of Black Friday or Cyber Monday – but because the Fifth Grade shared The Nutcracker with the Trinity School community last Friday. This annual tradition over two decades old never ceases to entertain and delight the audiences. Students stunned the crowd with their prowess in dance, gymnastics, acting, and singing. Without a doubt, this year’s productions were spectacular from beginning to end, but when a product earns accolades, one can easily miss the extensive learning that typifies such a valuable experience.
This experience of the Fifth Graders includes a host of opportunities that extend beyond learning the notes in songs and memorization of the lyrics. It began in music classes as students experimented with expressing the mood of the music with their bodies. By moving to music in class with a variety of speeds and by changing positions from high to low in front of a mirror, students could assess the effectiveness of their movements, which led to a greater understanding of the mood presented in the orchestration. It also prepared them to create their own dances that reflect the uniqueness of the music. Remembering the choreography and dancing at the right time so that it coordinates with fellow classmates’ movements adds to the complexity, especially if throwing plates, long ribbons or formations are part of the dance. This kind of teamwork doesn’t look as hard as it is, but the timing is critical to make it look easy.
Not only did the students last Friday demonstrate poise as they presented The Nutcracker to a packed house, but they also demonstrated what they had learned about speaking in front of others. They had practiced projecting their voices and annunciating clearly so that their lines could be easily understood. They learned the power of a strategically placed pause for both clarity and as a tool for comedic timing. Doing all of this while remembering to smile and the staging of each scene is quite a feat! It is no wonder that people comment on Trinity students’ ability to speak confidently.
Not only do the Fifth Graders learn throughout this process, but the entire school learns a few things as well! Children from 3s through Sixth Grade can hum along to the famous pieces by Tchaikovsky. They learn the plot of the famous ballet as it is beautifully portrayed by the Fifth Grade each year. Every little child determines whether he or she wants to be a Rat King, a ballerina, a candy flute, an Arabian dancer, or a Chinese tea dancer. The children learn how to be an appreciative audience – quiet when they should be quiet and laughing when a scene is funny, like a six-foot elf dancing on stage. This year, with the inclusion of Mr. Val, Ms. Carter, and Mr. Parrish on stage, all of the children learned that is okay to be playful and have fun – even when you are a grown up.
Perhaps the greatest learning of all was found in the realization that hard work and practice results in something worthy of pride. Kudos to our Fifth Grade, their teachers, and the parents for giving all of us such a delightful experience!
December 8th, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Mary Ellen, Thank you for your comments stressing that learning through the arts are as important in life as any other setting of learning.
Personally to see children, experience the problem solving, teamwork, cooperation, flexibility, leadership through the arts programs at Trinity School has been one of the most memorable, rewarding and aspects of our time a Trinity School.
True all of these life skills can and do come from other sources as well includingFamily, Community, Religion, Sports, Scouting, etc., there is a unique experience when students are put into such a qualitiative experience as THE ARTS where there are so many ways to interpret sucess. Often there are many right answers not often experienced in other more fact-based experience (2+2 always = 4 but how to interpret a dance, acting scene, musical piece much less concrete.)
Applying life skill lessons to a flexible moving target of “interpretation” in my opinion forces students to operate in a much more life-like level. Trinity, through its committment to the arts and music programs, clearly “GETS IT”.
With all the focus on technology- based learning, Rosetta Stone, Tablet PC’s, Video learning, etc. making headlines at Trinity School, it is imperative that the ARTS continue to grow as a key pillar to learning process for our children.
Respectfully submitted by someone whose ARTS experience as a child continues to hold a key and “mission critical” aspect of my life.
Bruce Pulver
December 8th, 2011 at 7:52 PM
Bruce, thank you for commenting on this post…and doing so in such a thorough and passionate way! I fully agree with you (and as someone who was a dancin’ mouse as a Trinity Fifth Grader and then in the Magic Flute as a Sixth Grader) that children’s experience of the fine arts is a crucial part of the Trinity School experience.
As I think of the many professional learning experiences I’ve had as a result of Trinity’s wonderful focus on adult learning, Project Zero at Harvard was one of the best. (Our Third Grade Team just experienced PZ in Atlanta just last month!) One exercise forced us to “place ourselves in an impressionist painting” and act as though we were a part of the painting. Such a unique vantage point (and thus, interpretation) of the painting completely shifted my perspective. And now makes me think differently when I visit museums. Project Zero infuses a LOT of what we do at Trinity — in the fine arts classrooms and in the base classrooms as well — and that’s an incredible thing. (http://pzweb.harvard.edu/)
@Maryellen, thanks for posting and for honoring the work of the students, teachers, and parents in this important endeavor. I will always recall my time in the music and art classrooms at the former Trinity building with fondness and pride!
December 9th, 2011 at 9:41 AM
I agree whole-heartedly with Bruce and Megan. With tears in my eyes at this moment (!), I am so grateful for our school, all the experiences it offers our children, and for the community of people who make up Trinity! My girl, for one, will never, ever forget her Nutcracker performance:)!!
December 9th, 2011 at 11:18 AM
[...] Church. Thanks to all of the faculty and staff who partnered with our music teachers and made these learning experiences for students so [...]