April 5, 2012
Ms. Rossbach and I have a rhythm to our teaching life at Mounds Park Academy that has developed over the past 22 years of our collaboration on the Lower School music and art show. We’ve worked with many teachers over the years, including student teachers, and now are happy to collaborate with Ms. Abbe Bloem and Ms. Sonka. We’ve guided hundreds upon hundreds of Lower School students, children that we see as young artists, through the process of skill development and personal growth in music and art.
Each spring at this time the rhythm of our teaching reaches a fast pace as we pull together the children’s work for the Lower School Art and Music event. Both students and teachers put in much time and energy, and are highly focused on sharing all the great learning that has taken place; for the essence of music and art is that they must be shared!
Lower School students at Mounds Park Academy experience a powerful combination of intellect and emotion as they learn music and visual art. Our focus has always been that our students will “know how” rather than “know that”. Here’s an example: The second graders know how to play music in ensemble. They may or may not know that J. S. Bach was born in 1685. The second graders know how to create a 3-d form from their 2-d design. They may or may not know that Henry Moore worked in bronze. Our students do know many facts, but facts can be “googled”. What they really need as young artists is the experience of doing—hands on in music and hands on in art!
Sharing through music performance and visual art shows are crucial to a strong art and music education. Musical performance and art shows are the culmination of skills and the personal growth that each student has cultivated this school year. The students bring their music and art work to our community as a way to communicate directly with us and draw us into their understanding. Because music and art can express feelings and emotions in ways that defy precise verbal definition, they have an intrinsic, communicative value. And, yes, children as young as Kindergarteners are well aware of the power of music and art. They may not be able to put it into words, but our expectation would be that they will sing, dance, play, paint, draw, and sculpt what they need to tell us.
Ms. Rossbach and I (along with Ms. Abbe Bloem and Ms. Sonka) look forward to seeing you at this year’s Lower School Art and Music Show, “Making Connections” on Thursday, April 12 with the art opening at 5:30 and the music performance at 7:00. We are so very proud of the music and art that the Lower School students have to share with you.
Ms. Espeland, Lower School Music
