JAMM Receives Support Through Challenge Grant

Glacier Valley Students Unveil Grand Total Raised for JAMM Challenge Grant

Thank you, Juneau community, for helping JAMM reach its $18,000 goal to expand to 2nd grade at Glacier Valley and kindergarten at Riverbend and Auke Bay Elementary Schools next year.  Ron and Kathy Maas provided a $6,000 challenge grant to help place violins in the small hands of next year's kindergartners at Glacier Valley and Riverbend Elementary Schools.  The Juneau community generously responded to the Maas' challenge, including major donations from the Juneau Community Foundation, Sealaska Native Corporation, Skaggs Foundation, the Tupou Family, and Michael and DeeAnn Grummet. 

To celebrate, JAMM 1st graders helped unveil the grand total at their spring concert. In the photo below, Glacier Valley 1st grade violinist, Jazlynne LaChester, helps the audience count by $1,000's to celebrate JAMM reaching its $18,000 goal.

Thank you again, Juneau community, for investing in the intellectual, creative and disciplined minds of our students! 

JAMM Expands in Grade Levels and Programming

2nd grade JAMM students perform at Glacier Valley

JAMM is proud to announce the expansion of its program to Auke Bay and Riverbend Elementary Schools in the Juneau School District.  Both sites will start a kindergarten violin program by providing 90 minutes of instruction during school hours throughout the week.
Both schools will adopt a similar model, which utilizes existing school personnel and partners with the community.  Music teacher and kindergarten teacher help with instruction,while learning from Suzuki instructor, Diane Barnett, who received training at Glacier Valley. With half of the Juneau elementary schools participating, over two hundred students will have access to quality music education, early literacy skills and lifelong habits including focus, teamwork and discipline.

In a Juneau Empire article covering the story, Lori Hoover, the principal at Auke Bay, shared the school's reasons for starting at JAMM program next year: 

My big goal is that learning music and learning to appreciate music just helps in the big picture of we we want kids to develop.  If they can focus and learn to play violin that focus extends to all of their academic subjects.  It can be taught in a fun way.  It helps them socialize.  In the big picture, yes, they're learning music, but it's a skill they can continue the rest of their life in reading music.  That's my main thing, we want them to be great students and this is one way kids learn academic skills is through music.

Here is the link to the entire Juneau Empire article.  Thank you, Auke Bay, Glacier Valley and Riverbend Elementary Schools, for making instrumental music a core part of your students' public education.

Staff from Auke Bay and Riverbend Elementary Schools Attend Glacier Valley's Paper Violin Night

Senator Mark Begich JAMMs at Glacier Valley

Senator Mark Begich Visits Glacier Valley and 1st Graders in JAMM

U.S. Senator Mark Begich visited Glacier Valley while in Juneau for his address to the Alaska Legislature.  During his visit to the school, he played alongside our JAMM violinists and received help from a 1st grader who taught him how to hold the bow.

Senator Begich visited Glacier Valley to experience firsthand how the school integrates the arts to boost core academic skills. He also learned of the school district's budget cuts and that JAMM could be eliminated next year with the reduction in specialist positions.  In a Juneau Empire article covering his visit, Senator Begich said, "Really a program like JAMM is the new core.  To cut it would be a mistake."

Senator Begich advocates for a well-rounded education that produces informed and engaged citizens, which is why he would like to see the acronym STEM replaced by STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ART and Math).

Thank you, Senator Begich, for visiting our school and supporting the right of every child to receive a public education that develops their intellectual, social and emotional well-being.

JAMM is in the News and in Bookstores

Juneau, Alaska Music Matters is in a newly published book by Tricia Tunstall.  Changing Lives:  Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music tells the story of El Sistema and chronicles the work of the first class of Abreu Fellows of which I was a part.

Although JAMM is physically remote from other El Sistema-inspired initiatives throughout the country, it continues to receive international and national attention as a teacher-training site and as an inspiration for other in-school models cropping up across the country.

At the beginning of this month, I participated in the Take a Stand Symposium in Los Angeles where I served on a panel to discuss the benefits and challenges of an in-school model.  The consensus among the panelists: the benefits of an in-school model far outweigh the challenges, especially if access and equity are a program's top priorities.

In an effort to make privatized opportunities public, the Glacier Valley Parent Group partners with the community and the Juneau School District to bring 90 minutes of violin instruction to all of its kindergarten and first grade students as part of their school schedule.   Since the start of the program in September of 2011,  JAMM has received over $80,000 in funds and in-kind donations from organizations as far away as China.  The school district's contribution:  4.5 hours/wk of the music teacher's time to work with the kindergarten classes.   JAMM is bringing more resources and expertise to the school district at very little cost.

The Association of Alaska School Boards recently published JAMM's successes in its January/February newsletter.  JAMM continues to bring international and local recognition to the Juneau School District. Through a school, parent and community partnership, JAMM is helping the school district reach its goals of access and equity, academic success, and student, parent and community engagement. 

Open publication - Free publishing - More aasb

The Best Brain Training

How to Build a Better Learner, Scientific American, August 2011

Here's just another reason why Glacier Valley Elementary School provides violin instruction for all of its kindergartners and 1st graders.  According to the August 2011 Scientific American article, "How to Build a Better Learner," playing an instrument is "the best brain training" you can give children to help with "language comprehension and promote cognitive skills:  attention, working memory and self-regulation" (Stix, p. 57).

It's gratifying to know that even though JAMM is a unique program among most public schools, it is firmly grounded in research recognized by the scientific community, dispelling the notion that music is an "extra" or just fluff.  Instead, music serves as a foundation for developing school readiness skills, social-emotional learning and working memory.

While attending a gathering of the 2011 Teachers of the Year in Princeton, I had the honor of hearing Richard Varn speak.  He is the Distinguished Presidential Appointee for Educational Testing Serivce (ETS) in the Center for Advanced Technologies and Neuroscience.  He shared new developments in neuroscience and reiterated the same message highlighted in the Scientific American article for helping children succeed in school and life:  put an instrument in a child's hand and do it early. 

Mr. Varn particularly referenced the work of Dr. Nina Kraus of Northwestern University.  Her work is referenced in the Scientific American article, "How to Build a Better Learner" and can be downloaded from her Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory website under the heading Music in the News.  Also, the slideshow she has posted under Neural Encoding of Music summarizes some of her findings in a friendlier format.

Other experts are sharing similar insights.  Samuel Abrams, a national expert on why schools in Finland are so successful and scholar at Columbia University, had this to say when asked by a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News how he would improve Alaskan schools.  His first recommendation: "integrate more arts and crafts to make school more enticing, to give math and science more concrete meaning, and to foster greater collaboration among students."

His second recommendation:  "integrate more physical education and more time between subjects for play."  Here is the link to the entire article, Education expert offers views after visiting Alaska schools.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2011/12/25/2233759/education-expert-offers-views.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2011/12/25/2233759/education-expert-offers-views.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2011/12/25/2233759/education-expert-offers-views.html#storylink=cp

Thank you, Glacier Valley and the Juneau Community, for providing our students music - "the best brain training" - as a core part of their public education.  What would cost $3,150 per school year per child in private lessons is accessible to all students free of charge.

Parents, Students & Teachers Share Thoughts on JAMM

While the Abreu Fellows were here for their internship, they helped complete a very important project:  they collected testimony from JAMM students, parents and staff.  This video is a result from the hours of interviews that Stephanie Hsu and Julie Davis conducted. Thank you, parents and teachers, for finding time in your busy schedules to meet with them.

Stephanie and Julie collected so many powerful and positive messages from families and teachers that we could not possibly include all of them in this short video.  Many parents talked about the changes in focus and discipline that they've seen in their children since the start of the program.  Others shared how their children feel proud, talk about violin at home all of the time, and like to teach or perform for their families.   The performances and program have helped connect parents with the school.  For the students, "Happy" was a common response.

Here is the video I put together to represent their voices:

Kaye Peters, one of Glacier Valley's kindergarten teachers wrote this:

"Thank you for bringing this incredible experience to GV.  The violin program has definitely made a positive impact on my kindergarten students.  I see such wonder and pride in their faces as they handle their violins.  I hear from many of my parents that their children talk endlessly about the program and are so excited to share their experiences.  Today one of my parents shared that her daughter carries her violin everywhere with her, and "teaches" anyone who will listen about how to appropriately take care of it.  The love and pride that our students have for music carries over into their school work as well.  It helps build confidence and great listening skills!  Again, thank you for all of your work and for caring so much about our children." 

Thank you, Glacier Valley and the Juneau community, for supporting JAMM.  Together, we are making a difference!

JAMM Expands with Sustainability in Mind

Kiara Ziengenfuss will continue to have violin instruction as JAMM expands to 1st grade

This year, JAMM expanded it programming to include all kindergartners and 1st graders.  120 students will receive 90 min/wk of violin instruction, during the school day.

JAMM is an in-school model for a reason.  As a school music teacher, I hoped to promote a model that utilizes existing resources, addresses the needs of public schools, provides access to all students at an early age and is sustainable over time.  Consider these figures:

• JAMM's 1st year:  the cost for one kindergarten student to receiver 90 min/wk of violin instruction was $213 for the school year.
• JAMM's 2nd year: the cost dropped to $60 per kindergartner for the same delivery of instruction.  $60 per student for the entire school year!  That's sustainable.

JAMM kindergartners and 1st graders at Glacier Valley Elementary School

This is how JAMM does it:

• Utilizes existing school personnel:  music teacher and kindergarten teacher help with instruction, including paraeducators assigned to work with students with special needs.
• Professional development is embedded:  Suzuki instructor, Mr. Xia, teams alongside music and classroom teachers.  Each provides a different strength while learning from one another.  The next year, Mr. Xia moves up with the 1st grade classes, while music and classroom teachers deliver the kindergarten program on their own with help from a volunteer or intern. This approach also frees up Mr. Xia so that he can help other schools start-up similar programs.
• Students double, not instruments:  Even though the number of students grew from 60 to 120 in one year, instruments are still be shared among the six 1st grade and kindergarten classes during the school day.
• Effective use of time:  children at this young age can tire out early.  By providing violin instruction as part of their school day, students are more alert, attentive and benefit from having their music teacher and classroom teacher present to manage the class, provide developmentally appropriate instruction and maintain consistent routines.  Behavior issues are minimal so that when JAMM moves to an after-school program for 2nd graders, behavior expectations and consistent school culture are already in place. 

• Provides access for all students:  An after-school program still might not reach every student.  JAMM ensures that all kindergartners and 1st graders receive instrumental instruction as part of their school day for those first two years at Glacier Valley.
• Expands the role of the music teacher who not only provides general music classes, but also instrumental music classes in the primary grades that help school readiness skills, like focus, discipline, teamwork and impulse control.
• Increases the number of advocates:  JAMM is more visible because it occurs during the school day, allowing teachers and other school staff see its success in action. 
• Glacier Valley Parent Group: is our sponsoring organization with a phenomenal parent volunteer, Katrina Laneville, who helps with finances.  

Kindergarten teacher, Kaye Peters, models alongside her students, just like the other Glacier Valley teachers photographed above

JAMM's in-school model is spreading!  At the local level, Riverbend Elementary School, another Title I school in the Juneau School District, plans to start a violin program for their kindergartners next year.  And nationally, El Sistema Colorado is basing its first program at Garden Place Elementary School in Denver on JAMM's in-school model.  I traveled there in November to provide teacher training and share the work that we've been doing here in Juneau.

Glacier Valley's Tlingit Dance and Drum Group

Proud members of Glacier Valley's Tlingit Dance and Drum Group

Last week, over seventy Glacier Valley students in 1st through 5th grades proudly entered the gymnasium to share with the school community what they've been learning in Tlingit Dance and Drum Group.  Thanks to funding from the Association of Alaska School Board's Initiative for Community Engagement (Alaska ICE) and the Juneau School District At-Risk Music grant, Glacier Valley teachers were able to sponsor this after-school group for an hour, each week.

The Tlingit Dance and Drum group is the newest addition to JAMM whose mission is to "develop neighborhood programs that create community pride, partnership and active participation."  JAMM also supports the growth of culturally relevant music and is thrilled that Hans Chester and Glenda Lindley can share their Alaska Native heritage as the club's sponsors.  As the number of students in the club grew, Janalynn Ferguson jumped in to help. 

These Glacier Valley teachers have kindly written a summary sharing the club's semester highlights:

The original plan was to build a dance group at Glacier Valley of about 25 or so students; two months later we have 72 members who meet every Tuesday after school to drum, (sing) and dance.  These students feel content to be in a place that is familiar, doing something they love to do, to the beat of the drum.  The drum being a source of power that draws students, in a nurturing way. 

Our members are currently putting together their lineage so that the songs we sing represent the member's rightful ownership.  Students are learning who they are by looking at where they came from.

Starting in January, we plan to meet twice a week and begin to put together a more formal performance presentation.  Members will learn how to introduce themselves, the songs they sing in Tlingit, as well as the history of the songs we are using.  We will also look at regalia needs and figure out how to fill the gaps for all members.

On January 14th, 9:00 - 1:00 p.m., we have invited the dance group families and Glacier Valley staff to help make 25 drums for the dance group and Glacier Valley.  This is a tall order for members so we are counting on family, friends and community to get the drums made.

The Tlingit Drum and Dance group has already grown past our initial expectation!  That suggests an opportunity to recognize the need and to provide for a larger membership.  How exciting.

Hans Chester, Glenda Lindley, and Janalynn Ferguson 

More members prepare for their entrance into the Glacier Valley gym

JAMM's Winter Concert: Make Room for 120 Young Musicians

Mr. Xia, JAMM's violin instructor, leads his ever-growing orchestra (Photo: Michael Penn, Juneau Empire)

A sea of blue JAMM t-shirts filled the Glacier Valley Elementary School gymnasium, as 120 kindergarten and 1st grade students stood proudly, ready to share with families and friends what they've learned.  One year ago, the first kindergarten class of JAMM violinists graduated from their Paper Violins.  It was an exciting moment for these young musicians because this performance represented a rite of passage: one that acknowledged them as responsible and skilled violinists ready to play the real violin.   

Now, as 1st graders, they not only had the thrill of performing in front of a packed audience, but also the honor of giving the next class of kindergartners a glimpse of where they might be a year from now. 

Here are highlights from their two performances:

JAMM would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their generous support of this fledgling program.  In just over a year's time,  you have ensured that all kindergarten and 1st grade students receive access to quality musical instruction during school hours.  From the entire Glacier Valley community, thank you!

Association of Alaska School Boards

Great Blue Heron Fund 

Greg Burger and Mary DeSmet

Classics for Kids

Douglas-Dornan Foundation

Glacier Valley Parent Group

Juneau Community Foundation

Juneau School District 

Stan and Amy Lujan

Kim Poole

Rasmuson Foundation

What About Those Test Scores?

Kindergartners proudly sing "This is My Violin"

The arts are often difficult to quantify.  When Glacier Valley first launched JAMM, we knew we were in a unique position.

1. JAMM takes place during school hours, which eliminates variables connected with after-school programs or charter schools whose families may be self-selecting based on interest, transportation, etc.
2. ALL kindergartners receive violin instruction, which solves the challenge of establishing a random sample.
3. Glacier Valley is a Title I, which means many of our children are eligible for free and reduced lunch, identifying them as at-risk

Should make for a solid research study, right?  Not exactly.  In order to establish a causal link between instrumental music and academic success, JAMM would need to identify a control group among its kindergartners.  This would mean denying some of our students free violin instruction, something JAMM would not consider.

What we could do is establish a correlational link by comparing the kindergartners fall and spring MAP (Measurement of Academic Success).  By doing so, we'd also be comparing their scores before and after receiving eight months of violin instruction.

What were the results?  In the words of Phil Loseby, the Juneau School District's Assessment Coordinator, "Significant!"

Here are the results in graph form:

GV Kindergartners' Fall Reading Scores:  No Violin Instruction

GV Kindergartners' Winter Reading Scores:  5 months of Violin Instruction

GV Kindergartners' Spring Reading Scores:  8 months of Violin Instruction

Here are their year-end scores in math:

GV Kindergartners' Spring Math Scores

These scores certainly caught the attention of the school district!  Even though JAMM can't make a causal link between music and academic success, it mirrors the ever-growing body of research that can. 

Glacier Valley continues to work with the school district to identify ways to measure JAMM's success. In the eyes of the participating teachers, students, parents and sponsors; JAMM's success is apparent and meeting its goals of community pride, parental involvement and student engagement.

Abreu Fellows Intern at JAMM

This year, three of the ten Abreu Fellows from the Class of 2011 chose JAMM for their internship.  Alsyia Lee and Stephanie Hsu are here for three weeks and Julie Davis, for four.  These talented women wanted to extend the teacher training experience I provided in Boston - observing the first, team-teaching the second and teaching on their own while I supported them on the sidelines, observing and filming. 

JAMM is the ideal place for this kind of embedded professional development.  It's a place where teachers can observe all age-ranges, teach the same lesson to several classes with the opportunity to reflect and refine each time and participate in before, during and after-school music programs.  The fellows' internship also coincided with the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council teaching artist series, which all three were able to attend.  Sessions focused on classroom management, brain theory, curriculum standards and dynamic lesson planning. 

Some of the effective teaching practices they applied included:

• developing an attention-getting hook
• using positive language
• making transitions fluid and connected to the lesson
• presenting information in manageable chunks
• building a lesson that breathes in and out
• practicing a credible body and voice
• creating episodes using location, emotion, movement and relevance
• providing choices for students
• using enforceable statements
• giving consequences with empathy
• experience first, intellectualize later

JAMM and Juneau have benefited greatly from having Alysia, Stephanie and Julie here.  Alysia is a vocalists who started her own non-profti; Stephani taught at an alternative high school in NYC and plays viola; and Julie holds a music education degree from Northwestern, during which she taught in an after-school strings program, the YOURS project.  During their stay here, Julie and Stephanie played in the Juneau Symphony concert of Sweeney Todd.  Alysia spent hours at the Juneau Public Library using the Foundation Research Center to identify grant-giving organizations for JAMM, and all of them choreographed a dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller for Glacier Valley's Harvest Carnival. 

Every time I observe another teacher in action, I always come away from the experience a better one.  Whether it was watching Alysia teach breathing exercises to the Morning Musicians, Julie encouraging partner activities in violin class (see photo above) or Stephanie inspiring students to create a soundscape from a painting, my teaching toolbox expanded. 

Alysia sings "Frog in the Meadow" for Mrs. Peters' Kindergarten class using novelty to make repetition engaging

Thank you, Abreu Fellows, for making the journey to Juneau, working with JAMM and making us feel very much a part of a larger El Sistema network.  Below is a video of Julie and Stephanie serenading Mrs. Peters' class during a very special moment:  the first time the entire class held the real violin.  In addition there are more photos documenting their time with us.  Stephanie, we also appreciate you dedicating a blog entry about your experience here. 

 

The Abreu Fellows' first week with JAMM observing our team-teaching model in action

Julie helps one of our Morning Musicians "pass off" on a piece for an upcoming concert

Stephanie joins Mrs. Steininger's kindergarten class for "This is My Violin"

Alysia explores creative movement with Mrs. Peters' class

Sweet Plantain Visit Glacier Valley

Mrs. Vreeland's 1st grade class proudly stands with members of Sweet Plantain

Sweet Plantain, a string quartet that blends classical, jazz and Latin styles, visited Juneau as part of their Alaskan tour.  While here, they gladly accepted an invitation to perform at Glacier Valley Elementary School before hopping on a plane to their next stop.  This dynamic quartet supports music education in their hometown of New York City where they started a string ensemble program for a school in South Bronx. They designed curricula "to empower the students through musical forms representative of their community's cultural heritage, while at the same time exposing them to classic Western forms.  Sound familiar?  Yes, one of the members of this quartet is a product of Venezuela's El Sistema.

After performing for the entire student body, the quartet attended an impromptu performance by Mrs.Vreeland's 1st grade violin class in the music room.  There we had a chance to ask the members questions and personally thank them for such an inspirational performance.  But it was Sweet Plantain who thanked us for inspiring them.  One member explained that in NYC cuts had been made to an instrumental program that he'd been involved with for years.   Seeing a program like JAMM gave him hope.

Thank you, Sweet Plantain, for showing your commitment to music education wherever you travel.  Thank you, Juneau Arts and Humanities Council for sponsoring them and making a performance at Glacier Valley possible.

JAMM Takes the Next Big Step: After-School Hours

JAMM after-school club:  1st graders drum with buckets and tubanos

JAMM has been an in-school model until now.  Thanks to Alaska ICE and Rasmuson Cultural Collaborations grants, first graders also can attend an after-school club, once a week for 2 hours beginning in October.  8-% of our first graders are enrolled, ready for general music instruction, violin lessons and bucket band!

First grade is a transition year, gradually moving its programming from an in-school model to after-school.  Kindergartners have violin class during school hours and 2nd graders will hold class after-school when JAMM expands to 2nd grade next year.

A general music curriculum is part of JAMM's after-school club

This transition has intention.  Its purpose is to maintain quality of instruction, consistent school culture, behavioral expectations, and developmentally appropriate practice (recognizing that these little ones get tired!)

It's also a transition year for JAMM's teaching model:

• All 1st grade violin classes replace in-school general music time.  This was a tough decision, but it was the only option for JAMM to ensure that all 1st graders received at least two years of a solid foundation in string pedagogy.  This is one reason why the after-school club has a general music component. 

• 1st grade teacher do not attend these violin sessions because it's their prep time.  Instead, they've each schedule an additional 30 minutes during the week for their class to come to the music room and "show and tell" what they've been doing in violin.  This way music and classroom teachers can continue to build connections across the curriculum.

• The classroom teachers' absence allow the music teacher and teaching artist to command the classroom on their own before moving into daily after-school hours when their management skills will be most tested.

Diane Barnett, who has been assisting in both kindergarten and 1st grade violin classes and Amy Bibb, a recent MAT music graduate, will lead JAMM club.  They are both indispensable to the program and JAMM is fortunate to have them!  As the school music teacher, I will also be there to support and help maintain consistency between in-school and after-school expectations.

Amy Bib leads the 1st graders in a warm-up activity before drumming

Thank you, Association of Alaska School Boards, Rasmuson Foundation and the Alaska State Council on the Arts for helping JAMM take its next big step. Here is a short video clip of Abreu Fellow, Julie Davis, leading the club in a partnering activity to help students isolate one skill at a time:  bowing or fingering.  Thank you, Julie, for sharing so many technique games with our students!

My Wish for El Sistema-inspired Programs: Collaboration

Rebecca Levi and Levi Comstock team-teaching at CLCS

Last week I shared my experiences working with the El Sistema Boston staff at Conservatory Lab Charter School and how powerful collaboration can be.  Collaboration works.  It's why all JAMM classes are team-taught.

If I could wish anything for a new initiative, it would be a team-teaching model, especially in those critical start-up years.  Here's why:

• Your weakness may be the other teacher's strength.  Together you create better lessons, while learning from one another.
• Together you build common language, consistent school culture and expectations.  Students need to know the boundaries.  If rules and expectations change each time students move to a new classroom, they'll spend their time trying to figure out the rules by testing them, instead of focusing on the music. This is often the cause of misbehavior.  Team-teaching helps cut down on this chance of inconsistency among staff.
• You are willing to take risks and try new strategies when you have support from another colleague.
• You hold each other accountable for the success of the lesson by planning ahead together and establishing your roles.
• You can reflect on lesson delivery more thoroughly when you have the benefit of two different perspectives.
• You can have eyes in the back of your head! Your colleague can catch what you may have missed.
• You can attend to misbehavior without having to disrupt the flow of the class.  Your colleague can often prevent the issue by proximity and by attending to it early on. 
• You are modeling teamwork for your students, an important skill for them to see adults doing. 

I'd like to thank the Glacier Valley and JAMM staff for investing in a team-teaching model.  It takes trust, but no one teacher has all of the answers.  By reaching out to colleagues and community members for inspiration and expertise, collaborative teaching will not only enliven and diversify instruction, but also remind you that you are never alone.

Mrs. Peters' class benefits from three teachers:  Mrs. Peters, Mr. Xia & Miss Heagy

Nikki Shorts and Brandon Brack at YOLA at HOLA, where team-teaching is part of its culture

Meeting the Abreu Fellows Class of 2011

Meeting the Abreu Fellows Class of 2011 at Longy School of Music

While back east for a Teacher of the Year event in Princeton and NYC, I had the honor of traveling to Boston to meet and provide teacher training for the 2011 class of Abreu Fellows. I did a similar training for the class of 2010.  In four short days, I shared some of the most useful practices gathered over 17 years of teaching, modeled them in classrooms at the Conservatory Lab Charter School (CLCS) for the fellows to observe and debriefed afterward, focusing on what worked (and what didn't), why and how will this inform us for planning tomorrow's lesson.

In particular, I'd like to thank Levi Comstock, a strings teacher at  CLCS for welcoming me into his classroom last year where I observed, team-taught and gave feedback.  I visited his classroom again this year, as well as other El Sistema Boston staff at CLCS.  Levi's attitude is one that makes for a great teacher.  I saw this same open attitude modeled in nucleos throughout Venezuela.  Feedback given one day was incorporated into practice the next.  Levi did the same thing.

For example, last year Levi found it challenging to keep the attention of his students while explaining bow divisions.  When we debriefed afterward, I shared some brain-compatible strategies and Waldorf principles that had worked for me.

One in particular is the use of story.  In Teaching with the Brain in Mind, Eric Jensen describes factors that engage the mind: emotion, movement, relevance, novelty and pattern.  A story contains all of them and makes for a very effective teaching strategy. As an example of using story to teach something technical or abstract, I shared with Levi my Fox story.

In pure Venezuelan style, Levi incorporated this feedback into his lesson the next day and created an incredible lesson. Here's the proof!  Just watch the kids as Levi sings a song he composed, "All Aboard the Bow Express."

 We both came away from the experience better teachers.  Levi blogged about the lesson to share with others.  Thank you, Levi.

There is a growing demand for trained teachers to teach in El Sistema initiatives all over the the country,  all whom face a daunting task:  manage a large group of young children with instruments in their hands, during after-school hours.  This training in partnership with CLCS, New England Conservatory and Longy School of Music gave the Abreu Fellows a chance to see theory put into practice.

I'd like to thank Erik Holgrem, Director of the Abreu Fellows program, for inviting me to work with the Abreu Fellow classes these past two years.  Through his leadership, teacher training is becoming an important component of the Abreu Fellows program.   Thank you, Rebecca Levi, David Malek, and the entire CLCS staff for allowing your program to act as a lab where staff are encouraged to take risks and test new ideas in a safe and supportive environment.