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“Peace, justice, and equality,” says Mary Travers on the TV screen. “Keep on singing.”

“As long as we listen to the music, American will always have Peter, Paul and Mary,” says the PBS host of a recent retrospective documentary.

Peter Pan Live, or protester die-ins on the streets of NYC – which to watch??? Flip back and forth?

We’re in the middle of an important moment in the history of our democracy. Just like the somewhat comparable period in the 1960s, when we’re in the middle it’s hard to know exactly where we are, never mind where we’re going! There is turmoil in the world, turmoil and unrest in America, and the same economic and racial/cultural inequities that are the source of tensions – the heat that keeps the pot boiling.

Many of the leaders who galvanized the country in the ‘60s: artists, musicians, actors, and dancers, and a fledgling media through radio and emerging television have given way to a new generation. I just watched a PBS special on Peter, Paul and Mary (joined at one point by Pete Seeger), who created the folk classics of our collective consciousness – “If I Had a Hammer” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” “Jet Plane” “Deportee,” “Don’t Laugh at Me” “Stew ball” . . . (I know, they’re white and so am I.)

Someone this week had a student ask, “Why do I have to learn music?” While there are many answers to this question, one surely must be that music is the soundtrack of our lives and history, not only recording it, but driving it. Music galvanizes the audience to recognize, analyze, and commit to what is right, just, equitable and peaceful – and challenges each individual to stand a be counted as part of a just community. Music and the arts touch not only the head, but the heart and soul – they inform our humanity.

The question I want to ask is, what should I be doing as an educational leader, as an artist, as a member of this democratic society, and as a person? And what role will artists and arts educators take in helping our community make sense of the situations and choices we are facing? There’s lots to think about and sort through – what are you thinking?

Then and Now

Is it nastier now than it was in the ‘60s? Maybe, but I don’t think so. It was pretty nasty then. There were threats and bombs, night sticks and lynching, angry rhetoric in response to horrible behavior – and activism that emerged, heroes and martyrs, and passion.

There are differences, of course, among which are:

• The media, and the fast pace at which information is shared. The media analysts dissect situations before they occur, they not only report the news but create it. Everything in the world is reported, and memory is sometimes only a sound byte long. Getting a sustained effort going requires some organization, planning, a slick messages and deep and ongoing intention.
• Another difference is the adoration/celebration of empty, pretty heads and bodies. Often the voices that are sought don’t have a sufficient knowledge base, meaningful perspectives, or the necessary analytical and political skills to move anyone anywhere. It’s not that there’s a lack of talent, it’s just whether the talented have the passion for social justice, the capacity to muster passion in others, and the bandwidth to be heard.
• A third difference is the amount of gratuitous violence, beginning early in young children’s lives. Starting with cartoons, then sitcoms, and in the media, toys, plays, movies, and games – the collective trauma eventually desensitizes individuals, and clouds the difference between fantasy violence and real actions.

This week there have been protests sparked by events in Missouri and New York. Change is hard, but it’s even harder to ignore the tensions that beg for change when they become so present through community action that sparks media attention.

In my daily interactions, my experiences illustrate a disjunct between the real world and education. Educational decision makers are not very nimble at creating new and responsive scenarios as the world quickly changes. Of course, there are enduring understandings and skills that transcend the moment. But there are also new perspectives, needs, processes and technologies that can change the equation and make some learning strategies (and even content) obsolete. At the very least, we need to keep an eye on what children will need to succeed in life, and what our society needs our children to know and be able to do for our country to remain innovative, imaginative, and on the cutting edge of progress. It’s time to address the myopic focus on one skill or another at the expense of bring up whole thinkers. Teachers are continually being asked to focus on the one skill in which children did least well, while setting aside other important skills. Specific knowledge will be sought at the right time if our kids know how to craft and solve problems together.

The Opportunity

As an eternal optimist, this is a difficult time. However, when our world appears to break and tear, it also makes space to act, an opportunity to better ourselves, a chance to make a difference. Just like Peter, Paul and Mary, and Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, the Weavers, Country Joe and the Fish, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and so many others. You can add your favorites.

Where are the artists today who will lead and support change? They’re gathering their collective energy. Pete Seeger is gone. Mary Travers is gone. Peter and Paul, Richie Havens, Tom Waite – they’re old. And they already guided one social revolution. This new one can build on their shoulders. But I’m looking for the new leaders and what actions they will take. How will they move the culture to action? How will they step out of the boxes of more traditional organizations, and find the kind of new we need?

I think we’re getting there. It’s going to be a great time to be alive, if you’re willing to live it, share it, and mentor fledgling efforts! Sing the songs. If they don’t suit you, write new ones! Make the art. Collect and tell the stories. Dance the dances together. Feel the feelings. Act the role of rebel – of peacemaker – of social activist – of teacher. After all, isn’t this all about what is taught? And isn’t it the artists who, in generation after generation, lead?

Here are some thinkers, performers, performances, and ideas that I’ve experienced and think might be models or philosophies to base a lasting, connected response upon, and they’re only the tip of the iceberg.

• Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind is old now, but paves the way for a yet-unfulfilled role for the arts and artists in education, learning, and society:
  http://www.danpink.com/books/whole-new-mind
• Wynton Marsalis’ “The Ballad of American Arts”:
  http://wyntonmarsalis.org/videos/view/the-ballad-of-american-arts
• History of protest songs:
  (mentionss Alicia Keys as a possible, positive voice)
• Acting Together toolkit, a collaboration between Brandeis University and Theatre Without Borders to plan peacebuilding performances.
  http://www.brandeis.edu/ethics/peacebuildingarts/actingtogether/toolkit/index.html
• Street Art, such as Ghandyanloo’s paintings in Iran and Bansky.
  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/28/mehdi-ghadyanloo_n_5399206.html
  http://www.streetartutopia.com/; http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=banksy+art&qpvt=banksy+art&FORM=IGRE
• Ailey Dance has an outreach arm that is quite spectacular, and builds character along with dance skills:
  https://www.alvinailey.org/about/company/ailey-arts-education-community-programs/aileycamp?wssl=1
• Community arts schools and organizations that keep kids safe and help them find their passion, such as:
  • Sir Ken Robinson has lots to say about personal and educational passion and change.
    http://sirkenrobinson.com/
  • Learning Without Frontiers, spearheaded by Graham Brown-Martin from the UK (who has just published Learning Reimagined) provides forward thinking perspectives on change in education that have been in the ether for a while, and now need to be synthesized into a vision that will raise children who can work through the struggles of today to craft a different world.
    https://www.facebook.com/LearningWithoutFrontiers
  • Choral Arts Link in Nashville, TN, which acts as an umbrella for a menu of arts education services in a city that has an inconsistent record of adopting arts programs du jour.
     www.choralartslink.com
• This month, the Yale Repertory Theater features the world premier of [WAR], by critically acclaimed playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. This play and others like it provide a window into difficult relationships, both as a result of race, and transcending race. I was particularly struck by how this young up-and-coming voice integrated multiple and disparate threads into an extraordinary, unified whole.
  http://www.yalerep.org/on_stage/2014-15/war.html

There are voices emerging out there. Change is a continuum, and we can put a marker on the current time, but it comes from somewhere, and is on its way to the new. If the new is going to represent democracy and imagination, it will be led by artists across all the arts. And arts educators will seek out those with powerful voices and positive but insightful messages. I’ve only started this list and discussion! Please suggest additions, including your own work and that of valued colleagues and other extraordinary arts-based professionals. Think big and fantastically, as well as practically and personally. If we think and act together, we can continue the honored tradition of the arts and artists leading change for the better! And we might even bring educators along!

A shout out to the wonderful performance by the Brien McMahon choral group at the Rowayton Holiday Stroll this early December. Their harmonies were beautifully in tune, the balance was almost always perfect, and all this in the challenging environment of an outdoor performance.

A couple of things:

1. I know this is an outdoor gathering of the community. But when our children sing, shouldn’t we listen? I won’t mention the fire truck siren that drowned out part of the performance (oops, I did!), but the level of crowd noise was rude, and a horrible example for the many young children in attendance.
2. I have no idea what this group is called. The name is not anywhere in anyone’s literature, including the McMahon School’s music website. When a school group contributes to the community, it might be acknowledged. C’mon, McMahon – toot your own horn!
3. Please note that the singing was beautiful, and I don’t want to diminish that. But it appears that taxpayer dollars paid for a school program to share sacred music. (Maybe this was a volunteer group that met outside of school time, and the conductor volunteered his free time – I don’t know.) This raises questions about separation of church and state. I’m really torn about this, because we all love the tunes. But in a pluralistic society that is increasingly diverse, educators should lean heavily toward more secular, festive winter selections. I’m not a Grinch – I love the spirit of the holidays, and the value of community singing, but also value our democracy and the foundations under which it was created. Sacred songs are more appropriately performed outside school-sponsored performances.
   

   Brien McMahon choral group performing in Rowayton

It was such a busy week! On Tuesday evening, I joined Lorelei Zwiernikowski’s class at Eastern Michigan University by Skype to share Total Learning Digital with them. Half the time was conducted with a PowerPoint presentation, and the other half was Q/A and conversation. I taped it, so have the video and PowerPoint presentation in Dropbox for anyone who’s interested, and the PPT is attached here – it’s a big file. Below is a screen shot of the Skype call – Sue in the lower left corner, the class taking most of the screen. It’s amazing how personal this digital visit can seem!

One way that Total Learning and arts-integrated curriculum will flourish is if courses becomes part of undergraduate and graduate education degree requirements.  Better yet, the strategies should become part of every course that education students take, infused into the ways content is delivered.  Exceptional teachers do this anyway! Lorelei said, “The session was inspiring to ALL!! MANY THANKS!!! Students all want you as their Prof of Education here at EMU now!” What a treat!

Total Learning PowerPoint presentation – 2014

 

If Total Learning is going to become institutionalized as a powerful model that makes a difference in early learning, it’s really important that we share good news as broadly as possible. Congratulations to Allison Logan on her fine article in the CABE (Connecticut Association of Boards of Education) Journal – December 2014 edition!

The article is shared here: CABE Article

We’re so excited to share a tiny bit of Total Learning Digital with you!!!  In Total Learning Digital, we create tutorials for each of 24 arts-integrated strategies, so teachers will have the skills to (1) deliver the skill to students, and (2) use this strategy to deliver their curriculum content in active, engaging, motivating and effective ways.  Here is a short segment from one recent tutorial, or lesson prep, just so you can see an example.

You can help us complete the entire program by going here.

 

I’ve been writing lessons for a big project. At the same time, Total Learning teachers in several sites are using already-written TL lessons. The way these lessons are written honors teacher decision-making, and that no written plan can substitute for the excellence of a great teacher. The amazing teachers I know and see, possess a very unique skill set.

Part and Whole

When an exceptional teacher plans to teach a concept or skills, she operates from two points of view, exploring the content for the main idea, as well as its detailed parts. This teacher does not teach isolated facts, but delivers those facts as examples of a larger category. Categories later lead to generalizations that inform new learning.

Imagination

An exceptional teacher has a metaphorical mind, and is able to imagine across modalities to find explanatory examples. No matter what the subject area, there are auditory, kinesthetic, visual and linguistic examples of a concept or skill. For example: if the teacher is teaching about erosion in science, there are environmental examples like a rock face being buffeted into sand by wind and rain. Rather than singing a song about erosion, the exceptional teacher asks, “What erodes in sound? What effect does it have?” Now she can construct an activity where students read a poem, then read it leaving out every 4^th word, then every 3^rd and 4^th word, then every 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th word, then all the words. Then the teacher conducts the same inquiry for movement, visual image, and language. She now has four metaphors at her disposal to build an understanding of erosion.

A Sequence for Learning

This exceptional teacher also knows intuitively that learning occurs in a sequence from experience and exploration to labeling, then practicing until the concept is assimilated, then to imaginatively applying the new understanding to a new situation. She uses her examples as resources to build this sequence for understanding over time, engaging students in hands experiences for deep learning. She knows that this takes more time than superficial learning, and therefore avoids wasting time on unnecessary distractions in the classroom or curriculum. There’s not time for management without learning, nor for learning without classroom management – the learning environment must engender engagement and self control.

An Appetite for Complexity

Finally, this exceptional teacher knows that you can’t teach one thing at a time – you need to layer instruction so one concept is introduced as another is practiced and a third is being applied to a creative project. By weaving several threads, students are functioning at multiple levels, and each concept informs the other, leading to unexpected discoveries and connections. In this way, there is sufficient time for the curriculum to be delivered.

A Smile and Encouragement

One more thing! This teacher is usually smiling and encourages students to take risks by providing a safe environment in which to fail, and try again. Sure there are tests and ways to demonstrate mastery, but not every minute!

Sound daunting? It’s hard work! An exceptional teacher doesn’t shut this brain off – it keeps on inventing and working, solving the puzzle of how to teach children who grow into imaginative, independent, responsible and smart adults! This is a Total Learning Teacher Brain!

IDEAS has collaborated on product development to create Total Learning Digital, a research-based, innovative approach to professional development for teachers of children who live in poverty. The Total Learning approach has been developed over the past 8 years in US schools, through grants from the State of Connecticut, the State of California, and others. Michael Cohen Group’s independent evaluation has shown positive results in reducing the achievement gap. Total Learning Digital is currently implemented in several schools across the US and continues to be very successful as we complete the program.

We are raising funds through crowdsourcing at http://igg.me/at/TLDProject to complete the remaining game-based tutorials, running through December 3. There are award options for you when you contribute.  Please give at whatever level you can.  Give small, it’s a very big deal to us.  Give big if you can.  Please consider the scholarship program for teachers. During this holiday season, give the gift of education to those who need it most!

As in many urban schools, Cesar Batalla School in Bridgeport, CT celebrates Halloween with a Trunk or Treat event. The parking lot is sealed off. Parents and organizations arrange their treats in car trunks and backs of vans. Kids and their parents come after school, and trick or treat in this safe environment.

Total Learning had a trunk full of jump ropes last year, and this year a trunk full of sidewalk chalk. It was beautiful – striped and polka dot fat chalks ready for our kids.

A decorated trunk full of sidewalk chalk 

Take a look – not a piece of chalk was left at the end of the afternoon, and a great time was had by all! And now everyone knows how much fun sidewalk chalk is, so there’s a chance that some trips to the store result in open ended play toys like chalk. What do you think we should do next year?

I recently visited an amazing United Way Model Center for Early Excellence in Miami. Amongst their goals for parents are to develop advocacy skills, so parents become active in their child’s education. They told me of their frustration that the parents often hit a brick wall when the children go to Kindergarten.

The parent/family component of Total Learning is essential for student success. We are working hard to establish parent/family support in several ways:

• We work with the school team to assure that the parent and family voice is heard in the school, and that parent engagement is a priority.
• A family worker is assigned to every 2 or 3 Total Learning classrooms. This individual makes home visits to every family and conducts an intake survey, through which level of risk is determined. When an area of risk is identified, the family worker collaborates with community resources who provide specific support. Our family workers have arranged for everything from socks and adult companionship for a child walking to school, to heating, rent, jobs, and English Language Learning! They are also in the classroom, interfacing with teachers to identify any emerging problems and nip them in the bud. The teachers say that it’s SO important to have the support in a large class with lots of behavioral and parent needs.
• We collaborate with the family resource centers to provide culturally responsive educational workshops and other support for families, including Music Together infant and toddler classes that bring families joyfully into the school, and family events that bring the whole family into the school to build community and trust. Workshops for K-4 parents are a favorite time for many parents, but other times and events accommodate working parents. Sometimes a meal is provided to take that pressure off working families.
• We work with teachers to engage parents in pro-child behaviors at home, including reading to and with the child, making space for homework, using positive language to increase pro-social behaviors, and setting expectations for respect and self control.
• We encourage formal and informal parent education throughout the community, with children (museums, concerts, community events) and alone (English Language learning, developmental needs of young children, etc.)

Ideally, the action we take in school lead to parents who learn to advocate for their child, and know what their child is entitled to. When they know what the expectations are, and how they can proactively impact their child’s chances for success, we take steps to creating a community of learners with common goals, and have help to be sure our work results in success.

Attached are a recent document: Culture Counts: Engaging Black and Latino parents of Young Children in Family Support programs, from the alliance for early success; and a Parent Guidelines handout for use at a parent meeting.

This blog first appeared in November, 2013.
Last week we started video lessons as part of Total Learning Digital. I’m in my office, or in a quiet space somewhere, with my computer and a prepared environment. The teacher and students are in the classroom. I’m connected to the classroom over the Smart Board. The children’s reactions are very interesting. In Kindergarten, I’m not sure they’ve got it yet – we need a few more sessions. The first graders thought they were seeing a video until I started describing their movements and actions, and calling on them to answer questions! Second graders watched a demonstration of creating an art print following specific directions. It was quickly interactive because they were quickly telling me what to do next! We’ve only started, and I’m sure to get better at demonstrating skills and interacting with students and teachers. But it’s REALLY fun! And the kids are REALLY engaged!
Yesterday I was in the hallway at Cesar Batalla School as the kindergarten class was returning from lunch. “Hey, There’s Dr. Sue from the Smart Board,” said one child. “Hi, Dr. Sue!” the chorus rang out. Then one young man asked, “What are YOU doing HERE? You’re supposed to be in the Smart Board!”
Ah, progress. One more way to confuse our children?
It surely has made me rethink my practice once again.
Signing off now –
Dr. Sue from the Smart Board
P.S. You can see some of these early attempts in the Total Learning Digital licensed site, in the Video Chat Room. Click the View Previous Chats button. Learn more about Total Learning Digital at the tab above! Join our growing Total Learning teacher cadre.