In the Greenfield art room, your son or daughter is learning to think like an artist. Ms. Mowery, Greenfield’s K-8 art teacher, is passionate about teaching students what a wonderful addition the arts can be to their lives. It is important to her that each students leaves her classroom thinking of themselves as creative problem solvers.
Our art curriculum is designed to give students of various learning styles and abilities a chance to build the following skills:
OBSERVING: Art is everywhere! We will learn how to observe our surroundings, looking closely for details. Students will compare and contrast famous works of art and attempt to incorporate aspects of their own life into art room projects.
PRACTICING: Students will have an opportunity to use a variety of materials in art class. We will use formal art elements and principles to guide our practice.
PROBLEM SOLVING: We will work in groups and as individuals to problem solve. Self-sufficiency and independent thinking is encouraged in each project.
MAKING CONNECTIONS: We will be creating art to connect with other cultures, art history, and ourselves.
REFLECTING: Self-reflection is something that artists of all ages use to streamline and improve their art. Students will be encouraged to share their reactions to many classic and modern works of art. Art class will become and environment where students feel comfortable offering and receiving constructive criticism.
Greenfield offers general music classes for all students grades K-8. Our teacher, Mr. Stambaugh, teaches Music Learning Theory (MLT) – a philosophy of music pedagogy that emphasizes development of “audition,” or an internal ear. Lower School musicians (K-4) actively listen, sing, move, and play in each and every music class to acculturate them to a wide and diverse variety of music. Upper School musicians (5-8) continue to build these skills while applying them in a project-based curriculum centered on performance, improvisation, and composition. Greenfield musicians have access to classroom sets of ukuleles, Orff instruments, guitars, and recorders as well as a panoply of auxiliary percussion instruments and a school subscription to SoundTrap. However, the most important instruments in music class are the ones each Greenfield student takes with them everywhere they go – their voices.
Greenfield has a thriving Instrumental Music program, with many students participating in the Band program from grades 4-8. Students are offered an instrument ( woodwind, brass or percussion) and will take a “once a week, 45 minute group lesson” as a beginner, primarily in 4th & 5th grade. They continue with more advanced studies in 6th-8th grade, with some exceptions. The program operates every Thursday during school hours (9:00am – 3:00 pm).
The band performs a Winter and Spring Concert utilizing the full band, drum line and/or a small chamber group. Many students progress in their studies and have been recipients of the Temple University Community Music Scholarship, receiving private lessons, ensembles and music theory classes. This commitment extends their performance opportunities immensely. Our advanced instrumentalist have also gained membership into the prestigious “All Philadelphia Middle School Concert Band”, an ensemble of over 130 students comprised of the best middle school musicians throughout the entire Philadelphia area, another extended performance opportunity. Many of our students go on to some of the most notable high schools in the area, with a strong foundation to build upon as they strive to achieve their goals and dreams.
As a instrumental music educator, my goal is for the students involved in the band program to develop a strong sense of hard work, dedication, confidence, commitment, ownership, musical skills and knowledge while building a community of friendship, trust and fun.
HOW TO JOIN THE BAND PROGRAM!
When school begins in September, Mr. Aaron Stewart will begin accepting parental letters giving approval for your child to ” tryout” an instrument. The letter should include the students name, room number and the instrument that they would like to try. You can put the letter in my box in the office. The student should have some idea of what instrument sparks their interest. With their new classroom teacher’s approval as well, students will begin the process. Remember good grades, attendance and behavior must be in place to add this extended curriculum to your child’s life.
October is ” TRY OUT ” time and, in the order that the letters are received, students will be invited to come down and try it out.
The Albert Greenfield School Band Program
Greenfield has a thriving Instrumental Music program, with many students participating in the Band program from grades 4-8. Students are offered an instrument ( woodwind, brass or percussion) and will take a “once a week, 45 minute group lesson” as a beginner, primarily in 4th & 5th grade. They continue with more advanced studies in 6th-8th grade, with some exceptions. The program operates every Thursday during school hours (9:00am – 3:00 pm).
The band performs a Winter and Spring Concert utilizing the full band, drum line and/or a small chamber group. Many students progress in their studies and have been recipients of the Temple University Community Music Scholarship, receiving private lessons, ensembles and music theory classes. This commitment extends their performance opportunities immensely. Our advanced instrumentalist have also gained membership into the prestigious “All Philadelphia Middle School Concert Band”, an ensemble of over 130 students comprised of the best middle school musicians throughout the entire Philadelphia area, another extended performance opportunity. Many of our students go on to some of the most notable high schools in the area, with a strong foundation to build upon as they strive to achieve their goals and dreams.
As a instrumental music educator, my goal is for the students involved in the band program to develop a strong sense of hard work, dedication, confidence, commitment, ownership, musical skills and knowledge while building a community of friendship, trust and fun.