Snapshot from the classroom
/We are delighted to have expanded our educational programming to include weekly individual lessons for this year's continuing students. This one-to-one lesson is a special time, when each student can shape their learning, focusing on what is inspiring to them and fully realize their strengths. And while our students love their individual lessons, learning together brings a lot of joy. Here is where friendships are deepened and the classroom community is strengthened. Group learning is at the core of the famed Venezuelan music education system, El Sistema. One of the values El Sistema students learn from the beginning is that "As soon as you have learned something, it is your responsibility to teach it to someone else." This practice of peer mentoring is one that takes many years to build but creates a deep sense of community among the students and is a reminder that music is an oral tradition.
The practice of peer mentoring is something we hope to instill in the students of the Newport String Project. In these clips, two of our students practice the skill through role play - taking turns being the teacher and the student. As you can see, while learning how to hold the bow is a serious and sophisticated business, there is still plenty of room for fun!
Part I
Part II