Apr. 16, 2014: The Play Group Theatre artist-in-residence program has come to The Bronxville School. Through an active collaboration with a professional artist in the classroom, the program will enrich the fifth grade curriculum by developing effective speaking and listening skills, enhanced creativity, and critical thinking.

The two-year program, which is being funded by The Bronxville School Foundation, is designed to strengthen a wide range of student skills articulated in the New York State Common Core Standards and to deliver long-term benefits to the fifth grade experience.

The program kicked off in the fall when the fifth grade teachers underwent training with the teaching artist to learn games and exercises designed to get students on their feet, enhance their speaking, listening, and concentration skills, and foster cooperation with their classmates.

The teachers and the artist then visited with each fifth grade class and taught the communication exercises to the students. Students utilized these new skills to begin to analyze selected pieces of literature, make connections to them, and bring the literature to life with their bodies and voices.

Sarah Zonenshine, a fifth grade teacher at The Bronxville School, stated, "By providing the children with helpful techniques to strengthen their speaking and listening skills and challenging them to think creatively and critically through the process, the program allows students to approach public speaking and listening-based assignments in a different and exciting way." She added, "Our hope is that the exciting and interactive nature of the program will enhance the public speaking experience for all students while at the same time spark the interest of those who are reluctant public speakers."

Last month, the teaching artist met again with the fifth grade students and worked with them to analyze Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The teaching artist began with a physical and vocal warm-up, emphasizing to the students the importance of releasing tension. After the students rehearsed and performed a scene from Romeo and Juliet, the teaching artist shared feedback and additional techniques to help the students improve the quality of their performance. Fifth grader Elizabeth Murray said, "I loved when we acted out Romeo and Juliet. The teaching artist gave us great tips on how not to be nervous."

The program is designed to benefit Bronxville fifth graders for years to come. After the Lecture Series Committee funded an introduction to the program, the fifth grade teachers recognized its enormous value and wanted to incorporate it into the school's curriculum. A critical component of the program is the transfer of the skills from the artist to the teachers, which will enable them to develop a model for use with future fifth grade classes.

Additionally, the teaching artist has discussed with the teachers how to incorporate skits and other communication activities into the daily curriculum and to develop a revised rubric for guiding students as they complete speaking-based assignments. "I am grateful to The Bronxville School Foundation," said Ms. Zonenshine, "for its efforts to ensure that the fifth grade faculty members have the opportunity to be trained to deliver the program so that the benefits will accrue to fifth graders for years to come."

Pictured here:  Steve West, the visiting theater artist at The Bronxville School, engaging in a communication exercise with fifth grade student Kelly Weild.

Photo courtesy Helena McSherry, Member, PR Committee, The Bronxville School Foundation