This fall, Conservatory Lab hosted a conference to share resources and teaching practices with fledgling El Sistema programs across the country. Guests from Longy School of Music, New England Conservatory, and several regional El Sistema programs spent a week in September crowding into rehearsals to observe and learn from Conservatory Lab teachers and guest clinician Lorrie Heagy, an Abreu Fellow Alaska State Teacher of the Year. Co-hosted with Longy, this was the first El Sistema conference of its kind, focused on bringing educators together to create a teaching community. Conservatory Lab is among the most successful examples of El Sistema in the United States, and its mission is to disseminate best practices and resources to like-minded educators seeking to offer free, accessible, high-quality music education.

The conference presented ensembles at each level, emphasizing the ways in which musical skills and rehearsal etiquette are nurtured from the first preschool music classes through the advanced orchestra rehearsals. On Friday, the guests participated in a "muestra," a Venezuelan tradition of bringing guests to a few minutes of each class in the building so that they can see the full progression of learning from the youngest to the oldest. Joy poured out of the music room as the more than 30 professional musicians joined Dudamel Orchestra in a side-by-side performance at their final rehearsal of the week.

The conference culminated in a Saturday of presentations and discussions of the week's observations, led by Heagy as well as Conservatory Lab educators Rebecca Levi, David Malek, and Levi Comstock. Attendees discussed tools for continuing the conversations begun during this groundbreaking week.

Help the music grow,  Donate to Conservatory Lab   

On the Deck of the Roseway 

On Monday, September 26, 2011, the entire 5th & 6th grades (28 students and 4 teachers) ventured aboard The Roseway, an original Grand Banks schooner and registered US National Historic Landmark, to participate in a full day curriculum with the World Ocean School. This ocean tour kicked off the upper school's Learning Expedition into geography, navigation, history, and ecology of the Boston Harbor Islands.

The students studied hard in preparation for their journey. They explored the history of navigation, the life of a sailor, and even learned some sea shanties to sing as they hoisted the mainsails. They completed a two-week study of weather, learning about wind currents and ocean currents, as well as properties of water and the importance of density in staying afloat. They were introduced to cartography and navigation, and learned nautical terms such as "foreward," "aft," "port," and "starboard," in order to find their way around the vessel.    

When the day came to embark, all of their knowledge was put to the test. Divided into crews, the students were pressed into service to raise the enormous tanbark sails. With plenty of muscle and cooperation, they raised the 5,600 square feet of jib, fore, main, and jumbo sails. "It was heavy to lift," recalls Jose (5th grade), "it took a lot of teamwork to get the sails up." 

Some of the lessons were hands on, such as knots and rope coiling or navigation with charts and hand bearing compasses to find position and course. Others were about the history of Boston Harbor/Islands and the Roseway's significance to that history. They explored life at sea through a tour of the boat, which gave students greater appreciation for the crew who lives on the boat full time. Students were grateful for the attention and enthusiasm extended by the crew of the Roseway, who engaged and involved them at each step.

This introduction will serve future lessons which will focus on the Islands as the school year progresses. In addition to the geography, history, math, and science lessons, the trip planted seeds for further explorations of community. Students reflected on the importance of respect and responsibility aboard a boat, which creates an environment of trust and safety. As they continue to grow together as a crew, they will remember the lessons learned aboard the Roseway.

To support Expeditionary Learning at Conservatory Lab, click here 

Adventures in Learning Produce Keepsake Books 

In Expeditionary Learning, students share their learning by creating a high-quality product for a real audience. These products add purpose and authenticity to their learning; they represent months of research, writing, and revising. When a book is finally finished, students celebrate with a book launch event, they donate copies to the experts who helped them along the way, and they send copies to the local library as a resource to other students. These books may be ordered on the school website www.conservatorylab.org.

Along the Charles River: A book of poems and watercolors

This compilation of poetry and art from the third grade class of 2010-2011 opens up a window into the natural world around Boston's most important river. Students observed and researched the wildlife along the Charles River, then took on their personae through words and images that conjure the vitality and wonder of life above and below the water's surface. Two of the poems earned top prizes in the 2011 Massachusetts Science Poetry Contest.

What Snake Am I? A clue book of snakes

Do you know your snakes? Read this clue book written and illustrated by the second grade class at Conservatory Lab and find out. From the amazing Anaconda to the venomous Viper, you'll meet eleven of your favorite snakes from around the world. You'll find out what they look like, where they live, what they eat, who their enemies are, and more.

Art is Painting Yourself

In 24 vibrant self-portraits, Conservatory lab pre-schoolers share their thoughts on art and music. Quotes and photos from their five-month learning expedition reveal a depth of understanding and a reverence for both process and product among these budding artists.

To order a book, e-mail Rhonda Berkower. 

Side-by-Side Rehearsals with Resident Artists

"Bringing the resident artists together as a mini-orchestra or chamber ensemble has been the goal from the beginning. Learning the musical language is no different than learning any other language. As human beings, we all learn through imitation. Most of us do not remember how we learned to speak our native or primary language, but as those who speak two or more languages can attest, being immersed in that language is the best way to learn. So that is the concept behind having professional musicians in the classroom. Immerse the kids in a musical language with people who "speak" music fluently. After all, we can teach the kids the notes and the rhythms, the basics, but the phrasing and expression-the music-can only be taught through imitation.

The energy that was coming out of the room after our first encounter was electric. I'm not sure who was more excited, the students or the teachers. We all feed off of one another's energy. When the students are excited about learning then the teachers get more excited and when the teachers get more excited then the energy loops back around to the students. It's a win-win for everyone.

Another beautiful thing about bringing the musical community together is that it allows these somewhat artificial boundaries between students and teachers to come down. It is important for us, the teachers, to remember that we are students also. There is no arrival point for a musician or for anyone who is a lifelong learner. Maybe we are a little further along the road, but we are all traveling the same path. When we come together in a rehearsal space, there is no more student and no more teacher-we are all musicians."

To support El Sistema at Conservatory Lab, click here