Our new state standards in education call
for students to show what they know and are able to do. As every
parent knows, children are not by nature as quiet as mice. Children
are prone to express glee when they are creatively engaged. They
seek to share with their peers what they have discovered or learned.
Thus, the title of our program is Sounds of LearningTM. It reflects
our belief that children must be engaged in active learning, where
the sharing of ideas reflects the collaborative learning that
has been called for by the SCANS report of the U.S. Department
of Labor. This report highlights what employers in this new millennium
will require of our workers. For the future success of our research
and development teams, today's students must learn to work collaboratively,
using creative problem-solving techniques to build products that
reflect mastery of content.
Opera
is a perfect base from which to address this task. It is a uniquely
integrated art, possessing orchestra, voice, literature, drama,
and dance. Therefore, the emphasis in the Sounds of LearningTM
program is on interdisciplinary and student-centered learning.
The goal of Active Learning is to have your children engage in
the process of self-teaching. Within this student activity book,
you will find specific pages which will have the Active Learning
symbol which is displayed at the top of this page. It calls for
your children to produce a product or to display their ability
in a unique way. They will be able to show how they have gained
insights into their learning by drawing, writing, charting, and
discussing the issues most relevant to them. In this way, they
will be able to show what they can do with what they know. Oliver
Wendell Holmes stated, "The object of teaching the child is to
enable him to get along without his teacher." We believe this
is the target we must all aspire to achieve. It is the root of
the tree of our democracy.
We believe
the family is the most important foundation to learning. Let your
kitchen table become a classroom where your children can build
their knowledge of opera and the humanities. With parents joining
in the teaching and learning process, watch the eyes of your children
sparkle.
Opera
is a communal celebration, so too should be your children's education.
In reading the libretto with your children, we suggest that your
family members take turns reading particular roles. This adds
a dimension of fun to the reading of this great literature. Recent
research by Dr. Ellen Winner of Harvard's Project Zero found that
"drama helps to build verbal skills that transfer to new materials."
She found that acting out texts helps students in "reading readiness
and achievement" and "oral and written language development."
(Journal of Aesthetic Education, v34, #3/4, Fall/Winter, 2000).
To take the greatest advantage of this website, we suggest you
purchase one of EMI's excellent
recordings of this opera. We are grateful to EMI for offering
the Opera Company of Philadelphia their libretti for use in our
printed programs. Together, we hope to build future audiences
for, and performers of, the arts.
SOUNDS of
LEARNING TM All Rights Reserved
