The IDEAL Creative

September 2013

This is such an exciting time for The IDEAL School of Manhattan! With our new staff and students (including TWO new Kindergarten Classes), we are definitely looking to do new and great things for the 2013-2014 School Year!

Our Creative Arts Team is comprised of three returning faculty members (Viorica Morris-Stan & Timothy Lomas-Art; and Suzanne Gregoire-Dance/Movement) and two new members (Terry Campbell & Anwar Robinson-Music).

We are extremely excited about uncovering and developing the creative and cognitive gifts and talents of each student at IDEAL.

Welcome, Welcome, WELCOME!!!

Tim & Viorica’s look inside the minds of students as they create their Sketch Book Covers…

…inside scoop

Suzanne shares with us students’ goals in movement, electives and also a sneak peek for El Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)…

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2 The IDEAL Creative (September 2013)

“Art Club created a mural for our Word of the Month ‘RESPECT’

currently on display in the assembly hall.”

A Book By Its Cover

Submitted by:

Viorica Morris-Stan & Timothy Lomas

This September in the art studio we began with our tradition of individually decorating and making title pages for our sketchbooks with all of the grades in a variety of methods and materials including watercolor, photo-collage, optical illusions, graffiti-style, and self portraits. These sketchbooks are used throughout the school year as a record of each student’s collected drawings and developing ideas. Art Portfolio and Art Club classes have begun on Friday sessions. Art Club created a mural for our Word of the Month “RESPECT” currently on display in the Assembly Hall. Art Portfolio

students worked on their apple still life charcoal drawings soon to be displayed. We also began our masterworks for the IDEAL Gala on November 15th, 2013. The students are putting together work inspired from world cultures and based on our theme of “A Great Big Beautiful World”. Stay Tuned!

Thea & Evie share their sketchbooks.

Jake matches his vibrant smile with his cover.

3 The IDEAL Creative (September 2013)

“We are very excited to be collaborating with the music faculty, who are creating an original piece to accompany the dance.”

More Than Just

Movement

By Suzanne Gregoire

This September in Dance all the grades got familiar with the basic routines of dance class, and practiced warming up, improvising to music from different parts of the world, and moving and leaping across the floor.

The Dance Elective Groups are learning a jazz routine which they will continue building on in October. In Yoga Mind Breath, the Lower School students are learning animal and partnered poses, and exploring plant scents, especially lavender.

As part of the Movement Program, the First Grade is beginning a dance block that they will continue through the month of October. They are learning a Mexican dance to be performed for El Día de Los Muertos Assembly. We are very excited to be collaborating with the music faculty, who are creating an original piece to accompany the dance.

4 The IDEAL Creative (September 2013)

“…students have been evaluating musical performances, improvising in drum circles, excelling with an extremely challenging (and sometimes maddening) metronome exercise…”

The Inner Pulse

By Terry Campbell

Firstly, Mr. Robinson and I want to thank the parents, students, and staff for welcoming us so warmly to the IDEAL family. We both feel fortunate to be a part of IDEAL, and the past 3 weeks have been truly rewarding. We are both thrilled to be working in such an inclusive and positive atmosphere, and are excited for what lies ahead!

September has been a fun and busy month for music at IDEAL. Lower School grades have been dancing, drumming, singing, and reading rhythm cards every week. Students have been demonstrating pitch recognition, awareness of beat, rhythmic imitation, and responding individually to a variety of musical sounds. Mr. Robinson and I have been amazed with the level of musicality throughout IDEAL, and we have been striving to have each student cultivate a personal, meaningful relationship with music.

In the Upper School, students have been evaluating musical performances, improvising in drum circles, excelling with an extremely challenging (and sometimes maddening) metronome exercise, as well as refining Solfege syllables, pitch, and rhythmic

accuracy. So far, we have explored the music of Bill Evans, Beyoncé, and Bob Marley, and each class has been sharing and defending their opinions and reactions of different genres and artists. With Mr. Robinson, the new vocal ensemble has been exploring classic and contemporary material, as well as honing vocal technique.

As we look into October, we are excited about expanding instrumentation in percussion ensemble playing, learning new songs about the Fall season, exploring new artists and genres, and learning new rhythms and solfege syllables, as well as coordinating with the Dance Department to create a work for El Día de los Muertos Celebration.

Members of Kindergarten A in a Drum Line (from L to R): Zahirah, Diego, Savannah, Jeein, & Sianne)

(Above) Kaiser has a lesson on the Tom Drum with Mr.

Campbell.

Ms. Sara Hardin (Co-Teacher of Kindergarten Class A) with Angelo playing their C Harmonicas.

A Great Big Beautiful World

So many times, we often take for granted the curiosity of children as just everyday occurrences of growing up. However, when we take a deeper look into the hearts and minds of our younger citizen-scholars, we will find that they are on the brink of unlocking the doors to pathways that will define what their gifts and contributions to the world will be.

One of the greatest honors as educators that we have is being able to guide, encourage, facilitate, and witness these wonders, as children’s curiosity is one of the most essential gifts of humanity.

We look forward to growing together with your children as we truly make our mark on our world!

Most Sincerely,

Anwar Robinson

Music & Creative Arts

The IDEAL School of Manhattan 314 West 91st Street New York, NY 10024 212.769.1699