Do you remember your first opera? You might have gone on a school day with your classmates. Something about that day - one of the singers, perhaps, or the sheer spectacle of it all - has stayed with you as a positive memory and maybe it was the beginning of a lifelong love of opera. The tradition continues; every year approximately 11,000 Dallas-area elementary and middle school students and teachers (grades 3-8) from public, private, and home schools attend a full-length opera from the regular season of The Dallas Opera.
Begun in the 1960’s as a field trip to the opera for students, The School Performances Program has expanded and matured to now include an interdisciplinary curriculum which supports standardized, state mandated educational objectives, not only for music but also in math, social studies, language arts, and science.
The School Performances curriculum is developed by the ARIA team, comprised of teachers proficient in their own disciplines and familiar with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guidelines. In the fall, teams of teachers from North Texas area schools attend the in-service training, and receive free curriculum materials, which include student lessons and activities, student newspapers, and a music CD and DVD of the selected opera. Attendance at the 2 ½ hour training session is required in order to bring students to a School Performance.
In addition, Opera Guild docents are available to visit schools, offering even more enrichment about the opera.
For more information, contact the Education Department at 214-443-1082 or e-mail linda@dallasopera.org. |
