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School Spotlight - Issue II
Sharing What We're Learning
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Introducing PSAE's "School Spotlight"
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In our second issue of School Spotlight, we take a look at Southwood Academy of the Arts in Anderson, SC.
As an arts-focused middle school, Southwood gives us a glimpse into the challenges involved for their arts specialists as they continue to work w
ith their students, seeking to engage them and adjusting when necessary.
PSAE sends a big thank you to Southwood for what they're doing every day for their students and for being willing to share with us!
Stay safe - stay healthy!
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Eve Walling Wohlford
Executive Director
Palmetto State Arts Education
2017 Briarwood Road
Greenwood, SC 29646
864.993.8396
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Southwood Academy of the Arts
Anderson, SC
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 Insights from James A. Smith, Principal
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 Being able to navigate the waters of eLearning in a time such as this has been an incredible experience at Southwood Academy of the arts, both good and challenging. As a creative and performing arts school, Southwood Academy has devoted itself to aiding young students to realize their artistic and academic potential in an ever-changing world. Our students and teachers create and perform at the local level, the state level, and the national level, which makes eLearning an incredible obstacle or a blessing; it all depends on how you view the challenge.
Being able to meet with students face-to-face and work in ensemble settings is preferred in an arts setting; however, many of our teachers have found some incredible ways to reach out to their students to extend their learning past the classroom. While this does not compare to classroom instruction, it has provided teachers an alternate way to teach and flip their instruction. Hopefully, when we return to our normal schedules, teachers will know how to extend their classroom instruction in ways they never thought possible before.
If you view this challenge negatively, you will gain nothing from it other than a lot of stress and despair; however, if you see the challenge as a blessing in disguise, you may end up with classroom instruction beyond what was ever done before! When an orchestra student shares her performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in her driveway with fireworks in the background and her family gathered around, you begin to see the true meaning of why we are so passionate about teaching the arts. The teaching is not a means to an end, but rather a means to a life full of enjoyment because of the art that touches the lives of so many.
We are blessed at Southwood Academy of the Arts to have a faculty of teachers that teach the whole child, not just standards to be tested because we know what will live within that student for the rest of their lives transcends the assessment they may have taken during that time. How many of you can remember what you scored on a state test in 7th grade? Now reflect on that teacher who touched your life for the better in 7th grade. Your students need you to be creative and fun, period.
Our goal is to provide students with quality instruction whether in person or through distance learning, while gaining knowledge every day on how to expand that instruction, even outside the classroom.
James A. Smith,
Principal
Southwood Academy of the Arts
1110 Southwood Street
Anderson, SC 29624
864.260.5205
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 I began this season of eLearning with students utilizing Google Drawing to create artwork. My 8th grade students created their artist logos while 7th grade students drew animals and then placed the animals in landscapes. There are many tutorials available in Youtube! These artworks allowed students to continue creating using a digital medium.
Currently, I am working with the Greenville County Museum of Art to access digital copies of their permanent collection. Students view one work at a time and respond to the piece's subject, composition, and content using a Google Form. After students have the opportunity to complete the Google Form, I meet with the class using WebEx for a virtual discussion about the artwork. Ellen Westkaemper at the GCMA sent information about the artists of the works for me to share with my students. My goal is to assure students practice using visual art terminology and develop their visual literacy.
Neither of these activities require students to use materials from home.
Joshua Powell, Middle School Visual Arts Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from Celeste Griffith, Middle School Orchestra Teacher
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 My main goal is for my students to keep playing their instruments. I have had students turn in assigned playing tests to me through FlipGrid. Most students are familiar with FlipGrid and it is really easy to set up a teacher account and easy for students to record themselves and turn it in. There are some tutorials on how to use FlipGrid as well. I have also used SmartMusic. This is the first time I have used SmartMusic and it is difficult for some students with poor internet connections to use. I do like that there is a large library of music on SmartMusic that you can assign to students to practice. They do not have to have actual copies of their music at home. The program grades the students on rhythm and intonation. It grades very strictly so you need to put the setting on "lenient" or "easy." I have also had students listen to youtube videos of orchestra music and answer questions about the listening assignments on a Google Form.
Current music lessons have fifth graders analyzing, creating, and performing music in response to a challenge from the singer Jon Bon Jovi. After analyzing the text (lyrics) of an older Bon Jovi song and discussing its use in a current television commercial, students viewed a recent video from the artist. Bon Jovi introduced his newest song as his response to the pandemic and asked for others to create a verse telling how their life has changed or perhaps thanking a specific group for their work at this time. I challenged Howe Hall's fifth graders to take the week of Spring Break to think about their verse, which they will each write and then perform to Bon Jovi's accompaniment. In addition to providing composition and performance experience, these lessons demonstrate a real-life use of music (and ELA) while also providing an opportunity for students to express themselves as many do during times like these - through music.
Celeste Griffith, Middle School Orchestra Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from Kathy Perry, High School Orchestra Teacher
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Some of the areas we have been covering for High School Orchestra besides playing tests are:
Visiting the Mozart Museum and filled out a Google form we created: https://mozarteum.at/en/museums/mozarts-residence/#virtual-tour-section
Listening to the Berlin Philharmonic Concerts and filled out a google form we created: https://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/en/
Virtual Orchestra 2020 (this was difficult for the young students). They submitted a video to me https://sites.google.com/twu.edu/virtual-orchestra-2020/home
Spring Break Playlist of music they listened to and why they liked the song/piece. They filled out a google form we created.
Kathy Perry, High School Orchestra Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from Jessica McFarland, Middle School Dance Teacher
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 My goal for e-learning is to keep my students active and dancing, but there is only so much dancing they can reasonably do because of space limitations. When e-learning started, we were in the middle of preparation for our annual recital. For the first couple of weeks before spring break, I continued teaching them choreography, just in case we would return in time. I would record myself teaching it and the students would record their rehearsal on flipgrid. I noticed that my students were struggling to dance with their little space, so I have been mixing in research and written assignments as well.
Right after spring break I had the students compare and contrast spring break as usual and spring break during a pandemic. I then had them choose keywords from their compare and contrast and use those to create choreography that communicates the feelings of both spring breaks. This assignment was well-received by the students and they were very creative. I have also assigned ballet barre videos on youtube by Kathryn Morgan. These are great because she has various levels and the students don't need very much space because they are stationary.
Youtube has been a great source for different stretching and fitness videos as well. In order to gauge whether students are actually following along with these videos, I post a google doc or form that asks a few questions about the video. Currently, my students are researching the history of jazz dance. After that, they will do our usual cultural dance around the world project. It is usually collaborative, but they will have to do it on their own this year.
Jessica McFarland, Middle School Dance Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from Stacey Wade, Middle School Band Teacher
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 My main goal is for my students to keep playing their instruments. I have been using SmartMusic with all band students since the beginning of the year, so transitioning to eLearning has been quite smooth, however, it is difficult for some students with poor internet connections to use. I believe SmartMusic is the closest thing to actually teaching in the classroom that is available online. The program automatically grades pitch and rhythm and is strict, so you need to put the setting on lenient or easy. The program also logs their use of the program in minutes, so I am requiring 30 minutes/day with an assignment submission in order to earn full credit. Go to www.smartmusic.com to set up your free COVID-19 educator and student smartmusic accounts.
I am also offering students alternative assignments by creating videos for staff using Flipgrid. Most students are familiar with FlipGrid and it is really easy to set up a teacher account and easy for students to record themselves and turn it in. Staff receiving Happy Birthday video performances are enjoying my students' eLearning work!
Stacey Wade, Middle School Band Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from Monte Blackwell, 6th-12th Guitar and Music Production Teacher
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 The guitar students are not beginners. They are in the second level of the course or higher. Each student has a guitar of their own at home. I send them various YouTube videos which teach, or reinforce, specific guitar skills such as power chords and simple six note solo patterns. They send me feedback on what they learned and how to apply it to the guitar. They also receive song playing assignments. Sometimes they are able to choose their own song to play. Other times I will give them a specific set of instructions. They must always identify the chords they are using, the key of the song and capo position if applicable. Some of the students like to use fingerstyle picking and other melodic techniques.
Music Production students receive YouTube videos covering a wide range of music production, mixing, and mastering techniques. Some of them are very specific to Garageband, which is the software we use on our Macs at Southwood. Others are general production techniques that can be applied to any software or DAW. They send me feedback about what they learned and how it can be applied to their own projects. They also create their own music production projects, from home, using whatever software they have available to them. Some students have Garageband, Ableton Live, and FL Studio as their DAW (digital audio workstation). Other students only have basic apps on their phones such as SongMaker, Medly, or Garageband on iPhone. They create the project from whatever platform they have. They send me an audio file of what they have done along with a written outline of the creative process.
Google Classroom, Google Drive, and email work well for submitting student work, giving feedback, and keeping communication lines open. I plan to try WebEX next month.
Monte Blackwell, 6th-12th Guitar and Music Production Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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Insights from LeRoy Kennedy, High School Chorus Teacher
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 My goal for e-learning is to find ways to keep my students singing and retaining the sight reading skills we were diligently working on in the classroom. This is being accomplished through students using Carol Krueger's Progressive Sight Singing website. Students are given sight reading assignments to record and turn in. YouTube videos of choral groups are also given for students to critique. As we continue, one major project will consist of collaboration on a singing project.
I have utilized a website called Tunelark to try to facilitate music theory learning: http://www.tunelark.com/join/xojeeez
Also rhythm trainer: http://www.therhythmtrainer.com/
And a fun assignment on students going through the process of what a Broadway audition prep experience looks like: https://www.pbs.org/video/broadway-or-bust-episode-1-casting-call/
LeRoy Kennedy, High School Chorus Teacher
Southwood Academy of the Arts
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If you know of schools we should highlight in upcoming issues of School Spotlight, please email us.
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2017 Briarwood Road, Greenwood, SCAwesomeville, MA ยท 555.555.5555
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