Workshop Series

Each workshop series is designed in collaboration with the participating teachers to meet specific curricular goals. Incorporating grade-level standards, Music Center student workshops teach the basic content, vocabulary and skills of an arts discipline. As teaching artists work with students, they are also modeling effective practice for the classroom teacher, helping them become more comfortable and effective teaching the arts.

A workshop series can span from 3 to 20 sessions per classroom. Music Center staff will work with you to determine which artist(s) and how many sessions will best serve your students' and teachers' needs.

Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnerships Residency Program

The Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnership Residencies are the Music Center's most in-depth workshop program. Designed as an intensive professional development model, residencies support collaborative planning and teaching between Music Center teaching artists and a cadre of classroom teachers. This approach to teacher development helps educators gain skills to integrate dance, music, theatre or the visual arts. Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnerships feature designated collaborative planning and coaching time for teachers and artists to discuss their work and design strategies to address the teacher's specific needs. Participating students benefit from in-depth study of an arts discipline, as well as opportunities for performance/exhibitions and reflection as part of the residency learning cycle.

Skirball Artist-Teacher Partnership Residencies:

• Require a minimum of 14 student workshop sessions per classroom (12 student workshops + 1 student culmination day + 1 reflection day
• Require face to face pre-project planning sessions between teachers, artist and Music Center staff
• Actively engage teachers to support their own growth in arts education through non-instruction time with their artist for teaming, coaching and professional development;
• Focus on process, but include a culminating student performance or presentation day as part of the creative learning cycle; and
• Include assessment for student learning within each lesson, reflection and residency evaluation

To select an artist for your student workshop, visit the Artist Directory.

Music Center Residency Model: Components

To view the Music Center Residency Model, download the Table of Components (PDF).

Southern California Wolf Trap

Southern California Wolf Trap Program partners a Preschool or Kindergarten teacher and a professional performing artist. Wolf Trap is a regional program of the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts based in Virginia. The goal of the program is to train teachers in the use of performing arts techniques while teaching children basic academic and life skills through active participation in performing arts activities.

Through the Wolf Trap Artist Residency, teachers actively participate in a seven week residency and gain the experience and confidence needed to integrate the arts into the on-going curriculum. Teachers receive a copy of Stages, curriculum book of drama, creative movement and music activities along with an accompanying cassette which they may keep and continue to use after the residency. There is also a collection of Spanish translations, Aprendamos, available in Spanish.

A Wolf Trap Artist Residency includes:

• One hour general session with site director, artist, regional director and participating teacher
• One hour planning session(s) with artist and each teacher
• Fourteen 45 minute class sessions with teacher and artist including planning time
• One hour parent workshop

Learn more about the national Wolf Trap Program.

Arts C.A.R.E. for Mental Health Agencies

Arts C.A.R.E. is an intensive after school arts education program for children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbances (SED) and for their families/care givers. Professional teaching artists travel to community-based agencies to offer sequential arts workshops, usually in the late afternoon or early evening hours.

The program was designed in 1997 by the Music Center: Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and other County agencies. It is based on the belief that the arts are a vital part of life and that exploring, imagining, creating, sharing and performing can be transforming and healing experiences for emotionally disturbed children and their families.

For more information, call (213) 250-ARTS or email schoolprograms@musiccenter.org.