Kids for Coltrane

Painting by Norman Rockwell

Ruby Bridges visits the Holliswood School. In this photo happy students stand with Principal Mrs. Ambert,  Assistant Principal Mr. Chin, Parent Coordinator Mrs. Corley, and Ms. Ruby Bridges.   Photo by their teacher, Ms. Passarella who felt it was an honor and a privilege to hear Ms. Bridges tell her incredible story of courage and determination to the children first hand. The Kids for Coltrane students gave Ms. Bridges a gift of song when they presented her with a CD of their precious voices singing an original song written in her honor. (For more on learning through music, see the songwriting page.)

On March 16, 2011 the Holliswood School had a special guest speak with the students.  Civil rights hero Ruby Bridges came in from New Orleans to present her life story to the children. Students in grades two through five were present at this unique assembly in which Ms. Bridges asked critical thinking questions engaging the audience filled with students, teachers and administrators  All of the classes prepared themselves by learning the story of her journey, and read the books she had written.  Meeting Ms. Bridges was a personal dream of mine. Every year as I teach another group of children about Ms. Bridges, I have learned something more about her life, and my understanding has grown deeper.  I always connect the history lessons learned in her story to our character education lessons. This year I decided to write a song in honor of Ms. Bridges and her teacher Ms. Henry.  My students were able to express the emotions of what they were learning about Ruby by singing what she has meant to our country. I asked musician Louis Vignapiano who is a champion of the Kids for Coltrane Project in Education to write a tune for us. After studying her life, he was moved on a deep level and wrote a touching tune that resembled the sounds in a music box.  He called it “A Child of Ours”.  It was perfect for what we were feeling about Ruby and her teacher Ms. Henry. I proceeded to write the lyrics which were connected to the lessons I taught the children about little Ruby.

In 1960, when Ruby was six years old her actions helped change the world. There was still segregation in some states in the country, and although the law had been changed through the case Brown v  Board of Education there were still some people who did not want desegregation. With the help of the Supreme Court, President Kennedy, and determined American citizens, change did in fact occur.  Ruby was one of the first African American students put into this position of change in her community.  Her family had the incredible courage to send little Ruby into a situation which was very dangerous, but they knew change must happen for justice and liberty for all.  For many months this little girl was escorted into the school building with armed United States marshals for her protection.  Ms. Bridges told the audience a white mob would scream at her every day for a year. They even had a real child’s coffin with a doll in it, and one woman showed her a rope to represent hanging. It was very hard to hear. I could not hold back the tears as she presented the story. But it was also a story of amazing hope. Her Caucasian teacher Ms. Henry stood by her. She made learning fun, and loving each day, even though for many months Ruby was alone in the school building.  Eventually the white children came back to school, and the mob went away. Some of the white families had wanted to send their children earlier but were threatened by the mob.

Today the schools in this country are desegregated and offer children equal opportunities. Ms. Bridges told the children to give each other a chance. She connected her words to those of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who wanted people to judge one another by the content of their character. Ms. Bridges spoke for two hours and told her story in details that shone a light on the harshness of racism. And she brought us to a place of hope by example. One of my students Kennedy gave her a bouquet of flowers. Kennedy who is a Haitian  American, told her dad if it wasn’t for Ruby her class which is made of many races couldn’t have been together.  Her dad told me she picked out her outfit a month before so she could look just right for meeting such a special lady. We also gave her a CD of my students who are nicknamed “the Kids for Coltrane” singing “A Child of Ours”.  Kids for Coltrane are… Kids for caring, curiosity, and creativity. It was wonderful to hear that Ms. Bridges and Ms. Henry are still great friends. They were brought back together on the Oprah Winfrey show after many years and remain very close. I want to thank my principal Mrs. Ambert for valuing my request to bring Mrs. Bridges to our school. With the support of the administration, parents, teachers and students this incredible learning experience was realized at the Holliswood School. We know that the children will always keep in mind Ruby’s words to give one another a chance. We are grateful to Ms. Ruby Bridges for making her way to our school to help our children learn a lesson that they will never forget.  For more on Ruby go to my links section and click on her official page.

By Ms. Passarella

Original Page: http://video.pbs.org/video/1798587510

In this video, Tavis Smiley speaks with musician Wynton Marsalis, the Director of  Jazz at Lincoln Center. New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center has an important education program. Wynton and his orchestra travel the world and share their gifts with kids. Wynton tells us working with kids helps him understand the cycle of life.  His dad was a teacher, and Wynton also teaches through his work at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He and his fellow JALC musicians put their “hands on the shoulders”  of the youth to give  them that old school  feeling.  The message of the music is love and a form of communication that is honest and truthful.  The fact that people can be culturally ignorant can make them act outside themselves. “Our culture is what we did together,” Wynton tells us.  Our identity is in our arts, and it is an important legacy for our country.  Wynton  passionately shares his view on what will happen if the school systems abandon the arts.  We can’t enjoy the fruits of the labors of our ancestors if we don’t  teach children the arts.  Jazz was created by Afro-Americans, and jazz is part of America’s identity and all  Americans share in it.  Mr. Marsalis is dedicated to spreading the importance of the arts and educating the youth about the music  that we call jazz.

I am proud to say that my students learn through the arts.  Learning literacy,  history and character education  through the arts  has  been at the foundation of my teaching.  Jazz at Lincoln Center sent the Jazz for Young People Curriculum to me and it has been a source of joy and enlightenment for me and my students from year to year.  I am grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity.

Wynton articulates exquisitely his feelings about the importance of the arts in education in this video.  Please view and share with others.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36754

Click on the All About Jazz.com link above to read a review of Mr. Hentoff’s latest gem.  I am so  pleased  to see my work also mentioned in the review!!

“Hentoff’s life-long dedication to the individualization of education in America is reflected in articles on jazz programs in schools and it is heartening to learn that at least some school children are being weaned on the music of saxophonist John Coltrane. Second-grade teacher Christine Passarella, of Holliswood School in Queens, says to Hentoff of Coltrane’s music: “(It) tells children to be who they want to be, that it is OK to be different, it is OK to feel, and that we all need to be able to express who we are in our own way to find what writer and philosopher Joseph Campbell called ‘following your bliss.’” ~From Ian Patterson’s review

I am grateful to the brilliant writer Nat Hentoff  for including  “The Kids for Coltrane Project in Education” in his newest book.  It is hot off the presses, and I am  learning from his sixty years on the scene.  I am beyond thrilled that Mr. Hentoff’s last chapter in the section entitled  Master Teachers  focuses on my work with the children. It brings me such hope for the future!!

Run, don’t walk and pick up your copy of  At The Jazz Band Ball: Sixty Years On the Scene by Nat Hentoff

The “Kids for Coltrane” discovering our work is included in Nat Hentoff’s latest gem! What a  terrific uplifiting feeling!

What a gift it was to listen the Tri-M Chapter play Coltrane tunes along with their talented music director, Mr. Joseph Rutkowski. The performance was just brilliant and brought tears of joy to my eyes. On a beautiful evening in May I was invited to speak to this terrific group of gifted young musicians. They hosted my visit with exuberance and had respect for this powerful and important work. Prior to my discussion with these exquisite young people, I had the opportunity to chat with their principal Mr. Kaplan, which was also a highlight in my evening at Great Neck North. It was so uplifting to talk to an administrator who valued bringing  jazz to our youth.  I could feel him absorb all of my words when I spoke passionately about the importance of   bringing jazz and the history of  jazz to the youth in our schools.  This evening brought me such hope for the future. I wish these youngsters all the best in their future endeavors as they will soon be entering college life.  I know they will do great things!

My visit with Mr. Joseph Rutkowski and the Tri-M Chapter at Great Neck North High School.

Speaking with these brilliant young musicians was truly a gift to me. Their understanding of  John Coltrane’s work and life was so impressive. Congratulations to  Great Neck North High School for having such brilliant minds in their high school. I want to send a special thank you to the President of this chapter, Matthew Shore, for working with Mr. Rutkowski to make  this evening possible for all involved.

The music of John Coltrane…bringing hope and joy to the world.  It was wonderful to hear these young musicans play such incredible music.  Thank you again for the invitation!!

I am thrilled to announce that I have been selected to co-facilitate the Arts/Music/Drama group on www.Edutopia.org. This is an innovative on-line publication created by George Lucas and his team at the George Lucas Educational Foundation. If you are a teacher looking for creative ideas that will bring life to your curriculum through  visual arts, music, drama, and dance or an experienced arts educator, please join our group.  Edutopia is a place where educators can come together to share what works in public education!

I enjoyed  meeting  UFT President Michael Mulgrew on Lobby Day in Albany, New York.  On March 9,  I went with other educators to talk to state legislators about how the budget affects the children.   Michael Mulgrew spoke passionately about  the importance of breaking the current deadlock in Albany. 1200 educators came to Albany on this day to stand tall for our kids.

District 26 Union Representative  Mary Vaccaro speaks seriously about budget concerns and ideas for the future.  Mary and I took the bus together from Queens, New York to Albany.  Along with other Queens educators, we had an  audience with State Senator Frank Padavan who shared his thoughts and listened intently to the concerns. I had an opportunity to speak to Senator Padavan about an idea to save  money by using talented  New York educators as consultants  instead of reaching out of the country for expertise. He seemed to value this idea, and perhaps will share these thoughts with his fellow legislators. Btw, I am also happy to report Senator Padavan is a fan of the Kids for Coltrane. He attended a Kids for Coltrane performance a couple of years ago, and had a great time  seeing  the children dance and sing. It was terrific  seeing him again.  We will certainly invite him to our next show on June 9th at the Holliswood School.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Jazz legend Sonny Simmons last year when he so graciously shared his time and talent with my Kids for Coltrane students at the Holliswood School. This month I had the sincere pleasure and great opportunity to interview Sonny over lunch in New York City. There I was sitting with Sonny Simmons and his band mate Michael Marcus, dining at a fine restaurant looking over Columbus Circle. I reflected on the journey that got me to this day… when a musician of Sonny’s caliber and incredible life story would honor me with an interview. I will be writing about our conversation…so check back to my blog again soon.~ Thanks Sonny, you are one of a kind…a real gem.

Summary of my presentation entitled The Other Side of Art and Music.

It was an honor to be one of many presenters at the 50th Greater Metropolitan New York Social Studies Conference. The conference offered many enlightening and thought-provoking workshops. Doris Kearns Goodwin was the recipient of the Hubert Humphrey Humanitarian Award.

Sharing with educators my experience visiting John Coltrane’s Huntington, Long Island home.

Talking to educators about the work Wynton Marsalis is doing raising the profile of jazz in America.

I had a wonderful uplifting day sharing my project with New York City educators. There was a blizzard on the way, but many educators found their way to the UFT building at 52 Broadway to attend this wonderful conference.  I had the opportunity to present my journey. I shared what I have learned from the folks at  Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts,  the Jazz Foundation of  America, the Metropolitan Museum of Art  and Harvard’s Project Zero. The focus of the discussion highlighted jazz as it unfolded in American history. We discussed the struggle for civil rights, the pluralistic character of American culture, arts and culture as a reflection of historical events, jazz as a metaphor for American identity, the effect of technology on American culture, and arts and music as a means of self-expression.

I want to send out a special thank you to Rozella Kirschgaessner, ATSS/UFT President/Chairperson for appreciating the significance of  this work.