Why Piano Maestro? OTA Students started their piano journey with Soft Mozart, a perfect introduction to musical notation and the keyboard. But now they are ready to move up to the next level. The program is free on iPads for students at OTA (Download App, sign in, register w/ Anthony Kaneaster as teacher): all you need is an iPad and a keyboard (no cables!).
OTA students and teachers … describe their school for new & prospective parents.
OTA was awarded a grant in 2014 to film our Learning Acceleration Labs & our “Project Tree” approach to teaching Music, Math, Science, Robotics, Seminar, Humanities, & Outdoor Ed; but since it was the last week of the school year when the videographer arrived and there were not as many activities to film, we asked him to interview students who had arrived recently enough to remember life “before OTA.”
Old Town Academy K-8 School is a free California public charter school located near historic Old Town, San Diego. The school is operated by a non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting excellence in public education for California students.
Six Elements of our Academic Program:
1. “Project Tree” Project-Based-Learning System: Visual Goal Setting & Progress Tracking, Quality First Assessment (Pass/Try Again grading on all projects: Letter grades come at the end of learning, rather than putting an end to learning). System maximizes Independent Learning, Student Hands-on learning time, and Teacher Coaching Time.
2. Music-Math-Science Focus: Early Learning Programs such as: Music-to-Mathematics (every child learns to play piano and read music, starting in Kindergarten); Math & Science Olympics (every child learns programming, problem solving, and applied mathematics, using programmable robots and apps, starting in Kindergarten)
3. The Core Knowledge® Humanities Curriculum: Equity and Excellence for All Students, “velcro for the mind” (the more facts you know, the easier new knowledge sticks). Seminar Program for all students.
4. Learning Acceleration Labs: Computers dedicated to supporting classroom teachers and accelerate acquisition of core skills & concepts: Mathematics, Vocabulary-Reading, Geography, Science Simulations, Foreign Language, Musical Performance.
5. Outdoor Ed as Character Ed. We take Outdoor Recess and Physical Education seriously. No mis-education on the playground, no Lord of the Flies on the Field. Our teachers guide every minute of the day, from drop-off to pick-up. Team Sports as Character Ed, No Bad Habits, Every Child Learns & Plays Every Position, Masters Every Skill, Gets Game, and Gets in Shape.
Outdoor Ed: “OTA: Throw Like a Girl“
6. MAPS (Measures of Academic Progress) Quality Assurance System: An in-house assessment tool for measuring every student’s academic performance and growth over each academic year (NWEA.org) OTA Teachers are interested in improving performance, not grading it.
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Parents–stay tuned for details about the new Monday/Friday Strings Program at OTA!
*** Please arrive early so we can start on time. Parking is available in front of the field after 3:30. Old Town Academy address: 2120 San Diego Ave, 92110 7th Grade Room is on the first floor, first right out of elevator ***
Musicians Playing for you today:
Friday, January 26th 30th at 4 PM in the 7th Grade Room, musicians and instructors from the Virtuoso Music Academy and the San Diego Symphony will present a 30 minute concert and presentation for parents interested in signing up for After School Strings Instruction.
Classes will start the second week of the quarter, meeting Monday and/or Friday (exact schedule TBD). Students will be accepted in Violin, Viola, and Cello (See What Instrument Do You Want to Play?), Grades K-8 welcome. OTA Orchestra with Mr. John Nettles will continue Tu & Th, with the VMA Teachers focusing on technique and on teaching students how to practice.
Why Study Music? Is Music the Key to Success?
Learn from the best!
Dear Parents: Based on our decade of classical music education experience, we can’t wait to bring the best music education to students in greater San Diego. We will also bring the most renowned artists from the stage to our classroom; and vice versa, we will bring our best students from the classroom to the International music stages!
— Music Academy of San Diego Director, Stanny Shui
The San Diego Symphony has been a great supporter of OTA Music (with OTA Parent Jian Chan helping to arrange on-campus concerts, classroom visits from musicians, and tickets to symphonies). Now they are offering a free introduction to classical music for younger children right here in Old Town (Park at OTA and walk!).
John Nettles is the Music Director of the City Ballet of San Diego Orchestra, a gifted teacher, and a former high school orchestra director. This fall he agreed to help revive OTA’s orchestra program. He has done a tremendous job with the 5th-8th grade “Orchestra Experience (Video)” and the students are lucky to have a working artist as their instructor. John is also reviving the OTA Performance Orchestra, which meets after school (OTA Students: What Instrument Do You Want to Play?).
Nutcracker Performance Times:
ResMed, a local medical company specializing in sleep apnea and respiratory care solutions, is a generous supporter of San Diego Education non-profits that work with children. At an Awards Luncheon yesterday ResMed presented OTA with a grant to support our Kiwanis Club of San Diego (Serving the World’s Children) Music-Math Learning Acceleration Lab
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What is ST (Spatial Temporal) Math?
Why ST Math?
Why Music at OTA?
Is Music the Key to Success? By Joanne Lipman
CONDOLEEZZA RICE trained to be a concert pianist. Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, was a professional clarinet and saxophone player. The hedge fund billionaire Bruce Kovner is a pianist who took classes at Juilliard.
Multiple studies link music study to academic achievement. But what is it about serious music training that seems to correlate with outsize success in other fields?
The connection isn’t a coincidence. I know because I asked. I put the question to top-flight professionals in industries from tech to finance to media, all of whom had serious (if often little-known) past lives as musicians. Almost all made a connection between their music training and their professional achievements.
The phenomenon extends beyond the math-music association. Strikingly, many high achievers told me music opened up the pathways to creative thinking. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collaboration. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously…
John Nettles is the Music Director of the City Ballet of San Diego Orchestra, a gifted teacher, and a former high school orchestra director. This fall he agreed to help revive OTA’s orchestra and strings teaching program. He has done a tremendous job with the 5th-8th grade “Orchestra Experience (Video)” and the students are lucky to have a working artist as their instructor. John is also reviving the OTA Performance Orchestra, which meets after school (OTA Students: What Instrument Do You Want to Play?!).
City Ballet Performance • Get Tickets for “Program B” to see OTA Orchestra Director, John Nettles in ….
A journey of personal discovery in finding yourself, reaching your goals, taking risks, making sacrifices and the challenge that comes with such a life
A Life According to Me is underwritten by Judy Eby
http://www.cityballet.org/performances/ballet_and_beyond.php
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Friday, November 14 at 8:00pm and Sunday, November 16 at 2:00pm
Approximate Run Time: 2 hours, including two 15-minute intermissions
Come join the OTA Orchestra with new Music Director Mr. John Nettles!
John Nettles is the Music Director of the City Ballet of San Diego Orchestra, a gifted teacher, and a former high school orchestra director who has agreed to help revive OTA’s orchestra and strings teaching program.
First OTA Orchestra Rehearsal – July 29
OTA students in grades 2-8 who play violin or other orchestra instrument are welcome to attend Tuesdays at 3 PM throughout August (Aug 5, Aug 12, Aug 19, Aug 26). Sign-up sheets and information on fees will be available in class.
Why Join the Orchestra?
*Kindergarteners & First Graders may sign up for after school violin lessons starting in September and join the Orchestra when they are ready.
