Generation OC

If you were to enter an 8^th grade language arts classroom, what do you think you would see? Students reading – check. Students writing – check. Students learning about opera – (cue record scratch sound) What? Those don't go together you may say. Oh, yes they do, I say. It's all part of our program, Generation OC. We're working to teach students 21^st century workforce readiness skills through the arts. That's a mouthful, so let me boil it down. Basically, we're teaching students to use critical thinking, work as part of a team, create something unique and original – skills those of us in the workforce have to use every day and skills that occur naturally in the arts. The students we're working with right now at Rocky Heights Middle School are learning about creative and persuasive writing by creating marketing materials for The Marriage of Figaro. They have to figure out how to "sell" this opera to their peers. Being creative; being persuasive. The connections are all there. We're giving them the outlet; just wait until you see the results!