Poetry, RattleBag and Rhubarb, WW1

The War is Too Much With Us

I thought of going back to France, but realised the absurdity of the notion. Since 1916, the fear of gas obsessed me: any unusual smell, even a sudden strong smell of flowers in a garden, was enough to send me trembling. And I couldn’t face the sound of heavy shelling now; the noise of a car back-firing would send me flat…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Violin Vinyasa Yoga for PDS Parents

“Violin Vinyasa Yoga,” an after-school enrichment program FOR PDS PARENTS begins on January 21. Violin Vinyasa Yoga is for yoga lovers of all levels of experience. The focus of this class a natural flow from pose to pose initiated by breath. The goal is an increase in strength, flexibility and peace of mind. Each class concludes in the final resting…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

Beneath the Surface: The Hokey-Pokey and Jump Jim Joe

Most Wednesday mornings the lower school assembles in the Chapman Room and parents are welcome.  It’s usually a showcase for the work of the classroom and often includes the opportunity to sing. First the Hokey-Pokey On a recent Wednesday a seventh grader led children, parents and teachers in singing and dancing the hokey–pokey.  It was music, movement and a great…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Mozart on Fire: The Ruben’s Tube UPDATE

Look at what happens when Mozart catches fire! What I love most about the video is their reactions. And the physics of course. The story of the experiment was first posted in February, 2010. Preston and Jake continued their research into pressure, sound and waves. This video from May 2011 is the result of that Independent Study. I understand that…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

“We come to school to sing in the choir”

We come to school to sing in the choir – meaning to be together in real space and time to do something together. The idea still holds. But maybe it’s time to revise the metaphor. Take a look  at  and a listen to Eric Whitacre’s online choir:

Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

The Unconcert and the Unconference

Inuksuit is inspired by the stone sentinels constructed over the centuries by the Inuit in the windswept expanses of the Arctic. The Inuktitut word translates literally “to act in the capacity of the human”. This work is haunted by the vision of the melting of the polar ice, the rising of the seas, and what may remain of humanity’s presence…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Pete Seeger and A Hudson River Journey

Pete Seeger came to PDS yesterday. He came for the lower school musical – an original production on a subject dear to his heart – the magnificent Hudson River for which he has done so much. The show – A Hudson River Journey – was written and produced by lower school drama teacher Dorothy Penz with music directed by Bill…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

Music and Arts lag. Can poetry be far behind?

This week in the NYTimes – news of a rather discouraging report about music and arts education across the US. And even the test sample was smaller. In the test, formally known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress in Arts, administrators at 260 public and private schools were asked how much time they devoted to art and music instruction,…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

What a Concert!

Last fall Gabe (’11) made a  Intensive Studies project proposal to Liz. It involved composing music, delving into theory,  harmony, transcription and improvisation. With the full support of the school and his music teachers, Gabe took the project on and devised an authentic assessment –  an end of study concert with exceptional musicians and performers professional and student. It  was…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

The Pirates of Penzance

A hearing mistake  means a boy indentured to a pirate not a ship’s pilot. Pirate or pilot, orphan or  often — the problem’s in the pronunciation. And so the bumbling misadventures begin – musical muddles that only the name of Queen Victoria can quell. The fifth and sixth grade did Gilbert and Sullivan proud.  Double casting meant that every student…

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RattleBag and Rhubarb

Winter Recital

Great Winter Recital on Thursday with music from J.S. Bach to James Taylor via Debussy and Charlie Parker along with some original compositions. Wonderful performances from students of all ages in all three divisions. Thank-you musicians for an outstanding evening of music and song. More pictures on Flickr. Photo: Marcin Nowak

RattleBag and Rhubarb

“It was awesome and totally rocked!”

“It was awesome and totally rocked!” – that was the verdict of one member of the 3rd/4th grade chorus who sang at the Market Street branch of TDBanknorth in Poughkeepsie last Saturday. They were there for the official tree-lighting. They sang and there was hot chocolate, candy canes and a visit from Santa on a firetruck. Thank you to all…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

Any Relevance for Education?

“We used to fool ourselves…We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was. We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding. And of course we were wrong. How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a glacial pace, we inadvertently went…

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