Preparing Students for Professional Artist Visit

If possible, obtain a video of the actual artist playing their instrument. If that is not possible, try to obtain a video of ANY artist playing the featured instrument. One look really IS worth ten thousand words, and a visual introduction, presented with excitement and wonder, will take students a long way toward being a good audience.

Discussion is a great tool for preparing students to be a good audience. Discuss the qualities of a good audience, and have the students discuss how they would feel to be performing with people being rude. When the students outline the expectations of a good audience, be sure you articulate what a good job they have done in identifying these expectations, state how PROUD you are of them, and emphasize that you KNOW they will be a great audience. Then, at the time of the performance, go back over all this again - always with a positive tone and affect.

Consider having the kids make some gifts to give to the performer after their performance. Our school mascot is a bear cub. A couple of years ago, the art teacher indulged me by making quite a lot of cookie-cutter "cubs" on rolled clay, like Christmas tree ornaments. They are not glazed, just fired to bisque, with little face features pressed in. When we have visitors from other countries, I pull a few out, write the name of the school and the date on the back, and wrap them up. Students present them to the performers at the end of the program and thank them for coming. The kids take it quite seriously and enjoy doing it, which I believe is an important part of their social and academic development. Anything the kids can do and give is a boost to their interest.