A peek into Kingsley’s transformative Elementary Performing Arts curriculum

For this year’s Elementary Winter Concert, two Kingsley parents have volunteered their time as choral language consultants—Carly Yue Wu and Angela Stefatos Patel. Carly, who speaks Mandarin, and Angela, who speaks Greek, visited Lower Elementary Chorus to help students practice authentic pronunciation and to better understand the stories behind the songs’ lyrics. 

Ms. Galankis, Kingsley’s Elementary Performing Arts Teacher, is passionate about the many benefits of this partnership. First, there is enormous pride for the students whose cultures and identities are represented. It’s also confidence-building for students who are learning a new language—they have the opportunity to memorize and master something very challenging. And, Ms. Galankis says, they gain an authentic way to connect with people from those cultures for years to come. Our students can go out into the world and say, “You speak Mandarin? I know a song in Mandarin!” 

The entire class benefits from thoughtful discussions about translation and the importance of storytelling in the original language. Students are asked to step into the shoes of another, through music, and connect to the native speaker’s experience. Language work also provides excellent opportunities for peer teaching across different grade levels and classrooms. 

“Chorus is a rare time when 50 students can come together as a full team. We are focused, we are accountable to each other, and we have important deadlines to meet.”

Studying the Performing Arts at Kingsley is not necessarily about preparing children for a career in music; it’s about developing a healthy mindset in all areas of life. 

“Habits of mind are the cornerstone of our curriculum. We hone self-reflection to bring out a child’s inner coach instead of their inner critic. We see obstacles as opportunities. When things are hard, we learn to advocate for ourselves and seek out the skills we need to succeed. Goals are living, organic things that should be adjusted over time.”

Not every child is naturally comfortable performing in front of others. The way Ms. Galankis sees it, every chance to be brave is a gift to our students. The program provides them repeated opportunities to summon courage, take a leap, and see what they are capable of. Just like in an athletics game, music has so many moments to push past your comfort zone and rise to the occasion. 

“We don’t always know what we’re capable of. We don’t need to label ourselves “a singer” or “not a singer.” We always have the option to open new doors.”

Thank you to Carly and Angela for supporting our choral program this year. We look forward to sharing our students’ hard work with everyone at the Kingsley Winter Concerts on Friday, December 12.