Oakview welcomes Mrs. Kelly Pfeiffer, creative writer as our 2010-2011 Artist in Residence.  In conjunction with our Oakview art teachers, students will explore the works of Claude Monet and Romare Bearden through creative writing, drama, music and the visual arts.  Through their senses and from their experiences and surroundings, this cross curriculum approach will allow students to explore in-depth their feelings and emotions and learn to express themselves in multitude of ways.  In addition, students will study the lives and movement behind the artists to gain a further knowledge of the movement with which each is associated.

Oakview welcomed the Tarradiddle Players and their production of Tomás and the Library Lady on January 24th, 2011

Oakview has a unique population of students which is a melting pot of over 23 Countries and over 18 languages spoken.  This performance, more than usual speaks to our students of the struggles and challenges that face immigrants of today.  During the residency students will view the play performance “Tomas and the Librarian” performed by the Tarradiddle Players.  The actors will then return to the classrooms with the students to further discuss the play and the character development within a play performance. Further actors will discuss techniques used to prepare themselves to portray a dramatic role within a performance.  Students will create a short skit based on a given situation which will directly tie into immigration (SS standards).  In addition students will create a Haiku poem ( L.A. standards) as a reflection of a life circumstance where that student felt alone, left out of a group and from that challenge overcame the obstacles of presented to them and assimilated into the population and culture of their new society. (SS Standards)

About the Play (taken from the Taradiddle website)

Based on the book by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raul Colón
Adapted for the stage by José Cruz González
Book Cover [illustrated by Raul Colón], copyright © 1997 by Knopf Children, from TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY by Pat Mora. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Tomás and his family travel north from their home in Texas for a summer of farm work. Tomás loves being with his parents and his Papá Grande, but moving so much makes it hard to learn English and do well in school. He finds refuge at the local library, where a friendly librarian introduces him to the world of books, and fosters a lifelong love of reading and learning. Adapted from Pat Mora’s book about Tomás Rivera, the child of migrant workers who became a novelist and educator, this touching play reminds us of the difference one person can make in the lives of others. Performed by the Tarradiddle Players