The Giant Gaelic Arts Project

September 17, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

The Giant Gaelic Arts was developed as the result of collaboration between the Cultural Co-ordinator, the Head Teacher of Kirkstyle Primary School, the P3 class teachers and 2 artists. The lead artists, both Gaelic speakers delivered 8 workshops sessions in school where together with pupils, they explored how to extend the pupils’ Gaelic vocabulary by using the traditional Gaelic story ‘Two Giants’ as the theme. Each class was introduced to the story, created their own storyboards, made ‘giant’ puppets and props and learned two Gaelic songs. Artists communicated with pupils in Gaelic throughout the project.

The workshop sessions culminated in a final performance of the story, embracing visual arts and language elements of the project, and designed to convey pupils’ own interpretations of the traditional story to their school and parents/carers.

The project involved:

– 45 P3 pupils in two classes
– 4 class teachers
– 2 lead artists, both Gaelic speakers

PURPOSE

In addition to learning and consolidating new Gaelic vocabulary, the project was designed to introduce young children to the rich and diverse cultural life of Scotland in a creative and inspiring way.

The project aimed:

– to contribute to learners’ wider education and life experiences
– to promote and encourage the use of new vocabulary in Gaelic language
– to give increase pupils and staff confidence in speaking in Gaelic
– to support the learning and teaching of Gaelic learning
– to consolidate overall learning of First Level Gaelic (learners)
– to inspire staff to develop new ways of creatively teaching Gaelic and transferring these skills and ideas to other areas of the curriculum

IMPACTS

Follow up conversations with the class teachers confirmed the project had an effect on pupils as the following quotes demonstrate:

“The children were involved in this project from the very beginning. Eoghann (Lead Artist) read them the story ‘An dha fhuamhaire’ which immediately held their attention and then they demonstrated to him their own knowledge of the Gaelic language. Using the different medias to retell the story, such as the storyboards and creating the giants, giant pies and props allowed the children to take ownership of the project and bring the story to life.” (P3 class teacher)

“The songs Mary McLeod taught them slotted in to the play seamlessly and the children decided to add their own favourite ‘Brocham Lom’.” (P3 class teacher)

“I really enjoyed learning Gaelic and making the giants’ heads” (P3 pupil)

“I was nervous being on stage and speaking Gaelic but it was great.” (P3 pupil)

“It was great fun mixing the paint to make the flesh colour for the giant’s faces. I didn’t think you could add blue and yellow.” (P3 pupil)

“I enjoyed working with the other class and being in the play and making people laugh I‘d like to learn more Gaelic.” (P3 pupil)

“The children from both classes have benefitted from being involved in this rich, unique and interactive experience from which they have gained confidence, a variety of skills and have extended their vocabulary in a fun way which is indicative of CfE” (P3 class teacher)

“Cross curricular, multi-discipline, bi-lingual projects such as ‘An da fhuamhaire’ come into their own when the class teacher and school staff become engaged and bring their skills and knowledge into the creative process. It is a partnership and this project was the perfect example. It was a real pleasure to be involved with. The kids were magic and really shone.” (Lead Artist)

OTHER

Partners:

Creative Minds Team
Determined to Succeed
Kirkstyle Primary School

Levels and Stages:

First level
P3

Funding:

Determined to Succeed
School fund

For More Information:

Helen Duncan, Cultural Co-ordinator on 01563 555 634 or email Helen.duncan@east-aryshire.gov.uk

Links:

Science and Art: http://www.eastayrshire.gov.uk/corpres/news/display_story.asp?StoryID=2450

CPD, Health and Wellbeing

Big Hairy Hamish – The Monster Who Cared (Scottish Opera)

September 17, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

Scottish Opera developed this project as a genuine interdisciplinary learning experience. The project began with preliminary CPD sessions designed to assist teachers with the delivery of the teaching pack and to ensure that ‘Big Hairy Hamish’ provided a context for exploring environmental issues. Teachers could elect to work as broadly and/or deeply with the topic as they chose, but its design ensured that even minimum involvement resulted in making links across the curriculum prior to the performance.

Draigton Primary p2 — The recycling journey begins

Accompanying the CPD was a teaching pack, vocal CD giude and full colour storybook. These were created to help young children build up familiarity with the characters and consequently good interaction with the four artists who delivered the eco-friendly tale of Big Hairy Hamish (the monster who cared).

The project involved:

– 960 primary school pupils
– c.35 teachers
– 32 separate performances
– 27 schools in Perth and Kinross
– c.35 teachers accessed CDP
– 4 professional artists from Scottish Opera

In addition to using vocal and instrumental music to tell the story and explore environmental issues, maths and English were integral to the project resulting in a rich learning experience for all the pupils.

PURPOSE

Scottish Opera developed the project to support the Scottish educational drive to develop stronger connections between literacy and learning for early years pupils. The format promotes active learning and enables participation, exploration and creativity via themes and issues specifically relevant to this young age group.

Through the project, Scottish Opera aimed to raise awareness of key issues in the story – Healthy Eating & Recycling. It also set out to examine aspects of social development such as making friends, not always going by appearances and the importance of active citizenship in the community. Children were provided with opportunities to discuss and debate the issues, learn the songs, develop healthy eating plans and create visual and aural responses to the characters in the storybook.

Scottish Opera developed Big Hairy Hamish by planning activity around some of the experiences and outcomes within Health and wellbeing at Early Stages and First Level including:

I can expect my learning environment to support me to:

– develop my self-awareness, self-worth and respect for others
– understand and develop my physical, mental, spiritual well being and social skills
– learn about where to find help and resources to inform choices
– acknowledge diversity and understand that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge discrimination
– understand how what they eat, how active they are and how decisions they make about their behaviour & relationships affect my physical & mental wellbeing.

IMPACTS

Schools used the experience of participating in Big Hairy Hamish as the context for exploring healthy eating and re-cycling over extended periods post performance. Because the children are very young evidence of the impacts is best described through pictures.

Characters from the opera (p6) — made from recycled junk

OTHER

Partners:

Scottish Opera
Perth and Kinross Council
27 primary schools

Levels and Stages:

Early stage
First level
Pre-school to P4

Funding:

In Perth and Kinross the project was funded by The Gannochy Trust (local to the Perth area). The funding was secured by Scottish Opera.

For more information contact:

Jane Davidson, Director of Outreach and Education on 0141 332 9559 or email jane.davidson@scottishopera.org.uk

Visit Scottish Opera learning at:

http://www.scottishopera.org.uk/schools

Sciences

Darwin – Talbot Rice Art Gallery

September 16, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

This gallery based education project was developed to complement exhibitions at the Talbot Rice Art Gallery, celebrating the Darwin anniversaries in 2009.

Inter-disciplinary workshops were devised and delivered at the Talbot Rice Gallery, enabled Art and Biology students to work together in groups. The gallery’s exhibition of contemporary art formed the starting point for discussions about Charles Darwin and evolutionary thinking. The exhibition had 2 strands:

– exploring Darwin’s time in Edinburgh and his enduring influence on the world today

– showcasing 5 contemporary art projects inspired by Darwinian thought

During the initial workshop, students focused on the artworks and led by the Gallery Education Curator analysed artworks by contemporary artists and examined the science that inspired them. The science behind the artworks was then placed in an evolutionary context by a Science Communicator at Edinburgh University and a researcher from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology.

There was also a practical session where the students got involved in physically exploring where creativity, evolution and design collide. Students worked in groups to ‘evolve’ species using art materials, making adaptive changes in response to a series of environmental changes. A further session examined how these species have just evolved and compare this process to that proposed by the theory of evolution through natural selection. The aim was to embed student’s understanding of the topic.

The project involved:

– 39 Higher and Advanced Higher biology and art students

– 3 teachers

– 1 gallery educator

– 1 science communicator

– 2 phd students (1 art history and 1 biological sciences)

– 5 professional artists exhibiting in the gallery

PURPOSE

The Talbot Rice Gallery devised this education project to simultaneously cover objectives from the Biology and Art higher and Advanced higher courses. Developed in response Curriculum for Excellence, it enabled the gallery to connect with and broaden a science based schools project Think Darwin, Think Evolution, Think Now, which has continued to build and grow.

The project aimed to bring together art and biology students to explore evolutionary thinking, at the same time as bringing together disciplines within the university and providing a training opportunity for postgraduate students.

A further aim of the project was to encourage peer learning between subject areas for pupils and staff alike.

Curriculum links were made in both Biology and Art. (eg Genetics, Adaptation and Selection, Environmental Biology and Molecular Biology)

The sessions also illustrated through expressive enquiry how contemporary artists use developments and theories in science as a theme for their work. The gallery sessions allowed pupils to engage in active research and investigation into the visual arts with the emphasis on contemporary contexts in modern culture.

IMPACTS

The project initiated collaborative relationships with the intention that the partnership between the Talbot Rice Gallery and schools could build upon.

For the Talbot Rice Gallery the main impact of this successful project, is a commitment to developing more interdisciplinary project for schools aimed at supporting the new curriculum. Additionally the gallery has a better understanding of its role in promoting interdisciplinary and cross sector relationships and can draw on previous success.

In feedback from the participating schools 100% of pupils said their experience would help to in some way with their studies at school.

OTHER

Partners:

– Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh
– Think Darwin, Think Evolution, Think Now
– Beeslack Community High School
– Drummond Community High School
– Boroughmuir School

Levels and Stages:

– Senior Phase
– S5 and S6

Funding:

The project was funded from the University of Edinburgh

For more information Contact:

Zoe Fothergill, Curator for Education and Development on 0131 650 2085 or email zoe.fothergill@ed.ac.uk

Or visit http://www.trg.ed.ac.uk/

CPD, Outdoor Learning

Arts Across Learning Festival (Aberdeen City Council)

September 16, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

Each year, for 6 weeks leading up to the Easter holiday, the Arts Across Learning Festival offers a wealth of artistic and creative talent free to city schools. Artists and cultural organisations work in partnership with schools, libraries, museums and other venues, meaning pupils and teachers are exposed to unrivalled creative learning opportunities.

Each storyteller, artist, theatre company and arts organisation engaged in the festival provides inspiring and imaginative ways of exploring connections across the curriculum. These provide stimuli for further learning and teaching that extend well beyond the duration of the Arts Across Learning Festival.

Associated CPD for teachers is aimed at ensuring opportunities accessed through the festival are maximised in the context of the new curriculum. The CPD is designed to give teachers the skills and confidence to use the arts imaginatively and creatively across all learning.

In 2010, the Arts Across Learning Festival involved:

– 5,800 primary school pupils
– 681 teachers
– 135 separate events in schools and venues
– 89 teachers accessed CDP opportunities
– 9 follow up conversations with teachers
– 47 (out of 48) primary schools
– 2 (out of 6) special schools
– 11 partner nurseries
– 3 independent schools
– 43 professional artists and arts/cultural organisations

The introductory statement in the experiences and outcomes for Expressive Arts states: ‘My learning in, through and about the expressive arts is enhanced and enriched through partnerships with professional arts companies, creative adults and cultural organisations’

The Festival is organised by the City’s Arts Education Team, who match need with opportunity in support of creative learning. The Arts Across Learning festival is the only regular programme of work the team offers.

PURPOSE

The Arts Across Learning Festival provides rich contexts for learning and teaching, as opposed to single fun experiences for children. The purpose of the festival is to expose pupils and teachers to new, relevant experiences and to encourage schools to invest time in developing and embedding creative ways of working across the curriculum.

The first festival in 1999 was programmed in response to reports that less than 9% of parents read bedtime stories to their children, and the negative impact that had on child development and learning.

In 2009, the festival had a one year break for the Arts Education Team to re-evaluate its purpose and direction in light of the new Curriculum for Excellence and 6 years of the Cultural Co-ordinators in Scottish Schools programme in Aberdeen.

Following consultation with teachers and pupils, the festival returned in 2010 as the Arts Across Learning Festival.

The festival programming in now re-focused on Curriculum for Excellence. There are extended CPD linking festival opportunities with experiences and outcomes and the principles of curriculum design across a range of curriculum areas and levels. Additional follow up interviews with teachers is a further new feature of the Arts Across Learning festival and these designed to:

– gather information on impacts
– conduct ongoing consultation and
– continue teachers’ engagement with creative learning
– support changing practice and embed new ways of working

The Arts Across Learning Festival now targets only primary schools. Proportionate and targeted opportunities are made available to the city’s secondary schools.

Achieving the Purpose

“The festival makes literacy come alive.”
“It bridged the gap between school learning and real life…..”
“With Curriculum for Excellence, this [the festival] is exactly what it’s calling for.”
“It reminded us how enthusiastic boys can actually be – given the right topic.”
“Children got to be part of the experience and not just observers”
“What really surprised the children was that the author had had another career first, and that you could choose writing as a career”
“I felt that the ‘Pobby and Dingan’ workshops were like a CPD session for me”

CHALLENGES

Numbers of schools and pupils attending festival events has grown steadily from the first festival in 1999 with increasingly positive feedback. It reached a zenith in 2006 when the festival was in danger of becoming a victim of its own success, providing opportunities for around 12,000 pupils (c.50% of the school population in Aberdeen) at over 250 events.

On one level, success could be measured by numbers of events, participation levels and reported enjoyment, however, the challenge of how to ensure that teachers maximise opportunities beyond the festival and use festival events as a springboard for further teaching and learning, was evident to the Arts Education Team.

To address a number of interlinked challenges around this issue, the team:

– seconded a principle teacher of drama for 2 years to provide curriculum support and development
– delivered CPD events modelling practice
– support teachers to embed arts and cultural activities within different curriculum areas
– explore with teachers how the Festival extends its reach more broadly and deeply
– re-designed the festival brochure with useful features for teachers
– produced guidelines for working with artists and arts organisations
– offered ideas about follow up activities and how to organise them.
– arranged post festival meetings with teachers to explore next steps
– signpost teachers towards arts and cultural organisations with a good understanding of the new curriculum

Because the festival is programmed from the end of February through to March/April, weather can have an impact on festival events. Inclement weather can affect travel arrangements for artists and performers as well as schools. An ever responsive and creative attitude is required to address this challenge!

IMPACTS

Among many things, teachers reported:

“I got so many good ideas on how to use newspapers and magazines. My whole class joined the library!”
“My class loved the author – they made me ditch the class reader and buy her book!”
“I would say pupils are more eager to share their opinions”
“We’d followed it up with stories of the sea. A girl in my class, who doesn’t like usually writing at all, went home and wrote screeds and screeds……. She came in and showed it, that was quite surprising – she’d obviously been think about it afterwards.”
“We were able to share it with the mother and toddler group in the community centre.”
“Pupils were really interested to find out what we (teachers) read. They thought because we were teachers we read gig books.”
“We went on to ew-write scenes from Macbeth – a unique situation in Primary 3!”
“Storyboard (Wee Hairy Hamish) was a springboard for going on to talk about re-cycling and care of the environment.”
“We’ve done quite a lot of link learning now with puppets, ……. Using toys to talk to each other as well. It’s had a bigger impact than obviously just the language.”

OTHER

Partners:

Aberdeen Arts Gallery and Museums
Aberdeen Performing Arts
University of Aberdeen
City Council Gordon Highlanders Museum
Blairs Museum
Satrosphere Science Centre
Puppet Animation Festival
Aberdeen City Library Service

Levels and Stages:

Early stage
First level
Second level
Pre-school to P 7

Funding:

Aberdeen City Council cultural grants
Scottish Arts Council (for CPD)

For more information contact the Arts Education Team at artseducation@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Or visit:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/artseducation

View the Arts Across Learning Festival Brochure 2010:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/web/files/Arts_Education/Arts_Across_Learning_Festival_2010_Brochure.pdf

And have a look at this: http://www.aberdeenquest.com

Expressive Arts, Secondary

Music Factory and Masterworks – Scottish Chamber Orchestra

September 15, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

66 Advanced Higher Music pupils from 22 schools across six local authorities participated in Music Factory. Students worked on the creation of individual compositions inspired by musical concepts from the ‘Masterworks’ repertoire. The students composed new work for a trio of Scottish Chamber Orchestra musicians with support and guidance from a professional composer. The composers lead workshops in schools over a 3 month period and at the final session, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra made an informal recording of the work. Each student and their teacher received a copy of the recording.

Music Factory involved:

– 66 Advanced Higher music students
– 6 local authority areas
– 10 teachers
– 2 professional composers
– 10 Scottish Chamber Orchestra musicians

The project schedule is available through Glow.

PURPOSE

SCO Connect’s flagship ‘Masterworks’ project for standard and higher grade students has reached many hundreds of pupils and has proved incredibly popular. Masterworks was so successful that it raised the question ‘what can you do for us now’?’ from teachers, pupils and parents, resulting in the development of Music Factory.

Music Factory was developed to support teachers in an aspect of the music curriculum often cited as being one in which they feel least comfortable. It also offers young composers the chance to engage with professional players and composers, thus understanding the reality of composing new music for players.

The project was designed to offer senior pupils and the more advanced ‘Masterworks’ participants an opportunity to further hone their grasp of the musical concepts and techniques they had been studying, by putting them into practice.

The purpose of Music Factory is:

– To support and complement composition in Advanced Higher Music
– To offer teachers and pupils the opportunity to engage with professional musicians and composers
– To inspire young musicians through the work of contemporary orchestral masterpieces
– To nurture young composers’ skills and confidence
– To develop young composers’ understanding of musical techniques and concepts by putting them into practice

CHALLENGES

Teachers were strongly encouraged to attend sessions along with their pupils, in order to understand the process and be able to support the young composers as they worked on pieces in school between workshops sessions.

In practice it proved difficult for many staff to get themselves released from timetable to do so, however the design of the project enabled teachers to use the material produced by the composer with lower level classes.

“I have used the material with a lower level higher class. The results have been excellent.” (teacher)

Those teachers who did attend found the experience useful as good CPD and have gone on to apply the experience with other classes.

“It was good to ‘force’ the pupils to compose without their instruments or a computer programme. As a teacher, I also found the sessions extremely valuable as it reminded me that there is more than one way to approach composition. Thank you.” (teacher)

Funding agreements were reached with each of the local authorities involved in order to ensure schools could participate.

IMPACTS

Young composers reported that they had been challenged and encouraged to expand their creative thinking and practice:

“I used to hate composition, but the workshops showed me I can actually do it, they game me much more confidence and more enthusiasm to compose more music. Thanks!” (Young composer)

“I liked getting to work with professional orchestral players and communicate with other musicians” (Young composer)

Teachers responded positively:

“Would love to have this opportunity again – really inspiring and refreshing’ (teacher)

“It was interesting to observe the pupils being taken out of their comfort zone and getting to work with instruments they were not familiar with.” (teacher)

OTHER

Partners:

– Scottish Chamber Orchestra Connect
– 6 local authorities

Levels and Stages:

– Senior phase
– S6

Funding:

– SCO core budget (via Scottish Government)
– Participating local authorities
– SCO ‘250’ Society
– Scott Davidson Charitable Trust
– Educational Institute of Scotland

Experiences and Outcomes:

The project specifically linked to the experiences and outcomes as follows:

EXA 4 71a, 17b, 18a and 19a

For More information contact:

Lucy Lowe, SCO Connect Director on 0131 478 8355 or email lucy.lowe@sco.org.uk

or visit http://www.sco.org.uk/education-home

CPD

Creative Industries Fair

September 15, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

This project worked with young people and included specifically targeting those at key transitions and in, or at risk of entering the More Choices More Chances category. Through the project young people were introduced to practitioners, higher and further education establishments, potential employers, venues and organisations involved in the Creative Industries.

Young people were provided with information and offered practical experience in various areas of crafts, heritage, design, music, performing, literacy and visual arts. Through workshop programmes and 3 events in June 2009, November 2009 and March 2010 participants developed core and employability skills. Each event and workshop programme engaged young people though activities aimed at introducing young people to a wider range of choices and options.

The project was a developmental process, laying the foundations for a sustained working partnership to support More Choices More Chances.

The project reached and involved:

1,216 pupils
122 teachers
25 arts organisations including colleges and art schools

Additionally there was a Creative Industries Event for teachers providing CPD opportunities.

PURPOSE

This project was initiated as a testing ground to develop new relationships, partnerships and offer new opportunities to young people at risk of leaving school with no positive and sustained destination. The programme was designed to provide stepping stones for young people to develop their interests and bridge the gap between school and employment.

It aimed to provide access to information and opportunities with the Creative Industries for pupils and teachers and highten awareness of the cultural workforce and the contribution it makes to the Scottish economy.

Other key aims of the project were:

to broker new relationships between schools and arts organisations
to provide pathways into training, further education and employment

CHALLENGES and LEARNING

A challenge often faced by successful projects is being a victim of its own success.

Practical challenges in organising the events were undertaken by the Creative Links Officer and the Cultural Co-ordinators. Reduced staff resources means that future fairs place a heavy workload on one or two staff. To address this, additional resource has been requested on the basis that the event is linked to the local strategy supporting More Choices More Chances.

Some feedback suggested that the fairs were too busy. Learning from planning and delivering the Creative Industries event, and from participant feedback, recommends:

more information about being an artist/craft maker
a concert to promote the music industry
pupils choosing their own speakers, with a rotation of speakers
having students present who can speak about the courses they are doing
the inclusion of a craft exhibition to represent the artist and craft maker sector
preperation work tasks to be sent to schools in advance
a 3.30 – 3.30pm slot for teachers to attend

IMPACT

In broadening the scope of 16 plus learning choices for the participating pupils the project made an impact, as can be seen from the following quotes:

“Given me ideas on the numerous career choices rather than the ones we usually associate with.”

“Very helpful, gave me a better idea of what i mgiht want to do after school.”

“Yes, I’m going to attend Cardonald portfolio course.”

“Yes I hadn’t considered media, opens up possibilities for the future…..”

“I do think I feel clearer about what I want to do in the future.”

The project demonstrated the need for more creative opportunities and links into the creative industry market for pupils identified through More Choices More Chances. As a result this programme will now run annually and will support the delivery of the 16 plus learning choices strategy locally.

Future plans are to develop the programme further so that it will become pupil lead, potentially supported through GLOW.

OTHER

Partners

Schools
Skills Development Scotland
Creative and Cultural Skills
National arts organisations
Colleges and arts schools

Levels and stages

Third, Fourth and Senior Phase

Funding

The project was funded through the Big Lottery Investing in Ideas programme, successfully applied for by the Creative Links Officer

For more information contact:

Esmee Thompson, Creative links Officer on 0141 777 3092 or email Esmee.Thompson@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

CPD, Health and Wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Secondary, Social Studies

Operation Blackboard – Bringing WWII to Life

September 15, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

A normal school day was transformed into a World War II army boot camp using actors in role, activities, 1940s film footage and military vehicles. Over 1,000 pupils met Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill taking part in training exercises during curriculum time. Led by actors in character, French Resistance members, boffins from Militray Intelligence and Sergeant majors screaming orders, pupils participated in drill, cartography, sciences and code-breaking.

Pupils were ‘conscripted’ into the infantry, organised into sections, platoons and companies and were issued with identity cards. They were taken through the rigours of military discipline – some were granted ranks of Corporal and Lance Corporal with responsibility for their section of troops. The rank system allowed many pupils, normally perceived as disruptive, to seize responsibility and gain confidence.

Operation Blackboard involved:

– over 1,000 pupils
– from 3 academies (S1 and S2)
– and 13 primary schools (P6 and P7)
– nearly 100 teachers
– up to 6 artists per day of delivery

Interdisciplinary working through the arts, made coherent several curriculum areas all within the context of Operation Blackboard. Examples include a Sergeant taking the privates through code breaking exercises, both de-cyphering and encrypting messages of their own. In costume, US paratrooper experts took a 1940 Jeep and troop carrier used in the D-Day operation to schools, explaining how the vehicles would have been used. A miliarty boffin demonstrated the workings and purpose of gas masks, discussed escape techniques and communication tools if captured. All of this and more, provided a context for developing linguistic and mathematical understanding, integtated with history, geography, PE and sciences, in ways that clearly engaged pupils:

“Doing this project made me feel more interested in World War 2 and think more about what happened back then.” (pupil)

“I learnt that the World War 2 was much more interesting that I thought.” (pupil)

PURPOSE

The development of Operation Blackboard grew from the idea of integrating the arts into the very heart of an educational topic. It was also an opportunity to explore an under used element of drama in learning and teaching.

One intention was that pupils became extremely familiar with historical figures (they had the opportunity to actually meet Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill) and learn through word of mouth, by sharing and through experiencial learning, a broad range of historical facts and ideas.

It was intended that pupils would develop an increased interest in learning about the topic and for school life in general. Pupils were required to apply their learning in practice throughout the project.

IMPACTS

“It gives me an excellent basis for teaching the World War II topic which we are due to start next year.” (Primary Class Teacher)

“I found the decoding quite hard but I managed to solve it.” (pupil)

There was a clear sense of appropriate challenge throughout the project:

“ I am proud of what I did because some of it was hard.” (pupil)

And worth the effort of working differently:

“They probably learn more from this one day of hands on experience than they do from a whole year in the classroom.” (Deputy Head Teacher)

“It made me feel more confident about things I will do in the future.” (pupil)

“They remember more, and learn more if they enjoy the learning – they’ll remember this alright.” (teacher)

Teaching staff reported that the project engaged many pupils who otherwise might not have shown interest in the topic and improved attitudes towards learning generally.

Features of good practice: Active and experiential learning

Operation Blackboard is one of a range of interactive experiential drama and curriculum days developed by the Cultural Co-ordinator Team. It is a transition topic delivered in primary and secondary and was instrumental in the Council receiving a COSLA Bronze Excellence Award for advancing community wellbeing.

Operation Blackboard takes primary seven pupils on a World War II evacuation experience. At the same time, entire S1 year groups are taken through an army boot camp in role by actors playing Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, naval officers, military intelligence officers and stereotypical sergeant majors. Pupils experienced inter-disciplinary learning within a ‘real world’ context. For example, they decipher codes and plot enemy presence on D-Day landing maps. These activities use and develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Throughout the whole experience, pupils actively learn how decisions can affect situations.

More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk

CHALLENGES and LEARNING

Ambitious partnership projects are never without challenges, cnd challenges bring learning for everyone. Below are some examples of things think about when undertaking this type of work.

Press

The local paper took great delight in having the children point the original WWII weaponry straight at the camera and then placed the image on the front page above a headline about a gun crime. When dealing with sensitive subjects, such as war and weapons, it is important to keep a very tight control on the images the press get to take. We now insist that a senior member of the team is on hand whenever the press turn up. It is important to be firm as the press will still try to get the picture they want!

Engaging staff

Different personalities will engage with the fictional world being created to different degrees, and can have an important effect on the success of the day. We used two tools to make the most of this opportunity. We provided notional costume pieces for the staff, such as a hat or a jacket, that allowed staff to look the part without needing to fully ‘dress up’. Most were more than happy to do this – one DHT even made her own costume! Secondly the pupils were instructed to address the teaching staff as Sir or Ma’am and the staff were given Officer level ranks whilst the pupils could only advance as far as Corporal. This maintained the school hierarchy (the HT was the General, staff were Captains and Colonels) which is important to discipline, and kept staff within their comfort zone by not actually changing their power relationship with the pupils.

Space

Obviously space is always an issue for these kinds of events. We engineered activities to fit into a classroom where possible, relying upon the actors to make things different. Whole group activities such as meeting Neville Chamberlain or watching the Movietone film footage allowed us to bookend the days in the assembly hall saving on spaces. The need to clear away for the lunch break was something we always had to be aware of, sometimes having to move projection equipment only to move it back. It is vital that the physical needs of the project are made clear right from the start and continually communicated – otherwise you can end up with a running activity being moved to a classroom by staff who don’t understand what is required.

OTHER

Partners

– Cultural Services
– Schools
– Local WWII re-creation groups
– Clydebank Blitz Survivors (volunteers)
– Clydebank Museum
– Loch Lomond and Trossachs national Park
– Their past Your Future

Levels and Stages

– second, third and fourth levels
– P6 – S2

Funding

Their Past Your Future and various lottery strands successfully applied for by Cultural Services

For more information contact:

http://www.creativelinks-wdc.org.uk/

or:

Maeve Dixon
Learning Development Officer
Clydebank Museum
Culture Section
49 Dumbarton Road
Clydebank
G81 1UE

T: 0141 562 2401/01389772148
E: maeve.dixon@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
W: http://www.wdcweb.info/arts-culture-and-libraries/cultural-services/clydebank-museum/

Health and Wellbeing

DanceWise, Scottish Ballet

September 14, 2010 User deactivated Leave a comment

ABOUT

DanceWise is a programme of illustrated talks for aimed at young people from P5 through to sixth year, delivered to groups of around 25 pupils focusing on a particular production or piece of repertoire. The talks are highly interactive and encourage questions from pupils. Combining the use of costume, props, image, video and a power point presentation, DanceWise is delivered by Scottish Ballet‘s highly experienced Education Officers. The talks also include an insight into the history of Scottish Ballet and in particular on the transition Scotland’s national dance company has undergone to emerge as the contemporary and dynamic dance performance producer it is today.

The DanceWise programme is an entirely new departure for Scottish Ballet and therefore a new experience for schools. By tageting pupils though different curricular areas such as English and various expressive arts disciplines, the majority of the talks reach young people who would not otherwise access dance or ballet.

DanceWise was also tailored to suit the more specialised needs of the relatively small, but growing, number of pupils studying Higher Dance within the curriculum.

Geometry and Grace — Photo by Andrew Ross

PURPOSE

This project aims to place education at the heart of and integral to, the work of the Scottish Ballet. Dance Wise has two purposes – for schools and for the company.

For Schools:

– To give pupils a greater understanding and appreciation of the work of a performing company
– To give pupils an insight into some of the skills required within both the art form and the company
– To lay the foundations for a lifelong engagement with dance
– To give pupils and teachers the confidence to attend a dance performance and to appreciate the experience
– To provide teachers with ideas for different approachs to the new curriculum
– To allow pupils to gain more knowledge into the production values of the work by referencing the technical, stage craft and practicalities of touring and creating a production/season
– To appreciate and understandthe diversity of Ballet as a choreographic language and a collaborative art form

For the company:

– To extend the Company’s work into secondary schools
– To extend the Company’s work to ensure truly national coverage
– To diversify the points of entry that Scottish Ballet offers schools and young people

Through DanceWise, Scottish Ballet aims to give pupils and teachers greater confidence and the ability to discuss openly the work and to express their own opinions and ideas. The project aims to develop the skills to examine how to approach certain aspects of a production and to be able to recognise and understand the various artistic elements that make up and bring alive narrative structure. Above all, DanceWise aims to give young people a more enjoyable experience as a result of a deeper understanding.

The project aims to develop thinking around how pupils would approach certain aspects of a production, enabling them to recognise and understand the different artistic elements that make up and bring alive narrative structure. Scottish Ballet’s focus was to enable pupils to apprecite and understand:

– the stylistic progressions of Scottish Ballet as both a company and as an artform
– the diversity of ballet as a choreographic language and as a collaborative art form, drawing in their own area of study ie. Art and design, English (finding and looking at the narrative in the productions).

DanceWise is also designed to enable pupils gain more knowledge and a deeper understanding of the production values of the work, by referencing the technical, stage craft and practicalities of touring and creating a production/season.

FEEDBACK

‘[the] Talk caught the pupil’s imagination. Glad we had this opportunity before seeing the show. Good use of ICT (Information & Communication Technology) to elaborate on the actual ballet. These are the types of activities there should be much more of in the school, so that we become involved with what’s happening in our community and throughout Scotland.

‘Pupils were given the chance to respond to ideas and felt relaxed enough to ask questions – a real credit to [the Scottish Ballet staff’s] professionalism. There is scope to continue work within English (looking at aspects of performance in particular). We are very keen to continue our association with the Company.’

The Royal High School, Edinburgh

In 3 years, 49 DanceWise talks reached 1,523 pupils across Scotland and a further 3 DanceWise talks were shared live GLOW with at least 19 schools participating in teh Glow events. Recordings are accessible through GLOW for others to download and use as a resource.

The level of engagement has been sustained, in line with Scottish Ballet’s targets, and 87% of evaluation respondents said they and their pupils had a changed perception of ballet; 71% of teachers said that they recognised an increased understanding of ballet by their students and 100% of teachers responding said they would like their school to be involved in future Scottish Ballet activities.

OTHER

Partners:

– Local Authorities
– Cultural Co-ordinators

Levels and Stages:

– Third and fourth levels
– Senior phase
– P5 – S6

Funding:

– The Paul Hamlyn Foundation
– Scottish Ballet Education Budget

For more information contact:

Catherine Cassidy, Associate Director (Education) on 0141 331 2931 or email catherine.cassidy@scottishballet.co.uk

or visit:

http://www.scottishballet.co.uk/

CPD, Outdoor Learning

The Ae Project, Dumfries and Galloway

September 14, 2010 User deactivated 2 Comments

ABOUT

The Ae Project was a whole school inter-disciplinary project developed and delivered in partnership with the school and the Ae community. Pupils and teachers worked with a writer to develop new works that celebrated the school and all the work created was captured by a film-maker. Further creative collaborations included input from a dancer and resulted in a filmed performance in the forest of Ae, about a mythical Forest Queen.

A permanent teaching resource emerged from the Ae project and was created through interaction with all the previous Head Teachers of Ae Primary and the local community.

One very successful aspect of the half centenary celebrations was an inter-generational project – a professional writer and a visual artist worked with pupils, teachers and community members to reveal the stories of the past, explore ways of representing the present, and consider future aspirations. Together they created a resource for future generations of young people. Team planning and team teaching in the classroom ensured there was a CPD element to the project where the artist, writer and teachers shared and developed skills.

Involved in The Ae project were:

– 10 pupils
– 4 teachers
– 1 writer
– 1 film-maker
– Former Head Teachers
– Parents and community members

Pupils created their own blogs to document their learning and experiences, and the project was shared with other school in Dumfries and Galloway through Glow.

PURPOSE

The school wished to use the context of the Ae school half centenary to highlight the rich history of the local community as a stimulus for learning. The project was developed to inspire new ways of working, to use the arts as a way of investigating, recording and sharing local history, memories and aspirations.

Another purpose of the project was to create teaching resources and tools throughout the process that would support future inter-disciplinary learning and teaching in the school.

The aims of the project were for pupils to:

– Gain new skills through accessing library facilities and services
– Gain skills and confidence by visiting national organisations such as the Museum of Childhood and the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh
– Learn about developing projects
– Give direction to their own learning
– Work in partnership with artists and creative adults

IMPACTS

Head Teacher has reported that as a result of the project, there has been an increased engagement with the community, partly evidenced by the number of requests for the book and the DVD created during the project. These are now part of the Ae library collection and are a valuable resources for people researching the village history.

Within the school the Ae Project has had the following impacts:

– a change in teaching practice – working more across the entire curriculumin
– teachers developing other projects that are as wide in scope
– a better and more focussed consideration of creatiivty when planning – using models from the Ae project
– pupils worked harder on their writing skills

OTHER

Partners;

– Curriculum For Excellence Team
– Ae Primary School
– The wider community

Levels and Stages:

– Early
– First adn second levels
– Pre-school to P 7

Funding:

with support from the Curriculum for Excellence Team, the school applied to Awards for All (lottery)

For more information contact:

Vanessa Morris, Development Officer (Cultural Co-ordinator) on 01387 720774 or email vanessa.morris@dumgal.gov.uk

Visit:

http://www.dgcommunity.net/dgcommunity/services.aspx?id=2465

Links:

TESS Article: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6046391

http://www.dgcommunity.net/dgcommunity/services.aspx?id=2465

CPD

Creativity and Enterprise CPD and projects

August 26, 2010 User deactivated 1 Comment

ABOUT

This project arose from a collaboration between a Cultural Co-ordinator in the Arts Education Team and Aberdeen’s Enterprise in Education Co-ordinator. Beginning with an in-service event modelling creativity and enterprise, teachers engaged in activities that combined creative exercises, active learning, critical skills and enterprising attitudes. The in-service event led teachers through a process of thinking about and planning for the level and stage they teach, choosing principles of curriculum design and experiences and outcomes from at least two curriculum areas. Creativity and enterprising skills were woven through every activity and 40 teachers explored how the arts could be used to develop these attributes in pupils.

At the end of the day, teachers were invited to take the experience back to school and work with pupils to develop a project proposal that would creatively and enterprisingly address a school improvement priority. A professional artist would be contracted to work with the winning proposal.

Following an application deadline, 4 shortlisted schools were invited to make a pitch to a panel comprising The Director, convenor and the vice convenor of Education, Culture and Sport, a Cultural Co-ordinator and the Enterprise in Education Co-ordinator. Pupils accompanied by staff, presented their ideas and discussed with the panel their plans and reasons for developing the project.

The winning school was Bucksburn Academy, whose proposal was for the art department to work with the geography department and make a short animation film about energy conservation and re-cycling. The proposal was impressive in that it was clearly pupil driven and fully inclusive with ASN pupils working together with S1 pupils to plan and realise the idea. The project had good aspirations to develop integrated, inclusive and inter-disciplinary work.

All of the other shortlisted projects were well planned and had been thoroughly researched by pupils. They were each offered Arts Education Team support and a small sum of targeted money to realise their plans, albeit without the dedicated input of a professional artist.

The following people were involved in the Creativity and Enterprise project:
•   – 40 teachers from 20 schools (2 secondary) at the in-service
•   – 12 lead teachers in 6 schools supported pupils to prepare the ‘challenge’
•   – approximately 70 pupils were involved in researching and developing ideas
•    – 4 schools were shortlisted and 30 pupils invited to present their plans
•    – various teachers and community members were included in planning ideas
•    – one visual artist co-delivered the in-service event
•    – an animation company (Red Kite) was contracted to work with the winning school

Click here to see the animation film about the environment

PURPOSE

The Creativity and Enterprise and follow on project was developed in response to teachers seeking guidance on Curriculum for Excellence. Teachers were looking for ways to translate the high level information on the new curriculum into real classroom practice.

In recognition that creativity and enterprise require development in learning and teaching, the Cultural Co-ordinator and Enterprise in Education Co-ordinator set out to model approaches that could be used by teachers at any level and stage. Providing the incentive of an artist was felt to be a good way of inspiring teachers to work with pupils immediately following the CPD and put the ideas into practice.

Because teachers and pupils invested time and energy in project proposals, it was clear that even without winning an artist there was a relevance and purpose to each idea. The project was designed to inspire and encourage teachers to begin looking at different ways of working to achieve a clear priority.

CHALLENGES and LEARNING

– Not enough time for the in-service – a whole day would have been better.
– Will be addressed in future in-service events

– Continuity and follow up – one seconded co-ordinator had to return to school the other left to go on secondment.
– Addressed by a new member of the Arts Education Team supporting the schools and taking the project forward.

– Keeping schools open to the idea that any artform could help – too many were fixed on a particular artistic solution and forgot the process could work with any artform and creative thinking.
– Addressed through reminding teachers of the purpose and referring to the original application that won the artist.

– Ensuring that the contracted artist understood the nature of team teaching and achieving several outcomes simultaneously.
– Addressed through clear communication with both artist and teachers in the school.

– Because the winning project included an art department, it was important to keep the purpose clear – that it was about creativity and enterprise and not only animation.
– Addressed through clear communication with both artist and teachers in the school

– Letting down schools and pupils who had put in a lot of effort.
– Addressed by communicating clearly and offering support to realise the project ideas without the input of an artist

– Supporting schools to realise their ideas without a professional artist – each acknowledged that an artist would have added value and contributed creative ideas to the process, as well as giving high quality artistic outcomes.
– Addressed by offering support to make applications for funding to Awards for All.

– Lack of sufficient technology in school to support the animation packages.
– Addressed by offering to support the school set up a group that could apply for Young Scot funding to purchase the equipment for the school.

IMPACTS

The impacts fall into 3 categories:

1. teachers participating in the in-service:

– The majority said they would try out the ideas and techniques in class

2. schools that developed proposals

– pupils directed their own learning with an understanding of the purpose and benefits
– pupils worked with teachers to identify a school priority they could address creatively
– pupils gained skills through investigating, working together, planning and presenting
– motivation to see ideas through to conclusion
– pupils in one school decided to fundraise for their own artist
– pupils appreciated the significance of the issues they wished to tackle such as improving the school playground, local planning and economic issues, working with older people in the community etc.

teachers and pupils in the winning school:

– new ways of working – different departments working together

“as teachers we were asking different questions of the pupils and inviting them to think about more than one perspective” (teacher)

– other departments use animation as a communication and presentation tool using the skills the arts department developed as a result of the project
– good for inclusive practice providing appropriate challenge for all:

“in several instance there were no major apparent differences in ability and pupils were working as equals” (teacher)

“pupils knew they had earned the experience through the efforts of some members of the class” (teacher)

“it taught me that if the project is really hard, just keep trying and you will succeed” (pupil)

“Our group worked well at keeping in contact about what we were doing. I think it has boosted my communication skills because now I can speak to people I have never met before. It has boosted my confidence in drawing and painting.” (pupil)

OTHER

Partners:

– Arts Education Team
– Enterprise in Education (Determined to Succeed)

Levels and Stages:

– Potentially all – particularly targeted at first, second, third and fourth levels

Funding:

– The CPD was delivered by the 2 co-ordinators and 1 artist who was contracted for a half day delivery time
– The artist for the winning school was funded through Determined to Succeed (£3,000)

For more information contact:

Arts Education Team, Aberdeen City Council, by emailing artseducation@aberdeencity.gov.uk

or visit:

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/artseducation