All posts by S. Bullock

Art and Design, Drama, Early Learning, Primary, THIS IS A TEST

Uprooted – a new outdoor theatre production for children and families

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Uprooted is a unique theatre production for children and families, fusing live performance, music and living plants with innovative stage design, touring in August 2015.

ecodrama1

Join us outdoors amongst a curious world of plants for an enchanting tale of kinship and home, told through music, movement, and multi-sensory storytelling. A waft of mint, a crunch of peas, a sprinkle of fresh herbs in a cup of tea…rediscover the joy of our natural world, and have a nibble on the home-grown set!

Uprooted features Scotland’s first Living Stage; a recyclable, biodegradable, edible set created from locally found, reclaimed materials. Part theatre show, part garden and part art installation, audiences will get the chance to interact by nibbling on plants, smelling herbs, and sampling drinks.

Uprooted Tour Dates: August 2015

Merchant City Festival, Greyfriars Garden, Shuttle Street, Glasgow, G1 1QA, Saturday 1st August, 12noon & 3pm
Tickets: Free, donations welcomed. Limited capacity.

Water Works, Glasgow Road, Barrhead, G78 1DT, Wednesday 5th August, 11am & 2pm
Tickets: Free event

Kilmardinny House, Kilmardinny Avenue, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 3NN, Friday 7th August, 11am & 2pm
Tickets: £3.00. Bookings: 0141 777 3143 edlct.bookings@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

The Children’s Wood, North Kelvin Meadow, located in between Clouston Street and Kelbourne Street, Glasgow’s West End, Sunday 23rd August, 1pm
Tickets: Free, to book email: childrenswood@hotmail.com

Primary Schools Tour 17th – 27th August. Various schools across Glasgow.

For bookings please contact emily@ecodrama.co.uk

Dance, Early Learning, Primary, Secondary

A New Step for Scotland’s Teachers: YDance and Glasgow University announce a new Postgraduate Course

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A new Postgraduate Course has been declared open to teachers across Scotland and promises a step forward for dance as part of the national Curriculum for Excellence. The Postgraduate Course in Effective Learning and Teaching in 3 – 14 Dance was created in collaboration between YDance, Scotland’s national dance organisation for children and young people, and the University of Glasgow, and is funded by Creative Scotland.

 

The first of its kind, this 20 credit course at Masters Level will support General Teaching Council (GTC) qualified teachers working in Scottish schools, who have little or no training in how to teach dance, deliver a rounded subject which falls under expressive arts and physical education.

For the first time educators will be able to achieve an SCQF Level 11 qualification covering the fundamentals of dance education, allowing them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to teach dance lessons in line with the experiences and outcomes of the Curriculum for Excellence and allow students to develop socially, emotionally, physically and artistically through dance.

 

Anna Kenrick, YDance Artistic Director said: “Dance is growing in popularity in Scottish schools and the introduction of the Postgraduate Course in Effective Learning and Teaching in 3 – 14 Dance is an important step to ensure our young people receive the best possible dance education in school, just as they do for any other Curriculum subject. For years YDance has been working to support teachers deliver quality dance in school and is very excited to be leading on this important new development.”

 

YDance will run the Postgraduate Course in Effective Learning and Teaching in 3 – 14 Dance this autumn in the Highlands and again in Glasgow, January – March 2016.  Places are limited to 15 in both areas and are free to applicants thanks to funding from Creative Scotland.

 

Joan Parr, Head of Creative Learning at Creative Scotland, said: “Creative Scotland is pleased to support this new development and is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have access to high quality dance teaching in schools. Through the ‘Dance Sector Review’, priority areas were identified, one being to improve the quality of dance offered in the curriculum. We believe that YDance working with a cohort of committed teachers will contribute significantly to fulfilling this goal.”

Applicants have until Monday 31 August 2015 to apply for the course in the Highlands and until Monday 2 November 2015 for the Glasgow course. More information about the course and downloadable application forms are available from www.ydance.org.

Music, Secondary

Silent Movie Project: Live Orchestral Performance by North and South Lanarkshire students

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‘IT’ Silent Movie project original music by Patrick Doyle

 

As part of an exciting Creative Industries event, the iconic silent film IT starring Clara Bow will be finding a voice thanks to leading film composer, Patrick Doyle and a live orchestra of 23 students from North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

 

Patrick Doyle, who hails from Lanarkshire, has been the inspiration for this project and is keen to promote the opportunities that the world of Film and TV can provide for young people.

 

“It was extremely important to me that young Scottish people will be performing in the Scottish and European premier of IT. I come from South Lanarkshire, which gave me tremendous musical opportunities that I have built upon throughout my film composing career. Hopefully the IT project with inspire this new generation.”

 

Patrick Doyle’s work includes Harry Potter- The Goblet of Fire, Thor, Brave and, most recently, Cinderella. This will be the Scottish and European premier of Patrick’s original score commissioned by the Syracuse International Film Festival in 2013.

 

The evening performances of IT will be taking place on the 17th and 18th June at Hamilton Townhouse as part of a two-day joint North and South Lanarkshire project in conjunction with The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and funded by Creative Scotland.

The Creative Industries event will welcome S5/6 students from North and South Lanarkshire schools who will receive seminars from a variety of creative professionals with credits including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Star Wars and Game of Thrones.

 

The young performers have been rehearsing over the past few months with Patrick, learning what it is like to play for a film and the complexities that this involves. It is hoped that this project as the beginning of an ongoing programme in schools.

 

“My aim is not only for the project to be an inspiration for the young musicians involved in the orchestra but to our wider audiences of young people at the evening performances and in our Creative Industries event workshops presented by our host of internationally successful guests.”

 

“If I can do it do, so can they.”

 

Tickets available directly from Hamilton Town House 102 Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6HH 01698 452299

Early Learning, Primary, Secondary

Emporium of Dangerous Ideas – creative change in schools and early learning

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Emporium of Dangerous Ideas – Finale Friday 19 June 2015 

 emporium finale

This Exhibition of Creative Change will be curated by The Real David Cameron and focuses on how creative approaches, risk taking, and dangerous ideas have shaped learning and learning environments. A key focus of the exhibition will be the Creative Change Project where schools and colleges have worked with creative coaches to approach an issue from a different perspective. We will also be exhibiting highlights from the dangerous events held during this year’s Emporium.  See CDN transformed by makers of creative learning book online here .

 

Colleges, Developing the Young Workforce, Languages and Literacy, Secondary

Edinburgh International Film Festival offers students insight to film industry

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Media Days

Monday 22 & Tuesday 23 June, 9:30 – 15:30, Filmhouse / each day is £6 per pupil, teachers free

Deisgned for Media students these day long events offer new feature and short films, discussions with filmmakers, advertising creatives, the BBFC and Into Film. 

 

Media Day 1 looks at the changing role of newspapers with new documentary The Newsroom – Off the Record which goes behind the scenes of Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, following their struggle with dwindling circulation and their attempts to keep up with technology and social media. Day 1 will also offer an Into Film filmmaking workshop 54321; students learn how to make a short film in under an hour using different camera shots. 

 

Media Day 2 will include visually stunning new English language feature Desert Dancer. Set during the volatile 2009 Iranian election, the film follows dancer Afshin Ghaffarian as he and his friends battle against oppressive government policies. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Richard Raymond. Day 2 also includes seminars with: BBFC discussing film classification in the UK; and The Leith Agency, the company behind advertisement campaigns for products such as Irn-Bru, will be discussing their work.

 

Health and Wellbeing, Secondary

Health and Wellbeing Event for Schools at Edinburgh International Film Festival

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Health and Wellbeing Screening & Discussion

Wednesday 24 June 10am, Cineworld Fountain Park / £3 per pupil, teachers free

Entertaining and informative documentary That Sugar Film has already stimulated debate in it’s native Australia about the effects of sugar in our diet. The filmmaker (who is visiting EIFF) adopts a high-sugar diet for 60 days to explore the effect on his mind and body and the film touches issues including food poverty, marketing and economics, and how they impact health and diet. The screening will be followed by a 30min discussion. Suitable for all pupils S1-S6 and predicted a 12A certificate.

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Developing the Young Workforce, Early Learning, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Creative Conversation – attainment and employability through the lens of creativity

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Creative Conversations – an end of term Creative Conversation where, with a panel of previous creative catalysts, we’ll be thinking about raising attainment and employability through the lens of creativity.

 

Date for your diary:

The next Creative Conversation,  titled ‘We Can Work it Out’, is part of a national event in partnership with Education Scotland and is included in the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas. It is on:

 

  • Tuesday 16th June 4.30 – 5.30/5.45. Coffee and registration from 4pm and you can continue the conversation with Hywel, Paul, Andy, Alan, David and colleagues over wine and canapes from 5.45 – 6.30/7pm. The venue is the Prince Philip Building at Royal College of Surgeons.

 

You are invited to join us in conversation with Hywel Roberts, author of ‘Oops, Helping Children Learn Accidentally’, Paul Collard, CEO of Creativity, Culture and Education and Andy Gray, Head of Schools and Communities in Edinburgh. Facilitated by David Cameron who you probably already know!

 

This Creative Conversation will consider that key education priorities of raising attainment and employability need a creative approach, now more so than ever. The discussions will focus on the range of ideas and partnerships that are required to work out how we make a difference to key challenges that are not getting any easier. The Creative Conversation is part of a national event – a number of places have already been allocated to delegates so places are limited.

 

Hywel Roberts’ first Scotland gig was a Creative Conversation in Edinburgh in September where 100 people were simultaneously rolling in the aisles with laughter and inspired by his very practical and real ideas about ways to achieve better learning. In February, Hywel gave the keynote at the Edinburgh Early Years Conference and the evaluations were, to a person, extremely positive.

 

Paul Collard’s Creative Conversation in December was attended by nearly 100 people and was informative, inspiring and thought provoking. Drawing upon research and Paul’s experience over 30 years, we considered the idea that the future needs job creators not job seekers. We also considered what PISA tells us about loss of interest, depression among young people and cases where education can undermine wellbeing and competency. Paul also talked about the high functioning classroom and what this looks like in Scottish and international practice.

 

The welcome is from Alan Wait, Schools Group Manager in Midlothian Council.

 

 

As always this will be a very popular Creative Conversation. If you would like to come please get back to me directly. If you would like to bring a colleague, please tell me their name and job title. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. I’ll send full venue details and confirmation of your place on receipt of your email.

 

We look forward to seeing you on the 16th June.

Linda

 

Creative Learning Network: 

Education Scotland in partnership with Creative Scotland awarded City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian Councils funding to develop the Creative Learning Network.

 

Creative Conversations are opportunities for colleagues interested in creativity and education across all sectors to come together and engage in high quality professional dialogue. Each Creative Conversation has a creative catalyst and the conversation is facilitated by (the real) David Cameron. There is always opportunity to continue the discussion over a glass of wine in an informal setting. Each Creative Conversation is in an interesting venue and over 2014/15 will take place across the 3 local authority areas. Previous Creative Conversations have included well known figures such as Tim Brighouse, Keir Bloomer, Frank Crawford, Laurie O’Donnell, Hywel Roberts, Paul Collard, Nicola Morgan, Eric Booth, Heather Reid and many others. Conversations are always about creativity and have covered technology, funding, self evaluation and  preparing for inspection (creatively!), science and art, flipped learning and much more. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is just about art – it’s about creativity in the widest sense.

 

Linda Lees | Service Manager, Arts and Creative Learning | Schools and Community Services | Children and Families | The City of Edinburgh Council, Waverley Court, Business Centre 1/2, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG | Tel 0131 469 3956 | Mobile 07917 825007 | mailto:linda.lees@edinburgh.gov.uk | www.edinburgh.gov.uk | www.edinburgh.gov.uk

 

Colleges, Community Learning and Development, Early Learning, Mathematics and Numeracy, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Tackling Serious Education Challenges through Creative Thinking – Showcase

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You are invited to attend

The Creative Change Exhibition: Finale for the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas

 

We asked Scotland’s educators to bring their most complex challenges to the table, to find a Creative Catalyst who matched their needs, and develop their creative thinking together. Armed with new perspectives, fresh approaches, and unusual influences we hope to demonstrate that common education hurdles can be negotiated in innovative and inspiring ways through creative change – using curiosity, open mindedness, imagination and problem solving to influence the world around them and affect truly transformative change.

 

Come see, hear and experience how they got on. Some projects may not have worked, some may have raised more questions than they answered, but all have changed the way schools, nurseries and educators think.

 

The nine projects, which addressed a range of themes across primary, secondary and early learning will be showcased as part of the Emporium of Dangerous Ideas on 19th June in Stirling. Visit the website for a full programme, directions and to book your place:

http://events.collegedevelopmentnetwork.ac.uk/events/show/5200

 

The exhibition will be of interest to everyone involved in learning and teaching. It features:

 

Educational Challenges of all shapes and sizes

 

In the classroom

Generating ‘Willing’ Mathematicians, Teaching Fractions, Understanding and Supporting Dyscalculia

 

Across a whole school

Bullyproofing the School, Creating a Sustainable Creative Learning Hub, ‘The One That Never Got Started’

 

And the biggest challenges of all

Developing Resilience and Positive Attitudes to Change, Increasing Pupil and Parent Voice, Breaking the Cycle of Parental (non) Involvement

 

From Educators across Scotland

 

Angus – Forfar Academy

East Dunbartonshire – East Dunbartonshire Education Support Team, Oxgang Primary and Westerton Primary

Edinburgh – Dalry Primary

Glasgow – Kings Park Secondary, Knightswood Secondary and Wyndford Nursery

 

Working with Creative Catalysts from education, business and the arts

 

Scott Sherwood of Live Think Design, graphic facilitator Clare Mills, Paul Gorman of Hidden Giants, Sarah Derrick of Dundee Contemporary Arts, Lucinda Geoghegan of National Youth Choir of Scotland, Susan Hay of Ripple Arts, and Patrick Boxall of Create and Connect

 

If you are unable to come along but would like to be kept informed about our Creative Change work then please do get in touch to be put on our mailing list.

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Stephen Bullock – Development Officer, Creativity

Julia Fenby – Education Officer, Creativity

Karen Lawson – Curator of Dangerous Ideas

Drama, Languages and Literacy, Primary, Research and Strategy, Secondary

Modern Language Learning Events at Edinburgh International Film Festival

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Edinburgh International Film Festival takes place 17-28 June, with over 150 feature films from 36 countries. With such an international outlook the Festival has much to interest teachers of Modern Languages and offers two special events:

 

European Children’s Film Catalogue – Presentation and Screening  for Teachers 

Thursday 18 June, Cineworld Fountain Park, 3.45pm-5.45pm plus reception / Free

 

A number of European partners, including Creative Scotland have created a catalogue of European films for children, with accompanying educational materials, which will be accessible across the whole of Europe. This initiative heralds the development of a new educational distribution system (Wrap! Distribution), designed to improve the reach to young audiences. Seven films, in a variety of languages, have been procured (through Creative Scotland and Scottish Film Education) for this first year of the catalogue. These films will form the basis of a series of schools screenings, with accompanying education resources being made available to all schools.

 

At this event for teachers, film educators and literacy practitioners there will be a short presentation on the film catalogue, including clips, followed by a screening of German comedy Max Minsky and Me. Followed by reception.

 

Scott Donaldson of Creative Scotland will also present an introduction to the Film Education Framework for Europe, which has been developed by film educators from 20 European countries.

 

Modern Languages Screening – Spanish

Tuesday 23 June 10am, Cineworld Fountain Park / £3 per pupil, teachers free

Uk premiere of Mexican feature film A Separate Wind, about a brother and sister forced to travel across country. Suitable for pupils from S4-S6.

 

To book for any of these events, or for further information please contact Jenny Leask or Amy MacKinnon at education@cmi-scotland.co.uk or on 0131 228 6382. For more information about the films go to http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/learning/events-for-schools