A domino topple is a precarious thing to set up. If evenly spaced and placed at the appropriate angle whilst set on a smooth surface, then the sequenced knock on effect may be successful. The skills being learned by our teachers, from and with the artists, should have a similar ‘knock on’ effect. There should…
Early morning walks help to clear the mind – May 2019
Curiosity keeps leading us down new paths Walt Disney Recognising that not everyone involved has the same outlook on a project is disappointing. It raises questions, is easy to point fingers and blame, and yet more helpfully it provides opportunity to pause and reflect; and breathe. Clearly, when teachers have the support from senior leadership,…
Balancing Act
The art of doing it all Early this month I met with the Lead Facilitators from each of the project schools. It was a time to reflect on the process so far. Seeing as most schools were about to begin an after school club with their artists, this was an excellent opportunity to share and…
Take note of this
At our recent meeting in London as the PHF cohort leads, we were able to share where we are currently at in our projects and address issues that we have encountered along the journey so far. Pausing to reflect in where we put ourselves in response to the impact of learning for the artist, teacher…
Spring is in the air
There are lots of hares in the fields around where I live. They sit up, alert, ears pricked and twisting to pick up what is going on. As a leader, this is how I need to be; aware of what is going on – alert to take action as needed. There are lessons to…
Listen Then Speak
Cat’s Cradle is one of those playground games which defines my childhood. Children, mostly girls it has to be said, would stand, huddled over a loop of string intricately laced between a pair of hands. The task: try to recreate the original ‘cradle’ by clasping the crossover points in the string and simultaneously bring them up,…
Supporting Each Other
Peeling onions is an uncomfortable task, it seriously hurts and often makes me cry. However, it is essential in order to get to the heart of the vegetable and get the best out of it. Yes, we could just pop the whole onion (skin and all) into our stew, but will the flavours be released…
Reflective Journals
Each class will have a reflective journal. Teachers will select examples from what children have written and collect them to record a variety and range of children’s comments on sessions. These will be able to give us a visual record of the journey the class has gone on. It also allows for short ‘hashtag’ style…
Training Day 3 – Planning and Evaluation
I feel this is where we’re at……. The “snowball” we are creating together is getting bigger. It’s taking shape and as we move it along as a team, it is gaining momentum. However, I get the impression that for some in the group, they may be feeling more like this: I wonder if they fully understand the project,…
Championing Learning Through The Arts 