“It was awesome! This is the funnest workshop I have ever been in!”
After two postponements, (one for the pandemic, one for snow) we led a day-long workshop for Macon County, NC, teachers at the stunning Bascom Museum in beautiful Highlands, on April 2, 2022. So many thanks go to Karin Peterson, Executive Director, and Billy Love, Deputy Director, for a warm welcome, delicious food, and much support over the two-year planning and re-planning period.
Jen Crickenberger (www.blackbirdstudioclt.com/) and Sheila Kerrigan (www.mimewhotalks.com) led sixteen teachers, from pre-K through high school, through experiential, arts-integrated workshops, including:
- The Art of Digital Literacy: Blending Photography and Poetry
- Reading, Writing, and Speaking Visual Art and
- Games We Can Play to Boost Literacy
- Reflection and Lesson Planning.
Teachers participated enthusiastically.
“Wow! Everything was so helpful. I have learned that movement is important. I’ve also learned that art can really be integrated anywhere in any course.” –Franklin High School teacher with 16 years experience.
In Jen’s workshop, teachers learned about the art of photographic composition, then, switching seamlessly from learners to artists, took photos that demonstrated their understanding, then learned how to edit their photos on their digital devices and, finally, wrote poems based on one of their photos.
In the gallery, they learned to “read the text” of a work of visual art with Sheila, and practiced their new-found visual literacy in small groups, where they closely examined and questioned the visual art, made inferences, wrote dialogues based on the art, and performed the dialogues.
“This workshop has been inspirational and informative. Just the right amount of physical, group and small group activities. Excellent.” — K-5 teacher with 30 years experience teaching
They then learned about the connections between movement, cell growth in the brain, learning, memory, and mood, and played movement games that support learning in English Language Arts and Social-Emotional Learning.
Finally, they planned how they would use the day’s activities in their classrooms.
“I can’t wait to implement [the games], in order to keep students engaged.”
