Alexander Society for Special Needs

New Arts Health Network Canada Website!

November, 2011

Dear: AHNC/ AHNC-BC Friends,

We are delighted to inform you that Arts Health Network Canada and its first provincial chapter, Arts Health Network Canada-BC, have launched a new and improved website www.artshealthnetwork.ca. Please visit our new site and send us your feedback; we would love to hear from you!

The aim of AHNC/AHNC-BC is to connect arts and health practitioners in Canada with each other, researchers, decision-makers, and with members of the public who want to benefit from arts and health programs. This website is intended as one step towards helping facilitate those connections. The website is designed as an all-inclusive hub where arts and health users and the public can go to learn about and contribute to knowledge about the ever-growing field of arts and health in Canada.

On this website you will find a wide range of information on arts and health, including: a beginning list of resources ranging from books, film, and websites to reports, magazines, and academic journal articles; exciting new and ongoing initiatives taking place across Canada; national and international research projects; upcoming and ongoing events, classes, and workshops; and an arts and health news feed.

We intend to make the website as comprehensive and informative as possible about arts and health activities taking place across Canada. To do so, we need your input!

Your participation is invaluable!

To contribute information about arts and health related events, initiatives, and / or resources, please send us an email at: admin@artshealthnetwork.ca.

Thank you for your interest in AHNC/ AHNC-BC and any input you wish to contribute.

Best regards,

Nancy Cooley, Lori Baxter, and Kim Taylor
AHNC / AHNC-BC Start-up Team

Website: www.artshealthnetwork.ca

Arts Health Network Canada-BC gratefully acknowledges its founding contribution from 2010 Legacies Now and the Province of British Columbia.

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Now you can learn what you need to know to prepare for and facilitate Learning Through Creative Play.  Take a look at the Work Book link.  I will be adding chapters as time allows.  Please subscribe  and let others know about this resource.  I hope you find it useful and inspiring.   You CAN do it too!

This is an evolving process.  Your input is vital.   Try it out.  Let me know how it goes.   Join the Alexander Society and help more schools and communities learn how to be happier, smarter, gentler, and more inviting.   Everyone can learn from each other through inclusive creative play.

Photo by Emma VanRooyan

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I am excited to welcome Music Therapist Heather Price as my co-facilitator for our fall Creative Arts program for teens. Heather brings a wealth of musical experience with her, and several of her M.T. students who are doing a practicum with the Alexander Society. This program takes place in Wolfville, N.S. every Monday afternoon and continues until Dec. 5th.  We welcome back many of the participants who have been with us for 10 years, and welcome many new volunteers from Acadia University and the local high school. If you know someone who would like to join as a participant or volunteer, please contact me.

We have chosen the ancient Breton tale about the adventures of  “Peronnik”, a poor wanderer who, through his wit and perseverance, gains the famed Golden Bowl and Diamond Spear.  It is another Hero Myth which involves the participants in many adventures.  Most recently, the hero had to catch the colt which guided him through the enchanted forest.  There he ran into a fierce storm,  made with many rhythm instruments and vocal sounds, evoking rain, thunder, lightening, animals calling, etc.  Everyone joyfully participated.

With this group of youth, there is no one who seems adversely affected by Sound, which, for some autistic children, can be overwhelming.   In our programs, we always take into account the individual needs of the child, so if there is someone for whom loud sounds are problematic, we would take that into consideration when planning the program.

My work also takes me to the South Shore Waldorf school of Nova Scotia where I have again taken up the Educational Support work with several students who require these special one-on-one activities to help strengthen their capacity for learning.   Our sessions consist of rhythmic games with bean bags, balls and skipping ropes, as well as Form Drawing and water colour painting.   All of these help the child reach their developmental milestones.   It is such rewarding work!

The first Chapter of the Workbook will be on line soon.  Please subscribe and be the first to see it!

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If any of this talk makes sense to you,  get involved in learning through creative play.

Find out how.   Contact me.   Subscribe to stay informed.

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...for creating unique and valuable programs...

Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly   Monday, December 6, 2010
Resolution No. 2783
Whereas the Alexander Society of Wolfville celebrated its 10th Anniversary on November 19, 2010 and
Whereas the Alexander Society was founded in 2000 by Kathleen Purdy and Kim Smith of Canning to enhance learning opportunities for children and teens who require special care and
Whereas the Alexander SOciety teaches children and teens with intellectual disabilities to see the world through arts-based strategies such as music, drama, painting, storytelling and nature which foster communication,social interaction and flexible thinking;
Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly commends Kathleen Purdy and Kim Smith for creating a unique and invaluable program for educating  children who require special care that will help them develop the capacity for acknowledging and understanding perspectives of others as well as their own.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice.

Motion carried unanimously

Ramona Jennex, MLA
Kings South

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March 16, 2011 The participants of the Creative Arts for Teens after school program are preparing to set sail for the land of Colchis.   Everyone helped decorate the boat and lace it together.

As we move the boat around the room we sing “We are sailing, sailing, sailing; we are sailing over the waters. We are sailing, sailing, sailing; we are sailing over the sea.”  Click the audio  link to hear what it sounds like… We Are Sailing by assn

When Jason arrives, he is told by the King that in order to have the golden fleece, he must complete three difficult tasks.

Next session, we will tackle the impossible and, with the help of Medea, prepare to meet the dragon that guards the fleece. Quite an adventure!

In the process, the teens who are challenged, participate to the full extent of their capacities, taking on roles, creating sound effects, becoming part of the sets, helping create props; and much more.  All the while having a lot of fun, and making new friends! Volunteers provide one-on -one support to each participant.  They are an integral part of the program.

Stay tuned for the final episodes!

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Based on a story by Guido Visconti, The Enchanted Kingdom is a desert kingdom where dry winds  blow.

Years ago, all the trees were cut down to build a beautiful castle, but then the rains stopped because there were no trees, the flowers did not grow and the birds stayed away.  Through the desire of the Princess to see real birds, flowers and trees, and the magic of the artist, the Kingdom is restored to its natural beauty.

We have enacted this story with children as young as grade two and now are adapting it for teens with special needs.  Castle towers have been created out of refrigerator boxes and decorated by the children.  The sand dunes were shaped from cardboard and covered with brown translucent fabric.  Camel trains are heard and seen traveling over the desert, bringing treasures from other lands.

From the opening circle, we introduce the drama as we follow a leader to the area that has been set up to tell the story.

Come and follow one and all

We’ll hear the story of Xanadal

Enchanted by power long ago

A desert place where dry winds blow.

And so begins the story, with its songs, chants, followed by the drama, more music, movement and a visual art.  The first day each participant painted a bright hot sun against the intense blue sky.


Oh Great Sun burning bright

Giving heat, giving light.

In the next episode, a merchant will arrive from another land with beautiful tapestries to sell.  For the first time the Princess sees paintings of trees, birds and flowers and is enchanted by them.

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May 27, 2011

These are sand pictures depicting the desert with the hot sun in the deep blue sky.  Onto a piece of blue card stock the teens glued a piece of shaped brown card, covered it with glue and sprinkled fine art sand over it.

“What dark magic made the beauty of nature vanish from my kingdom?” bemoans the King.  His Chief  Adviser responds “There is no such thing as magic!”  A Merchant arrives, bringing a beautiful tapestry on which is depicted a tree, birds and flowers.  The Princess is so enchanted that she asks the Old Artist living in the tower to paint some birds for her.  When the princess clapped her hands with delight, the birds flew out the window.  We made colourful birds from bristol board cut-out forms, tissue paper wings and decorated them with feathers, sparkles and crayons. They were then tied to the end of a thin dowel so the participants  could fly them out the window and through the air to land on the castle.    Lots of  bird sounds were made by the participants using mouth chirps and whistles and recorders.  The king was at first very happy, exclaiming “What magic is this?” but the Adviser reminds him “There is no such thing as magic!”  The next day, when the birds were not singing because there was no food and no water, the king again sighed his mournful sigh “What dark magic…. ” The adviser responded his usual response.  The princess went back to  the artist to ask for help. He painted some clouds, then asked her to blow very hard, and lo and behold, the clouds floated out the window!

Clouds were made from finely carded and dyed wool.

Soon it started to rain! The birds were happy once again, the king proclaimed “What magic is this?”

Next time we will see whether the magic remains!

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I am sure you have all been sitting on the edge of your chairs wondering whether the magic has continued.  And indeed it has.  The rain not only made the birds sing with joy, it  awakened the seeds that lay dormant in the earth for many years.  They sprung to life.  The kingdom was covered with flowers and trees of every kind.  The king was beside himself with happiness, as was the princess.  When the king declared “Surely some kind of magic has brought my kingdom to life.”,  the artist appeared.  “It was your daughter!”  He explains to the king how his daughter asked him to paint the birds.  Then he said, “Nature seen through the eyes of a child is a magical thing.”  As for the Chief Adviser, after several days of observing this transformation, he declared, “It is truly an enchanted kingdom!”

We made flowers from tissue paper, with pipe cleaner stems and set them in mason jars in which sand had been poured to stabilize the jars.  They were placed behind the sand dunes and appeared at the appropriate moment.  We also brought in  spring blooming flowers to decorate the room.

On the last day, we traipsed to a near-by park with the flowers, the birds and lots of fruit and other food for a final celebration picnic where we reenacted  some of the circle games and of course, ate! It was truly wonderful.

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