Creative Arts programs for children, teens and adults
Creative Arts programs provide children, teens, youth and adults with an opportunity for creative interaction with peers, while engaging in activities that foster sensory integration. The objective of the programs is to further the cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth of the participants through drama, movement, music, drawing, painting and crafts. The Arts provide an ideal opportunity for people to work and develop at their own pace. All abilities are welcome.
We offer both community and in-school programs. After-school and evening programs occur once a week for up to an hour and a half. They usually run for 8 – 10 weeks. Volunteers play an important role in the Community programs, ensuring that each participant is given the opportunity to fully engage in the activities. Programs run through the fall, winter and spring. Please view the videos to get a good sense of the scope of these programs.
In-School programs are available for all age levels. The eight-week programs are preceded by a two hour in-service for Educational Assistants and Resource Teachers. Following the eight weeks, facilitators meet with the staff for a debriefing and follow-up activities.
How the Creative Arts programs work:
Each Creative Arts program is focused around one story, usually based on a fairy tale or hero legend and runs for one and a half hours once a week, for eight to ten weeks. The story provides the themes from which the other art activities are derived. Through imaginative participation in the story, participants are guided to take on roles, learn new songs, play instruments, practice new ways of moving and engage in making props. Everyone has the opportunity to experience the different visual arts: painting, drawing and clay work. Each medium provides a different sensory experience and thus a different learning opportunity. Programs are facilitated by two – three individuals: a Story-teller/ Drama animator, a Music teacher/activity leader and sometimes an Art specialist.
Interactive Storytelling for young children.
Interactive Storytelling is usually done as a one-time event. It involves telling the chosen story several times, each time inviting the children to participate in the storytelling through words, phrases, sounds, rhythm instruments, etc. Under the Menu Bar Resources, you will find an example of this with the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
Jam Dance is an inclusive, creative, physical and musical experience that fosters social engagement, diversity and cooperation. It is for all ages and abilities. Participants are guided through a variety of group activities ranging from joyous, raucous expression and celebration to listening, seeing and attuning to each other. It is another way of building community.
Workshops/In-services for classroom and resource teachers, educational assistants, education students, early childhood educators, personal care workers, social workers, parents. A workshop can be a two-hour in-service or a full-day session, or multiple sessions. We can help you set up a Creative Arts programs in your community, teach you new strategies to use with your children with special needs, share movement activities to use with a whole classroom. Each workshop is tailored to the needs of the participants. Please contact us to discuss the possibilities.
Individualized Educational and Developmental Support is for people who experience challenges with academic, social and mild behavioral issues. Through specific movement, drawing and painting exercises, this approach addresses the underlying issues of the difficulties, building more facility for learning.
During the first seven years of life, as the child is learning to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk and talk, capacities are being developed that pave the way for academic learning. Some of these capacities include movement co-ordination, balance, awareness of the space around oneself, hand dominance, body awareness and sense of touch. Difficulties or “blocks” in one or more of these areas may manifest in less than satisfactory academic work, behavioral and social problems and lack of self confidence. Teachers and parents may be alerted by certain “red flags” such as awkward letter/number formations, difficulty copying from the board, awkward and/or tense pencil grip, legs wrapped around chair legs, sitting on the floor with legs in a W formation, frequently falling off chairs, holding the head up with a hand or awkward placement of paper when writing and drawing, poor posture. Educational Support programs are beneficial to those students who appear typical but face challenges in reading, writing, math, motor development, social and mild but persistent behavioral issues, to those with a diagnosed learning disability and to those who have more severe learning challenges.
Assessment and Program Plan
An individual assessment determines whether specific developmental milestones have been completed. It looks at the early movement patterns (reflexes), dominance (left or right sided), integration of vertical and horizontal mid-lines, eye-tracking, coordination, balance, memory, fine and gross motor skills. Following analysis of the assessment, a program will be created to help the individual re-navigate the early developmental stages that may not have been completed. Generally, the one-on-one program will be carried out once a week for up to an hour, with extra work assigned to be done during the week. Ideally, the individual will have ten to twelve lessons with the Educational Support teacher, followed by a reassessment and a follow-up meeting with the parent/teacher/case worker. The focus of this program is to build capacity and effectively compliment the academic or other skills-tutoring the individual is receiving.
Learning is not all in your head!
The program activities include working with bean bags, balls and skipping ropes. Specific drawing and painting exercises further address issues of focus, eye tracking, spatial organization, mid-line issues, hand dominance, breathing and rhythm, all of which impact reading, writing and math.
To learn more about any of these programs please contact us.