Right Brained Teaching for Creative Classrooms

1. Right Brained Teaching for Creative Classrooms ABMP School Issues Forum Austin, 2012

2. Session Goals: • Define art-based learning • Discuss benefits of bringing art-based learning into classrooms • Identify one art-based learning activity to use next week

3. Art-based learning uses learner art-making as a means for promoting learning in non-arts subjects.

4. Art-Based Learning Models • Local community centers • Whole school projects • Classroom instruction • Teacher development • Special learner populations • Business management • Business teams

5. Research Results • Improved relationships and cooperation • Increased learner participation and engagement • Improved teacher quality of instruction • Increased self-esteem and willingness to try new things • Improved creativity, problem solving, and complex thinking • Increased self-assessment, organization, and planning skills • Improved higher-order thinking skills

6. Higher-Order Thinking Skills • Critical thinking • Creative thinking

7. ABMP Instructors on the Front Lines Teaching Critical and Creative Thinking Skills to Massage Students Thinking tools are learned (or innate) approaches to thinking that are necessary for higher-order thinking.

8. Observing Generating Ideas Asking Questions Connecting Solving Problems Transforming and Synthesizing

9. Transforming and Synthesizing Defined: • The process of internalizing new information by linking it to prior experience and knowledge, translating it into your own language, and then presenting the knowledge in a different way.

10. Art-Based Learning Examples • Visual Dialogues • Writing Activities • Dance and Embodiment • Theatre Activities • Music Activities • Installations

11. Visual Dialogues • Collages • Photography • Painting • Posters • Art Objects

12. Poster Projects and Shows

14. Be true to you. In the words of Allen Ginsberg: “Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.”

15. Poster Project and Shows Project Goals Effective Posters Focus on a single message Act as a source of information Let graphics tell most of the story Serve as effective conversation starters • Organize time • Think creatively • Communicate a clear message

16. Poster Projects and Shows • Massage for Special Populations • Massage for Condition Management • Massage and the Environment • Massage Making a Difference Pick a Theme

17. Poster Project and Shows Guidelines Judging Criteria Your poster will be judged on originality, clarity, relevance, clarity of the poster’s message, and use of graphics. • Posters must be 18 X 24 inches in size • Provide a 150-250 word typed description expressing the inspiration behind the poster.

18. Plan a Show

19. Psychology of Touch Project

20. Psychology of Touch Project Project Goals Directions Create an art object that represents your touch history and current relationship to touch Prepare 200-300 word typed description of your inspiration for the project • Recognize the role of touch in life • Identify touch histories • Recognize that clients have touch histories

21. What types of visual dialogues are you currently using in your massage classrooms? Your Turn!

22. Writing Projects • Free Writing • Journaling • Poetry • E-books

23. Free Writing Uses Directions Give students a topic Example: Think about how your body feels now that you have received a massage – write about these feelings and any thoughts that come up. Direct students to write non-stop for 10-15 minutes Share some of their thoughts in a group discussion • Wake up thinking • Warm up before an exam • Develop comfort with writing • Bypass an inner critic • Discover new ideas • Capture feelings in a moment

24. What types of writing projects are you currently using in your massage classrooms? Your Turn!

25. Dance Movement Activities Embodied Art

26. Body Thinking

27. Reenactment

28. What types of movement, dance, or embodied art projects do you currently use in your massage classrooms? Your Turn!

29. Music • Rhythm • Sound • Song

30. Dance Massage

31. Do you currently use music, rhythm, sounds or songs as part of your teaching? Your Turn!

32. Theatre-Based Activities • Skits • Role-playing • Reenactment • Videos

33. Six Views Activity

34. What do you think about the Six Views activity? Where might it be useful in your curriculum? Your Turn!

35. The Animal Game

36. Do you have issues with learners excluding others? How do you address the issue now? Do you see the Animal Game as a useful way to frame topics of exclusion? Your Turn!

37. Installations

38. Massage History Timeline

39. Human Installation

40. Human Installations Uses Directions Give learners warning at the beginning of the class Leave the room – allow students 15-20 minutes Take pictures • Gives closure • Body learning • Collective experience • Requires teamwork • Creates lasting impression of learning

41. You have 15 minutes to dialogue and plan an installation that captures something that you learned here today. Your Turn!

42. Around the Room What is the most important thing you’ll take home with you as a result of our sessions today?

43. Thank You!