Targets Arts-Holiday Residency Teaching Artist Check– In 12/6/10-12/10/10

Targets Arts- Holiday Residency

Teaching Artist Check – In

                                                  Ellison Parks__Week of__12/6/10_

My goals for the week: Finish flamenco choreography, Read folk stories in relation to flamenco and Junkanoo; Choose dance spots for kids to perform in; work on tying in flamenco, yoga and Junkanoo for final presentation. Continue working on kids to help them learn focusing techniques, dance technique, rhythmic ear to changing rhythms and essence of the way you  move in relation to the style of music you are dancing to. Focus attention on spine.

What worked well this week? Finished flamenco choreography and a majority of the children are really getting in to it. There have been some great connections form kids who originally did not seem so focused, but they have gotten comfortable with the new learning style being offered to them and they are striving for their own success. I love to watch the students move and see their personal expression in their movements. They have learned a difficult piece of choreography that is very intricate rhythmically and technically. This is proving to be such a successful program. I am thrilled to see their enjoyment.

Identify some challenges you faced this week and what you did to meet them.

Fridays are a challenge for the students because a large number of them are feeling the pull of the weekend. It takes a bit longer for them to quiet down and settle into focusing on the class. Starting the music and just getting going roves to be one of the most effective tools. The students like to see Ms. Carol joining in and that gives them a sense of community, along with a few other teachers too.

Let us know what relationships are forming and how things are going with your assistant: I see a large sense of community growing as the students embody the flamenco. New friendships and groupings seem to come about and just shifting one or two kids can change the dynamic of the whole class.  

Attendance and participant behavior issues: I had to send a large number of boys to the principal’s office. They all returned to class, apologized for their disruption and have now remained a little more connected to the class. One girl has been expressing a lot of displeasure with the school and is losing focus in class and repeatedly acting out. I did speak to her teacher about this. The student who we recently were concerned about (due to their written note) is showing much more connection to the class and it retaining all the choreography.

Host school issues and resolutions: I have noticed some of the teachers are leaving after class begins and I will ask them to remain in the gym with us during class. We need more teacher involvement to help with the sometimes unruly behavior of the students.