Welcome to Seminar 8: The Performing Arts “ “If you have only two pennies, spend the first on bread and the other on hyacinths for your soul.” –Arab Proverb

What is your most memorable performing arts experience?

The Performing Arts According to Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld, the performing arts, music, dance, drama, and story are the oldest ways human beings learned to pass on information, traditions, customs, and beliefs. Children, as natural connectors, see the performing arts as everything they do. In planning these activities, the developmental level of each child is the starting point. Specific attention will be given to dramatic play, creative dramatics, and creative movement. Puppets, finger plays, poetry, stories, and music can also be used to encourage children’s dramatic play and creative movements.

Creative Drama and Dramatic Play Dramatic play – An original, outward expression of inner feelings Child can act out feelings that often cannot be expressed directly Creative dramatics – Improvised drama Uses no dialogue Actors create their own words and actions

Dramatic Play Kits An assortment of everyday items assembled into groups that have common use or theme. Children can select the props and use them in groups or alone to play roles or create games. Specific examples are: SupermarketPost Office Beauty ParlorCooking CleaningDoctor FirefighterGrocer Gas Station AttendantEntertainer What items would you assemble to stock each of these?

Creative Dramatics with Elementary Students  Provide a structure  Encourage open-endedness  Promote a safe environment  Provide feedback  Take your time

 Relaxation and freedom in the use of the body  Experience in expressing space, time, and weight  Increased awareness of the world  Experience in creatively expressing feelings and ideas  Improvement of coordination and rhythmic interpretation  Increasing sensitivity in aesthetic judgment Creative Movement: Objectives

 Begin all planning with the developmental level of each child  Include time for practice and exploration when introducing new skills  Keep in mind the characteristics of each age group  Use poetry and music to stimulate creative movement  Fingerplays provide an endless supply of creative movement opportunities Creative Movement: Guidelines

Preschool – many opportunities to practice, vary activities to prevent boredom, incorporate different activities to practice particular skills Elementary – define expectations, prepare the room, provide visual cues, spatial arrangements, working with partners, time limits, commenting on student’s work Creative Movement Activities

Seminar Question # 1 Compare the objectives of creative dramatics and creative movement for their potential to enhance young children’s overall development. Give an example of a movement and a drama activity that nurture the social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and young school-aged children.

Creative Movement Infants dancing around baby Toddlers “Open and Shut Them” Preschooler Young school-aged Drama Infants corn meal play Toddlers story drama Preschooler Young school-aged Seminar Question # 1

Seminar Question # 2 Explain how the use of puppets and story dramas benefit young children’s dramatic play and how their use differs between preschoolers and young elementary children.

Compare and Contrast Puppets Excellent medium for children’s dramatic play Allows children to enter world of fantasy and drama easily stick puppets wooden spoon puppets mitten and sock puppets play dough puppets Styrofoam ball puppets vegetable and fruit puppets humanettes cylinder puppets Story Drama Provides a developmental link between infants’ sensory exploration of materials and the interactive pretend play of prekindergartners promotes self-advocacy and negotiation helps children articulate and explore emotions and gain self- knowledge develops sequential thinking Involves abstract concepts and language

SQ #3: Discuss how to adapt creative movement and dramatics activities for children with special needs. Follow large muscle activities with quiet activities Motivation and attention is increased when teach is enthusiastic and animated Integrate activities into the daily schedule (curriculum, transitions, clean-up) Set realistic expectation for length of activity Partial participation is a valid form of involvement Adapting for Children with Special Needs

SQ #4: Watch Alex, Hannah, and Faith Have a Tea Party and identify the social, communication, imaginative, and fine motor skills supported by their dramatic play. (video #35 down the list) Series_PracticingObservation.htm#top Field Trip

Wrap Up “Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves, and each time we try to teach them too quickly, we keep them from reinventing it themselves.” Jean Piaget