Explore Global Issues & Diversity through the Arts

‘It is more important to find out and appreciate what is similar about us as opposed to what is different' - 2008 course participant

We ran this course in February 2010 in Froebel College of Education, Blackrock on the 6th, 13th, and 20th. We spent three days in workshop guided by skilled arts facilitators exploring ways to use a variety of art forms such as music, drama, and visual arts to explore diversity and global development issues with children. 

6th of February: Introduction to Development Education (Ali Leahy), Using Drama & Creative writing to explore migration (Pete Mullineaux), Art & Education for Sustainable Development (Deirdre Walsh)

13th of February: Use of Resources (Patricia Kennon), Use of Drama & Storytelling to explore colonialism (Triona Stokes), Use of Dance to explore human rights (Dorothy Morrissey)

20th of February: Introduction to Intercultural Education (Ali Leahy), Use of Music to explore sustainability and indigenous rights (Rachel Dempsey), Use of Visual Art (Karen Webster)

Participant feedback on the February 2010 training:

All participants felt the training course meet their expectations. Comments included ‘I learnt how to approach and teach Dev Ed in an interactive and stimulating way. It gave me great ideas (especially art ideas) and I’m looking forward to using these new techniques in the classroom. It’ll also help me to develop DE lesson plans’ 

All respondents rated the overall sessions as very good or excellent. In particular, they found the art, drama and music sessions valuable as they effectively provided ‘very useful and interesting ideas’ that could be carried out with few resources. The most useful elements were the ‘very interesting and useful lesson plans’, the ‘drama session … as lessons could be applied to any age group and few resources are needed’, and the provision of resources and links. Participants went away with the confidence and knowledge that they could use a variety of different art forms in their work.

Follow this link to download the 'Diversity through the Arts' resource produced by Comhlámh.

Workshops Included:

Use of Music
Regardless of your musical background, learn how music can be used in various ways to look at issues such as sustainability and indigenous rights.

Use of Art
Identify ways to use the visual arts to support children in creatively exploring diversity issues and in developing an inclusive and globally aware classroom.

Drama & Creative Writing
Explore migration through drama and creative writing. Investigate different strategies for using drama to educate about issues such as the arms trade and child labour.

Picture Books & Drama
Use picture books to explore representation, ethnocentrism, diversity and development issues. Examine colonisation through stories and using drama methodologies.

Previous course information below:

Diversity through the Arts workshops, November 2008

 

Click here to download the flyer

Participants learnt how to explore diversity and intercultural issues through the use of a variety of art forms, such as film, drama, storytelling, and visual at. Skilled trainers demonstrated effective use of various forms of art in promoting cultural diversity, and introduced participants to the theoretical knowledge needed to feel confident to deal with issues that may arise while carrying out these activities with a group.

This training was carried out over two Saturdays. It was aimed at anyone interested in carrying out educational activities with young children. In particular, pre-primary and primary school teachers (including playschools), EAL and language resource teachers. No artistic experience necessary. It focused on the primary school curriculum and in particular the intercultural guidelines. Funded by the Immigrant Integration Fund (the Department of Justice, Equality, and Law Reform).

Participants' feedback on 2008 training
The course met all of the participants’ expectations, with one commenting that it ‘far exceeded expectations’. Comments included ‘fantastic’, ‘mind-blowing’, and ‘very educative’. The aspects they highlighted were that it was ‘practical’, ‘informative’, ‘imaginative’, ‘interactive’, and had ‘a good mix of presentations’. Click here to download more feedback from previous course participants. 

Six months later participants had this to say - 6 month evaluation of Nov 2008 training

2008 Course Aims:
The workshops aim to enable participants to explore diversity and intercultural issues with primary aged groups through the use of a variety of art forms.

They will:
 provide participants with the necessary theoretical knowledge to feel confident to deal with any issues that may arise while carrying out these activities with a group, regardless of the diversity and background of the group
 link these activities to the primary school curriculum, and in particular the intercultural guidelines
 use participatory methods
 introduce participants to a number of practical arts skills such as visual arts, drama, and storytelling
 provide participants with ideas for how to bring use of the arts into their classroom
 inform participants about the resources that are available