While looking back through the “looking glass” (or my “reflecting” glass), I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland, seeing the lessons I have learned through time spent at the ARTS Academy, realizing that I have learned a number of things which have been extremely valuable to me as a teacher. Before starting down the ARTS Academy path, I related quite remarkably to Alice when she was speaking to the Cheshire Cat…

“`Cheshire Cat,’ [Alice] began, rather timidly, `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
`I don’t much care where–’ said Alice.
`Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.
`–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,’ Alice added as an explanation.
`Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.’”

–Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

I didn’t know where I was going with the arts in my classroom or in teaching interns and student teachers how to incorporate different art forms in their classrooms. However, I had some wise caterpillars who told me some of the secrets. (These secrets were much more fun than eating mushrooms!–And these caterpillars didn’t smoke because we were at BYU! J )

Through the lessons at the ARTS Academy, I learned to get past several different problems which had plagued me when working with the different art forms in my classroom. Through many classes and reading several books, the multiple intelligences and different learning styles were familiar to me and had previously struck a chord with me.

In my life before following the little white rabbit, who is eerily like George Nelson (and surely a forerunner of the Energizer bunny), I didn’t know how to plan lessons to incorporate the learning styles effectively. Watching our “white rabbit” run around and teach lessons in all of the core subjects using the dramatic elements was an enlightening experience. It made all the tea parties to teach me how to plan lessons seem like time spent with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare or even like spinning in the tea cups at Disneyland. (If you had ever attended some of our team meetings, you would see that this simile could not be more true! We would often spin in circles for hours and still not meet the needs of our students effectively—and everyone would end up mad!)

Learning to plan lessons with the dramatic elements set me on a career-altering course. All of a sudden, I knew where I was going and could figure out a few creative and different ways to get there! This has helped me meet the needs of my students better and helped me enjoy the path and the destination much more! I have been able to teach the other faculty members at school how to use some of the same ideas. Our quiet “king”, the principal (also a fitting description if you know my principal), feels that George’s message rings true and that the entire faculty should be taught these principles.

One of the most difficult parts of falling through the looking glass, for me, was the dance component. I am more than a little shy about dancing. I kept wishing that I could be the Cheshire Cat so that I could become invisible. Through the time spent on the other side of the looking glass, I have probably made the most progress in this area. Help from some of the wise caterpillars and many of the other Alices in the Wonderland of the ARTS Academy, made all the difference in the world for me. I felt that we were all learning a little about ourselves and no one judged anyone else. This safe environment helped me even feel comfortable enough to teach some of the dance ideas to interns and student teachers. This was a HUGE step for me, just like Alice eating the cookie that said “Eat me.” But, I ate the cookie in littler bites! This helped me realize that I might be able to even use some of the dance ideas back in the real world, not just the Wonderland of the ARTS Academy.

My adventures in Wonderland were thoroughly enlightening, engaging, and enjoyable. At the beginning of this adventure, I felt that the wise caterpillars were saying to me, “You? Who are you?” (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland)—And I had no answer for then in regard to the arts. Throughout this experience, I have felt as Alice did when answering this question, “ I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland) I am a different person. I have absolutely been changed from when I stepped through that “looking glass.” I feel that this experience will be with me for the rest of my life. I think I am finally on the right path and know where I am going in regard to the arts, so that the next time I meet that sly old Cheshire Cat, I can tell him where I have been and where I am headed—and hopefully, he will want to join me on the path!

This week I had a meeting with seven principals and seven facilitators from Jordan District along with two BYU/JSD liasons. My principal and I were supposed to present new ideas that we felt would help improve learning in our schools. My principal really “bought in” to the idea of teaching to the different learning styles and thoroughly enjoyed the Principals’ Day. He even arranged to have George speak to several of the principals in the district at a Principals’ Meeting. He feels very strongly about the principles taught by George and that lessons should be planned using the dramatic elements model. We used lessons similar to George’s lessons with a number taped on our chests and the 3×5 cards with numbers on the floor to teach the property of zero. We also used an activity similar to George’s vocabulary lesson. Each person decided which learning style fit them best. My principal then presented the model of using an inciting event which leads to the rising action and the climax and falling action in lesson planning. The principals and facilitators seemed to be “on board” with these ideas and wanted to learn more. I wish everyone had the chance to come to the ARTS Academy and learn this because it is life-altering in its scope. All relationships–family, friends, students, parents, team members, etc.–are enhanced when looking at the learning styles and approaching the relationship accordingly. Lessons are infinitely more exciting for the students and much more fun to teach! I am excited to learn more and hope to be able to implement this further within my school.

It was an interesting experience to work on dramatic elements during the Arts Academy time at Park City. I am so uncomfortable with movement of my body and anything that is theatrical or dance-like that it is crazy. I know it is something I need to get past, especially as a teacher. However, I had an interesting experience about a week after Park City. I went to a District Arts Meeting where Debora Escalante presented a similar lesson on side-coaching and reflecting. Because I had done it before, I was able to not worry about myself as much and to watch other people to see how they were experiencing “moving through water” and “moving through honey.” There were a couple of very dramatic, theatrical people at the meeting. It was so fun and interesting to watch them that it was captivating. I thought about how important it is to “let go of yourself” and have a good time doing activities like this and how that is really the only way to succeed in these forums. It helped me to have to think about it again and reflect on my own insecurities in relation to the activities. I am hopeful that it will help me be less inhibited in the future.

Reflecting on the activities at Park City after having left has also been interesting. I felt that even though I had just met some of the people there, I felt a bond with some of them due to the activities. This was helpful to me since I am so BLUE! I enjoyed thinking about the learning styles in relation to my students and in regard to other teachers with whom I work. I work with interns. It has been interesting to look at them and try to figure out their learning styles and try to meet their needs based on this knowledge. I think it has helped me in relating to them and helping them. I also enjoyed Scott Flox’s art because it made me feel that anyone, if carefully guided, can do decent artwork. This is something that I hope to be able to pass along to the all students with whom I come in contact. Thanks for an enjoyable learning experience during those two days!