McKay School of Education > News > Arts Express

Arts Express Gives Educators an Opportunity to Learn, Create, and Perform

Additional classes, such as introducing Shakespeare in the classroom, also helped teacher's skills in the various art forms.
Additional classes, such as introducing Shakespeare in the classroom, also helped teacher's skills in the various art forms.
Standing in the aisles of the auditorium performing the "brain dance, under the direction of Anne Green Gilbert, makes one aware of its effects on clear thinking. This series of exercises mimics the eight fundamental movement patterns we move through during the first year of life. "This dance is an effective, full body/brain warm-up exercise, says Gilbert. It prepares all students for learning.

The participation/explanation of the brain dance was part of the keynote address given by Gilbert at the Second Annual Arts Express 2008 Conference for elementary educators, held in Alpine, Utah, in June. The three-day conference was made possible by contributions from Beverly Taylor Sorenson and the BYU A.R.T.S. (Arts Reaching and Teaching in Schools) Partnership.

Gilbert is recognized as one of the leading dance educators in the world. She is the founder of the Creative Dance Center, a school specializing in dance education, and Kaleidoscope, a modern dance company of young people in Seattle, Washington. Gilbert has also written several books and is an adjunct faculty member at Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, and Lesley University.

Gilberts class on Teaching the Three Rs Through Movement was one of the breakout sessions offered at Arts Express. Attendeesincluding teachers, administrators, art instructors, and art specialists--had several classes to choose from during time devoted to concurrent sessions. The classes were structured to improve skills in various art forms and to teach ways to integrate the arts into elementary school curriculum. Additional classes included teaching basic drawing skills, integrating math and visual arts, making creative connections in early literacy, learning to read music, bringing social studies to life through music and literacy instruction, and introducing Shakespeare in the elementary classroom.

In addition to the classes, each participant joined with a group of others in an area of special interest to either create a product or prepare a presentation to share with the entire group as a culminating activity. Creations included original dances, musical presentations, short videos, or art works.

Teachers report that participating in Arts Express gives them confidence to incorporate the arts more effectively in their classrooms. Some report that by integrating the arts they see improvement not only in the general feeling in their classroom, but also in academic areas. Others say they feel they are better and more interesting teachers because they have a variety of teaching approaches to use. Arts Express participants conclude that the arts benefit both teachers and students.

2 July 2008