Needless to say, my initial attempts at blogging my experiences developing a Creative Drama program for a variety of youth on the autism spectrum failed horribly! Not from lack of interest or desire...but TIME!!!! Who would have thought that developing six spectrum specfic drama lessons a week would consume so much of my time.
But trust me, it was time I was more than willingly to take. Never has a project so fulfilled, so challenged, so frustrated and so completely rewarded me.
It's a new semester. Supported with a new round of grant monies and energized by both my Spectrum and UNI drama students I am ready to continue and expand and improve upon the work started last January.
I have asked my student partners in this project to join me in this blogging adventure. They will periodically post reflections on the work, their professional growth and their personal insights.
Thanks for joining us!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Can We Start Again
Okay...I was a bad blogger...I started off 2011 with GREAT intentions...I really wanted to write frequently about my incredible experiences working with spectrum students in a drama and theatre context. In short...I learned SO MUCH from the experience, and by the time the project ended in May I could say for sure that:
a) my lens for looking at the creative process has been forever "refocused" and
b) I now teach differently.
This landmark shifts in my professional and creative world motivated me to find a way to continue the work. And I have...found a way that is. Through generous grants, funding and support from Foundations, Trusts, People and Friends I am continuing and EXPANDING the work. I started up again in September and plan to go strong until May...and after that...I'll find a way to keep it going some more.
What's in store for this spring...continued work at EPI's Deery Center; continued work at Highland, and the continuation of the NEW Spectrum Theatre program at the Sturgis Youth Theatre...currently four kids strong and eager to grow. We meet on selected weekends.
In addition, the program will expand a bit more this spring to include a new UNI course: Drama in Inclusive Classrooms, some new ways of working (neurotypicals and atypicals collaborating on drama), and a video series for parents in the military.
So stay tuned...I'm planning to post my socks off!
a) my lens for looking at the creative process has been forever "refocused" and
b) I now teach differently.
This landmark shifts in my professional and creative world motivated me to find a way to continue the work. And I have...found a way that is. Through generous grants, funding and support from Foundations, Trusts, People and Friends I am continuing and EXPANDING the work. I started up again in September and plan to go strong until May...and after that...I'll find a way to keep it going some more.
What's in store for this spring...continued work at EPI's Deery Center; continued work at Highland, and the continuation of the NEW Spectrum Theatre program at the Sturgis Youth Theatre...currently four kids strong and eager to grow. We meet on selected weekends.
In addition, the program will expand a bit more this spring to include a new UNI course: Drama in Inclusive Classrooms, some new ways of working (neurotypicals and atypicals collaborating on drama), and a video series for parents in the military.
So stay tuned...I'm planning to post my socks off!
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