One child, whose parents rarely came into school, came to the performance. The child said "I enjoyed it when we was doing the performance in front of my parents."
"We have learned much about how to involve parents, what language to use, what activities will bring them in and the role of the children within that."
"The boys were dancing and smiling...one boy who usually takes the day off with anything similar, turned up and was fully involved."
"One boy who rarely showed emotion, smiled during this project."
"They enjoyed working with the other school, going out and experiencing 'urban versus rural' and not just talking about it."
"The children feel their parents are more involved, especially with brain builder homework and inspire workshops, and they said their homework has improved because of this."
Titled 'Urban versus Rural', the project developed at Windy Arbor provided a platform for Year 5 children (two classes totalling 43 children) to connect with their environment and through this, engage their parents.
The creative practitioners involved in the project used street dance as a means to engage; working with staff to deliver aspects of a thematic curriculum, drawing on a number of curricular areas. Parents were invited to participate in sessions supported by their children as well as to see a final sharing of the work created. The students also forged a link with St Patrick's, a rural school, so they could share experiences and ideas. Towards the end of the project a third practitioner, who lives locally, began an after school street dance club to continue part of the legacy of the project.
A Cre8us Council, comprising six vulnerable children, was established to work alongside staff and give voice to the opinions of the pupils.
Street dance became the inspiration for their artwork and has helped to improve literacy; when they had to work on recounting text they did so with purpose, able to draw on the real experience of their city centre trip. They also exchanged emails with St Patrick's and used this content in their recounting text as well.
if you are interest in this project and would like to find out more, please visit the Creative Partnerships' Project Database where you will be able to view Windy Arbor's Project Planning Form and Project End Form for their 2009-10 programme.