Busy Beavers in Queens!

The students at IS 237 have been busy getting formal - learning how to tie ties for formal events, and even how to wear ties on casual occasions.  Here, Samantha proudly displays her tie tying abilities!

Over at PS 201, Mrs. Agati's class has been busy learning how to make different kinds of cards - greeting cards, invitations, thank yous, and thinking of you cards!  Mrs. Fiske's class has been busy learning how to buckle a belt, which they're starting to get the hang of!  They first get their hands ready by singing a warm-up song with Miss Shawna, and then they're off to buckling!  Take a look at Dean and Julia, perfecting the art of buckling!

Learning about greetings, first impressions and social interaction through role play and music at PS186 X

In the last two weeks students at PS186X have been making some wonderful progress. Class warmups, lead by Music Therapist Aaron Shragge begin with collectively taking three deep breathes while stretching. Then the class will transition to rhythmic call and response and or the presentation of an original song "Stand Tall" led by Aaron Shragge. This has then been the starting point to make the connection between how music and conversations can be very similar in that they can have three parts: Introduction (Greetings), Development (Getting to know each other), Conclusion (Saying Goodbye). Aaron has then often played an example of this kind of structure on the FlugelHorn with three clear sections. Next Marie Clapot will lead the class in creating a conversation script that follows this three part structure, then role play the conversation.

After students get familiar with the structure they have then been able to make up spontaneous conversation in context of this form. Some of the best role plays have included: a student meeting a Principal, a bodyguard being interviewed for a job with both Justin Bieber and President Obama as well as several role play in which a students would meet the first lady Michelle Obama. The role play allowed for students to express themselves in a creative format as well as learn about essential social skills of how to make a good first impression, communicate in a conversation and the difference between formal and informal meetings. 

written by Aaron Shragge, www.aaronshragge.com

Little Learners in Queens!

So much has been happening at PS 201 & IS 237 in Queens!

The students at IS 237 have been busy putting together outfits, learning how to stick to a routine in the evening and in the morning, and have expressed their fashion senses through song and personal reflection.  Justin, Jannat, Samantha, and Araceli recently were hard at work making two different outfits with Miss Shawna (music therapist): dressy and casual!  These students are well on their way to becoming "fashionistas" themselves!

In Mrs. Agati's classroom at PS 201, Shalim, Charlie, Myesha, and Destiny have been hard at work learning how to make conversation with friends, how to continue a conversation, how to politely interrupt a conversation, and how to make a good impression.  In this picture, you'll see Shalim and Charlie shaking hands while singing along to a song used each week to start off the class, "Good Impressions".

In Mrs. Fiske's class at PS 201, all of the students have been working REALLY HARD at zipping and buttoning!  They practice zipping on their jackets, lunchboxes, and vests, and have also practiced buttoning on jackets and sweaters.  They're really getting the hang of it now!  They have also been hard at work decorating their vests that Art Beyond Sight has provided for them to practice their skills with jewels, stickers, and flowers.  Here's Dean hard at work buttoning, and happy that he completed this task!

Can't wait to see how well all of these students will progress - they're surely making a 'good impression' on all of us!!

Getting to know each other through writing and music at P186 X

Art Beyond Sight had its first meeting with children from three class at P186 X on Tuesday November 20th, 2012. After Marie Clapot briefly introduced the ABS curriculum, the classes started with a musical introduction lead my Music Therapist Aaron Shragge in which the children said their names in time with a collective rhythm created by hand clapping. In two of the three classes this lead to a rhythmic jam between Aaron's Shakuhachi (Japanese) and several of the students beat-boxing. Marie Clapot then introduced a writing exercise based on the following poem "Where I'm From" by Georges Ella Lyon.

Students were then asked to answer a series of questions that reflect the structure of the poem. The next step was to cross out the questions and write in "I am from" before each of their answers. The resulting poems were humorous and poignant:

I am from my mom's perfume

i am from a school

i am from university

i ma from rap

i am from chicken patties

i am from braids

i am from baggy pants

i am from dirty

i ma from barnamas hospital.

Those children who shared their poems were able to be empowered in expressing their origins and identity in front of the class being supported by Aaron Shragge's Shakuhachi or Flugel Horn. 

Gorby back in the classroom!

Gorby made an appearance at the Brooklyn Charter School last Friday to make sure our first graders remember everything they learned during this past year. As handsome as always with his new polka-dot tie, he was very excited to meet Quadier, Janaya, Chelsea and their classmates, although he had to remind them about the steps involved in introducing themselves: say “hello, “shake hands and mention your name. After joking around Gorby inquired about some of the skills students gained this year while working with Mr. Pete and Ms. Marie. Students gladly showed Gorby how they practiced helping each other get in line so they do not lose time fighting over a spot or waiting on classmates. They also explained to him how they share school supplies or ideas with each other.

For more information on Gorby and his friends visit, http://www.puppetryarts.org/Home.html

Creative writing workshop by Chelsea Lemon-Fetzer at the Brooklyn Charter School

Art Beyond Sight collaborated with Chelsea Lemon-Fetzer, a Brooklyn-based writer, to offer a creative writing workshop to fourth graders at the Brooklyn Charter school. Chelsea knew that the students had been corresponding with pen pals from France and South Africa, sharing information about their lives at school and in their neighborhood, so she decided to further explore the notion of home and where they are from with them.  She encouraged them to awake their senses while guiding them through series of questions, such as: “What smell reminds you of home?” “What is the name of the street you know?” “What do you see when you look out your bedroom window?” “What hairdos some people in your family have?” After answering these and similar questions, students inserted the words “I am from” in front of their answers. This unexpected combination created some poems at once funny and poignant, as shown below.

This project was inspired by Georges Ella Lyon’s poem “Where I am from.”

Talaiyah

I am from chocolate brownies.
I am from did you bring me something?
I am from the backyard.
I am from Hart st, between Throop nad Thompkins.
I am from garbage cans
I am from Chris Brown "Strip."
I am from jerk chicken, beans and rice, and shrimp, cranberry chicken salads.
I am from Girls: having ponytails, braids, curly and stright, boys: regular hair cut.
I am from dereon shirtts, blue jeans and black leather boots.
I am from 149.
I am from Brooklyn Hospital.

Lesasia
I am from chicken and apple pie.
I am from I love you/see you later.
i am from the supermarket.
i am from unreal friends.
i am from Thompkins Avenue.
I am from dogs, babies, and stars.
I am from Justin Bieber "Boyfriend."
I am from Rihanna "What's my name."
I am from Hamburger helper/chicken alfrodo/macaroni/steak.
I am from kinki twist.
I am from polka dotted dresses.
I am from 500% of the neighborhood.
I am from Brookdale Hospital

Rebecca Bersohn at the Andrew Heiskell Library

Art Beyond Sight and the New York Public Library collaborated with artist Rebecca Bersohn on Tuesday, May 8^th, to offer one of its monthly art-making workshops at the Andrew Heiskell Library, 40 West 20^th Street, NYC.  Participants created self-portraits, focusing on texture and shape. Rebecca walked them through a careful examination of their faces, encouraging them to notice specificities, such as whether they have an angular nose or a rounder one, bushy eye-browns, pointy chin, long and soft or coarse hair etc. Participants used a variety of materials for their collage portraits, including fabrics, wooden disks, foil, feathers, and textured paper – with each participant selecting what he or she felt would best represent their unique features and hair styles.  Some of the resultant artworks are shown here.