Choreography workshops for teachers: using choreography as a pedagogic tool
At Kelim, we hold workshops for educators and teachers that offer participants an opportunity to examine their field of work through the lens of choreographic practices. During the workshops, teachers participate in choreographic exercises and learn to use tools taken from choreographic instruction. The workshops train teachers in the application of various choreographic methods to develop creative thinking and translate it into action. Together we discuss how to bring this approach to the classroom in work with students.
About the 2016-2017 program
During the program we explored different topics, including: mundane/daily movements, body gestures, and spaces in schools where teachers can incorporate movement into lessons (classrooms, yards, hallways). The teachers experimented with creating ‘spatial movement maps’ and examined how they take their place in space and how they move from one place to another in public spaces and within their private space. They practiced using movement guidance and instruction suitable for working with staff, and learned about the movement relationship between two people, how to invite others to participate in a non-verbal discussion, and how to shape a set of movement guidelines to encourage students to participate and move their bodies.
About the 2017-2018 program
During 2017-2018 the program explored the following topics:
Teaching and creativity: how to incorporate creativity into pedagogic methodology and enable freedom of creative expression while maintaining clear boundaries. Through different exercises, we help participants recognize their barriers to creativity and discuss their students’ barriers to creativity. The teachers participated in various exercises to encourage creative thinking, and together formulated guidelines for similar activities to do with their students.
Working with text: The teachers each chose a literary text. Applying the style and specific language used by the author, they each developed a verbal description of movement. We analyzed the difference between a written sentence and a movement phrase and discussed how to encourage students to write using movement exercises in class- and how teachers could help students examine and edit their own texts.
Movement in Space: The participants examined how they move in public and private spaces. Teachers were introduced to different movement exercises they could do with their staffs, and learned about the movement relationship between two people, how to invite others to participate in a non-verbal discussion, and how to shape a set of movement guidelines to encourage students to participate and move their bodies.
Process observation and listening to what exists in the space between teacher and student: The teachers learned and participated in exercises that support habit-changing and encourage self-reflection, self-awareness and attention to the surrounding environment. Teachers were given tools to identify the motivations suitable for each student, and encourage problem-solving oriented thinking to enable flexible, non-judgmental thought.
