Meaning Making and Creative Expression, Kelly, Spring 2022
Course Number: |
EDU 5515 C32 (graduate) & EDU 4515 C01 (undergraduate) |
Instructor: |
Deidre Kelly |
Location: |
Online |
Dates and Times: |
February 17, 2022 - May 19, 2022 |
Credits: |
3 credits |
Tuition: |
$975 payable to Early Care and Learning Partnership |
Course Description
Meaning Making and Creative Expression is an experiential course presented in a workshop and reflection format. At the foundation of this course are three overlapping questions; How do we make meaning as individuals and professionals? What new tools can we bring to our role as facilitators of meaning with young children? In what ways can creativity sharpen our leadership practices as teachers, caregivers, administrators, advocates and activists within Vermont’s early childhood communities? Together, we’ll grapple with these questions by immersing ourselves in visual arts, music, written/spoken words, drama, spirituality and the somatic experiences of race, specifically whiteness, in classrooms. This class is part of the effort to transform early learning systems in Vermont to be more equitable and effective by nourishing and empowering teachers, administrators and community advocates. This is one of the seven core courses for the Policy and Practice of Nurturing Care certificate program. Individual sessions may be audited for Northern Lights training hours if space is available.
The course is scaffolded by:
- The guideposts from Brene Brown’s book Braving the Wilderness, 2019.
- Listening practices presented in Cornelius Minor’s book We Got This-Equity, Access and the Quest To
Be Who Our Students Need Us To Be, 2019
- The Creative Arts: A Process Approach for Teachers and Children-5th edition Linda Carol Edwards
- NAEYC’s “Creating Anti-racist Childhood Spaces” Rosemarie Allen, Dorothy L. Shapland, Jen
Netzel, Iheoma U. Iruka
Audience: Professionals in the early education and learning fields. Practitioners, administrators, advocates of services that support families from pregnancy until children enter grade three. Relevant for those working in education, health, and social services. This coursework is affiliated with Northern Lights.
Course Goals & Objectives:
Course Goals:
Learners will:
- Deepen their personal sense of what is most important to them as early childhood practitioners, administrators and advocates.
- Practice expressing themselves in a wide range of art forms as a tool for stress reduction, increased professional reflection and effective team building.
- Expand knowledge about modes of meaning making and creativity that bolster children’s self-expression, exploration, improvisation and emotional regulation.
- Increase opportunities for children and parents/guardians to have more meaningful creative experiences that develop communication, early literacy and receptive/expressive language.
- Utilize expressive art tools that strengthen children, parents and teachers inquiry and resiliency skills.
- Develop habits of curiosity, inquiry, listening and reflection that allow for more effective discomfort tolerance while engaged in professional feedback.
- Demonstrate awareness of the historical and somatic impacts of the construction of whiteness and begin to practice age appropriate language to talk about race and racial violence with young children.
- Articulate the impact of expressive arts in early childhood communities as well as their professional strengths with regards to leadership and power.
Required Readings:
- Brene Brown Braving the Wilderness, 2019
- Selected chapters provided from:
- Cornelius Minor’s book We Got This-Equity, Access and the Quest To Be Who Our Students Need Us To Be, 2019
- Linda Carol Edwards book The Creative Arts: A Process Approach for Teaches and Children 5th edition
- NAEYC’s “Creating Anti-racist Childhood Spaces”
- Required reading for each session will be established on Moodle Platform
For additional course information
Deidre Kelly
(802) 989-2800
or email ECLPinc@gmail.com
For additional registration information
Bethany Sprague
(802) 468-1325