STORYTELLING, MOVEMENT, PLAY, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY, MUSIC
REGION: North
MUNICIPALITY: Thisted
PROCEDURE: 2022
DAILY OFFER: Hannæs Børnehus
Snow story: Hannæs Børnehus (2022)
Research questions
The current group of children is very volatile and some of the children are not in control of their bodies. Therefore, there was a desire to support games where the children could lower their arousal and immerse themselves.
Staff also wanted to get better at following the children's tracks.
How have you experienced the co-creation between artist/cultural educator/cultural school teacher, educators and children and possibly researcher?
The educators think it has been good and would like more. It provides a different perspective and other angles on pedagogy. For example, the artist's way of using music is not something they would have thought of themselves.
It catches the children's attention that someone is coming from outside.
Educator: The moments where you can feel the presence and interaction between children and adults. It's hard to put into words - it's just unique. It's hard to achieve if you don't play with your imagination.
Educator: "YES, the moments when we can feel each other's relationship. If I say this - then you know where it's going. When you can just feel that we are all present. When we cooperate/interact with each other, often without words.
That we are there.".
Artist: "When you see an inner movie playing in the children, you know you've captured them. Then you feel that there has been something about it.
Pedagogical leader: "The educators' experience of being allowed to experience the common flow/common third.
It's what moves you forward in your professional and personal life. It's what leaves a mark. Courage to be in it."
The educators got a more natural relationship with dancing "crazy" with the children. In the beginning, the children just stood and stared.
The artist can see a development in the educators' empathy in the play and experiences that the children love the new side of the educators.
Pedagogical leader: "Yes, it has been fantastic to see the development of the pedagogues. Structure and tight control was released and it was fantastic. It fits well with our theme MOD.
Artist: It has been uncharted territory to work with the nursery and it has been exciting and the co-creation with the educators has been fantastic. Good synergy.
Good to spar with each other across disciplines.
How have children's perspectives been expressed/included?
The children had a say in where the story was going. There was no end result to reach.
In kindergarten, they experimented with completely free rein. It became chaos and conflicts arose. With a framework, there was a better sense of community. The interaction needed structure.
The children want to be in the project so much, they have been drawn to it.
Do the children play different games and with different people than they usually do?
The children have continued the games from PlayArt in the playground. Often they have invited children from other groups who have not participated in PlayArt to join in the play. This has resulted in a large group of children running around the playground after a bear that isn't there. The play can go on for a long time. The children's imagination has been opened up.
Children have also been drawn into the game who were not previously part of the community.
The children often run high in arousal but now they are easier to bring down in arousal than before. They have become aware that this is an option.
Some children can help themselves to lower their arousal when they are angry and upset. Then they can choose to leave and come back again.
How do pedagogical staff act differently than they did before PlayArt?
The staff use the things that work from LegeKunst and bring them into the routines in the institution. For example, in the gym, when the teacher claps because the children have to pay attention and do something, the children are good at following this. Relaxation works well now.
Pedagogical leader: "It's great to be able to complete an entire course and feel that we have learned something"
(The institution started a PlayArt program under Corona 3 times before it was finally dropped.)
Going into an empty room where there is nothing to disturb and only taking a single item with you is what the teachers want to use in the nursery. They have found that it creates a shared attention for the nursery children.
What has it been like to work with action learning?
It has been good to spend 5 - 10 minutes evaluating right after each course/activity, which the educators will take with them. It is time well spent.
To the artist/cultural educator/cultural school teacher, if present: What have you gained from participating in LegeKunst?
The artist has experienced that it is not dangerous to let go of the framework. Some exciting and funny things happen when things don't go quite as planned and when the story doesn't follow the dramaturgical line.
There is potential in the collaboration between pedagogy and art.
The artist thinks it has been great to enter this children's universe and play with them. And to see how the adults also benefit from it.
Artist: "I have become wiser in my field. Seeing the wide open eyes of children fantasizing, seeing images. Children's imagination is magical. They are so creative - it's not something we adults can come up with. It's inspiring in my future work."
What are educators still/now curious about?
Educators will continue to be curious about the form of going into a room and seeing what happens - letting your imagination play out from there.
Gathering isn't just about sitting and singing a song, it could also be where we do something completely different. It doesn't have to be a "calm" point. Sometimes it's exciting to have a gathering without a plan and see what the children bring to the table.
How will you use art, culture and aesthetic processes in the future?
The educators want to continue working with art, culture and aesthetic processes because they have learned from the project and gained a broader knowledge of how to approach it. Now they have the courage to start something new.
