Planning a full and enriching curriculum for school children is a huge undertaking and in this post-Covid environment, it likely weighs on every educator’s mind. What should we include? What do we need to do more of? Will each child be given the learning opportunities to grow?
Here are some ideas to consider.
Building resilience
Covid was certainly a resilience-building experience for many children, however, the need to keep building is constant. Consider incursion programs like drama that set a challenge for kids beyond their comfort zone and contribute to resilience building, outside of their usual class program.
Academe Time’s Drama Time incursion program creates a safe space to explore a new experience and complements any performing arts program within your school, through the following frameworks, adjusted to each grade level:
- Exploring ideas for characters and situations
- Improvisational activities
- Exploring narrative structures
- Engaging with empathy
- Script development
(VCADRE017) (VCADRE021) (VCADRE025) (VCADRE029)
- Activities for voice and facial expression
- The use of movement and space for storytelling and dramatic action
- Creating characters, mood and atmosphere
(VCADRD018) (VCADRD022) (VCADRD026) (VCADRD030)
By tailoring incursions to juniors (prep-2) and seniors (3-6) the Drama Time program can help schools meet learning objectives with fresh and exciting challenges of characterisation, improvisation, voice and performance along with an optional showcase for parents.
Mindfulness and wellbeing
With the Victorian Education Department actively encouraging schools to implement mental health and wellbeing programs that best meet the needs of their students, many schools are looking at wellbeing incursions that have greater consistency throughout the year to support children’s growth.
One that is grounded in tactical learning is Yoga Time with its mindfulness strategies and gentle movement. This is an incursion program that introduces these concepts to kids in a way that feels suited to their busy days and can enhance their focus for learning. For children struggling to concentrate or feeling overwhelmed, this program is even more beneficial.
As an incursion program, Yoga Time works best when tailored to junior and senior grade levels where body awareness and visualisation techniques can differ but still introduce:
- Meditation skills
- Mindfulness principles
- Breathing techniques
- Awareness of self and others
It’s an incursion to complement the behavioural and community values of your school alongside the Victorian health, wellbeing and physical education curriculum, with teachers seeing a difference in class for many children.
Music and movement
Most children love to dance and TikTok has shown how much they love some hip hop moves. Dance is a part of the Victorian performing arts curriculum, but a dedicated incursion brings focus to a popular and enjoyable style, where children can experience self-expression, working as a team, understanding rhythm, memory skills, and coordination. Its benefits for learning, curiosity and simple enjoyment will add a memorable event on the school calendar.
Through our Dance Time incursions, we help children:
- Explore movement ideas and choreographic devices for dance sequences
- Introduce technical and expressive skills in fundamental hip hop movements and body actions
- Reflect on expression and elements of dance to communicate ideas and intentions
(VCADAE017) (VCADAD018) (VCADAE021) (VCADAD022) (VCADAE025) (VCADAD026) (VCADAE029) (VCADAD030)
Incursion providers to support your curriculum
You’ll likely have the outcomes mapped that your curriculum is striving for this year. Can you see where your resources are stretched to deliver them? Perhaps it’s teaching staff numbers or the expertise to delve deeper and give each student the opportunity you’re after?
As schools are aware, each Arts subject associations provide a range of resources to support classroom teachers to develop and deliver Arts teaching and learning programs. Melbourne based Academe Time supports primary schools with incursion opportunities to deliver high-quality Arts learning programs, tailored for each school community.
Finding trusted providers with expert staff and resources can enhance your curriculum and see you reach the goals you have for the children at your school.
Contact us at Academe Time to discuss your school’s needs.
