Week 4

Week 4 day 1 

 So today was Community Art Practice again! 

We got on the coach to head down to Valance school just after 9am and we arrived at our destination just before 10am. 

Not much interesting happened on the coach up there except everyone falling asleep. Photos were taken for evidence. 

 When we got there we signed in and got our stickers ready. We were working in the very large canteen space which is where our final piece shall be performed, however today was the first time we had used the space. 

Today we staged and then rehearsed the song section of our final performance. We are doing "Summer nights" from the hit musical Grease. This is very easy and repetitive for the valance students because they did Grease for their school musical in February. 

We added actions in with each section of the song and then rehearsed each of the actions with the crappy music that kept jumping. 

The movement were simple and easily transferable for the various different abilities of the Valance students. 

Once we finished rehearsing the song, we went over everything that we had already learnt for the performance. 

Then we had lunch with the students again, which was nice as I got chatting to Molly and one of the Alex's in our group. 



We talked about food and up and coming sports days and music. 

Pretty soon it was time to load the coach up and head back to school. 

 Funnily enough we were all buckled in and ready to go when Ember shouted out "WAIT I'VE FORGOTTEN MY COAT!!!" So he jumped out of the van to go and get it. Soon he was back again telling the lovely van driver that he needed someone to 'escort' him to the other building to retrieve his jacket. 

After lots of moans and groans from everyone who was waiting for Ember in the mini bus, we got on our way and headed back to school. 

WHAT WENT WELL: I had a right laugh today. And I achieve my goal from last week which is pretty cool. I spoke to EVERYONE, which although was very time consuming was the highlight of my day. I even had a really long chat with the teacher from Valance, Ros. 


HOW I CAN IMPROVE: 

I think next week I should try to engage more in leading some of the exercises. And I need to maintain my optimistic 'jump in at the deep end' attitude throughout the rest of the project. Other than that, I'm pretty amazing.



 That's all for now folks!

Week 3

Today was our third trip to Valance school. the last two times we were there it was all fun and games, whereas today was a lot more fun and hard work. 


At first we played some warm up games like "This is not a ball it is a..." which I assisted in facilitating. We played the alphabet game with Kitty and a few other games before cracking on with some hardcore work. 


We created and rehearsed small specific sections of our final performance piece today. Last week we established our first section which was the 'beginning movement piece.' 


We created a sunglasses movement sequence, and small roller coaster rides using our bodies as well as going over stuff from last week. We also began creating our 'car scenes' which will be our theatrical aspect of the performance. (And since I'm in theatre strand I was loving it)


Pretty soon it was lunch time again, and then before we knew it it was time to head home. We said our goodbyes, loaded up the van, and off we went. 




WHAT WENT WELL: 

Today I feel like I had a lot of fun. I am getting a lot more comfortable talking to the students casually about sports and music and celebrities and what's been on the telly recently. This I think is due to my new "jump in at the deep end strategy" for the project. Also I achieved last weeks goal which was to communicate with a non verbal student, and I had a lovely chat with Zoe who is going to Disneyland soon and I am VERY VERY JEALOUS!!! 


 
HOW I CAN IMPROVE: 
I keep forgetting a few students names but I have done pretty well on the whole with names. There are still a few individuals who I haven't spoken to yet, therefore my target for next week is to make sure I have had a chat with every single Brit student an Valance student at least once. 

Week 2

Today was pretty chilled out and laid back. On the coach up to valance we saw all the beautiful sights again. We listened to some music and a few people took a nap. When we got there we said hey to everyone and got ourselves signed in before going into another building for our project session.


We played games for the first half of the morning which was very fun. more about 80 percent of the exercises I was a participant not a facilitator, therefore my main role for today was to ensure the students around me understood what we were doing and to make them feel more comfortable and at ease within the group. 
The other 20 percent was when I did fully engage with facilitating a section of our workshop and I lead one of the name games which was kind of like speed dating. 


My role was to facilitate getting everyone to go into pairs and to ask their partner 3 specific questions. I then got them to move around the room and find new partners so that they could ask somebody else 3 new questions and find out new things about new people. Once we had done this 3 times (Ironically) we got the group back into a big circle and we got certain individuals to feedback what fun facts they had found out about different people. 


After a few more games we took a break. I got chatting to James and Alex and Kirsty which was nice. After lunch Andrea lead the movement section of our day. We choreographed a little story that contained physical actions which were adaptable to each individual student and then we broke off into little groups and designed small 'Rollercoaster' rides using our bodies. Andrea used a lot of repetition to make sure that everyone understood each and every instructions she gave us. 


I thought this section of the workshop which Andrea lead was very beneficial to not only myself, but the Valance students as well. This is because it gave us an opportunity to at first learn some actions as part of a very large group, which I hope gave off a palpable inclusive atmosphere within the room. This part of the workshop also gave us the chance to break off into smaller groups and to work with specific individuals, which helped me get to know some of the students better, and what their individual capabilities are. 


Then it was lunch. THEN WE HAD ANOTHER TOUR! 


Pretty soon it was time to get into the coach and head home. We said our fairwells and then we were off! 




WHAT WENT WELL: Today I learnt a lot more of the students names. My confidence grew tremendously when I delivered my small section of the warm up exercises. Also I feel more confident in approaching the students and asking them about themselves.


HOW I CAN IMPROVE:  


I feel like I know about 40 percent of the students in our group, however I have still been very afraid to communicate with the non verbal students. My target for next week is to communicate with at least one non verbal student. 


 
REFLECTION NOTE: I am really starting to enjoy this project. I think that i will get a lot out of it. Roll on the next few weeks. 


 

Fridays lesson

Today we didn't really do much in community arts practice. It was a really nice chilled out and relaxed day.

Musical theatre students had been told they started at 10am whereas everyone else had been told 9am so only half the class were there to begin with, but soon enough they turned up and we were one big happy CAP family once again! :D

We talked about what went well on Monday and how we felt it could have been better.

As a group we discussed our worries and any questions or ideas that had arisen from the visit to Valance school on Monday.

It was a really good and beneficial feedback session and everyone seemed to be feeling the same way about things.

We also planned what we be doing on Monday, but since its not Monday yet I don't think I shall write about it yet.

Ta-ta for now!

Week 1: First Day at Valance

June 3rd 2013 Term 5 Week 1 Day 1. 

So today was the first day of our Community Art Project. We began the day in theatre getting briefed on our new and wonderfully downsized timetable. 




On Mondays in now have CAP from 9am-4.15pm instead of additional studies.


On Tuesdays I now have 'Strawberry Picking' from 9am-1pm.


On Wednesdays I also have 'Strawberry Picking' from 9am-1pm.


On Thursdays I have English Literature from 11-4.15pm.


And I now have to attend EVERY FRIDAY from 9-1pm for CAP. Me no likey Fridays at school.



We all got split up into our separate project groups. (I was sadly not with Layla nor Cassie!) I was then told to head off to room 802 along with Kitty, Emily, Alex, Ember and Shanon.


Once we got there we were once again briefed. This time it was about what we would be doing this term. Essentially our group will be preparing fun and engaging workshops leading up to a performance over the next 6 weeks, with students from The Valance School in Kent. Valance school is a school for children aged 5-19 who have a disability and / or complex medical needs. 




We then went to the school via car/ mini bus / train to meet the group that we would be working with for the next few weeks. 


When we got there the very large and very beautiful building amazed me. It is a very tall historic looking building with spirals and archways and oak wood staircases. The school grounds themselves are beautiful, and we all got personal tours from students at Valance. 


Before we met the kids we would be working with the lady Ros gave us a pep talk in an attempt to make our group less nervous, but personally I felt even more anxious after the talk.


We then met the kids and had lunch with them. Despite a few awkward silences, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Myself, Ember and Alex got chatting to two of the Valence students called James and Jamie, ironically. James and Jamie both then gave me a personal tour around the school premises. 




Time flew by as it always does when you're having fun and soon it was 2pm and James had to go off to his ICT lesson and Jamie had to go to his Music lesson. 







We said our goodbyes and a very nice lady gave Ember a balloon because he looked like he really needed it. We then headed back to school, looking at the breathtaking view of field after field of emerald green grass. 







WHAT WENT WELL: Good day! Unexpected school journey on the first day of term was nice. I didn't 'screw' it up, which was also very nice. And we all got back to school in one piece, which is a plus. Really looking forward to going back next Monday!


HOW I CAN IMPROVE: Self confidence, clarity in articulation, and bucket loads of patience are going to be required from me this term. Next week my target is to learn 5 more valance students names. 

Valance School

Valence reception is open from 8am to 6pm

Address

Valence School

Westerham

Kent

TN16 1QN

Telephone

School Reception

Tel:  01959 562156

Fax:  01959 565046

Email:  valence@valence.kent.sch.uk

Mission Statement

Student’s views and rights are central to the ethos of Valence School.

Its mission is to provide a learning community where there is quality education, care, access and therapy in order to promote each student’s intellectual, physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Our work is about enabling children and young people who have special physical, medical and sensory needs to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding together with the confidence, self-esteem and self dependence necessary for them to participate in and contribute to society in the way each chooses.

The School’s aims are to:

1. Meet the individual needs of each student as documented in their individual Statements of Special Educational Needs.

2. Maintain and develop in students lively enquiring minds; to promote the ability to question and argue rationally; to encourage students to apply themselves to a range of tasks and skills.

3. Provide a multidisciplinary approach to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum that meets individual needs with full access and accreditation.

4. Raise students’ self esteem and self-confidence and create in them a sense of personal excellence enabling them to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life in a fast-changing world.

5. Help students to develop self knowledge, spiritual and moral awareness and understanding and respect for other people’s feelings, values and beliefs.

6. Help students to understand the multicultural world in which they live as citizens and the inter-dependence of individuals, groups and nations and the rights and responsibilities of living in today’s Britain.

Charter of Rights

Whilst children and young people are at Valence School they have the right :-

1. To reliable adults who can be trusted to care for them.

2. To be accepted for who they are – their name, their family, their religion, their race, their culture, their beliefs, their sex, their age and to be respected as a person.

3. To expect the adults caring for them to protect them from predictable and preventable harm and to stop them from hurting others.

4. To be treated as an individual and not one of a crowd. To expect the adults caring for them to behave with kindness and understanding and to be fair and honest with them.

5. To have appropriate boundaries and controls on their behaviour.

6. To an environment in which they are nurtured and given high standard care, education, therapy and other opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and interests.

7. To have appropriate time, space and some privacy for themselves.

8. To understand why they are placed at Valence School and the aims of the placement.

9. To have a say in what happens to them and to be involved in making decisions and plans for their life, which are based on their personal circumstances and their individual needs.

10. To know how to complain if things go wrong, and to have their complaint heard and dealt with.