We’re in our fourth year at three of our West Philly neighborhood schools! Our SPARQ (in Schools West) program bridges sequential arts education with project based learning to support students, classroom teachers, principals and families in advancing student learning and cultivating community.
Students collaborate to produce art for neighborhood parades that reflect their collective stories and aspirations, celebrate their cultures and families, and inspire the school community at large. At Spiral Q, we believe that student success depends on a collective and supported effort on the part of parents, teachers, artists, and administrators that combines the unique strengths of each. Ultimately, the projects support the development of deep listening, school pride, and the cultivation of a spirit of joy and cooperation, and they help to build excitement among students about learning and advocating for issues that they care about and supports teachers’ objectives in the classrooms.
This year, we want to share more of the steps of these projects with our community through social media and our e-newsletter. On Instagram, follow #sparqinschools to track the students’ work toward their parades.
Step 1 – PULSE OF THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLIES
This March, we launched programming with the students with our Pulse of the People Assemblies. We introduced students to the project, some Spiral Q puppets, images and sounds of parade, protest, and puppets through culture and history, then breaking out into story circles; centering on students, their stories and the connections they make when listening to peers and when their stories are heard.
Coming next: In-depth giant puppet making residencies!