Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes	Part A: Health benefits of art
30 minutes	Part B: Community arts
40 minutes	Part C: Developing a concept
05 minutes	Reflection

Part A: Health benefits of art

Step 1.

Introduce students to the idea that art contributes to people’s health and wellbeing, and it can also create resilience when times are bad. Discuss with the class their opinion on how they think art might improve health and wellbeing and bring people together? Maybe ask your students to think about how art has helped them?
As students are talking, formulate a summary of the class’ opinions on the board or invite students to put their comments on a post-it note which they place on the board. Review the class opinion.

Art can create an outlet for emotions
Making art and being creative can make a person feel happy and experience mindfulness
Making music, painting, drawing, and dancing is a different way to express things and ideas other than writing and talking
Being creative and making art helps you unplug from the world and concentrate on what you’re doing.

Part B: Community arts

Step 1.

Discuss with the class how in moments of trauma and crisis art can help bring strength back to a community and build resilience in people. In this next part of the lesson, the teacher shows the class the PowerPoint presentation Resilience and Community Arts to explain how community and community arts are seen as integral to the arts, bringing people together and improving mental health.

Step 2.

Students will reflect on the artworks shown and develop a community arts concept with a friend which aims to strengthen a community and provide refuge for a person, purpose and creativity.

Step 3.

Some projects or programs include:

Landscape drawing classes that encourage people affected by natural hazards to step back into their landscape and reconnect with the land
Poetry workshops to help express and deal with trauma
Making pottery and then donating them as gifts to families in need.

Part C: Developing a concept

Step 1.

Ask your groups to create a project, concept or exhibition they believe might benefit their community in order to strengthen resilience and spark awareness about the effects of natural hazards.

Where will the exercise take place? Poetry will take place in an existing community arts centre.
Will you need a professional art teacher or manager to oversee the project? Writer, teacher, counsellor.
What will people and the community gain from the project? Ability to express themselves on paper (and verbally if they wish) and connect with others that have experienced similar struggles or trauma.
How long will the project run? 6-12 months
What will be the end goal? A large wall mounted in the middle of the community centre with engraved poetry from the survivors and community that experienced the recent floods. The building will have separate listening pods where community members can listen to deep breathing exercises, affirmations etc. to help minimise stress levels.
How will the community be engaged with or be made aware of the project? It is important to communities that they are reflected in the work, feel included and sought out for advice, research and reflection - not just having something imposed.

Step 2.

Invite students to share the concept or project with the group. Remind students to be respectful as they listen to the creative ideas of their group members. Each student will have approximately 1 minute to explain their idea, and students can offer and receive feedback from each group member.

Step 3.

Students should make notes of any suggestions for changes or further enhancements to their design.

Reflection

What are some of the ways you would like to see art become a part of your community and help improve health and wellbeing?

Differentiated learning

Extension

Invite students to consider how they could improve their design with emphasis, balance, unity, movement rhythm, contrast, repetition & pattern. Students make changes to their original concept to incorporate some of these ideas.

Provisions for learning support

Students may need assistance with developing their ideas or concepts. Ensure you refer to the Creative Networks section in the PowerPoint presentation Resilience and Community Arts and go through the various programs and resources that are offered so that students can work from original ideas if they need to.

Teacher reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Resilient Australia - Developing Resilience Through Art

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