Wiki Link
Roselynn Verwoord, September 14, 2006
(“Global Arts” in Bloom Public School, New Delhi, India)
Bloom School District, New Delhi
Background/Context of School
Bloom Public School is a private school located in Vasant Kunj district of South Delhi. Upper-middle-class socio-economics. The school timetable consists of 9 periods “specialized areas” each 25-30 minutes in length (English, Geography, Science, Math, Music, Yoga, P.E.etc.). Roselynn taught grade 4 and 5 and would see 4 groups each day of the week (35-40 students in each class). Class sessions are typically very rigid and unopen. Students go to their classes primarily to receive and go over their assignments - assignments which students are expected (and required) to do as homework.
Roselynn’s Global Arts Experience
It was difficult getting the art done primarily because of time constraints (25-30 minute blocks each day) and the school structures and expectations that do not invite an “open” or “free” curriculum. Roselynn decided to frame the global arts experience as a “project” rather than an “art” or “social studies” class to avoid predispositions (students have preset attitudes, likes, and dislikes towards certain subject areas) and she approached it as an “integrated” curriculum merging subjects such as English, Art, and Social Studies, into the project. Unlike other classes “Miss Rose’s” class did not have a clearly defined title or subject area.
We Are All Related Project: The Process
Roselynn framed the global arts project around the book “We Are All Related.” Unlike other classes within the school, Roselynn encouraged all of her students to work on and complete their projects within class time (allowing the class process to unfold openly with the dynamics of the class). STEPS of the lessons.