Daisi Professional Development Training for artists and teachers

As you may be aware Daisi has developed a unique programme of professional development days for artists and teachers across the South West to review and address together the relationships and working practices in arts education.

For artists, the days will enable connectivity to a wider audience, peers and potential partners, support and develop understanding of how to work effectively in the education sector and provide an opportunity for reflection on personal practice and exploration of art forms.

For teachers, the days will provide opportunities to meet and share practice with peers and potential partners from the arts and cultural sector, explore ways in which engaging with artists can support aspirations for teaching and learning and gain an understanding of the arts and cultural resource available.

Each day will be led by an experienced and dynamic facilitator with current, practical, hands-on experience of arts education partnerships and a wealth of knowledge about where the opportunities and challenges lie.

Tuesday 27th April - Starting out in Arts Education

This session is designed to support emerging artists starting out as arts educators or who wish to develop their existing practice in education settings and teachers who are interested in engaging with artists to support their delivery of the curriculum and wider initiatives and aspirations.

Topics will include:

• How to identify the basics of arts education partnerships
• How and why should we engage education and the arts
• Exploring and developing the skills required to engage effectively

Wednesday 19th May - Creating Practical Arts Education Partnerships

This session will explore the nature of effective partnerships, from finding the right collaborators, to the project design, implementation and evaluation.

Topics will include:

• What skills are required to negotiate beneficial relationships with education partners?
• How is effective engagement of setting staff, artist and participants ensured?
• How can we make the most of arts partnerships?

Tuesday 25th May - Safeguarding in your Arts Education Practice

This session will explore the issues that we need to consider to keep our arts practice safe for ourselves, our settings and the young people with whom we are working. This will be a comprehensive exploration of best practice, child protection, attitudes and values.

Topics will include:

• Understanding your rights as a practitioner working in a participatory setting
• How to protect yourself from unwittingly participating in vulnerable situations
• How to respond safely, sensibly and compassionately if someone shares sensitive information with you

Thursday 10th June - Working with Challenging Groups

This session will explore ways of working that integrate behaviour management into our practice when we are working with more challenging groups. The day is designed to promote communication skills to increase rapport and positive behaviour and to enable others to increase their potential for even greater change.

Topics will include:

• How to increase personal confidence in dealing with challenging behaviour
• Identifying boundaries in the development of relationships
• Understanding new theories and strategies that reduce personal stress and inform personal practice

Friday 25th June - Weather Check : Opportunities for Engagement

This session will explore the current climate of opportunities for partnerships between the cultural and education sectors, including reference to national curriculum and current wider initiatives, plans and policy.

Topics will include:

• Sourcing opportunities for engagement between artists and education
• What is education looking to the arts and cultural sector for and vice versa
• Where are the opportunities for quality partnership into the future

Tuesday 29th June - Earlyarts Professional Development Day, South West Hub

Earlyarts is a professional development network for those working in the arts, cultural and early years sectors. The network provides a range of high quality resources and services to support the training needs of professionals working creatively with young children and families.

Regionally based Earlyarts partners, who now include Daisi and other SW organisations such as Take Art, 5x5x5 and Folk SW, organise Professional Development Days (PDDs) as part of their commitment to working smarter together and not harder alone.

Earlyarts PDDs give attendees a chance to share experiences with a wider network and the ability to talk with, ask questions about, and understand different agencies' policies and initiatives. Plus they can develop their range of skills as a creative professional and promote and celebrate their own practices.

Contact Daisi for more details about this PDD, or visit www.earlyarts.co.uk

CPD Venue: Kennaway House, Sidmouth

Cost: £40 per session (A discount will apply for bookings of more than 2 sessions)

*EarlyArts PDD is £50 per session

Information and bookings: Please contact Clare Hearn at Daisi on 01392 386468, email clare@daisi.org.uk.

[added 16 March 2010]