| The Transformative Arts Services |
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I am presently offering programs, workshops, trainings, and courses in Bully Prevention Thru Expressive Arts and Transforming Grief Thru Expressive Arts for students of all ages, educators, families, community members, and professionals in the helping fields such as healthcare and grief workers, counselors/therapists, and educators. Services OfferedThe goal of New to the Forests of Selay Bully Prevention thru Expressive Arts Workshop is to use the languages of the expressive arts to provide effective strategies and techniques to prevent bullying in schools. The book are part of the program for elementary students.
The Bully Prevention Thru Expressive Arts Course provides students with the breadth of experiences offered by an integration of bully prevention literature and creative arts techniques that provide a scaffold for students to write and perform their own script for fellow classmates. This experiential approach is coupled with presenting the underlying theoretical framework and research on the use of the expressive arts in bully prevention with the help of books and multi-media resources. Students are supported in collaborating in small groups to write their own expressive arts bully prevention curriculums. The Transforming Grief Thru Expressive Arts Course offers students the opportunity to learn visual and theatre art projects that can be adapted to meet the needs of children, youth, and adults who are involved in the grieving process. Books and multi-media resources are assigned to explain the research-based philosophical framework. The course concludes with participants collaborating in small groups to co-create skits to express the emotional journey of grief. Time is provided to process the experience and brainstorm applications to working with the individuals and groups that participants may be connected with through their work. A handout is also provided with a list of recommended expressive arts activities and an Expressive Arts Bag of materials that can be shared with children, youth, and adults. This course can be adapted to using the expressive arts to explore world religions and stress reduction strategies and techniques. Upcoming Workshops - San Francisco
Previous WorkshopsMaryam has presented the "Transforming the Bullying Cycle thru Expressive Arts Workshop" at the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association Conference, The Performing the World Conference in NYC and as part of the Creative Arts in Learning Satellite Program at Lesley University. In the spring of 2010, the "Transforming the Bullying Cycle thru Expressive Arts Workshops" were presented at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont as well as at their affiliate school the Integrated Arts Academy and in British Columbia for a variety of elementary students, teachers, guidance counselors and the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute. In June, the "Transforming the Bullying Cycle thru Expressive Arts Workshop" was sponsored by the Island Theatre Workshop for teachers and drama educators on Martha's Vineyard, MA. Maryam is currently doing her doctoral dissertation on "What is the Lived Experience of Elementary and Middle School Students Who Play the Role of the Bully Through Theatre?" |
The Bully Prevention thru Expressive Arts Program integrates bully prevention literature, the visual arts, and the theatre arts in the co-creation of a student written anti-bullying script. The students then perform their bully prevention play for other students. The presentation is followed by student facilitated theatre games related to themes in the play and small group discussions. There is also the option of video taping the dramatization and turning the presentation into an iMovie that can be used in a variety of ways. A companion training is provided for educators, staff, families, and community members on the strategies and techniques of how to use the visual and theatre arts in conflict resolution.
The Bully Prevention thru Expressive Arts Programs, Workshops, and Trainings have been given for the following schools: The Readfield Elementary School in Readfield, ME, the Bath Middle School in Bath, ME where it evolved into a Theatre Troupe that performed for the Hyde School in Bath, ME and the Bath Middle School, the Lawrence Junior High School, in Fairfield, ME, the Hichborn Middle School in Howland, ME, the Appleton Village School in Appleton, ME, the Lincolnville Central School in Lincolnville, ME, the Hope Elementary School in Hope, ME, the T.C.Hamlin School in Randolph, ME, and the Albert S. Hall School in Waterville, ME. Co-facilitated the Interactive Theatre Troupe at Maranacook Community High School in Readfield, ME that dealt with teen issues through theatre games and made participatory presentations for local middle and high school students.