56 the activities a positive creation that they do. In theater, nothing is wrong. How they interpret it is always correct. We never criticize a child for trying.” Fellow teaching artist Christin joined the Van Wezel team back in February. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Communications from Concord University and a Master of Arts in Theater from the University of Akron, Christin brings her own unique style having taught theatre and speech for several years. “Both Laura and Christin bring a wealth of knowledge and years of experience to the program, and we are grateful to have such talented artists working with us,” said Kelli. “The core of the program looks at three different components of how we are going to help students read using the arts. First, we do a teacher meeting and training. It is very important that we have teachers that understand the skills that our teaching artists are showing the students, so that they can replicate and continue the skills throughout the school year. “The second part is direct work with the students. Our teaching artists go into the classroom to directly work with students doing modules that we have developed. Speci��c books are chosen that allow the teaching artists to best engage the student to participate, and comprehend the material read to them. This is where teachers can see what they learned in training translated into interacting with actual students. “And the third component is engaging the families. We encourage families to participate, and give them the tools to read at home. At the completion of the program we have a family literacy night where all the students, their families, and teachers, are invited to come to the Van Wezel, have dinner, do a workshop using the work that we have done, and to talk about how they can adapt to use it at home. “We teach them the how they can use freeze, and the skill of tableau at home, without creating a whole group picture when looking at a book. At the end of that evening, we give them a book to take home to practice with.” In a tableau, participants make still images with their bodies to represent a scene. A tableau can be used to quickly establish a scene that involves a large number of characters. Because there is no movement, a tableau is easier to manage than a whole-group improvisation – yet can easily lead into extended drama activities. It can be used to explore a particular moment in a story or drama, or to replicate a photograph or artwork for deeper analysis. Students stand in a circle, or around the performance area, and a theme is given. One by one, they step into the space and establish still images in relation to one another until the tableau is complete. At this point, thought tracking can be used to find out more about each of the characters. The scene can also be brought to life through improvisation, with the teacher clapping her hands to signal the beginning and end of the action. Suncoast Campaign for Grade Level Reading Director, Beth Duda, said: “The literacy modules put together by the Education Department at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall are highly participatory. The students are learning key literacy skills at the same time they are learning about the arts. “Each module is designed to strengthen the skills of the classroom educator, and encourage family engagement. Research shows us that students achieve more when their families are engaged in, and are supportive of their learning. The Van Wezel has done a wonderful job by including a parent component in all of their modules.” “We take this program very seriously as part of student learning,” added Kelli. “It’s not a break from learning, or just an art activity that is fun for them to do. It’s very much an equal parts of both. They are learning reading skills, as well as having fun.”
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