Open eyes...open hearts
Open Eyes...Open Hearts serves diabled youthby building awareness and acceptance of children with disabilities within schools and the community. As a result of this program, participants learn:
1) to perceive children with disabilities in terms of both their strengths and their weaknesses;
2) develop a "can do" attitude toward working with special children;
3) assist children without disabilities in understanding, approaching, and interacting with children with disabilities;
4) minimize fear and negative reactions regarding teaching and serving children with special needs.
The first Open Eyes...Open Hearts training, which took place at Shriners Hospital for Children Northern California, involved 30 hospital staff who learned about Artshift and recent studies on the theraputic qualities of Art for hospital patients. As part of the training, staff were encouraged to make their own works of art under the instruction of the presenter, just as child patients do during weekly Artshift sessions.
Through these training workshops, VSA provides teachers, artists, program coordinators, and facility staff with ideas on how to utilize the arts to reach the whole child, the whole class, the whole community in a positive, self-esteem building manner.
Archives
January 16, 2008
October 17, 2007
April 18, 2007
January 31, 2007
Next training session: April 16, 2008 at Coloma Community Center
