“The ‘Identity’ theme explores the diversity of the students in the school and involves the community providing a rich, board and innovative curriculum.”
EXPERIENCE A GLOBAL CULTURE
The Global Focus Week was one element of the Identity Curriculum project commissioned by the Creative Learning specialist, Sarah Nunn. The programme enabled Trevor Blackwood to demonstrate and inspire the teachers to collaborate with cultural experts and provide an alternative teaching approach to engage learners.
GHANA CULTURAL ARTS
Nomad Creative Consultancy devised a one-week intensive creative learning programme that used the cultural arts as a catalyst to immerse the participants, teachers and local community, in the culture and heritage of Ghana, West Africa.
Ghana was selected as it was the 1st African country to gain independence from Britain in 1957.
CREATIVE
CREATIVITY AND ACTIVE INVESTIGATION
Creativity was placed at the heart of the experience to ensure the learning was contextualised and engaging for the participants. The programme established a platform for exploration and discovery.
African artists delivered specialist drumming, Adinkra symbols, jewellery design and Oware workshops to give participants a deeper understanding of the complexities of each discipline and how they relate to elements of mathematics, design and language.
Teachers used the learning resource and exhibition to extend the exploration beyond the classroom. A final event invited the wider community and parents to experience and engage in rich Ghanaian culture.
CONSULTANCY
PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR DISCOVERY
95% of the participants at Surrey Square School were of African heritage, many had become disengaged and disillusioned about learning. Therefore, it was vital to create a vibrant and relevant cultural learning environment to reconnect the African descent participants to their rich culture heritage and ignite a genuine desire to investigate their own culture at home and within their wider community.
To establish the context for the programme, teacher development was essential. Cultural experts exposed teachers to the value and methods of learning that can be achieved when another cultural perspective leads the curriculum, inspiring creativity and exchange of ideas.
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
EXHIBITION, PERFORMANCE AND CREATIVE LEARNING WORKSHOPS
EXPERIENCE GHANA
WORKSHOPS WITH SPECIALIST ARTISTS
The Ghanaian artists workshops were woven into the core curriculum. The Oware game, drumming and dance were integrated into maths and the meanings of the Akan Adinkra symbols provided a platform for complex philosophical discussions among peers and teachers throughout the week. Some participants worked in-role as advisors to Ghana's first president - Kwame Nkrumah.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
A public event concluded the week of exploration and engaged the wider community, giving the participants a platform to share their discoveries. Parents and visitors had an opportunity to experience elements of the Ghanaian culture and the artists' workshops. The event facilitated intercultural dialogue, deepened respect & understanding between the diverse community groups.
GLOBAL FOCUS FILM
“Jack had a chance to sample the Ghanaian culture and see how other people lived. There should be more projects like this because there will be less ignorance in the community.”