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The teaching of Circus
Arts, The CAPERS Program, so that it will improve brain thinking,
self-esteem, co-ordination, behaviour, self-discipline, co-operation
and teamwork amongst students, teachers and parents and give school
communities an opportunity to overcome geographic isolation .
Background
Grenfell Public School
has been involved in the Circus Arts Program, CAPERS, K-6 for almost
a year. This involves students learning a variety of activities
including how to ride a unicycle, juggling, balancing on stilts,
staff, poi, devil sticks and clowning. This involves a practical,
hands-on appraoch to engage brain thinking activities. The students
progress through levels and as they reach each level, they are able
to teach others. We originally had a teacher and a class trained in
the circus arts and have now adapted it to suit the needs of our
students and school. It has really improved the tone of our school,
discipline, co-ordination of students, peer to peer relations and
improved self-esteem among low achieving students.
From a recent survey
conducted, we had 100% response from students, teachers and parents.
They all believe that CAPERS has been great for our school and want
it to continue in 2007. From other data collected, we have found
that our pink discipline slips have decreased by over half and the
students who were offenders in the past are heavily involved in the
CAPERS program. In 2005 we had an average of 100 pink slips per term
and that has reduced to under 50 per term, since the introduction of
the CAPERS program.
Our school has
purchased over $5000 worth of equipment through school and P and C
funds, to fund the CAPERS program and to release teachers to be
trained through professional learning. We have also made a lot of
equipment through parent/student workshops. We have performed for
local organisations, for example the Senior Citizens Concert, local
festival and travelled to local school in our district. The response
has been overwhelming and schools really see the value in the
initiative and want to be involved.
We are very excited
about a program that improves brain thinking and we would like to
share our success with others to make a difference in their
education. We want to make this available to students, teachers and
parents that are affected by geographic isolation and who would not
otherwise get these opportunities. We feel that we have the skills,
expertise and enthusiasm to enhance the learning outcomes of our
students and other students in isolated areas through an enjoyable
initiative that everyone can be involved with that is of benefit to
them and something they can share with others. We can teach skills
that they will have forever that are special and unique.
Please not there will
be a significant amount of parental particpation that will fund
their own way on participating tours. Principal of Grenfell Public
School will also accompany the tour group.
Fundraising and seeking of sponsorship will be undertaken to help
subsidise the program.
In order to overcome this and put our plan in place, we have 7 parts
to our program.
1: We visit other CAP
schools to show our CAP CAPERS circus program. We put on a
performance and then our students peer tutor other students in
workshops on different activities. We also tutor other teachers and
parents that are interested.
2: We would like to do
a tour to isolated schools in Western NSW to show our students
different schools, students, towns and different forms of isolation
and to give extremely isolated schools the opportunity to
participate in, and be a part of, this program. Through promotions
in local media ie, newspapers, TV, radio and establishment of our
own CAP CAPERS Circus newsletter.
3: We would like
schools to visit Grenfell Public School so they can see how we run
our CAPERS program and to develop friendhips and links with other
communities. Paticipating schools will fund 5 days relief. A CAP
CAPERS circus concert will be conducted at Grenfell P.S School to
help raise funds to subsidse the student tour.
4: Improve our
transition from Primary to High School by offering our Year 5/6 CAP
CAPERS group a chance to peer tutor other students in High School to
break down barriers and to make the transition smoother.
5: Community and staff
training and setting up of a CAP CAPERS committee.
6: Trainer training to
keep our trainer up to date with the learning of new skills so that
they can be passed on to the students to learn.
7: Video Conferencing
– Purchasing a video conference camera would allow isolated schools,
students and parents to access continued support and training on a
regular basis. Students, Parents and Staff at Grenfel Public School
would provide regular training lessons for other isolated schools
and communities to access. Seek coordination support from Andrew and
David Foley – Distance Education.
Our Anticipated
Outcomes:
From all these
activities we hope to help isolated students and schools achieve a
positive brain thinking initiative that will improve self-esteem,
discipline, co-operation, teamwork and provide opportunities for
students to perform and meet other students from isolated areas. It
will allow us to expose our students to Aboriginal students and
multiculturalism and to show other schools how our special needs
students can contribute to a worthwhile initiative and build their
skills through it. It is a very appealing boys education strategy
and our parents have really noticed how their self-discipline and
esteem has improved due to this. We will be engaging motivated and
confident students that will apply and implement a range of learning
strategies to enhance effective thinking amongst themselves and
others they are teaching the skills to. Staff, students and parents
will be excited about the involvement and implementation of these
brain thinking activities and will be motivated to extend it to
other areas. A committee of skilled teachers, parents and students
will be formed to share ideas and skills with other schools. We will
also develop a strategic plan with future directions for effective
thinking in CAP schools.
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