LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Taking the arts outside


Continuing her focus on Learning Outside the


Classroom, Beth Gardner looks at taking arts and music education into the wider world


observe, talk, think and learn. it enhances the teaching and learning experience and benefits the personal, social and emotional development of students while raising attainment and contributing to school improvement. Lotc can be used in any situation to teach any subject and the arts are no exception. arts-based subjects are perhaps some of the


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easiest to take beyond the classroom walls and there is potential to make excellent cross-curricular links. From music and fine art to film, photography, digital media, dance, drama and performance, the arts can be used to develop young people’s language, self- awareness, knowledge and understanding of the wider world. seeing a real painting in a gallery, watching live


theatre or dance, listening to live music, or hearing an author read their work are all experiences that bring the arts alive and provide inspiration. Direct real-world


ecognising thatyoung people learn best when they see and do rather than simply listening is the founding principle for Learning outside the classroom (Lotc). Lotc is about encouraging young people to participate, explore,


using natural materials to make props, can develop team-working skills, concentration, language and listening skills.observation skills can be also be honed by examining natural lighting over time and how it can emphasise drama, mood and the perception of space, depth and form. if Lotc is a daunting prospect, or teachers lack the


confidence to deliver a Lotc session, it is possible to form partnerships with local artists, galleries, museums or theatres. this is rewarding both for the schools and the organisations involved. external providers offer expertise that add value


to classroom lessons giving a more in-depth, focused exploration of a topic. often, galleries and theatres will have an experienced education team which can help teachers tailor programmes of learning that meet the needs of the young people involved. in some areas, galleries offer advice, guidance and resources to teachers on how to independently use the gallery to inspire their pupils. Bringing the experts into your school and making


the most of your school grounds is another option for Lotc. inviting artists such as dancers, musicians, sculptors, or painters to deliver workshops in your own setting can bring a new dimension to an art lesson – it is a way of immersing students in the subject and ensuring it achieves the greatest possible impact. the passion and expertise of an artist working on


Arts and minds: Performing live music as part of an orchestra in a professional venue is just one effective way of taking the arts outside of the classroom


experiences allow young people to critically engage with an art form stimulating a level of discussion, opinion and debate which cannot be achieved through a classroom lesson alone. through the arts, students are exposed to different


cultures, they can reflect on history, science, religion, geography and mathematics while fostering creativity, developing skills, attitudes and knowledge that remain


well into adulthood. With careful planning and a thoughtful approach, Lotc activities can be designed and delivered almost anywhere. the communities and environments immediately surrounding schools, whether they are urban or rural, offer inspiration in a variety of different ways. the urban built environment for example, is rich


with historic and contemporary buildings as well as the spaces between them, including parks, streets and housing. this environment can be used to teach the value of well designed spaces and the relationship between the natural environment and local community. For more rural settings, the natural environment


is a free resource that offers boundless opportunities for learning. artist and sculptor andy goldsworthy provides an interesting example of how artwork can be created in the rural environment using natural materials in a video on the BBc Learning Zone (see further information). this is something young people can also be encouraged to do in their school grounds or in the surrounding woods, fields or parkland. a simple lesson taking children into a woodland or


field and asking them to listen to the sounds of nature, the trees rustling, the wind blowing, the chorus of birds and recreating that in an interpretative performance


The Deep Accredit creative development


Inside or outside the classroom, use Arts Award’s fl exible framework to support individual students’ creative and leadership development and to achieve a national qualifi cation.


Offer Arts Award within the curriculum or to accredit extra-curricular, enrichment or re-engagement programmes.


‘Isn’t the role of the arts to develop creative individuals? Well Arts Award does this in a way that classroom teaching alone can’t. The spark may start in the classroom but the journey goes beyond it and that’s where Arts Award enables kids to shine.


‘Seeing students explore areas that they themselves have chosen, leading as well as learning on their terms, while achieving so much independently has made Arts Award one of the most worthwhile things I’ve been part of since I started teaching.’


Theresa Angus, Head of Art, Carre’s Grammar School Kick-start Arts Award in your school by booking training


www.artsaward.org.uk/booktraining 020 7820 6178 enquiries@artsaward.org.uk


Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives (BMGA) Image: The Fitzwilliam Museum


A LOtC Quality Badge Holder, BMGA teamed up with Henbury School to develop an art and creativity project in their local area. Students were given a brief from BMGA and were asked to produce prints based on visual documentation they gathered from visits to museums around the city. Visiting the City Museum, Bristol’s Floating Harbour and the MShed museum, students were given privileged access to museum stores and benefited from the direct expertise of museum staff. Visit www.bristol.gov.uk/museums


A LOtC Quality Badge holder, The Deep is based in Hull and is a good example of a resource that offers a range of learning opportunities for students across the key stages. This large public aquarium has a striking design that draws on the themes of water, geology and nature while also reflecting on Hull as a trading port. As an art and design resource, places such as The Deep can be used to teach students


about biomorphic structures (a building with an appearance of natural form) or act as inspiration for students to design an imaginative space considering colour, texture, plant forms and educational value. It also offers opportunities to learn about geography, biology, maritime heritage and more. With good planning and a little imagination a hands- on educational experience such as this can inspire creativity, new ideas and a thirst for knowledge. Visit www.thedeep.co.uk


The Sage


At this well known music venue in Gateshead, young people are introduced to experimenting with architecture and music by exploring the sonic qualities of buildings. What better way to understand acoustics than by exploring the concept in situ during a music lesson. Listening to and performing music beyond the classroom also taps into other areas of learning. Song lyrics provide an excellent source of rhyming vocabulary which can be used for


creating poetry. Lyrics are largely written in verse form and are therefore useful for unpicking and identifying poetic structures and rhyme templates. Visit www.thesagegateshead.org


the school grounds can inspire everyone involved. For example, graffiti artists can be used to support groups to design and paint a mural on a tired wall of the school grounds. Redesigning their own social space allows students to take ownership and creates a sense of belonging, team and inclusion. to successfully deliver meaningful Lotc that


harnesses young people’s creativity and provides an insight into the creative process, one must always ask “where is the best and most appropriate place for them to learn?” Whether it is a quick 10-minute sketching activity


in the school grounds, a video/photography exercise exploring the local community, or an educational visit abroad to perform at an exchange school, it is about providing context and making connections with the real world that have the most impact. any teacher will be able to tell you, when a young person enjoys their work, they learn more effectively.


SecEd


• Beth Gardner is chief executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.


Further information


For more about Learning outside the classroom and the Lotc Quality Badge, visit www.lotc.org.uk to sign up to the free newsletter, find out about


membership, and be kept informed about teacher taster events in 2011, email enquiries@lotc.org.uk. For the BBc Learning Zone video feature andy


goldsworthy, visit www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/ andy-goldsworthy-art-in-a-natural-environment/8230. html


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SecEd • July 7 2011


Photograph: TUI Education Division


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