I had close to 50 teachers and arts enthusiasts who wanted to know the basics on arts. Since I try and use a museum as a site, the workshops get called I LOVE MUSEUMS.
It’s great leading teachers to explore using the arts as a teaching mode. Most of them didn’t take such a course in college so they feel intimidated introducing the subject in the Civics or Makabayan section of their curriculum.
I show them scientific evidence as to why music increases math proficiency, theater enhances memorization skills, dance heightens agility and grace and reading develops empathy among students.
The teachers learn aesthetics, what makes a beautiful painting or a work of art and how that makes us better citizens. If you can appreciate a landscape, can you now enjoy it with a billboard blight? Or a dirty river or a coastline with garbage?
For Baguio teachers, I added to the powerpoint old photographs from my collection showing the peoples of the Mountain Province in the early 20th century when they still wore their traditional wear, lived in their houses and danced in their ways. This way of life are often ridiculed and not appreciated so this was a good time to change our erroneous attitudes.
The treat was BenCab himself giving a tour to the teachers in what I consider most beautiful
private museum in the country today. Works of Baguio and national artists, his incredible ethnic artifact collection as well as the best of his own paintings were described by BenCab in the way only an artist could point out. Aside from the Museum, there’s a peaceful pond and walkways with a river and across, a mountain completely green and unspoiled. From the Museum balcony, there’s the China Sea at a distance to gaze at. There’s a wonderful café and a delightful gift shop.
After a whole day of learning the arts, the teachers left much more confident about teaching the subject, awed that they have a beautiful museum in their midst, and promised to bring their students on future field trips.
I thank Pioneer Insurance Company for getting me to travel to sites to do the workshop, Aboitiz Superferry for having published my workbook, and along with private donors allowed me to distribute them for free.
For those of you who would like me to present the same workshop in your province, get in touch with me through this blog or jsilva79@mac.com.
And if you are in Baguio don’t fail to visit the BenCab Museum. Absolutely stunning. For more info: http://bencabmuseum.org/
0 comments:
Post a Comment