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National Museums Liverpool blog
Children First conference, World Museum Liverpool, 4-5 November 2005
This keynote speech examined the fundamental approach taken by La Barracca in their work with nursery age children. It referred to the importance of ‘listening’ to very young children and babies and recognising the strengths of their ‘silent’ responses.
“It means paying attention to what is not said, to the hidden, the evoked … It is the attention to the originality of every sign.”
Founded in 1976, La Baracca has been working in the field of the theatre for children for over 25 years. The founders belong to that generation fascinated by a different kind of theatre, ground-breaking compared to the traditional and repertory one. They were actors, puppeteers and people whowere trying to create a new way of communication through new stimuli and exciting projects in order to form a new idea of theatre characterised by a playful and creative energy.
La Baracca's productive line, mainly based on actors' research work, is addressed to an audience made of children and young people sure that the comparison with them is a great source of inspiration. Since its birth, the company has toured not only in Italy but also worldwide and it also took part to important International Festivals.
This key note speech focussed upon the national strategic picture for Youth Music; how it aligns itself to the foundation stage and birth to three matters, and why it feels this is an important position to take. It also related to how it has developed its thinking around preparing the early years and arts workforce for working together to meet the needs of the whole child, and initiatives it has developed nationally and regionally to encourage the development of sustainable relationships, thinking, practice, and policy making.
Reference was made to examples of good practice and cross-sectoral relationships across settings (eg Youth Music Action Zone, Merseyside) and also examples where it hasn't worked so well and why.
Youth Music is a UK-wide charity set up in 1999 to provide high quality and diverse music-making opportunities for 0-18 year olds. It targets young people living in areas of social and economic need who might otherwise lack opportunity and predominantly supports activities which are held outside school hours.
“Let’s kiss and fly away together” Morgan, aged 4, engaged in role play
This project has piloted the Experiential Education approach of screening children for their emotional well-being plus their involvement in their own day to day learning experiences in a range of settings. The review sessions for the project group have been exhilarating because they have provided the opportunity for practitioners to listen to each other’s stories of their children’s experiences. This year-long pilot has become an indispensable tool for our work as early year’s advisors.
What has come to light through this pilot project has been the effectiveness of creativity as a tool for promoting emotional well-being and involvement.
The project has allowed practitioners who would describe themselves as non-specialists in creative approaches to review their practice and look at ways of promoting an inclusive, process-driven learning environment (indoor and outdoor) where children have space to explore their interests imaginatively.
This project allows the creative potential of children tobe explored and addresses the quality of effective practice at the same time.
Joanne Albin Clark trained as a teacher at Leeds University (early year’s specialism) after a degree in fine art and the history of art. She has taught in the early years, in key stages one and two and was a deputy head teacher of a primary school. Currently, she works as an advisory teacher in Bury supporting settings and schools in their provision for Foundation Stage and the Birth to Three framework for children aged 0-5.