exploring Arts for Social Change: Postcard #1

Last week I started a new course at Simon Fraser University, called Exploring Arts for Social Change  taught by Judith Marcuse and Dr. Lynn Fels.

I remember upon leaving the class last Wednesday that my thoughts were, “God, this is different!” I said that apprehensively but also with curiosity. If feels to me that there is nothing traditional about this course and it is a real test in one’s capability in being open-minded. We (thirty of us + the two teachers) sit in a circle, we make sounds, moves, and sometimes have to touch another body– re-position it into an image in our mind. There were a lot of performance-based exercises last week which for me was at times difficult. But “I survived, I did it.” is what I told myself at the end of it. I may be an introvert but I did it and it wasn’t so bad after all.

One of our weekly assignments is to write an e-postcard to both teachers that records and reflects on a stop moment of your experiences and learning in each class. Both of the teachers read the cards, and one of them replies.

I’m going to try and share these e-postcards for as long as is comfortable. I think this reflection exercise is a great way to learn about yourself and analyze your feelings about why you feel the way you do. It is a great process to practice as a teacher, one that I was introduced to when doing my certificate to teach English as a second language.

You will need to click the image to be able to read it.

Do you use this reflection method with your teaching? What do you think about it?

art for social change