Upstream Arts’ school residency program in Special Education classrooms makes the arts accessible to students with disabilities, and uses the arts to develop students’ social and communication skills. Upstream Arts’ high caliber roster of local, professional artists includes visual artists, poets, dancers, actors, creative writers, and vocal and instrumental musicians. Once a week, every week of a semester, Upstream Arts artists will lead inclusive and interactive activities in our Special Education classroom. Each week the students cooperatively create together in a supportive and fun environment: they may develop and embody characters and emotions, paint or move to music, or collectively write and act out poems. These cooperative group activities in music, theater, poetry, visual arts and dance are designed to expose the students to a variety of art forms, while using the arts to nurture self expression, social interaction and positive group participation. Students with disabilities, for whom social interaction and communication are often a challenge, are given a safe forum to express themselves, build self confidence, act out real life situations, and develop communication skills that can benefit them in their everyday lives. Many Special Education students have limited opportunities to attend performances or community arts events. In Upstream Arts’ school residency program, the artists come to the students, giving them a front row seat to the wealth of our metropolitan arts community and the unique opportunity to interact directly with some of the Twin Cities’ most exciting and accomplished artists.
About my class
Upstream Arts’ school residency program in Special Education classrooms makes the arts accessible to students with disabilities, and uses the arts to develop students’ social and communication skills. Upstream Arts’ high caliber roster of local, professional artists includes visual artists, poets, dancers, actors, creative writers, and vocal and instrumental musicians. Once a week, every week of a semester, Upstream Arts artists will lead inclusive and interactive activities in our Special Education classroom. Each week the students cooperatively create together in a supportive and fun environment: they may develop and embody characters and emotions, paint or move to music, or collectively write and act out poems. These cooperative group activities in music, theater, poetry, visual arts and dance are designed to expose the students to a variety of art forms, while using the arts to nurture self expression, social interaction and positive group participation. Students with disabilities, for whom social interaction and communication are often a challenge, are given a safe forum to express themselves, build self confidence, act out real life situations, and develop communication skills that can benefit them in their everyday lives. Many Special Education students have limited opportunities to attend performances or community arts events. In Upstream Arts’ school residency program, the artists come to the students, giving them a front row seat to the wealth of our metropolitan arts community and the unique opportunity to interact directly with some of the Twin Cities’ most exciting and accomplished artists.
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