Artistry in Teaching and Performing, A Columbia College and Perspectives Collaboration
May 16, 2014
CHICAGO—It is 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning and the energy is a combination of nervous and confident among the Perspectives middle and high school students. They are about to debut a collaborative theatrical performance on the Classic Theatre stage as part of the Columbia College Chicago Manifest Urban Arts Festival.
Three years ago, it was almost impossible to envision two groups of students from independent Perspectives schools performing their own works in public and on stage.
Theater instruction was introduced to Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy (MSA) about three years ago through the Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP) at Columbia College. Demetria Kedrowski, 6th grade art and English teacher at MSA, welcomed teacher artist students from CCAP to co-teach the arts during her 8th period English composition class. The after school program is now available at Perspectives Rodney D. Joslin Campus.
“We have created an amazing partnership between Perspectives and Columbia College Chicago that has fostered a very positive environment for both our students and the teaching artist students at Columbia,” said Kedrowski.
From in-class instruction of the arts, CCAP teacher artist resident Lydia Ellis-Curry started the first-ever after school Drama Club at MSA as a means to foster the arts with middle and high school students outside of the classroom.
“I began the Drama Club with very little resources and was assisted by Deja Anderson, also a teaching assistant at Columbia,” said Ellis-Curry. “We teach basic acting skills, and improvise our way into final scenes for school performances because these 7th-10th graders have very little to no experience with theater.”
In Drama Club students learn how to think on their feet and use their creativity to build confidence and pride in working together toward a final production. “They are working on their very own show,” said Ellis Curry.
The club partnered with Steppenwolf Theater by hosting students at their plays for youth. “Most of my students had never seen a play before,” said Ellis-Curry. “These kinds of field trips to plays, events, and Columbia College awaken their minds to the possibilities that the arts and theater can provide.”
Ellis-Curry worked with a stable of 15 students to produce original theater. “Lydia was a wonderful drama teacher and advocate for our students,” said MSA principal Julie Puzon. “She opened up new worlds of learning for many of our students by taking them to the Steppenwolf Theater and to Columbia College while helping them develop individually as artists and people.”
“We are so proud of the partnership between Columbia College and the two campuses at Perspectives Charter Schools,” said project manager at Columbia College Chicago Center for Community Arts Partnerships Alyssa Sorresso. “It was so lovely to work with such talented students.”
CCAP provides facilitators who work with the students at MSA and Joslin to create performances for Columbia's Manifest event (an all-day, school-wide showcase). “They come in as guest artists, and create a theatre lesson to help enhance the after-school curriculum,” said Sorresso. “It is a cool cross-school experience that exposes high school students to a college campus and performances.
The students from both Columbia College and Perspectives finished their performances with big and bright smiles.
Photo credit: David Terry
Artistry in Teaching and Performing, A Columbia College and Perspectives Collaboration
May 16, 2014
CHICAGO—It is 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning and the energy is a combination of nervous and confident among the Perspectives middle and high school students. They are about to debut a collaborative theatrical performance on the Classic Theatre stage as part of the Columbia College Chicago Manifest Urban Arts Festival.
Three years ago, it was almost impossible to envision two groups of students from independent Perspectives schools performing their own works in public and on stage.
Theater instruction was introduced to Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy (MSA) about three years ago through the Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP) at Columbia College. Demetria Kedrowski, 6th grade art and English teacher at MSA, welcomed teacher artist students from CCAP to co-teach the arts during her 8th period English composition class. The after school program is now available at Perspectives Rodney D. Joslin Campus.
“We have created an amazing partnership between Perspectives and Columbia College Chicago that has fostered a very positive environment for both our students and the teaching artist students at Columbia,” said Kedrowski.
From in-class instruction of the arts, CCAP teacher artist resident Lydia Ellis-Curry started the first-ever after school Drama Club at MSA as a means to foster the arts with middle and high school students outside of the classroom.
“I began the Drama Club with very little resources and was assisted by Deja Anderson, also a teaching assistant at Columbia,” said Ellis-Curry. “We teach basic acting skills, and improvise our way into final scenes for school performances because these 7th-10th graders have very little to no experience with theater.”
In Drama Club students learn how to think on their feet and use their creativity to build confidence and pride in working together toward a final production. “They are working on their very own show,” said Ellis Curry.
The club partnered with Steppenwolf Theater by hosting students at their plays for youth. “Most of my students had never seen a play before,” said Ellis-Curry. “These kinds of field trips to plays, events, and Columbia College awaken their minds to the possibilities that the arts and theater can provide.”
Ellis-Curry worked with a stable of 15 students to produce original theater. “Lydia was a wonderful drama teacher and advocate for our students,” said MSA principal Julie Puzon. “She opened up new worlds of learning for many of our students by taking them to the Steppenwolf Theater and to Columbia College while helping them develop individually as artists and people.”
“We are so proud of the partnership between Columbia College and the two campuses at Perspectives Charter Schools,” said project manager at Columbia College Chicago Center for Community Arts Partnerships Alyssa Sorresso. “It was so lovely to work with such talented students.”
CCAP provides facilitators who work with the students at MSA and Joslin to create performances for Columbia's Manifest event (an all-day, school-wide showcase). “They come in as guest artists, and create a theatre lesson to help enhance the after-school curriculum,” said Sorresso. “It is a cool cross-school experience that exposes high school students to a college campus and performances.
The students from both Columbia College and Perspectives finished their performances with big and bright smiles.
Photo credit: David Terry