Partner with Local Arts Organizations (Transcript)

Natalie Walchuk: Art is so powerful in a school community. It’s a place where children can find expression for their deepest emotions or just the fun and silly ones, and it’s a quick, easy space for kids to find a way to talk and communicate with each other.

At Glenview we partnered with local community artists to support social-emotional learning, communication, conflict resolution and to help students build partnerships across boundaries. When we looked at our data we found that we had challenges with girl relationships. A lot of our time was being spent resolving them, so we reached out to Allison Kenny who brought us Girl Power to help solve all of our girl-friendship issues.

Allison Kenny: This game is called “Yes!” What’s it called?

Students: Yes!

Allison Kenny: Because in Go Girls we practice saying “Yes!” to the things that are fun and the things that we can do to feel good about ourselves.

Natalie Walchuk: We found great success with our Girl Power program so we expanded to Kid Power. We brought it into the classroom for every student, girls and boys, during the school day.

Allison Kenny: This is what our kid power can help us do. Okay. Show me your trashcan.

Natalie Walchuk: The Kid Power trashcan is a tangible way for kids to manage hurtful words and throw them away to keep their hearts safe.

Allison Kenny: I love it. Okay, I’m just pretending. Here we go. You’re stupid. Catch it, throw it away, hand on your heart, say, “I am–”

Student: I am so nice.

Allison Kenny: Give him a round of applause.

Natalie Walchuk: Communication skills are taught through our Art Without Judgment class. It’s taught by Jahi, our resident artist, and it helps students learn how to give feedback in respectful ways to their peers.

Jahi: Today we’re gonna work on our language. And the language we want to work on are “Wows” and “wonders”.

Natalie Walchuk: Jahi’s students are thinking critically when they reflect on each other’s work. They offer an affirmation first and then a critical question to keep everyone digging deeper.

Student: I wonder why Cameron crossed his out?

Jahi: You know, I wonder that, too. To make it a snowflake. Michaela, here’s my wow for you. Wow I like the frame of it and I wonder who’s that?

Student: I think you did a good job.

Student: I think you did, too.

Schools That Work

Glenview Elementary