Culture class makes the world bigger
Because cultural education in special (primary) education does not seem to get off the ground sufficiently, Elisabeth Visser decided to write a learning track. She took the Canon of the Netherlands as a coat rack.
Image: Angeliek de Jonge
“Culture education is particularly important for children in SBO or SO. Not all of them come into contact with culture as a matter of course, ”explains Elisabeth Visser. She herself has a big heart for art and culture. She worked as a teacher, internal culture coordinator and cultural counselor at schools in special (primary) education, in between made a trip to the theater and since this year has been working at the Axia College in Amersfoort, the VSO school.
“Cultural education broadens the world of students. They learn to look in a different way, they discover who they are, why they think about something and how they can express this. If you learn to reflect on your environment, you can develop yourself further. ”
Cultural education broadens the world of students
Stimulating cultural self-awareness, as it is called, does not work well in many schools, according to her. “It often ends with just offering a project or the expression courses, but cultural education is much more than that. Many teachers are not aware of this or do not feel competent enough for it. ”
Learning line
During her training as a cultural counselor, Visser decided to do something about this. With the support of the Teacher Development Fund, she shaped the cultural education curriculum for grades 5 to 8 of the s (b) o: Cultuurklas in two years. In this she makes a link with the Canon of Dutch history (entoen.nu). “That way you kill two birds with one stone”, Visser explains. "Cultural education is therefore not an additional thing, but can even save time due to the combination with history."
In contrast to many regular history methods, which cover all time planes every year, she has divided the ten time planes over the year groups. As a result, group 5 starts with the hunters and farmers and group 8 directly with the world wars. The curriculum is divided over twelve themes per year. Each theme touches on other disciplines and skills and lasts a maximum of three weeks. “This allows you to connect much better to the experiences, interests and skills of children,” she explains. “Because the subjects are also discussed during history, cultural education acquires meaning for the students. The lessons are designed in such a way that teachers can easily give them, while there is room to adapt them to what a child needs and to find the depth themselves. ”
Nice base
The lessons are structured according to the Culture in the Mirror curriculum, in which the creative process is central to the implementation. Visser trained the teachers of sbo Boulevard410 in Amersfoort, her previous employer who now works with Cultuurklas. “We are very inclined to cut the grass in front of students by telling them what to do, and if something doesn't work out, helping them find a solution. But with that you block the creative process. "
We are very prone to mow the grass in front of students by telling them what to do, and if something doesn't work out, helping them with a solution
Yields
Allowing students to follow their own process can produce astonishing results, Visser knows from her research into the benefits of her learning pathway. “Teachers are enthusiastic about the offer and the material and see a greater involvement of students. A colleague was amazed at how students work in groups independently living painting managed to create. And in the assignment 'what helps to keep you out of the cold' in group 5, a boy chose a picture of a new bike, because it made him so happy. The fact that he chose an emotion that made him warm is an example of what you achieve when children are allowed to follow their own process. And because it's not about the ability to cut or paste well, but about the meaning you give to something, kids can never go wrong. They grow enormously from the positive reactions to what they say. ”
According to Visser, Cultuurklas is a good basis that can be expanded considerably with lessons. The manual is available and she wants to offer a pilot package to schools that are interested, which can also be regular primary schools. "I would like to train and guide teachers in working with Cultuurklas and the development of an appropriate cultural offer, so that cultural education really comes into its own."
Interested in Cultuurklas? Mail to visser.elisabeth@gmail.com
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