Integrating Folk Arts & Local Culture Across Curricula (October 17-20, 2024)
with PADDY BOWMAN
From rockabilly to hip-hop, Kiowa flute to gospel, memes to manners, Oklahoma folk arts and artists can enliven and deepen student engagement and sense of identity. This workshop calls on the traditions of home, school, and community to build portfolios of lesson plans, activities, artwork, and resources easily integrated into classroom practice. Using ethnographic tools of interviewing, writing, sketching, photography, and analyzing artifacts, we explore personal traditions, school culture, primary sources, and sense of place as well as concerns such as representation, appropriation, and cultural stewardship. Study of traditional arts and their creators strengthens students’ understanding of culture and community and their ability to think critically, gather and analyze evidence, and express ideas and interpretations through personal creativity. Expect hands-on, collaborative learning and fresh perspectives about the dynamic nature of folk arts and folklife and why they matter in preparing young people to face the future in our complex world.
Best suited for teachers in Grades 4-12.
