Supporting Work at the Intersection of Arts, Education,
Healing and Social Justice

We Support Teaching Artists

"Prior to having the course, I didn’t consider where my students might be prior to entering the classroom. It was a really good education about how to have them feel welcome and safe. You think you have their best interests at heart, but you really have to transfer that, so they feel safe."

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Why should Teaching Artists be Trauma-Informed?

Philadelphia and many places across the country are working toward becoming trauma-informed cities in which public policy recognizes and supports young people whose lives are affected by trauma. Trauma can be living in a community with persistent violence, deep poverty, or in any environment that is chronically unstable.

By becoming trauma-informed in your  teaching artist practice, you will learn concrete lesson planning strategies to create a supportive environment in which all of your participants can thrive, while also managing your own boundaries and self-care.  You will also join our community of over 150 teaching artists who have completed this training.

Note: While this program is being offered virtually and is accessible anywhere, priority will be given to teaching artists in the Philadelphia region. If you are outside of Philadelphia and interested in opportunities for this training, you can sign up for updates here or email us to find out about bringing the training to your community.

What you will Learn

Upon completion of the training, teaching artists recognize:

  • The neurological and psychological nature of trauma.
  • How trauma affects the brain, behavior, ability to trust, and ability to forge healthy relationships.
  • How trauma can affect self-image, and lead to shame and fear.
  • Behavior in students that indicates potential trauma, fear, shame or stress.
  • What a trauma-impacted student does (and doesn’t) need to successfully participate and learn in a workshop setting.
  • How arts can be healing, and what particular skills can help to heal trauma.
  • The signs of secondary or vicarious trauma in themselves or in teaching partners.

Upon completion of the training, teaching artists can:

  • Provide moments of consistency, ritual, and choice-making in their workshop culture.
  • When a moment of trauma arises, provide students with a series of options that can help them release and regulate themselves through that moment.
  • Adapt their lesson plans into a trauma-informed model.
  • Adapt their facilitation practice into a trauma-informed model.
  • Responsibly address trauma by creating moments of positivity and healing in their workshops.
  • Find moments to guide students through personal reflection about themselves, to help them recognize and acknowledge positive traits.
  • Follow a safety plan for themselves and regularly incorporate self-care into their lives.
  • Support the ongoing continuation of a learning community at the conclusion of the training, if desired by the participants.

Structure of Training

Over the course of five, evening sessions, a cohort of up to 12 Philadelphia-area teaching artists will deeply engage in rigorous presentations by leaders in trauma-informed practice and its application in a range of artistic disciplines. Participants will be asked to complete outside reading and reflection questions and, when possible, test the strategies they are learning in real time in their classrooms.

Teaching Artists must commit to attend all five, 4-hour training sessions to be held via Zoom conferencing.

Who is Eligible?

  • Strong priority is given to Philadelphia-area teaching artists.
  • Teaching artists may work in any disciplines. 
  • Track record of at least three years of working with communities affected by trauma in- or out-of-school settings.
  • Committed to teaching artist work with young people (K-12) as a significant part of your creative practice.
  • Desire to be part of an ongoing learning community of teaching artists.

Your Commitment to Training

For our live training,  you agree to:

  • Be full present for all five, 4-hour training sessions. Class will take place entirely via Zoom video conferencing.
  • Prepare pre-work and be ready to contribute to each session to make workshop time efficient.
  • Engage in each session with focus, curiosity and an open mind.

Bartol Foundation Commitment to You

  • Convene practitioners in the field as presenters and participants who will bring knowledge and commitment to the training.
  • Create an organized, supportive virtual environment for learning including learning materials, screen breaks and follow-up as needed.
  • Listen fully to suggestions to improve the training both in real time and for future cohorts.
  • Support the ongoing continuation of a learning community at the conclusion of the training, if desired by the participants.
 

Stipend: Upon successful completion by teaching artists of all five sessions and a required project, the Bartol Foundation will provide a stipend of $200 to each teaching artist in recognition of their participation

© 2024 Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation      1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102      267-519-5310

© 2024 Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation

1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

267-519-5310

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