Open House believes the arts are not a luxury but instead an essential part of cognitive development. The arts promote the development of motor skills, language, decision making, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and visual learning.
After researching a variety of organizations and individuals, Open House has chosen these appealing and enjoyable offerings that will support deep learning for the children. The following is a description and links for the organizations and Teaching Artists.
Social and Emotional Learning: Play Group
Open House is working with two exceptional teachers to further develop social emotional learning at our school. We have begun small “Play Group” meetings during the school day led by Becky Thomas, one of the founding teachers from PlayGroup Social Skills Groups – https://www.joinplaygroupnyc.com. The playgroups are full of rich play, meaningful connections and so much fun. Our plan is that having the small group meet in a quieter physical area, and be led by a trained teacher will increase the depth of play and social connections for the children. We think that all our children will benefit from this type of led, small group play.
Movement: ChristinaNoel Reaves
Christina came to us as a movement specialist in 2017, bringing her unique and entrancing mix of dramatic play, exploration, and dance language to our children. In 2019 she added working as an assigned associate teacher in the Nest and Pond Rooms to her dance specialist teaching schedule. We found her unceasing enthusiasm, creativity, and focus to be infectious. Christina now teaches each classroom every day, in all different kinds of weather, and her movement class has become an indispensable part of the Open House curriculum. Christina has a BA in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University and an MFA in dance from NYU Tisch School. When she is not working with children in Open House, she teaches dance to other young children and serves as the artistic director / founder / manager / choreographer of her own professional dance theater company, ChristinaNoel & The Creature, and her own pre-professional youth ensemble, The Ephyras.
Visual Art: Lia Zuvilivia
We met Lia when she led a teachers’ professional development workshop at MoMA. The workshop was run by Studio-in-a-School, an organization she has worked with for many years. We were so inspired by what they are doing and, even more importantly, how they are doing it, that we set out to see if they would work with us! Open House is very fortunate to have been able to privately contract with Lia to work with us.
Lia has a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education and several degrees in visual arts. She takes the children through a thoughtful, hands-on exploration of many different visual arts media. Lia will also work with the teachers to develop a plan to extend each particular area of exploration.
While we are not working directly with Studio-in-a-School, here are some links that will give you an idea about the type of visual arts curriculum that they inspire us to use at Open House.
Yoga: Talia Weisz
Talia Weisz is a certified yoga instructor and children’s yoga specialist. She completed her 200-hour therapeutic yoga teacher training at Abhyasa Yoga Center, continuing studies in yoga anatomy with The Breathing Project, and multiple children’s yoga trainings through Little Flower Yoga, Bija Kids, Karma Kids and Street Yoga. In addition, she is a certified Movement & Mindfulness teacher with Move with Me Yoga Adventures. Talia teaches yoga in preschools, daycares and elementary schools across Brooklyn. She loves seeing her students grow inside and out, building strength, balance and coordination, as well as focus, compassion and teamwork skills. She is grateful for the opportunity to help kids of all ages connect with their breath, explore how their bodies move, and learn lifelong tools for self-care and regulation. You can learn more about Talia at http://taliaweisz.com
Theater: Red Carpet Improv
More than a performance activity, improvisation is a powerful learning instrument that teaches children to use their imagination, to improve their listening and observation skills, and to be present in the moment. It is an important tool of creativity for all children, from outgoing to shy. The art of improvisation builds self-confidence, self-esteem, and creativity. Through songs, games, exercises, and scenes, children learn to follow their instincts and allow their personalities to shine through. They also learn how to read non-verbal cues — a very important skill for effective communication.
Red Carpet Improv founders, Eva Shure and Craig Saslow, developed this curriculum over many years of working with children. Eva graduated Northwestern University with a Masters in Acting from the Actors Studio and attended The Second City Improv Training Center in Chicago. Craig is a graduate of Cornell University and attended The Groundlings Improv Training Center in Los Angeles.
Music & Clowning: Phyllis Capello, the Ukulele Lady
Classes with Phyllis bring out the musical ham! Phyllis’s encyclopedic knowledge of music — folk, jazz, blues, ragtime, roaring 20s, fabulous 40s, & swinging 60s — has earned her the moniker “The Walking Jukebox.” She can play them all on the ukulele! And sing them, too!
When she’s not working in early childhood classrooms, Phyllis works in the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit, providing diverting, gentle entertainment to children undergoing cancer and other medical treatments.