Creative Teacher’s Toolbox

About this class

The Creative Teacher’s Toolbox program provides teachers a set of creative tools to apply enriching teaching methodologies into their classrooms. Via the hands-on and philosophical approaches, the participants will enhance their pedagogical practice towards active learning, new strategies that foster critical thinking in the classroom and encourage innovative dialogue.  

Design Thinking by Farah Al Taweel 
This class explores the concept and practice of Design Thinking as a tool that can aid in improving and reviving learning experiences. The goal is to look at the different ways that design thinking can be learned and taught in order to problem solve, experiment, and measure improvement for the desired change. Participants will be able to process the different ways that Design Thinking can be applied and utilized as a life skill, which goes hand in hand with current economic needs and changes.

An Artistic Approach by Charlene Diane Kasdorf
Hands-on, invigorating, and rooted in educational pedagogy, these sessions build artistic confidence in adults who work with children, so that they might be more empowered to enable creative opportunities in children.

Each session will engage participants in a themed artistic lesson and allow for spontaneous and unexpected outcomes. Participants will utilize a purposeful selection of techniques, mediums, and tools. The time is intended to be engaging and enjoyable for the collective group, thereby studying creative development in the practice of it. Following the lesson, the group will reflect on select elements of educational pedagogy and link divergent perspectives, such as videos pertaining to physical literacy, music literacy, contemporary artists, and art therapy. Participants will connect learnt knowledge to children’s creative artwork and apply pertinent insight into their own expertise.

Class Outline

Design Thinking by Farah Al Taweel 

Defining Design Thinking 

1. History 

2. Design Thinking Today 

3. Does it work? 

4. Exercises 

An Artistic Approach by Charlene Diane Kasdorf

1. London Hats: Extreme Marks & Limited Colour Palettes 

LINKED to: Design Thinking: Observation & Offering more than “I like…”

2. Parisian Café: Keyline & Collaboration

LINKED to: The Reggio Emilia Approach: Documentation & Exploration

3. Our Illustrated & Animated Wildlife: Masking & Colour

LINKED to: Art Therapy & Colour: Security & Exploration

 4. Strolling Doha’s Souq: Contrast vs. Repetition, and Visual-Verbal Interplay

LINKED to: Visual Literacy: Symbols & Beginning to Draw

5. REM’s Dream State: Self Actualization & Play

LINKED to: The Maker’s Movement & Vision Reconstruction

Materials needed

Please note: VCUQatar reserves the right to cancel classes for which not enough participants are registered. Already paid fees will be refunded.

Please do not purchase materials until VCUQatar has sent final course confirmation.

Items to buy for this class

On occasions, there may be some more materials to be bought and brought in if and when advised by the instructor.

Where to buy your materials

Most of the materials are available from any art supply shop, for example:

• Cass Art (Fire station): Community Classes students get a 15% discount upon presenting the registration ticket
• Jarir Bookstore: on Rayyan Road or Salwa Road
• Color Note: on Al Nasser Street
• Ibn Al Qayyim: at Markhiya Roundabout
• Al Rawnaq

Schedule

Start:
End:
Lessons: 5
Days: Sunday through Thursday (Dates are tentative)
Time: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: VCUarts Qatar
Cost: QAR 1500

Instructors

Register

To register for this course, access the form.