How does one harness creativity for relevant learning?

This is what Cartwheel Foundation, Inc.’s Education Coordinator Bricks Sintaon shared as one of the panelists at the Arts Educators Forum with the theme, “Enabling Arts and Creativity Learning in the 21^st Century” held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on October 25, 2016. It was a gathering of arts educators, practitioners, and managers from all over the country, where there was an enriching and insightful learning exchange among the participants throughout the day.

Bricks shared Cartwheel’s approaches in facilitating learning through innovation: with the use of indigenized instructional materials, in developing indigenized curricula for partner communities, and in strengthening resilience through the expressive arts.

“Sinisiguro natin ang patuloy na pagtubo ng mga mag-aaral sa kanilang pagkatuto sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang klase ng sining. Ito ay mga paraang ikinatutuwa ng mga bata. Ang mga gawain dito ay gumagamit ng mga bagay-bagay mula sa sarili nilang kapaligiran, na patutungo rin sa mas malalim na pagkilala sa mga bahagi ng sarili nilang konteksto. Dito naitataguyod ang tunay na pagkatuto.”

(“We ensure the children’s learning development by using various arts; these are ways that are ‘child-friendly.’ These involve fun activities that use the many things from their own environment, leading them to a deep appreciation of what surrounds them. This is what establishes real learning.”)

Cartwheel is most grateful to CCP Arts Education Department for reaching out with such meaningful opportunities, enabling continued growth in learning about the richness and power of art.