Children's Cross-Cultural Workshops

prostor
718/784-9121
fax: 718/784-1858
a n n o u n c e m e n t s

Children's Cross-Cultural Workshops 2004-2005

1. A Brief Summary of the project

The workshops will accommodate both the creative (artistic) and cross-cultural components. They are designed for children ages 4-12 from different parts of former Yugoslavia currently living in the tri-state area. We believe children will benefit greatly by improving their own knowledge of the Bos./Cro./Serb. language, and by gaining cultural competence and perceptions of cross-cultural issues through creative art workshops. Learning will become part of the fun!

The workshops will be filled with engaging materials and necessary tools for children to experiment with new ideas and apply skills they have already mastered. Children will explore through planned activities which incorporate language, art, writing, sculpture, cultural studies, and peace studies. Children will be able to experiment with engaging and new materials. We will use materials that encourage learning such as flash cards, photos and puppets. Workshops will be conducted in Bosnian and English with emphasis on cross-cultural issues, sensitivity and context.

The workshops will be lead by Tea Rozman-Clark, who will speak to children in Bosnian at all times; she will be assisted by an intern, Allison Gardner, who will be speaking in English.

Tea, who is also Raccoon's Program Coordinator has a degree in Social Pedagogy and spent seven years in Slovenia, Bosnia, Albania and Africa, conducting children's art workshops. Alison, second generation Slovenian, received her undergraduate degree in Art Photography and in currently enrolled in the Art Therapy MA program at The School of Visual Arts in New York.

The activities will take place in Raccoon Space. Parents will take turns bringing refreshments for all the kids for each workshop. Suggested donation is $5/child/workshop ($30 per semester). Please, look at our Children Workshops in 2003-2004!

For 9 months, one Saturday a month will be dedicated to this workshop. Please make a note of it and bring your kids 4-12 years of age to this exciting, creative, cross-cultural classes. Note: This workshop replaces one formerly held by Barbara Cvejik, art therapist.

2. The goals of the activity:

Expected outcomes: We will be directing the children toward an understanding of self and identity, of families, social groups, religions, nature, food and geography - all elements of their specific cultures. Furthermore, we hope the children will improve their knowledge of the Bos./Cro./Serb. language. Parents are welcome to come and relax; drink coffee/tea and chat with other parents while their children create interesting and useful products. It they want they can get creative themselves!

Targeted audience/participants: Children ages 4-12 from different parts of former Yugoslavia currently living in the tri-state area.

Outreach efforts: Timeline and description of workshops will be posted on Raccoon Announce once a month. We will advertise the workshops in Raccoon's Newsletter. Parents of the children who attend the workshops in the previous years will be sent regular e-mail updates. Fall and Spring semester flyers will be made and distributed. An email flyer with imbedded image that can be shared and forwarded to individuals who are not on our email list will be created.

3. Proposed time frame for the activity:

Title of the Workshop	Description of the Workshop	Date Saturday 11am
FALL SEMESTER
1. Warm Welcome Workshop	At our September workshop children will paint wooden gliders or decorate and paint mini tote bags	9/18/04
2. Halloween Workshop	Children will make creative Halloween masks out of rainbow bags. Each child will tell who their mask represents and we will translate the names to different languages from former Yugoslavia. Younger children will paint fans.	10/16/04
3. Animal Kingdom Workshop	We will introduce children to the variety of wooden animal shapes which they will paint and make refrigerator magnets out of! We will learn words for these animals in Bos./Cro./Serb. language. Younger children will have additional choice of making paper puppets.	11/20/04
4. New Year Workshop	Children will make creative New Year cards. We will translate "Happy New Year" in all the different languages of former Yugoslavia. We will also make fantastic ornaments.	12/18/04
5. Puppet Workshop	Children will make creative puppets out of felt hand mitts! Puppets will "come alive" and introduce the children.	1/15/05
SPRING SEMESTER
6. Valentine's Workshop	Children will make beautiful heart mobiles or paint heart-shaped boxes. They will learn words like: love, hope, joy, caring, goodness, sharing, freedom, gratitude, peace, kindness, friendship in Bos./Cro./Serb. language.	2/12/05
7. Spring Workshop	Children will sculpt flowers of their choice out of play dough with the help of different clay tools. We will learn names of different flowers in Bos./Cro./Serb. Language.	3/12/05
8. Frog Workshop	Pull the string and watch the frog jump! Children will paint the die-cut cardboard pieces that will, once fastened, turn into a jumping frog.	4/16/05
9. Mother's Day Workshop	Leather craft! Children will make impressive leather coin purses. Younger children will make Native American bracelets. Both will be a perfect gift for mother, grandmother, teacher, etc.	5/7/05
10. Father's Day Workshop	Children will paint and decorate wooden picture frames . Their frame will be a perfect gift for their fathers, once they insert a beautiful photograph. Note: Bring photos!	6/18/05

how to find us
43-32 22nd Street, Suite (buzzer) 301 in Long Island City, between 43th and 44th Avenue subway to 23rd Street, Ely Avenue o n e subway stop away from Manhattan

This project was made possible by a generous grant from The New York Foundation