My Living
Body
SOMATIC MOVEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR KIDS
The body, our bodies, can be thought of, described and experienced in many ways: as vehicles for consciousness, tools with which we achieve performance.
Somatic Movement Education invites to see the body as the physical expression of us, human beings, within this world.
I deeply believe that by exploring our living body, we can lay a strong basis for a growing sense of self, a self without so much conflict between body language and verbal language, between the intellect and emotions. Somatic Movement Education includes processes by which the absent or invisible body becomes more present or visible. It can be a place where non-judgmental acceptance of the self can be born.
This course is designed for primary school children but can be easily adapted for teenagers and young adults.
STRUCTURE
The course consists of 36 lessons which are supported by and designed to explore different qualities of 8 main body systems (Skin, Skeletal and Connective Tissue Systems, Organs, including Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Digestive, Urogenital systems, Muscular System, Fluid Systems, Nervous System, Endocrine System, Immune System & Psychoneuroimmunology).
The course material is learned through games, creative tasks, movement exercises which are supported by a variety of songs, images and videos. The course also integrates development movement patterns and reflexes. Due to experiential way of learning, the gained knowledge settles deeply in the body.
The material can be taught in Lithuanian and English.
A more detailed description of the program can be found here.
INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND ART
The integration of art and science during lessons is discovered throgh various creative tasks and can be clearly felt during a one-year creative project - an anatomical body creation of the character chosen by a child.
The duration of one lesson can be 45 minutes or 1.5 hours. During the first 45 minutes we learn and experience certain qualities of the specific body system. The next 45 minutes can be devoted to a year-long project - creating the human size body of the character chosen by a child.
IMPORTANT
We focus on the creative process, not the result.
Experiment — one of the main ways of exploring.
Practical work and reflections, both are used in the lessons.
Therapeutic experiential space is available.
The principles of Somatic Education are applied.
Children of any cognitive level and physical ability can participate in the learning process.
PARTNERS
Vilnius Children and Youth Art Gallery