"I think a lot can be done with this kind of project to encourage both parents and teachers to understand the children's learning processes and also the amazing things they can achieve given the right environment and opportunity[...]I think what you are achieving is outstanding" - Matthew Taylor, MP
"This is excellent stuff" - Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England
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What does a Theatre of Learning or an Exhibition involve?Establishing a partnership with local authorities, primary schools and other children’s services across education, early years, health, police, and preventive services with the explicit aim of improving and augmenting services by means of sustained parental engagement. Schools and other settings inviting groups of children and parents to take part and working with BWT to sustain this participation. Practitioners in every setting take part in shared reflection with parents and BWT staff as well as attending more specific professionally focused development days. Bringing parents, children and practitioners together within a defined locality as a community of learners in workshops and other events such as exhibitions to demonstrate children’s creativity and learning. Creating a filmed record of the activities so that parents and practitioners can reflect afterwards on the learning of the children and build a new platform for their own parental and professional development. Ensuring the involvement of many groups across the community including very young children; young people at the end of their school careers; adult learners across the age range developing their skills; experienced practitioners developing their professional practice, and community groups seeking to deepen their contribution to social and economic renewal. The creation of a permanent archive of locally authored research stories supported by multi-media documentation that can be used as a commissioning source and other planning activity. The strategic creation of opportunities for collective self-employment and accreditation among local parents seeking to work alongside BWT staff and sub-contractors to deliver the local events and workshops. The opportunity to involve the whole community in designing and improving public services through the systematic presentation of locally owned and researched information. Running professional development days for practitioners across the locality. Why do exciting things with children? Left to their own devices, children will play and play, so why bother with the elaborate preparations involved in theatres of learning and exhibitions? There are several reasons. Overall involvement with theatres of learning since October 2006 Overall involvement with exhibitions since December 2004
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