The Birch Lane PTA recently helped teach kids how to juggle, spin plates and stilt walk, among many other skills designed to help improve hand/eye coordination, fine tune motor skills, build self confidence and boost school performance — all while making kids excited about trying new things.
The school’s physical education department, through a partnership with the PTA and its Arts in Education program, brought the circus skills program Cirque du Jour to Birch Lane. The company’s one-week curriculum, “Extreme Interactive Hands Circus Skills School,” is designed for children of all ages. Taught by instructors who are graduates of clown college and other performing arts programs, Cirque du Jour uses age- and grade-appropriate lessons to teach kids all about an active life in the circus.
Organizers said the most interesting part of the event is that children participating have so much fun that they don’t realize they are building their imaginations and developing school-specific skills that help improve penmanship, literacy, self-esteem and storytelling. And the children tend to feel comfortable enough to try what is essentially a completely new activity to them.
The Cirque du Jour program was funded by Birch Lane’s PTA Arts in Education, an initiative designed to bring innovative arts and creative-based programs into the schools. These programs strengthen critical-thinking, cognitive and creative skills and build upon lessons and curriculum that are being used within the classroom.
