In the Classroom - Dynamic Learning

CKE helps Learning Specialists, Educators & Therapists gain better understanding and integration of Sensory-Motor approaches to help children achieve academic empowerment. Learn techniques to:

• Focus their attention and energy
• Reduce stress and balance study stamina
• Optimize learning and studying capacity
• Utilize creative arts and movement to strategize and problem solve

Ask about CKE's:

• Relax To Focus^TM
• Brain & Body^TM program
• EyeOpeners^TM - www.EyesOpenMinds.com
• Neuro-Motor Assessments

Direct Student Services: Programs in Schools

The Center for Kinesthetic Education and Dr. Martha Eddy has been a vendor for the New York City Department of Education to provide professional development to school educators and therapists since 2004. CKE offers programming for in the Classroom, in Arts Education and for Recess Enhancement. These courses and additional school offerings a are also available for Independent schools and After-School programs. Each workshop can be adapted for any age group as well as for learners with diverse physical, emotional or learning disabilities (e.g. Inclusion, CTT), and ESL groups.

• In the Arts - CKE Dances!

  CKE Dances! offers programs for classroom and dance educators interested in using movement and dance to develop students' movement skills, dance-making ability and artistic expression. Our workshops are also designed to support academic learning, stress reduction and overall health and well-being. The mission of CKE is to share with youth and adults the importance of body awareness in understanding oneself and in interpersonal relationships. CKE Dances! fulfills this mission through dance.

  Four Courses of Learning for Students begun in 2007

  Each of the four courses of study are shaped to meet particular grade levels and curricula by addressing the NYS Standards and National Standards for the Arts, the Dance Blueprints and participating teacher's current curricula and concerns.

  • Moving Dialogues: Exploring Choreography

    Students learn about dance-making by exploring and performing basic movement elements and vocabulary; creating and showing their own dances; and viewing and discussing the works of professional dancers and choreographers. Dance Works at School is a component of the Moving Dialogues program that brings both emerging and experienced dance artists into the classroom to show, dance and talk with students. As part of our arts integrated model, we can develop lessons that are coordinated with specific subject areas covered in your school (e.g. literacy, social emotional learning, Spanish language acquisition, environmental/ecology, social studies, math)

  • Moving Math: Dance-Making using Mathematical Concepts

    Moving Math is a series of movement and dance lessons that incorporates sections of the specific math units being used at a particular school and shapes lessons and choreography from these math themes. Through a kinesthetic approach students increase their movement vocabulary and math skill using creative exploration of arithmetic functions and pattern-making.

  • Conflict Resolution/Bully Prevention and Performing Peace: Including the Bully

    Bullying happens dozens of times a day in overt and subtle ways. Sometimes it occurs intentionally and other times the perpetrator may not know how to behave in another way. Performing Peace: Including the Bully is a cooperative multi-disciplinary approach drawing from dance, theater, creative movement, somatic education and reflective thinking processes. It engages students in understanding and taking apart the nature of bullying and being bullied. We practice new responses through movement games and choreographing positive responses to a wide range of feelings.

  • Dancing with the Brain in Mind

    Students learn and practice movement sequences that develop better concentration and handling of challenging situations. Students are guided to create dance vignettes based on these neuro-developmental sequences. Different phases calm the body and invigorate the mind. The ensuing relaxation helps them focus more fully and be more present in all areas of their school day. Includes quick 3 - 5 minutes movement practices that can be used to help increase focus during classes, and relaxation strategies that can be helpful during testing and test prep.

• In the Yard - Peaceful Play

  Martha Eddy's Peaceful Play Programming creates a positive climate at recess, and connects a school's dance and physical education program to cooperative concepts that promote self-esteem. Components of Peaceful Play Programming include:

  • Evaluation of Recess Components
  • Appropriate Outdoor and Indoor Recess Programming
  • Help with Selection of Conflict Resolution or Peer Mediation Programming
  • Staff Support in Implementation
  • Recess Team Leadership - self-awareness, conflict resolution
  • Practice of Peaceful Play Recess Activities - Cooperative Games and Creative Play Options
  • Classroom Sessions on Conflict Resolution and Peaceful Play
  • Recess Peacekeepers and Peace Zones
  • School-wide communication about conflict, peace and community building
  • Facilitated Meetings for Aides, Teachers, and Specialists
  • Reviewing Procedures and Behavioral Management Strategies
  • Developing a School Recess Manual
  • Caring Community Programs Eddy works with school communities to improve caring aspects of the school. Her methods include:
  • School wide meetings to establish peaceable behaviors in school
  • Review of school behavioral code inclusive of consequences
  • Parent involvement in supporting caring behaviors and modeling peaceable behavior
  • Support for teachers in working with group dynamics that include cliques, bullying, covert aggression, and teasing.

  For more detailed information, download our fact sheet.

• At CKE or after-school sites - Tutoring & Socialization

  Socialization Groups for Kids: Movement Arts and Creative Play: An opportunity for children to practice their social and emotional skills while playing movement games and being involved with Movement Art Activities. Join a small group of children with mixed ages and abilities in creative exploration of movement for motor coordination and sensory balance combined with social interaction, creative, and academic goals.

Professional Development for Teachers

Professional development formats include workshops, model lessons, teacher support in the classroom or any combination of these.

• Conflict Resolution: through Movement and Dance

  Teachers learn to guide students to respond to conflict peacefully by using body language awareness and to manage anger by tuning in to bodily cues. Verbal and Non-verbal behavior for resisting bullying and dealing with difficult situations is practiced. If of interest they may be taught how to express moods through dance and then to use dance alone, with partners, and with groups to make positive choices in responding to their feelings.

• Dynamic Learning Skills

  Eddy trains teachers to integrate movement and/or dance into academic lesson plans to teach self-regulation and assist group transitions while supporting the kinesthetic learner. Teachers learn to give students whose greatest strength is bodily expression a leadership role. They also can help children who have been isolated or bullied due to physical differences become more physically confident and appreciated parts of the community. Eddy also trains teachers to lead movement sequences to relax students who are dealing with complex feelings and/or the stress of school or test-prep.

• Teachers Supervision Group

  This is a periodic seminar/laboratory for educators using movement in the classroom, dance studio or theater. The topics we discuss range from the inclusion of children with diverse learning disabilities and special needs, neuro-developmental perspectives (brain-based learning), appropriate assessment protocols for movement/dance learning, and incorporating community-building and conflict resolution. During each session we may also discuss, brainstorm and explore teaching an academic subject through movement-based experiential learning as well as focusing on dance pedagogy.

Program Evaluation

Dr. Martha Eddy serves as a consultant providing assessment, professional development and support for administrators and teachers working to integrate arts programs into their schools.

• Program Assessment for Arts Programs

  1. Best Practices in Movement Education (Dance, Fitness, Movement and Physical Education)
  2. Integration of Brain-based Movement Lessons and Assessment
  3. Solving Scheduling and Spatial Constraints for Movement Programs (Auditorium, Gym, Hallway, Studio Usage)
  4. Teaching Practices: Modeling and Applying Socio-emotional Learning Strategies

• Program Assessment in the Arts, Dance, Gymnasium, Theater, Therapy or Fitness Setting

  1. Bridging Movement Goals with Academic Curriculum
  2. Physical Best and FitGram Assessment for Fitness Goals (obesity, diabetes, asthma)
  3. 3. Using Nuero-Motor Parameters and Laban Movement Analysis to Assess Students and/or Develop Movement Arts Curricula
  4. Teacher/Specialist Support for Best Practices in Socio-Emotional Skill-building