Strategies for Successful Residencies

Here are some observations from Birgitta De Pree:

• “You work in different capacities with different people. Some [teachers] are willing to take a big risk. Some others just want to have a feel for what you do. I’ve found that once they see it in action and have experienced it — gotten over that they’re not going to be put on the spot and realize that it’s an enjoyable and applicable and important thing — then you go further.”
• “When they see the teacher playing with the kids — that’s huge. It’s huge to see the teacher taking a risk. It’s huge for the teacher to take a risk. But it’s amazing what message that gives to a kid.”
• “One of the ways I know kids are learning or have grown is when they can evaluate their own work, can articulate what they’ve done — and by the observations they make about the work of other people or the play of other people.”
• “I don’t think that I can teach like another teacher or that another teacher can teach like I teach. [I feel most successful] when I feel like I’ve given something to a teacher ... [who] can get excited about finding their own way to do it.”