Hi all...stumbled across this site and had to join   I'm enjoying going thru the forum and am getting tons of info..thanks!

I teach puppetry in the schools in the Los Angeles area and am with Jim Gamble's Puppet Productions.  My students create all kinds of puppets using a variety of materials (polyfoam, styrofoam, recycled products, etc.)  We usually end up dragging them all onto stage for culminating performances.  The most recent one, we had Julie Taymour-inspired animal body puppets we built out of polyfoam--a whole lotta work but we had great fun

....looking forward to chatting puppets with you all  

Welcome to Puppets and Stuff..................... We are glad you found us too. We would Love to hear more about puppetry and education. Perhaps you could help direct others that members at P&S how to use there talents to help educate others. We would love to see some pictures of the puppets the children have built. Look forward to hear more from you.

Billy D.

Welcome!!  I too would love to hear more about what you do - I am teaching a class for teachers in my area on how to use puppetry in the classroom because there is NOTHING available for teachers here.  Being a trained teacher myself who has used puppetry in my classroom I saw a great need to teach others.  Any information you can pass on would be GREAT!!  You will love it here at P&S!

Yes, very  to P&S

Thanks for the welcome

I'll try and get some pics up soon...

and LJ...I do teacher in-services quite often, offering not only various puppet projects but also how they can tie into curriculum standards.  Here in CA, we have the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) standards that teaching artists connect to.  I work with the LA Music Center Education Dept--they have a whole slew of different artists that get booked into the schools.

I'm always looking for projects that I can present to teachers and have them feel confident enough to try teaching on their own.  Though I do a lot of classroom work using polyfoam, I do have many projects that use materials that are more easily obtained.  Recyclables, classroom materials (construction paper, etc), and basic craft supplies (styro balls, fabric)...

I've also started presenting a neat Toy Theatre idea to students.  I buy small $1 store toys (small figures, cars, plastic animals, etc) and the students create a scene with them in a shoebox.  They make paper scenery and we attach straws to the small characters and slip them thru holes and tracks we cut out in the box so they have movement.  They then have to write about the scene and present their boxes to the class.  Sort of like the diorama idea, but with a theater/puppet kick to them--I call them DramaRamas

Thanks for some great ideas!  Do you have anything published that I could purchase to help me in preparing for the class I am going to teach - California is a bit far for me!!

Hi again...I just picked up that you're in the Netherlands...?  At any rate, yes, quite a distance, lol

I don't have anything published per say (I'm in the process of putting together a manual) but what I can do is send you a couple of ideas via email...?

What kind of things do you already present to teachers?   Are you wanting more project ideas?  Or specific connections to curriculum?

Hello and welcome!

Teaching with puppets is a great venue. I just sent one puppet to a teacher in Santa Ana. Is that anywhere near you?

Welcome to a great community: P&S.
I hope, with all the others to hear a lot of you, and the things you do.
I'm also a teacher and it's always great fun the read what others do... it gives new blood to what I do.

Johan

I heard about your programs in California I meet two people who head your arts program with a package that is given to teachers on integrating puppets into the education system.  Your program is set up to meet the standards of the educational system.....you also do check in's to support any other concerns that the teachers may have the the plan.  I forget the ladies name off hand but we had a great chat and was planning to connect with her. 

I also do the educational, churches, libraries and other social services as well as children/youth and adults workshops.   I do one almost weekly and enjoy it very much.  Each booking brings on new challenges and ideas.....I really base the workshops on the needs of the people who are booking it.  This helps to expand my knowledge with each workshop because of the variety of ages and community programs that I do. 

I have been so busy at times that I almost think of going full time but worry because of the recession we are in.  I also make puppets professionally for film and theatre this has been doing very well.  I am in the middle of putting together my first production but don't think that I will be ready for the summer (as I hoped).....okay enough about me.

Welcome and glad that you shared a bit about yourself and hope to see pictures from your program....it is important and a great service to teach others this great medium....glad to meet another educator of the arts.  Keep us in the loop.

Daryl H