Mike Taylor and Patrick Ohslund provide a radically new perspective on how to generate personally and culturally relevant curriculum through their work in the upcoming non-profit Bay Area Creative.
Bay Area Creative: bayareacreative...
Patrick and Mike are the founders of Bay Area Creative a youth development agency that provides spoken word poetry and film making workshops at schools and community centers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their programs SPARC poetry and Digital Storytellers work with under-served students at over 30 sites in Elementary, Junior High and High Schools; in these programs curriculum is created that responds to the students’ lived experiences in and outside of the classroom. This allows for a customized teaching and learning experience that responds to the humanity of teachers and students by building on strengths, cultural experiences and identities. Mike and Patrick are both nationally ranked spoken word poets and have toured internationally performing their original work in Guatemala, London and Canada. When we tell our stories we find the places we connect. Mike Taylor writes poems that tell his own story while uncovering feelings most people can relate to. He is a three time competing National slam poet and has been performing spoken word on large stages internationally for 15 years. In 2008 Mike won the San Francisco Teen Slam and also competed at Nationals in Washington DC that same year. He was also featured as an upcoming poet on the documentary Brave New Voices which aired on HBO, and in 2012 he won the International Farrago Poetry Slam in London. He has since performed at schools and businesses including Google, and RU-vid.
Ten years ago as a freshman at San Francisco State University, he Founded SPARC Poetry to introduce spoken word to elementary students in the Bay Area. In 2011, SPARC Poetry received full sponsorship for the Pacifica district and is now being offered in 13+ schools in Pacifica, Hayward, and Richmond. SPARC Poetry is designed to help students conquer stage fright at an early age. The curriculum is built to fit different student needs, focusing on ways to enjoy the English language, methods to engage in self reflection, and opportunities to advocate for social change. He is also a Program Director of the umbrella company Bay Area Creative which connects organizations that foster growth through writing.
Patrick is a...
Teaching artist at Digital Storytellers
Poet at Berkeley Poetry Slam
Studied Educational research at McGill University
Studied Philosophy at UCSC This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
16 сен 2024
