Kathya Alexander
Organization Details
| Name | Kathya Alexander |
| URL | http://www.seattlestoryteller.com |
Organization Description
| Mission statement | I work with youth from kindergarten through high school in theater and writing workshops. My belief is that all students are gifted, and it is my responsibility to unlock the gift that each child brings to my workshop, to help them recognize their strengths, and to overcome their perceived limitations. My goal is to create a fun creative environment where each student can achieve their highest potential by bringing a positive attitude and high expectations into the classroom every single day. I do this by creating a culturally relevant environment where the students’ ideas are respected, where they can build on their skills, and yo create a safe community where they have ownership over the subject matter and control over the direction their learning takes. |
| Service(s) description | THE WRITE TO BREATHE PROJECT - Using improvisation techniques, youth create and present an original play conceived, written, and performed by the youth themselves on a topic of their choice. SCHOOL RESIDENCIES - Using improvisation techniques, youth create and present an original play conceived, written, and performed by the youth themselves on a topic chosen according to a theme the class is studying, i.e., Black History Month, Martin Luther King Day, etc., or a topic chosen by the school or teacher. HIGH RISK (VIOLENCE) AND JUVENILE JUSTICE/PROBATION YOUTH - My experience as a teaching artist also includes residencies for Freehold Theater at the Washington Correctional Center for Women and the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative in addition to several community based programs. |
| Program impact | Studies have shown that arts education can help students develop skills to help them do well academically and to succeed in life after high school. Theater teaches students teamwork, applause teaches them respect for themselves and others, and the public performance teaches them how to stay focused to achieve a goal. It is my job as a teacher to create a safe space where students can create spontaneously, fluidly, and fearlessly. I strive to give students the opportunity to be released from the rigor of the regular classroom, getting them up and moving their bodies with the opportunity to be loud, rambunctious, and utterly creative. So many of the students I teach have never been applauded for anything in their lives. My workshops give them the opportunity to feel what appreciation for a job well done feels like. |
Community programs are organized into categories known as Community School Elements. All community programs associated with Kathya Alexander are listed below and each program may be provided at 1 or more schools. You can use the 'Show Details' buttons to learn more about each program.
Racial/Cultural Identity (1 program)
Programs that support strong, positive identity development and understanding of one's culture grounded in the experiences of a student's racial/cultural group, and their own individual experiences as members of particular racial/cultural groups.