The document outlines various arts education initiatives and projects in Nicaragua, Ghana, and New York, focusing on enhancing children's literacy and creative skills through dramatic play and arts programs. It emphasizes the importance of play in developing self-regulation and social skills among children with diverse backgrounds and learning disabilities. The author draws on educational theories to argue that dramatic play helps children learn self-control and achieve long-term success.

1. Arts Education
The hard, serious work of playing pretend!

2. A Versatile Arts Learning Initiative
Nicaraguan Municipal Library: Developed project proposal,
curriculum, and procured funding for Arts & Literacy program at
the Municipal Library. Established outreach program and sustained a
program of 27+ children. Discovered & addressed learning
disabilities.
Nicaraguan Children’s Radio: Designed web site for outreach &
funding opportunities.
Ghanaian Middle School: Developed project proposal, curriculum,
and procured funding for Arts & Language program at the Zo Simli
Naa school. Coordinated a performance for major donors and
supportive organizations, which greatly enhanced library resources.
Ghana’s Gifted Program: Tutored and test-prepped scholarship
students.
New York Church: Developed foreign-language component in Sunday
School. Taught children from diverse backgrounds with various
developmental disabilities. Helped prepare students for admission to
affiliated pre-first program.

3. Experience in
Early Child Development
Sunday School Teacher, ages 2-12 Second Presbyterian Church, NYC (2000-2005)
Day Care Supervisor, ages 3-10 Alexander Robertson School, NYC (2002-2005)
After-School Test Prep Teacher, 7th Grade, Summerbridge of Greater Philadelphia (2005)
Live-In ESL & Literacy Teacher, ages 4, 8, 10 Private Residence, France (2003 & 2004)
ESL & Performing Arts Teacher, ages 7-17 Zo Simli Naa School, Ghana (2006)
Literacy & Dramatic Arts Teacher, ages 4-19 Esteli Municipal Library, Nicaragua (2008)
Children’s Radio Guest Facilitator, ages 7-19 Esteli’s Radio Cumiches, Nicaragua (2008)
French, Spanish, Math tutor for children with learning disabilities, Private Residencies
(2003-2009)

4. “The key to developing self-regulation
is play, and lots of it. The necessary
ingredient is what (child development
scholars) Leong and Bodrova call
‘mature dramatic play’: complex,
extended make-believe scenarios,
involving multiple children and lasting
for hours, even days.”
“Blur the line a bit between what is
work and what is play... Children in Nicaragua hone their creative executive function and
cooperation skills while building a human machine!
Just because something is effortful and
difficult and involves some amount of One child repeats a sound and action of his/her choice.
By turn, each child adds on his or her own sound
constraint doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.” and movement until the machine is up and running.
Pay attention! Sometimes the director pushes a button to gradually
Tough, Paul. “Can the Right Kinds of Play Teach Kids Self-Control?” New York Times, slow down or speed up its progress!
The School Issue: Preschool. 25 September 2009.

5. “Children acting out a dramatic scene can control their impulses much better than
they can in nonplay situations.”
The search for inspiring
Script-writing
characters

6. “Dramatic play, [Vygotsky] said, is the training ground where children learn to regulate
themselves... When children follow the rules of make-believe and push one another to follow those
rules, they develop important habits of self-control.”
“The ability of young children to control their emotional
and cognitive impulses, it turns out, is
a remarkably strong indicator of
both short-term and long-term success
academic and otherwise.”

7. Through dramatic play, we can articulate our goals & dreams
in the midst of conflict.
Through writing and performing, we pursue a game-plan to
achieve them!