Exploring Cynefin through Creative Expression

With the support of the Ashley Foundation GEM delivered a creative writing project working with museums in mid Wales. We partnered with creative writing facilitators in Wales to deliver museum workshops for schools to support pupil development in literacy, creative engagement as well as health and wellbeing. The project was coordinated by Emma Beynon, one of the creative writing facilitators. As part of the programme, museum staff and creative writing facilitators received training delivered by Dylan Thomas Centre.

Watch our film to hear from students, creative writing practitioners and museum staff and learn more about the project.

During the summer term each of the four writers led 4 half day workshops with pupils in the museums. Before the workshops the writers worked with the museum staff to develop activities using the artefacts in the museum to engage the pupils. The writers also worked closely with each other and the co-ordinator to ensure all of the workshops linked appropriately the Curriculum for Wales. The writers used a range of techniques to explore Cynefin. At the Military Museum the pupils looked at letters sent home by WW1 soldiers and were invited to write their own. At the Judge’s Lodgings artefacts from the Local WW2 Prisoner of War Camp were used to explore the idea of Cynefin in terms of welcoming a person seeking sanctuary.

The pupils were given freedom to explore key literary ideas and concepts as well as engage at word, sentence and text level to language tasks leading to a noticeable improvement in learners’ vocabulary, particularly amongst lower able. Increased engagement, empathy and independence. A challenge for some of our learners in a meaningful way.

(Teacher Feedback)

The Robert Owen Museum was very fun. The lessons were very intriguing to learn about the history about the Robert Owen Museum.

(Student Feedback)

I understand now how we could link concepts around Cynefin and the New Curriculum into our offering much better after this session.

(Museum Staff Feedback)