Artists-in-Schools › Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld

Artist's Narrative | Programs Available | Availability

Artist's Narrative

Mimi's special love, besides kids, is "creative education" - integrating the arts with every aspect of the curriculum, with an emphasis on movement and writing. She received a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of New York and has taught in the classroom and in educational programs ranging from Headstart to Upward Bound. From New York to Hawaii, she has worked with children of all ages, college students, in-service teachers and community groups in conferences, courses, workshops, and classes. She is on the staff of the Leo Yassenoff Jewish Center's Early Childhood Program, Days of Creation Arts Program, leads OSU's Hillel Foundation International Folk Dance program, and was the poetry component of the DepARTures program with the Columbus Museum of Art and Columbus Public Schools.  Mimi also teaches "Art Across the Curriculum" at Otterbein College each summer, and presents for the Columbus Metropolitan Library's summer children's programs.

Her children's novel, ''The House at 12 Rose Street,'' originally published in 1966, was adapted for a TV special in 1980. A recent collection of essays, ''Teaching By Heart,'' was published in 2001 by Redleaf Press. A 3rd edition of her text ''Creative Experiences for Young Children'' was published in 2002 by Heinemann Press. The NAEYC published a collection of her essays, ''Teaching in the Key of Life'' (1993). Numerous other articles, poems, and stories she has written have been published as well.  Her latest book is "Celebrating Young Children and Their Teachers," published jointly by Redleaf Press and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in 2007.

Mimi is the long time leader of the international folk dance program at OSU's Hillel Foundation. She has shared folk dancing with thousands and thousands of people in festivals  and folk dance sessions throughout  the state and throughout the country.

She travels extensively to "be with" teachers, university students, and parents across the country. Mimi is a regular guest on WOSU AM's Open Line program focusing on Creative Education. Inspiring all her work are these favorite words: "All of my children are prodigies." (Yiddish proverb) "The lesson that is not enjoyed is not learned." (Talmud) "I am still learning." (Michelangelo) "Teaching is one of the few professions that permits love." (Theodore Roethke) "Nothing witbout joy!" (motto of Reggio Emilio). Mimi has been the recipient of many wonderful honors and awards, but her favorite comes from a child who wrote, "Mimi, you're the Queen of Fun!"

Availability

Limited availability. Most dates will be scheduled by the artist, but she is unavailable all Tuesdays.

Programs Available

Celebration of Ideas with an Emphasis on Creative Writing (All grade levels )

Creative writing sessions (as are the Creative Movement sessions) are success-oriented, accessible, exciting, and challenging. They demonstrate the power, fun, beauty, and adventures of using language in creative ways. The writing activities encourage and provide easy access to daily writing: sense charts, word gatherings, "beginnings," "opposites," word explosions, time machine journals, pen pals, word categories, etc. As with the movement-centered sessions, writing activities are linked to all ideas and subject areas. Appreciation of language is fostered and respect for one's own work and the work of others is encouraged. Process rather than product is emphasized. Follow-up suggestions continue the energy. Teacher's presence and involvement is very important!

Activity Options:

Creative Writing

• Duration: 45-60 min.
• Fees: $300/half day; $450/full day plus $.40 per mile if out of the city area of Columbus
• Requirements: One class per session

Celebration of Ideas with an Emphasis on Creative Movement (All grade levels)

Movement is one of the oldest ways of learning, expressing ideas and feelings, and communicating. Through movement, we enrich our understanding of ourselves and others, concepts, all curriculum areas, group relations and language comprehension. Both students and teachers will rediscover the possibilities for learning inherent in movement arts. With children of all ages, we have explored movement components of hundreds of topics and themes: seasons, holidays, concepts/subject areas from ancient Egypt to outer space, from nursery rhymes to fairy tales, from Halloween to Martin Luther King's birthday, from the Seven Dwarfs to the Bill of Rights. We find there is no subject or idea that cannot be hallowed by adding the dimension of movement. Follow up activities in creative writing and art are always suggested. Teacher's presence and involvement is very important!

Activity Options:

Creative Movement

• Duration: 45-60 min.
• Fees: $300/half day; $450/full day plus $.40 per mile if out of the city area of Columbus
• Requirements: Maximum of 4 (1 hr) to 5 (45 min.) sessions per day.

International Folk Dance

• Duration: 45-60 min.
• Fees: $300/half day; $450/full day plus $.40 per mile if out of the city area of Columbus
• Requirements: Maximum of 4 (1 hr) to 5 (45 min.) sessions per day.

Folk Dances from Around the World (All grade levels)

All over the world,  people DANCE! This program is a celebration of easy, delightful, accessible dances from friends  across the country and across the globe. Every culture, every country, has its music, dance, stories. We are enriched by experiencing the joy of such gifts!

Activity Options:

Folk Dances from Around the World

• Duration: 45-60 min.
• Fees: $300/half day; $450/full day plus $.40 per mile if out of the city area of Columbus
• Requirements: Maximum of 4 (1 hr) to 5 (45 min.) sessions per day.

Complete a request form online, or download a printable copy.

Artists-in-Schools Homepage