Lectures...

ARE YOU SCARED OF SPIDERS? 

LEARN TO DEFEAT THAT!

lectures with the subject 'spiders' with the meaning to diminish fear, anger and abomination by more knowledge of those creatures.  Suitable for children from 5 years old, children of the primary school, teenagers and adults, also in school as in society.

1.

Naturally, the children's book ‘JUSTIN’ wasn't enough to abate this universal spider-fear. Don't forget that spiders are on the second place of the top ten list of the most gruesome animals.  Therefore we matched to this book with a lecture. It became a  dia-lecture from 45 - 60 minutes wich received as title: 

‘THOSE HAIRY, ICKY CREATURES’   

Nowadays there are two versions. One for the second and the other for the third degree of the primary school. To say it with other words for children of class 3 and 4 (8-10 years) and children from class 5 and 6 (11-12 years)

First of all we try to relax with the help of some nice exercises. And when we are calm and decreased as tiny as a bug, we travel in mind to an imaginated big forest. In the woods we meet hundreds of spiders.  Those eight-legged animals introduce us into their world, the silent and  mysterious spiderworld. So we learn a lot of the spider's lifestyle and his typical habits. After a while our guides will offer us some real spider-secrets and also a good tip how we can forget our fear for spiders...

2.

Parents and teachers suggested that we had forgotten that little children also could use some spider-knowledge. Because what the young have learned, is well learned.  Thus I wrote ‘THE SPIDER AND HIS WEB’ a view-, read- and colourbook for children from 4 years and older, beautifully illustrated by Renate Caals (Spider). After publishing that book, I created a 20 - 30 minutes during interaction-play for children from 5 years old, with the title:  

‘OF COURSE SPIDERS ARE REALLY GOOD’  

This interaction-play is a simple talk between a  spider-puppet, the toddlers and the narrator.  It's a lovely  way to teach young children something about spiders. And be sure, mom or dad don't have to kill a spider anymore!  In that way parents (and some teachers also) learn from their children how to manage their spider-fear.   

3.

And what can we do with children between five and seven? This group is very difficult, you can correct them and teach them also to manage their own spider-fear.

First of all we make up a few rules and try to relax.  Of course there is a big imagination time-machine, where we all can enter.  So we surf the little spider-world and gather all our ideas.  Together we create a picture-album, full of adventure. Starting from that well founded story-idea we take a big walk in the spider-world. That isn't scarey, because they are just pictures. Step by step the children learn a lot about spiders and their behaviour and the summation: a real truce to teach themselves about decreasing their anger. The title of this picture-story?

  ‘A VOYAGE TO A SECRET, SILENT WORLD OF SPIDERS’

Here we also have two versions. One for 5 years and the other for the first degree of the primary school. To say it with other words for children of the last class for toddlers and children from class 1 and 2 (6 - 7 years). Time: about 40 - 50 minutes.

4.

For teenagers from 13 years and adults  the lecture named ‘ARACHNOFOLIA’ was composed. There is a choice between a version in two parts of  50-60 minutes. Of course there is a pause. But some prefer the short version 60 minutes. 

Arachnofolia goes mainly over spiders who live in our country.  The meaning is to give the information as a sort of adult-story.  We are introduced to the spider-world and learn a lot about their behaviour, way of life and fascinating habits. And the more you know, the less fear you have. Isn't that true? 

THE MEANING OF THESE LECTURES:        

to decrease anger and fear by giving more information and a personal method to succeed for yourself. By all the lectures live spiders (tarantulas) are present, so everyone who wants can start to practice and/or show that the fear is decreased. Yes, the spiders will walk upon their hands.

CHILDREN's WORK ABOUT 'SPIDERS'

a selection:

Pictures: 

teachers - 4th class primary school, Sint Montfort Basisschool - Kontich