Teaching Artistry
Lorena Santana has over 25 years experience as a TA. Her journey as a TA began with the Old Globe Theatre's Teatro Meta Program. She has since worked as a Teaching Artist with San Diego Unified School District, Young Audiences (San Diego and NYC), Arts Education Connection, San Diego, and La Jolla Playhouse. Her teaching focuses on, but is not limited to, devised theatre — a process of theatre-making originating from collaborative, often improvisatory work. She also teaches Professional Development courses and plans residencies that range from one day to eighteen week collaborations.
Ms. Santana served a term in AmeriCorps, was a finalist in the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence Program, and is the recipient of a Center for Cultural Innovation California Arts Leaders Investments Grant.
Young Audiences New York • Arts for Learning, San Diego • La Jolla Playhouse • Old Globe Theatre • High Tech High School • Audubon Elementary • Golden Hills Elementary • High Tech Middle Media • Chavez Elementary • Thrive Charter School • Harborside Elementary • Rosa Parks Elementary • Summer Bridge UCSD
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Arts For Learning, San Diego Unified School District, San Diego, CA
Arts Education Connection, National City School District, San Diego, CA
COMMUNITY ART MAKING WORKSHOPS
YMCA, Harlem & Queens, NY
Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership, San Diego, CA
TEACHING
Arts Education Connection San Diego (formerly Arts For Learning) + La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, CA, 02/2014 - Current
Freelance Teaching Artist
Creating arts-integrated projects and lessons for K-6 students
Collaborating with classroom teachers to create engaging curriculum that supports academic content through the arts
Organizing culminating events that showcase classroom lessons
Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership/JCNI, San Diego, CA, 09/2016 - 08/2017
Family Engagement Coordinator
Recruiting parents and leading family engagement meetings
Encouraging and teaching storytelling and reading techniques so families can converse, listen, and read together / Organizing events such as free book booths, Read Across America, and community dinners
Conception and implementation of “Diamond Discovery Days,” a complimentary program that invites families from Southeast San Diego to visit museums in Balboa Park during the summer
Created and facilitated inquiry-based lessons that focused on outdoor works of art (Art in Open Air/San Diego Museum of Art/Nikki de Saint Phalle) for families visiting museums in Balboa Park
Various Schools & Organizations, San Diego, CA, 05/2003 - 06/2014
Freelance Theatre/Dance Teaching Artist
Trained and provided direction and guidance to classroom teachers for professional development within San Diego Unified School District
Taught residences at over a dozen schools and non-profit organizations (Country Day School in Costa Rica, High Tech High, Perry Elementary, Golden Hills Elementary, King/Chavez Academy of Excellence, Malashock Dance, Arts – A Reason to Survive)
Created lesson plans, collaborated with teachers, supervised students, conducted professional development, and coordinated final presentations
Teatro Meta/The Old Globe, San Diego, CA, 2001 - 2002
Teaching Artist – Theatre
Taught theatre skills to at-risk youth
Led improvisation games, writing exercises, and performance opportunities to foster and build healthy self-esteem
Organized and facilitated field trips to The Old Globe Theatre
CONSULTING
DEEP Steering Committee, San Diego, CA, 09/2016 - Present
Advisor at strategic planning meetings – assisting the Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership, a collaborative undertaking of multiple partner organizations and community leaders who are committed to improving educational outcomes for students attending public schools in the Diamond Community to develop and implement their theory of action
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING
AmeriCorps, San Diego, CA, 12/2015 - 08/2016
Parent Engagement Specialist
Participated as a LISC AmeriCorps member working at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, a nonprofit economic and community development corporation
Organized volunteer efforts, translated documents, conducted surveys and focus groups, led family engagement meetings
Country Day School, Brasilito, CR, 09/1993 - 03/1994
Classroom Assistant
Parent volunteer, assisted art classes, conceived the building of a partnership between Country Day School and the Old Globe Theatre, obtained theatre certificates signed by Craig Noel, Founding Director of the Old Globe Theatre