Community Arts Partner

Teaching Approach

Teaching Philosophy + Approach

See more about our Arts Corps Race and Social Justice Framework here: https://48kyrx1shbnt4fkrzl10d6zc-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SJF.pdf Teaching artists are key resources and providers of high quality arts education experience for youth. Teaching artists guide students through a creative process with a primary focus is on developing youth voice and creative habits that support lifelong learning. We only hire the best and invest in their success by providing ample professional development. Safe, supportive spaces are essential. Teaching artists actively work to create supportive environments to promote active learning, skill building and healthy relationships. Teaching artists model creative risk-taking, promote the expression of ideas, and make room for young people to show up in their full identities. Students are engaged in the class, participate in making choices and planning, and reflect. Arts Corps works in partnership with communities. Each site we work with has different needs, goals and youth. In order to develop and deliver the best quality class for each program partner, we work collaboratively to develop shared goals and agreements. Programs must be continuously evaluated. Arts Corps conducts a rigorous evaluation each year, the process and findings of which help us measure the effectiveness of our programs.

Curriculum Integration Possibilities

Arts integration is an instructional approach for teaching a subject matter through and with the arts. It requires collaboration on the part of teaching artists, teachers and school leadership. Arts Corps endeavors to implement high quality arts integration that is most closely aligned with a collaborative integration model. Under this model a teacher and a teaching artist plan together and work together closely. This approach often includes process connections, where both partners emphasize common processes between their subjects, as well as conceptual connections. Because both instructors are proficient in their subject matter/art form, this approach has the potential to create exceptionally rich learning experiences for the students. Arts Corps classes may be integrated with multiple subject areas, including but not limited to the following: - Language Arts (Visual Arts, Poetry, Theatre, Music) - Social Studies (Visual Arts, Poetry, Theatre, Music) - Science (Visual Arts, Poetry, Theatre, Music) - Math (Visual Arts, Music, Theatre) - Gym (Dance)  Example: A music teacher and a science teacher plan a unit on patterns of movement in astronomy and music. Together they develop a project where students will learn about the planetary movements, as well as different parts and patterns in musical compositions.

Special Skills and Areas of Expertise

Cultural Bridge: Arts Corps' cultural arts residencies cover a spectrum of art forms that connect to the home cultures of our students including African drumming and dance, Afro-Brazilian dance, Hip Hop, Capoeira, and spoken word poetry. Teaching artists create lesson plans that promote cultural awareness while allowing room for flexibility based on class dynamics. Educator Professional Development: Our trainings provide educators with hands on activities and strategies for high quality arts instruction or integration as well as evaluation and assessment of 21st Century skills. Our trainings are co-facilitated by master-level teaching artists and program staff who customize sessions to meet participant needs. Topics covered include arts integration models, culturally responsive pedagogy, decolonizing the classroom, fostering and assessing creative habits of mind/21st Century skills, effective co-teaching, creative classroom management, and cultivation of academic and growth mindsets. Arts Corps recognizes that that there are systemic barriers that create unequal access to arts education, and often there are also oppressive dynamics at play in classroom instruction that can further alienate students. Based on this understanding, Arts Corps trainers work with teachers to explore culturally responsive arts integration strategies through the process of merging creativity and arts tools with an anti-oppression framework and application. See above for more detailed session descriptions.

Testimonials from Schools

"I'd have to say that's a highlight for me when I see the students looking at each other's art and asking questions about it and engaging in conversation about the art." - Interagency Teacher "Sister Sumaya connected so well with the students. They listened and participated for an hour which can be rough with 2nd grade. They loved the drumming, dancing, singing and the poetry. Her program was so well rounded to meet the needs of all the students. She truly was amazing and I would love to have her back next year. Thanks for such a wonderful experience for my students and myself. The Arts Night performance was so wonderfully done. The students and the audience was engaged and participating. A truly remarkable evening." - Hawthorne Teacher "Mr. Greg is an amazing teaching artist and that relate to our Kindergarten students. He does not dumb any of the information down for them but is able to relate it to them and talk about it at a level they can understand. He encourages all students that they are artists and provides a positive environment for students to explore." - MLK Teacher