Program Overview
The Side x Side (SxS) Program Book is the ongoing product of the work of K–5 public school teachers, teaching artists, and multiple community partners in southern Maine.
The lessons and activities provided here were developed as part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Arts in Education Model Demonstration and Dissemination Programs beginning in 2014. This project, Project IMAGINE, works to address specific gaps and weaknesses in educational service, infrastructure, and opportunities for increased arts education in K–5 classrooms.
Project IMAGINE (2014–2018) is a comprehensive and collaborative art-based model designed and facilitated by Side x Side staff, the University of Southern Maine’s (USM) Art Education faculty and student teachers, over 80 partner K–5 classroom teachers, and more than 20 teaching artists. Project IMAGINE focused on over 1800 students per year, in four Portland, Maine, public elementary schools.
These projects seek to enhance interest, understanding, enthusiasm, and performance in core content areas in grades K–5. Teachers of grades K–5, art teachers, and other specialists participate in professional development workshops to enhance their understanding of art and then work with SxS project staff to design lesson plans in order to integrate this new knowledge into their existing curricula. These innovative lesson plans are available to you through the SxS Project IMAGINE Program Book and will be updated online as more lessons are created.
CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE SIDE X SIDE ART CURRICULUM
We believe in…
- The value of arts education in all classrooms, particularly when thinking and working with diverse communities, cultures, and learners.
- The importance of fully integrating art into classroom curricula as part of all content areas, rather than as an “add-on.”
- The strength of community relationships in classrooms as a way to reinforce collaboration, welcome a diversity of ideas, and bridge home and school.
- The power of collaborative teaching in classrooms through partnering with teachers, content experts, and local art and cultural institutions.
- The conviction that arts integrations can improve the learning of all students in all content areas.
ADJUST THE CURRICULUM TO YOUR CONTEXT
Before committing to any lesson plan idea, please be sure to research the literature, resources, and classroom materials you intend to use for regional accuracy and appropriateness. The Project IMAGINE content is based on Maine K–5 curricula, as aligned with the State Standards and the Common Core. The content required at each grade level may vary in your school, district, or state (e.g. the second grade lesson on ocean environments of New England may not apply to a school in the Midwest) but we invite you to contextualize the content, art connections, and creative processes to your classroom needs. Please take a minute and look over the resources, suggested materials, and informative links as you prepare to bring these lesson plans into your classrooms and schools.
About the Teaching Artist and Classroom Teacher Structure
There are many ways classroom teachers (CT) can work with a teaching artist (TA). SxS firmly believes that the best arts integration is accomplished through a teacher and teaching artist partnership. When teachers and artists collaborate in the classroom, the results undoubtedly reflect a teaching practice that meets the needs, and expands the possibilities of, diverse student learners. Additionally, through professional development and practice collaborating, the TAs and CTs not only learn from each other, but also grow as educators.
Below are some tips for CTs when organizing a teaching artist partnership along with rules and responsibilities.
First, research your local options for TA resources and the funding required. Many cities and states publish a TA roster for the public. Choosing a TA with experience from an organization such as SxS will ensure program success.
Second, choose the right TA/art form to integrate in your classroom teaching and learning. Be sure to consider:
- You and your teaching teams’ comfort/interest in various art forms.
- Your students’ developmental needs/interests.
- The area of study you want to deepen through arts learning.
- You and your colleagues’ connections to local teaching artists.
- TA payment and expected time commitment from both TA and CT for the work.
- Strong school administration support for the work.
Once you’ve decided, contact the TA and start planning. Make sure:
- The initial planning meeting is not rushed and includes all players (CTs, TAs, support staff, and, if possible, school arts specialists).
- Teachers discuss curricular content and their teaching plan/schedule for the unit.
- TAs introduce their art form (maybe lead a mini-lesson) and discuss past school projects that might form usable models.
- Discuss connection to curricular themes, scale, timing, and scheduling. Talk about your school and classroom culture.
- Discuss your students’ needs and strengths.
Classroom Residency “Nuts & Bolts”
- Create the schedule! Be exact, look closely at the school calendar, “specials”, testing, etc.
- Decide on a single point person for CTs and for TAs.
- Discuss the best time and method of contact. (Text the day of? Only emails? When to call?) Exchange email addresses and cell phone numbers.
- Discuss when/how to co-lead the sessions (kick off, in class, culminating event)
- Talk a lot about class management. The TA may lead BUT when does the CT step in? Are there behavior systems in place? Remember: as the legally responsible party, classroom management is primarily the responsibility of the CT.
Classroom Teachers’ Responsibility
- Cover the curricular content. (For example, a TA can make a performance about the digestive system but shouldn’t have to teach the class how digestion works).
- Be an active participant learner (treat this collaboration as professional development – watch your students learn with another adult and learn about your students).
- Stay in the room at all times. Don’t grade papers/work on the computer (this signals to students that what’s going on isn’t interesting or valuable).
- Contact families about the residency, the culmination, and when to volunteer if needed.
- Communicate within your building: the schedules, space, and reservations.
- Support the leadership of the TA – give attention to, learn from, and acknowledge the artists’ expertise.
- Plan and book visiting content experts.
Teaching Artists’ Responsibility
- Discuss class management in depth – check in often with the CT to make sure it’s working. Ask for advice.
- Be clear and consistent about time and schedules.
- Have all materials ready.
- Talk about any questions, doubts, and conflicts.
- Include the CT in each session (as a learner/leader).
- Address the students by name.
- Communicate with the building staff, check in, and wear a name tag. Respect protocol.
- Plan a culminating activity and decide who leads it.
- Design and follow through on a final reflection (involve CT, TA, students, parents).
- Plan and book visiting content experts.
About the Community Partner Structure
There are many ways classroom teachers can work with community partners. Impactful arts integration is not done in a vacuum, but instead is designed and implemented by multiple invested partners. Community connections are as important as TA and CT partnerships. The arts are diverse and multifaceted, and therefore require multiple voices and experiences as part of the creative process. SxS community partners include the local art museum, history center, library, university, and school district. These partners were each critical in developing CT and TA professional development, showcasing student learning, providing learning resources for teachers and content experts for students, and supporting CTs and TAs in creative classroom processes.
Below are some tips for organizing community partnerships along with rules and responsibilities.
First, choose the right community partner to integrate in your classroom teaching and learning. Be sure to consider:
- Different ways to work with various community partners.
- Your students’ developmental needs/interests/learning gaps.
- The area of study you want to deepen through arts learning.
- You and your colleagues’ or school connections to local organizations.
- Your budget for field trips or classroom visits.
Once you’ve decided, contact the partner and start planning. Make sure:
- Discuss teachers’ curricular content and their teaching plan/schedule for the unit. Assess how the learning connects to the classroom, school, or district mission.
- Talk about your school and classroom culture.
- Discuss your students’ needs and strengths.
- Teach the curricular content that the community partner will be enhancing.
- Be an active participant learner (treat as professional development – watch how students learn with other teaching styles and in new contexts).
- Stay with your students at all times.
- Communicate within your school’s schedule and agenda.
- Recruit volunteer helpers.
- Decide how you will document student learning and student experiences. What is your assessment plan pre- and post- collaboration? (Journals/sketchbooks/photos/etc.)
About the Art Connections to Standards
21st Century Skills
The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (p21.org) has developed a framework of essential skills for students to develop for success in school and beyond. At the center of these, the 4 C’s for Learning and Innovation—Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking—are evident in learning and practice across the visual and performing arts.
Source: http://www.simplek12.com/learning-theories-strategies/4cs-21st-century-skills
National Core Arts Standards
The Common Core Arts Standards (www.nationalartsstandards.org) are organized as a framework that articulates four artistic processes and 11 core standards across arts disciplines. Specific standards for each discipline—dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts—are also defined.
About the Art Connections to Standards
The Common Core State Standards (www.corestandards.org) define knowledge and skills students need to develop in Literacy/ English Language Arts and Mathematics. States have adopted or refined these standards for their own use. There are also core standards in science (www.nextgenscience.org) and social studies (www.socialstudies.org).
The College Board conducted an analysis of the connections of the Core Arts Standards to ELA and Mathematics standards and found that
Meaningful connections to the Common Core are found through all of the NCAS Anchor Standards, including those associated with creating as well as those concerned with performing or presenting, in addition to responding and connecting. The arts standards connect to all segments of the Common Core, extending beyond the standards for reading to include writing, speaking and listening, and the Standards for Mathematical Practice.
– The Arts & the Common Core, Phase 2 Final Report, 7.25.14., p. 12
Side x Side Arts-Integrated Projects/Lesson Plans
Each of the SxS lesson plans that follow describes a project that was implemented in a Portland Public Schools classroom, including the connections to academic subject areas, the learning activities, resources, and connections to standards. These do not include the details of the full content-based unit taught as part of the regular curriculum, but focus on the arts learning activities and products, and the connections to arts and academic standards.
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