Philosophy
We focus on arts-based educational experiences because of the power that the arts inherently possess including:
- Arts are languages that all people speak – that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational and economic barriers and they enhance cultural appreciation and awareness.
- Arts integrate mind, body and spirit, and they create a seamless connection between motivation, instruction, assessment, and practical application.
- Arts provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection and they develop both independence and collaboration.
- Arts make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and help build self esteem through using talents and gifts and they improve academic achievement – enhancing test scores, attitudes, social skills, critical and creative thinking.
- Arts exercise and develop higher order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, evaluation and ‘problem-finding’ and they are essential components of any alternative assessment program.
Students will be followed and their progress will be noted along the learning path, input from parents and teachers is invited. Written surveys will be given to students, teachers, parents and staff. Tracking: 1) First time exposure to specific art form 2) New elements of history learned 3) New elements of music, theatre, dance, etc. learned 4) New understanding of diverse cultures 5) Inspiration to be involved or experience more arts 6) first experience attending a professional performing arts event in a formal theatre setting or first experience with a different genre in the arts 7) understanding of audience etiquette and respect of the art form 8) performance experience including questions measuring new achievements in learning/performing expression through the arts. Additional evaluation of the success of the program will take place periodically, noted and adjustments made as needed.