New entry) Teaching Artists Without Borders / Expanded Day Teaching Artist Project
Location
Providence CityArts is working to build a dynamic teaching artist program that advances the role of arts in improving the lives of urban middle school youth in schools and the community. Based on AmeriCorps, the project strengthens school/community capacity to effectively use arts learning as a lever for youth success
About You
Section 1: You
First Name
barbara
Last Name
wong
Website URL
Organization
Country
United States, RI
Section 2: Your Organization
Organization Name
Providence CityArts for Youth
Organization Website
Organization Phone
(401)941-0795 x103
Organization Address
891 Broad Street, P.O. Box 27691, Providence, RI 02907
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
United States, RI
Your idea
Name Your Project
New entry) Teaching Artists Without Borders / Expanded Day Teaching Artist Project
Country and state your work focuses on
United States, RI
Describe Your Idea
Providence CityArts is working to build a dynamic teaching artist program that advances the role of arts in improving the lives of urban middle school youth in schools and the community. Based on AmeriCorps, the project strengthens school/community capacity to effectively use arts learning as a lever for youth success
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
Providence public schools are on a fast track towards change--an effort to transform our urban schools at state and local levels. CityArts’ program will be the first of its kind in Rhode Island schools to systemically weave-in the role of teaching artists into an “expanded day” concept for student learning—where there will be new opportunities to align the academic, social and developmental needs of youth with a coordinated system of care in schools during the school day and in out-of-school time. CityArts Teaching Artists, school art teachers, and core subject teachers in six public middle schools will work together to deepen academic learning through arts-integration and build broad connections to social/global issues—through creative investigation and exploration beyond the classroom.
This work includes coordination, communication and collaboration between two traditionally separate iconic spheres--school day education and out-of-school time (OST) programs. Aligning common goals and outcomes for the school day to out-of-school time is a paradigm shift requiring teachers and OST providers to work in concert, developing the whole child. Common outcomes include strengthening student performance in academics, develop social-emotional capabilities, encourage physical fitness and health, and foster civic engagement and awareness.
Our project is informed by our successful 2-yr pilot initiative with Highlander Charter School, Learning Community Charter School, and our open enrollment afterschool program. The Providence AfterSchool Alliance, an intermediary between Providence Public Schools and afterschool providers will be our newest partner, and allow our project opportunity to change the face of arts education in schools.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Problem
There is uneven distribution of time for arts learning, training/skills, and support for the specialized art teacher to effectively teach to curriculum standards, let alone assist classroom teachers with arts-integration in core subjects like language arts, reading, math and science. Quality arts education during school and out-of-school time is proven to be a vital contributor to the overall achievement and success of today's urban youth. Unfortunately, arts education is under-resourced and overstretched for effective outcomes to take root inside Providence public schools. Our public system has short-changed urban youth of the benefits of a quality arts education---including enriched classroom teaching and learning, experiential opportunities to gain valuable skills for lifelong learning, creative expression and social development, and exposure to new concepts, ideas, and experiences beyond our everyday lives. A vision to turn-around low/underperforming schools with expanded day learning includes the integration of arts programs that support school curriculum as well as the inclusion of specialized arts disciplines that encourage the cultivation of creative thinkers and positi
Actions
CityArts piloted success in expanded day arts learning through teaching artist residencies at two prominent charter schools—Highlander and the Learning Community, and is working to build a groundswell of support within public school leadership and community to expand. This work has resulted in strong collaboration between CityArts, teachers, administrators, and higher education in defining an effective role for teaching artists in schools and in out-of-school time --and an alignment of our expertise in afterschool programs with school standards and curriculum. CityArts is partnering with the Providence AfterSchool Alliance to extend this work across a dual platform of innovative charter schools and a public school system.
Partners/funders including Rhode Island School of Design, Providence Public Schools, PASA, The RI Foundation, and the Corporation for National Service are excited to see this project underway. Former AmeriCorps Teaching Artist Allison Reilly reflects, "I had such a strong desire to give back. What does that mean anyways? What are you giving back? Whether it be helping a kid with an art project, teaching a student how to write. Me, I wanted to have a chan
Results
Results of our actions include: changing the face of arts education in schools by having a corps of teaching artists to work in tandem with school art teachers and core subject teachers in Providence's low-performing public middle schools. This work is to address unmet educational needs within our underserved communities -- to help children and youth achieve success in school and prevent them from dropping out before high school graduation. We anticipate that we will see a new day of well-rounded students who are able to achieve to their fullest potential as a result of engagement in expanded day multi-disciplinary approaches to learning. They will reach grade-level proficiency and better, in reading/literacy skills and core subjects--an essential foundation for continued academic success and high school graduation.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year 1. Access to schools and art teacher and school administration support. Art teacher Arthi Sundaresh at Nathan Bishop Middle School, "I'd like to be collaborating more with classroom teachers. It's tough, though--they have a lot of requirements about scope and sequence, and we don't really have much common planning time. So if there was somebody who could bring ideas for incorporating arts into their lessons, and really just take action, I know they'd be excited" Retired art teacher, Robin Alcott describes the limits of art instruction in public schools, "it still makes me sick to think about the way they treat art education in Providence public schools. The year I retired, they cut art classes from 45 minutes to 30 minutes. Who can teach art in 30 minutes? That's barely enough time to set up and clean up. I applaud anything CityArts can do to increase kid's access to art."
Principal, Rudy Mosley of Roger Williams expressed enthusiasm for a CityArts link to improving his school. "My students get excited about art. Some of them come to school just so they can stick around for arts afterschool." Research documents critical links between learning in the arts and student social and academic development. Dr. James Catterall of UCLA summarizes, "While an education in the arts is no magic bullet for what ails many schools, the arts warrant a place in the curriculum because of their intimate ties to most everything we want for our children and schools. Particularly for America's urban centers and children in poverty across the nation, outcomes include effects related to reading skills and increased achievement motivation." The most central tendency for the arts is to promote both certain competencies for children who struggle across the curriculum as well as genuinely grounded feelings of competence and engagement. Feelings of competence and engagement can impact outlook and approach to schoolwork more generally--and research on the arts finds impacts showing both increased attendance and fewer discipline referrals. School leaders were clear in their message that this project would not duplicate or displace existing school initiatives, but rather be a valuable resource for school teachers to meet the complex integrated needs of their students to perform successfully.
Year 2. City and District support. In support of the Expanded Day Teachin
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Lack of systemic funding and political climate in education
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
United States
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
No
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Approximately 150 words left (1200 characters).
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1)support of public schools / teachers and administrators
2)support from city officials
3)support of artist community
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
400 words or fewer
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
400 words or fewer
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
50 words or fewer
 | Alexis Ditkowsky said: Hi Barbara, I really appreciate the work that Providence CityArts for Youth is doing to bring arts into the schools. You mention that ... about this Competition Entry. - 651 days ago read more > |
| cityarts submitted this idea. - 651 days ago |
