TOOLKITS: Resources for Integrating Arts and Academics in the Classroom

Vision for Classroom Learning
Students learn academic content through multi-disciplinary, project-based, arts-integrated experiences. When possible partnerships are established with artist educators, community organizations, and institutes of higher education.

Beliefs...The arts are essential because they:

• Are a unique language that all people use to communicate regardless of age, ability, ethnicity or gender. They allow people to move beyond individual differences such as race, society, culture, education and economic level.
• Are symbol systems like letters and numbers and are equally important to a person’s development.
• Allow every child to learn.
• Connect the learning of both content and process.
• Develop independence and collaboration.
• Provide opportunities for self expression, creative problem solving and critical thinking.
• Improve student achievement - enhancing test scores, attitudes and social skills.
• Provide authentic assessment opportunities.
• Create a bridge between motivation, instruction, assessment and application - leading to deeper understanding.
• Integrate mind, body and spirit thereby addressing the whole child.
• Provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection.
• Exercise and develop higher order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, and problem solving.