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District VAPA Needs Assessment (PowerPoint) San Marino Unified School District VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL UPDATE ELEMENTARY VAPA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Research tells us that experiences in visual arts, theatre, music, and dance teach the children high levels of creative thinking and expression, enhance our quality of life, and build concept development. PLANNING YEAR During this planning year, the District’s Elementary VAPA Professional Development Council has made major strides in leading the Board’s charge to increase the capacity of elementary teachers so they may implement a consistent, high quality standards-based visual and performing arts program in their general education classrooms. To that end, the Los Angeles Music Center Education Director, Leslie Johnson, has co-facilitated the first stage of the project: to plan and implement a comprehensive VAPA needs assessment. To access the results of the Music Center Arts Strategy, a presentation made at the March 8, 2005 Board Meeting may be found at this site: The results of the Arts Strategy needs assessment were discussed with all teachers by grade level and school to establish strengths, needs, and barriers that must be addressed. PROGRAM GOALS 1. To provide an integrated, comprehensive standards-based arts instruction in drama, visual arts, music, and dance for every child in every classroom. 2. To provide a long-term program of professional development for classroom teachers that focuses district wide developmentally appropriate units and instructional strategies that are aligned with the California Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts. 3. To provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate with professional artists in developing a meaningful arts curriculum that is integrated into core curriculum and instruction. 4. To provide arts infused curricular models that promote creative and artistic thinking. 5. To provide opportunities for students to interact with professional artists during instructional experiences and performance.
PROGRAM SUMMARY DESCRIPTION Elementary teachers will be learning along side of their students as artists model and coach teaching strategies while they enhance student learning in the general education classroom. 1. Professional Development that includes teacher in-services and institutes with in-class modeling, teacher coaching and debriefing sessions to build the teachers confidence and competence in implementing VAPA lessons into the core curriculum. 2. Artsource that includes curriculum materials and an On-line Educator Network 3. Professional Performances that avail our students of Music Center on Tour Performance Assemblies with world class performers and ensembles 4. Student Workshops in our classrooms include workshops with teaching artists that range from short-term (a series of three to eight sessions) to longer-term artist-in-residence projects (a series of 12 or more sessions) depending on the grade level and complexity of the program. 5. Events at the Music Center that include school field trips to performances at the Music Center, family weekend performances, and festivals In addition, the Los Angeles County Office of Education and the California Subject Matter Project resources will be available to train teachers in areas not covered by the Music Center.
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE Each year one discipline from the performing arts (music, art, drama, or dance) is selected for district-wide focus. 2005-2006 Theatre English-Language Arts 2006-2007 Dance History-Social Science 2007-2008 Music History-Social Science and/or Math 2008-2009 Visual Arts Science
2004-2005 STRATEGIC PLANNING YEAR ONE The Music Center staff facilitated strategic planning with a representative team of teacher leaders (one at each grade level from each school) named the Visual and Performing Arts Council. This group directed a district-wide needs assessment survey to clearly delineate the current status of the program. From this document strengths and needs were established, goals were created, and a five-year strategic plan for a balanced VAPA program was completed. The plan includes related professional development, student workshops and professional performances in the area of focus. As the process was implemented, the Visual and Performing Arts Council, made up of one teacher from each grade level from each school, were trained in the basics of the VAPA standards and the services available from the Music Center. In addition, a parent focus group at each school learned about the proposed program and helped to clarify that the PTA’s role would be supplemental, providing activities that are related to the arts disciplines not addressed by the professional development program. Parents attended the Music Center Showcase with the VAPA Council teachers in order to work in concert to ensure that no duplication would take place. On September 16, 2005, teachers will be formally trained in the Visual and Performing Arts Framework and the VAPA Program/Music Center model. An orientation to the new state framework along with a training and lesson-planning workshop will set the stage for the activities for the year. The Los Angeles County of Education will assist us in securing a consultant from the California Subject Matter Projects to do the framework training. The artists in residence will work with the teachers to kick off the ”theatre in language arts” projects. As previously stated, one discipline from the performing arts (music, art, drama, or dance) and the subject matter for “integration” is selected for district-wide focus each year. In 2005-2006, for example, teachers will learn the about drama/theater standards and participate in activities to learn how to implement lessons that teach children the standards in the context of their general education English/Language Arts Program. On September 16, 2005, all elementary teachers will be trained in the California Visual and Performing Arts Framework and the VAPA Program Professional Development Model. They will additionally have their first artist in residence training and lesson-planning workshop to set the stage for the activities for the year. A series of activities will allow for planning, training and finalizing of standards-based arts lessons that will be required curriculum in future years. In the process, teachers (along with their students) will be introduced to the lessons/standards in a “kick off” assembly. Each class will then participate in a series of workshops that will be facilitated by the artist in residence in partnership with the teacher. As the children are learning, their teacher will observe, assist, and learn how to teach each lesson. After the lesson, the artist will meet with teachers to debrief. Along with a critique, the lesson will be finalized in writing in order to be adopted for required presentation in future years. This process will be repeated several times during the year. As teachers are ready to take the next step, the artist will then return to observe a lesson in order to support/coach the teacher as it is appropriate. Once again, the teachers will meet with the artist at the end of the day to reflect on the observed lessons, ask questions, and outline next steps. This part of the program will be personally designed to meet the needs of individual teachers. Teachers will have full access to Art-source, which are standards-aligned instructional units in all of the disciplines to use in alignment with other core curriculum areas. They will additionally learn about and have access to on-line instructional support. Equipment, resources, and instructional materials that are needed to fully implement the program will be purchased as appropriate. As lessons are adopted each year, they will be implemented the following year, at the same time a new arts discipline is being introduced. For example, in year two, the teachers will instruct theatre lessons designed/learned in year one and then proceed to develop/learn lessons in dance during year two. ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE The VAPA Council selected the following “artists in residence” after observing their work and interviewing them at the Music Center Arts Showcase in early May. At this time, the principals are in scheduling. The program will be finalized for 2005-2006 when the Music Center Coordinator is able to confirm the availability of these artists in light of the schools’ schedules.
The Schools Foundation is launching a fundraising campaign to invite our parents and community to invest in our classroom teachers by supporting their professional development in over the next four years. This professional development program will not supplant the current PTA donor sponsored activities. Instead, the program will tap Music Center resources and professionals to provide “on the job training” for teachers by “artists in residence.” These professionals will train, coach, and support our staff in planning, delivering, and evaluating lessons in visual arts, theatre, music, and dance. So, our elementary teachers will be learning along side of their students as artists model and coach teaching strategies, while they enhance student learning in the classroom. A “focus group” of parents to support the VAPA program development is being formed. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Billie Jean Knight at [email protected]. |