Executive Summary 2006-2007

The foci of this planning year were training, assessment instrument trials, and network collaboration. A key aspect of this project was the dissemination of this arts integration approach to other districts and other schools within our district so a baseline of implementation quality can be achieved to ensure quality design next year. Thus these new teachers and administrators needed initial professional development and we needed time to learn about the new context. Our original project worked solely with generalist teachers, now in Nebraska we are learning how to work with generalists and specialists. In both states we have held a series of professional development events. In between each event, teachers used the strategies in the classroom and then bring in student work for discussion. We have held 3 multi-day training events in Nebraska and 7 days in California. All teachers have done tryout lessons and are completing a unit with multiple opportunities for arts integration with vocabulary and writing and other content areas.

The process of getting through the IRB review has been very time intensive and slowed our ability to assess students. For this reason alone, the planning year was critical. We have succeeded in collecting calibration information on all instrumentation both quantitative and qualitative.

Building on our previous work and initial results we have presented our research at the National Reading Conference (December 2006). We presented at the National Art Education Conference (March 2007), and at the National Science Teachers Association (2007).

We have two outreach events planned for this summer. Our California outreach will be held in partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum. The three-day event, June 19-21, will focus on the theme: Artists and Writers observe and record animals the way they are and Artists and Writers imagine the way they could be. We will look at ways the arts can support vocabulary development. We will be having a museum artist and science educator as part of the institute faculty.

The second event will be held at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This class will focus on Integrating Art to build literacy. The event will be held July 9-13. Faculty will include UNL professors as well as ArtsLINC staff.

In terms of progress, teachers have reported and submitted student work that demonstrates the use of higher vocabulary in both written and oral expression. Classroom visits and formal observations have informed our planning for professional development for this year and next year. One addition is a plan to incorporate more peer coaching into the professional collaboration.

The grant is reaching all planned milestones and benchmarks. The professional development on vocabulary teaching using the arts has become much richer with help of a variety of national experts in the field. We are developing a compendium of resources to assist in the arts integration process. During the next 6 weeks we will be posting some student work and teacher observations on our website hosted by the university.

 

Nancy Andrzejczak                        Project Director

Guy Trainin                                    External Evaluator

 

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