BTSALG WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?

Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Grant Starting this fall, public and charter elementary schools throughout Utah are adding highly qualified arts specialists to the classroom. The additional instructors are part of a new education program, dubbed the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program (BTSALP) after the Utah philanthropist, arts activist, and founder of the arts education foundation, art works for kids!, of the same name. In a move unprecedented in Utah and across most of the nation, the 2008 Utah State Legislature funded four years of this cutting-edge program in response to public concern regarding the state of public education and the loss of the arts in elementary schools. In participating elementary school classrooms, highly qualified arts specialists and classroom teachers use innovative methods to collaborate on the development of grade-appropriate, effective lessons that not only teach dance, music, theatre, or the visual arts, but core curriculum subject matter as well.

GOALS FOR BTSLAG Professional Development (PD) Implementation Plan PD Goals for Year One Implementation of Side-By-Side Model Increased integration of arts in other core subject matters Additional skill/educational training in the art form for the specialist

University partners will have the responsibility to collaborate with BTS arts specialists, the school arts team, and the District Arts Coordinator (where available) to: Create an individual professional development portfolio for each BTS Arts Specialist and participating school. The portfolio will include: – individual artistic goals for each BTS specialist – skill performance assessments (evaluation of student performance in the art form) – samples of student work – weekly instructional plans – examples of integration of arts into academic learning evidence of the side-by-side model implementation

WILSON’S GOALS Implementation of Side-by-Side Teaching Model schedule accommodating K-6 th grade classes each (5 day) week. Implementation of a communication system between art specialist, teacher and community. Establish procedures for displaying students’ artwork on a regular basis – the goal being Woodrow Wilson Elementary is presented as a model school for the visual arts available for student gallery strolls. Successfully host a public spring evening of art celebrating visual arts and multimedia produced by Woodrow Wilson Students

SIDE-BY-SIDE TEACHING MODEL Classroom teachers and arts specialists work together to design curriculum that is rigorous in the art form and in other areas of the curriculum, i.e. science, math, and language arts. Arts specialists model teaching with best practices. Classroom teacher participates and creates their own art alongside their students. With the assistance of the arts specialists, classroom teachers plan and teach a section of the arts class. Arts specialists participate with students. The side-by-side model includes weekly instruction and regular minute conferences with grade level teams to determine arts integration into other subjects. The side-by-side model includes a final “INFORMANCE” or exhibit (visual art) where the entire school and parents observe the art form created by students. The principal, arts specialists, classroom teacher and students articulate what has taken place in the arts education classes to help their “audience” understand what they have been studying, learning, and creating.

SCHEDULE Candidates for every other week? Schedule 2 grade levels for certain months at a time? No make ups? Teacher suggestions & concerns about current schedule *** I am serving 30 classes per week – most other visual arts specialists are serving between 13 & 16 MAX***

ARTS COUNCIL EXPECTATIONS

DISPLAYING WORK Need to finish photo wall Need to frame as much student work as possible Use lockers when you can Suggestion: Teacher name, student name on back of everything – could I get the best 3 picks of each project from each teacher? I will display be concept/project.

STORING ARTWORK Portfolios stay in classroom? Portfolios are brought to art room? How are teachers saving work for school art night?

TEACHER CONCERNS Portfolios? Aprons? Sketchbooks (not optional) Schedule?

ART/LITERATURE PROJECT December tree (not seasonal) Literature theme (celebrating an author or literature source for each class) To be unveiled… Ideas?

WISH LIST FRAMES CARDBOARD STATUES (for business partners) See wish list on Art4Cast WikiArt4Cast Wiki

ART NIGHT Needs to be on committee agenda Date??? Theme??? # of matts needed and what size? Let me know before winter break Teachers are responsible for setting up class display boards – be saving class art projects