Artist in the Classroom (AIC)

The Artist in the Classroom program places professional teaching artists in residencies lasting from eight weeks to a full year. Classroom teachers and teaching artists plan, design and implement activities that enhance daily academic instruction and increase children’s proficiency in the arts.

The integrated approach impacts depth of knowledge in student learning. For example, in a class studying the concept of community, a teaching artist may have students use a variety of arts media to create a three-dimensional city. The project requires the use of math skills to lay out where streets and buildings go. Students practice communications/language arts skills while researching and discussing the design of their “city”. Discussions draw in content from social studies to help students define the concept of community. In this process higher level thinking skills are introduced and developed at age appropriate levels, skills such as linking concepts and the ability to state a range of ideas/options, assess them and draw conclusions. The project also gives students opportunities to learn and practice 21st century workforce skills such as collaboration, flexibility and respect for the opinion of others.