Arts Impacting Achievement

Arts Impacting Achievement

Management Team Reflections

By: Rise Jones, Ph.D.

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Introduction

Experienced artists and experts in any field perceive, operate, and assess their work using many unspoken expectations and inherent beliefs. These expectations and beliefs become so routinized within the framing of their work and instinctual in their implementation that their presence to an outside observer can often be missed or misinterpreted.

The purpose of a set of face-to-face interviews conducted with the management team of Arts Impacting Achievement was to make explicit some of the unspoken expectations and inherent beliefs that frame the work of this project and inform the decisions that occur in planning and “the way things are done” in implementation.

Below is an excerpt from the Arts Impacting Achievement (AIA) Logic Model. The overall model describes the work of the project and the excerpt below focuses on those aspects specifically involving teachers: the conditions in and assumptions under which they operate; the multi-phased and faceted professional development opportunities that the teachers participated in through AIA; and the short-term and intermediate outcomes anticipated to result from their active participation in the professional development opportunities. We will use this excerpted model in describing the management team reflections about this model; recommendations for change; and implications for future work in building arts integrated practice and classrooms.

CONDITIONS

In their reflections, the management team made several observations about the conditions associated with the effective implementation of the Arts Impacting Achievement model.

As exemplified in the AIA logic model excerpt, teachers have a demanding job that is all too often under-resourced. Compounded by feelings of isolation and being over-extended, involving teachers in a new “program” that initially appears as “just one more thing” poses challenges, especially when the model requires a change in classroom organization and teaching practice; introduction and involvement of an educational collaborator (the artist educator); and, shifts in other roles and responsibilities within the classroom (including those of the students). The management team comments related to the conditions in which the AIA model is implemented emphasized the following:

 The Teacher’s Role: The Centrality and Necessity of the Teacher Expertise in the Professional Development Work;

 Understanding and Accommodating Teacher Readiness; and,

 Recognition of the Environment and Supports of the Teacher.

The Teacher’s Role

In the AIA approach to arts integration, the management team believes that teachers need to feel that they are intricately and explicitly involved in some way in doing “the work” of arts integration, not simply a by-stander to the work of the artist while he/she is in the classroom. It may be suggested that many models of arts integration even those that include a professional development component often perceive teachers as only the recipients of “the knowledge” or of “the service.” The teachers need to be viewed as contributors to a shared vision so that they can safely contribute to that vision and sustain the positive benefits of the arts integrated experience(s) over the long-term for students.

However, this recognition leads to a difficult balance of both providing security for the teachers’ role as experts but nurtured instability (and exploration) in support of their role as learners. On the one hand, a secure environment needs to be established in which teachers can establish and assert that “Yes, I do know something about what I’m doing.” And on the other hand, a secure environment needs to be established in which teachers can establish and assert, “No, I do no know something about what I’m doing.” It requires making appeals to “that part of them [teachers] that is waiting to safely come out.”

There is joy in learning. Sometimes that part of teaching is suppressed because of mandates, outcomes and frameworks that frame learning outcomes and accountability. This is further compounded because often teachers view their roles as guardians of the classroom. As the guardian of the class, the teacher is in active mode as learner and visionary to classroom implementation. As they wrestle with new methods and collaborations they bring their own expertise to the mix constantly questioning whether or not through these innovations if their students are reaching the goals they have set and whether they are maintaining alignment with and integrity of the content and concepts they know to be essential at their grade level.

The management team felt that in supporting the above described balance that it is important to communicate the following: that rigorous instructional frameworks can be addressed and met; that high standards are inherent in the “creative’ methods of teaching and are embedded in arts integration; and that they will be existing (through the AIA professional development opportunities) in a safe environment to equate joy of investigation and inquiry with rigorous pedagogy that achieves learning goals and objectives. That is one reason that the AIA professional development strategy that places the “teacher as student” is so important to this model – it allows for the balance of both the assertion of knowledge, position, and place while allowing for growth, development, and re-visioning.

Additionally, the built in collaborations associated with the AIA model allow for the teacher to say “okay, I’ll experiment with this pedagogy at same time as you respect, understand and weave in my overarching goals.” Trust needs to be established for this balance to be recognized and maintained. The model itself necessitates that one collaborator (the artist) enter into an existing “life,” an existing environment. One way for trust to be established is through the “interloper” becoming mindful and respectful of the life he/she is entering – “look at what is on the teacher’s desk, what is on the walls, what the schedule is, what are the things that are the interruptions because that is the life that you are entering.” “Look at the piles and if all of those piles need to be corrected – feel that weight.”

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: Among the messages that the management team has found important to communicate is that “we’re in this together.” The goal is to establish at the beginning of the relationship building that this approach to arts integration and professional development is a joint effort with all parties “looking in the same direction.” Part of it is determining those things that are absolutely, positively shared – that this is a shared experience. Then adjustments should be viewed as critical to the process and not a foundation for blame.

Understanding and Accommodating Teacher Readiness

There is a saying, “one size does not fit all” and in the case of the AIA management team reflections, one important conclusion is that “one approach does not fit all.” For many of the participating teachers, the pace of the AIA program may have been prohibitive. From the management team perspective, it was not only important to understand the teacher conditions (as outlined in the AIA logic model) but also to incorporate the “starting point” or readiness of the teachers in programming professional development opportunities and experiences. There were many teachers who were “ready” for accelerated progression through the AIA modules and involvement with artists, and, for others, the expectations for collaboration and practice change required a more gradual implementation allowing for more incremental acceptance and adoption. Anecdotal factors associated with the more “ready” teachers included:

“ready” teachers seemed more interested in growing and learning and not simply “getting something” for their classrooms;

“ready” teachers seemed interested in changing and reflecting on their practice and not simply “adding” onto existing practice and classroom approach;

“ready” teachers seemed to be more willing to invest themselves selves in the process.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: Teachers possess a wide range of capacities for change. Therefore, a professional development model with alternative options that are adaptable to teacher needs and interests should be pursued. An approach that acknowledges differences in learning style and pace, like those pursued with students, would ultimately be more productive. Additionally, it should be anticipated that not everyone will reach the same levels of arts integration sophistication and involvement. Therefore, the professional development would extend over a longer period of time (e.g. 3-4 years rather than 1-2 years).

Tying professional development progress to classroom artist opportunities

Teachers enjoy and are willing to work toward getting an artist in the classroom. The modules may include a professional development component, collaboration with an artist, and reflection. Movement to the next series of this three pronged approach would be determined by teacher readiness and interest and not a fixed timeline across teachers.

The Teacher’s Environment

The LEAP Network and the other arts integration work of Arts at the Center/Chicago Teacher’s Center (Northeastern Illinois University) was predicated on the concept of whole school change. Whole school activities are viewed as being integral to the model, including family nights, cross-generational training, community meetings, and work with building artist teachers. This involvement of school partners at various levels:

 provides a network of support for this challenging work, including an environment for “bouncing ideas” and validating the use of planning time associated with arts integration;

 places value on the work and the resources necessary for successful implementation; and,

 “builds excitement and energy” around the arts.

The boundaries established by the research design precluded involvement of whole school activities within the program design of Arts Impacting Achievement. Therefore, the evaluation of Arts Impacting Achievement was designed to understand and assess what is distinctive about arts integration in the classroom towards student achievement and teacher change while not attending to whole school change impact. Based on the above recognized benefits, as well as the years of expertise and experience of the management team, the leaders stressed the importance of these whole school activities for sustaining and supporting the ongoing leadership in arts integration.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: Whole school change activities are integral to the maintenance, sustainability, and development of arts integration.

Every effort should be made to not compromise this aspect of the program design for evaluation design.¹

Engagement in a long-term effort requires an understanding of the associated long-term vision and planning. Relationship building not only with the treatment teachers but also with the control teachers and administrative leadership of the school is necessary along with extensive communication about how professional development works, what it means to have an artist come into the classrooms, etc. This level of communication as

well as the school systems in support of change enable a long term vision to built and sustained for how children learn and how to effectively support that learning.

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES

In their reflections, the management team made several observations about the components and activities associated with the effective implementation of the Arts Impacting Achievement model.

As exemplified in the AIA logic model excerpt, the AIA professional development model is a multi-faceted, multi-phased process that includes arts immersion, teacher/artist planning, the implementation of arts integrated units, and critical reflection opportunities. The management team comments related to the components and activities of the AIA model emphasized the following:

 The Design of the Professional Development: Establishing Roles and Developing Strategies for Acceptance, Application and Transfer;

 Open and Honest Communication: Finding Strategies to Communicate without Intimidation;

 Incorporating Flexibility; and,

 The Artist as Teacher Support and Collaborator: Artist Training.

Design of Professional Development : Establishing Roles and Developing Strategies for Acceptance, Application and Transfer

Many of the facilitated activities and exercises associated with the AIA professional development model are designed to introduce the element of “surprise” into the teachers’ experience. One of the critical strategies of the AIA model was to place the teacher in the role of student. In this role, the teachers are the ones taking the risk, feeling the difference, and “physicalizing” how responses are not the same as the familiar paper-pencil response option.

From the management team perspective, one of the challenges was to support the transfer of experience as a student into recognizable and familiar forms for classroom work and assessment (e.g. the paper pencil assessment, etc.). Not everything can feel completely new and different if they are to be accepted, adopted and integrated into practice – Some things need to feel familiar in order to be accepted and in order for progress and change to be made. Recognizable goals such as those found in the accepted learning standards or a recognizable foundation such as the content found in the classroom curriculum support integration into teacher practice.

One of the strategies for grounding the AIA model in the recognizable is drawing linkages to the Illinois State Standards for Education.* In addition to this reference often used for accountability purposes, other strategies for grounding and translating the AIA model into the recognizable were through recognizing and respecting “classroom order”; by “understanding the amounts of time that can be given to certain types/amount of work”; and, by acknowledging the demands of teachers’ time outside of arts integration.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: One critical and fundamental belief underlying the model is that teachers teach because they want to and they love it --- “or at least they did.” Yes, there will be those teachers who just want to make it through another day, slip below the radar, do what they have to do and get out but when asked, most teachers will tell you that a “good” day is when a child “gets it,” when students participate in ways that had not been previously exhibited, when “lights” go on in the classroom. “But there has been so much extinguishing of the light they don’t know what to look for anymore.” This approach to arts integration supports the teacher is recognizing and respecting different kinds of light. Through the collaborator planning and the revised assessments of “student performance” and attainment, these different kinds of light are incorporated into the classroom expectations, objectives and rubrics for achievement.

Open and Honest Communication: Finding Strategies to Communicate without Intimidation

It is important to communicate that this model of arts integration requires a significant amount of time and commitment to create and develop a truly collaborative effort. The challenge is in communicating this level of involvement so that teachers and artists are prepared and not “surprised” while not overwhelmed by the prospect of the new demands. They need to know it is a work and time commitment, especially in the establishment of a partnership.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: The AIA experience highlighted the need for “interpretation” on both sides of the professional development aisle. The role of a local coordinator was viewed as vital in supporting communication about initiative expectations as well as implementation challenges and opportunities. Other strategies helped to support open and honest communication. These strategies include planning facilitation and planning sheets that both allowed clarification of needs, objectives, contributions and anticipated outcomes of each educational collaborator with coaching, mediation, and interpretation by a third committed party and/or development of a shared, jointly developed and approved document.

Finding Flexibility

The management team discussed key aspects of the Arts Impacting

Achievement model that were necessarily present and could not be negotiated away if productive professional development and classroom artist-teacher collaborations were going to happen. However, changes in teacher roles, testing schedules, etc. often required the management team to be flexible in their implementation of AIA.¹ The management team found various ways to remain flexible in their implementation. However, one important message that the management team would communicate is that flexibility is not only required from the professional developers end but also from the teachers’ end. Both anticipated and unanticipated challenges existed for management team members and for teachers in terms of what required negotiation of time and other resources and what was core and could not be negotiated or compromised. The challenge for both management and for participants was to not only recognize these challenges but also welcome them as an integral aspect of the model implementation and work to see how they fit.

Teachers needed to exhibit flexibility not only in terms of the expectations they had for themselves but also for the expectations they had of their students. The management team and the artist collaborators would often coach teachers in incorporating flexibility (and even a willingness to change their perceptions) within their teaching practice. For example, a behavior that at one time may have been viewed as disruptive can be viewed as engaged student behavior if it is contributing to the individual and group progress and process if the teachers allow themselves to be flexible in terms of what they see and how they see it.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: One critical expectation that the team learned from past arts integration work and that was confirmed in the work of AIA was that it is important to establish an environment conducive for the “suspension of judgment.” An unspoken but implicitly communicated piece of the model is that there is a core belief and expectation that “everything” – the processes, products, and interactions associated with the model implementation – is not known from implementation onset. Yes, there are principles and procedures but ultimately there can be surprises.

The Artist as Teacher Support and Collaborator: Artist Training

Artist training is critical in supporting the AIA model. Artist training should include professional development in inquiry based learning. Additionally, artist training should include instruction and practice in collaboration in order to support art integration rather than art residency in the classroom.

It is as important that the artist establish the creativity that the classroom teacher brings to the collaborative experience as the work the artist does to bring his/her own creativity or to identify and foster the creativity of the classroom students. It needs to be established that they are “a part of --- not the shining relief from the drudgery of the day.”

In the AIA mode, artists became teachers of art but also as teachers of collaboration - not standing on top of an artistic achievement – but recognizing the importance of give and take and of shared expertise in the delivery of instruction.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: The role of facilitated planning became integral to the AIA model. Anytime one collaborates with someone else, he/she is entering into a brand new relationship. In many ways the role of facilitator is as a marriage counselor --- making sure each is being heard and that needs are being met. When these two individuals work to plan and execute a series of lessons, often this not only means some form of confrontation not only of instructional paradigms and practice but also class room management.

The success and effectiveness of the facilitated planning rests in large part on the presence of the “trained and sympathetic ear.” The facilitator encourages the collaborating pair not to plan too big in some instances or to remain focused on a question that was raised initially. Additionally, the facilitator encourages as much communication between artist and teacher as possible – e.g. teacher communicating his/her needs to the artist – telling them what you need and want (“I really hate it when you come in here; my students get too excited.”)

Artist training needs to be an important budget item. In the AIA model, the artists were not only teachers of art but models and coaches for the classroom teacher of collaboration. The AIA teaching artists received in-depth training which included observation of veteran artists by new artists following by a veteran artist/new artist co- teaching opportunity as well as extensive instruction about documentation panels, collaborative practice and effective classroom pedagogy.

Lastly, it is important to find the right “fit.” The AIA management staff used different levels of matching based on classroom management style, vision, art form interests and different kinds of experiences with content and remained flexible in this matching process in an effort to ensure quality collaborations.

SHORT-TERM AND INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES

In their reflections, the management team made several observations about the short-term and intermediate outcomes associated with the active participation of teachers in the Arts Impacting Achievement model.

Before anticipating student change, the professional development approach of AIA first sought changes in teacher beliefs, expectations, and practices. It is anticipated that through these changes that teachers in partnership with their artist collaborators would facilitate enhanced classroom opportunities for students that support and recognize engagement and motivation, critical thinking and discipline. The management team comments related to the outcomes associated with the AIA model is implemented emphasized the following:

 Supporting the Teacher Change Process; and,

 Critical Reflection on Student Outcomes.

The AIA outcomes study showed that although many of the AIA classroom teachers were on the road to implementing best practices, many of the outcomes may only be partially implemented and realized at this stage. The AIA outcomes team coined the phrase “transitional classroom” to describe these cases. One of the goals of AIA was to support teachers as they each begin and continue along their individual journeys of change. It was realized and made clear throughout the project period that different teachers struggle with change in different ways, even if they conceptually embrace the vision and concepts associated with that change.

LESSON LEARNED RECOMMENDATION: Holding to a rigid timeframe for expecting teachers to arrive at the same conclusions is challenging. Just as authentic learning, development and growth for children requires time to play, experiment, explore, and reflect so authentic learning, development and growth for teachers. It is just as important that the “process” of arts integration (e.g. inquiry, consideration of multiple perspectives and responses, critical reflection, etc.) becomes a part of how the teacher work day to day on the road to achievement of the larger educational outcomes. (See endnote as to teachers’ written comments and reflections on their progress along the AIA outcome objectives.)

In a facilitated discussion group conducted by the internal evaluation team, teachers described some of the early student outcomes they were recognizing as a result of their participation in Arts Impacting Achievement. As indicated in the logic model excerpt, the short and intermediate outcomes of the professional development model were to enhance teachers’ abilities to facilitate student learning through engagement and motivation and in critical thinking/higher order skills, and discipline. As teachers in transition, they did not refer to their own abilities but rather reflected on the changes that they saw in their students. For example, when asked how effective AIA was in supporting their [the teachers’] ability to facilitate learning in engagement and motivation, the teachers described the changes they recognized in their students – especially in their abilities to create and respond:

My students are much more willing to take a risk and produce an artifact of knowledge.

My kids are really good now at responding to open-ended questions and connecting ideas…

Teachers recognized the role of the arts and the artist in providing a “showcase” for their students’ learning, by requiring more in-depth learning of subject matter and more complete communication of their learning.

The artist developed many ideas further and encouraged the students with new questions and ideas.

Students created many original works that showcased both their artistic and content achievement.

The artist helps the students to focus in-depth on various concepts.

The belief that the arts integrated with the general classroom curriculum support involvement, engagement and participation of all students was also described.

Students that were not normally excited about learning or engaged in the content were drawn in by the use of the arts – esp. with the drumming

I feel like AIA was extremely engaging and motivating to the students who participated. I often saw kids who would otherwise not participate be the ones who would be focused on project completion.

Only one teacher described the changes they saw in themselves and one other teacher described two areas that she observed as needing additional support - artifacts of knowledge & image-making could still use work – suggesting that self-recognition of change in the area of engagement and motivation, particularly in one’s own practice in these areas is an incremental process, with observable changes in those one affects being more evident and/or more easily articulated.

As compared with “engagement and motivation,” in the area of “critical thinking skills” teachers described greater introspection of their own role in supporting (or not supporting) changes in and opportunities for their students. Teachers described the way instruction and learning is framed supports students development in this area. The opportunity to explore seemed most salient in teachers’ reflections of their own abilities to support student critical thinking skill (development).

I’ve learned to ask questions that have many answers. I let my students explore.

Students were pushed and permitted to repeatedly explore original responses and products.

I think this really changed my approach to teaching and allowed me to present content in a way that had deeper relevance and possibility for multiple perspectives.

The teachers both as professional development “learners” and co-teachers observe for themselves the curricular content in different ways and recognize the potential for generating multiple perspectives, responses, and evaluation of responses.

I feel like because of the art units we’ve done literally we “see” a different set of ideas,

we “see” a different way of looking at things.

Students were able to look at themselves differently using all of their intelligences to master concepts. They were also able to discuss content they learned as they presented their projects to others.

AIA gave students a way to develop multiple responses and gave a personal perspective to what we learn without the use of standard paper/pencil assessment

Time and experience were not only important for the teachers to gain the full benefits of arts integration instruction but also for their students, with teachers recognizing the importance of exposure in developing critical thinking skills and the learning opportunities associated with these skills.

I feel this was done effectively but many times due to the length of the unit many times the students would be forced to “complete” rather than continue and finish. Part of that is that they are 5^th graders and part of that is that they haven’t been exposed to this before.

The teachers described several ways in which they were able to support discipline development in their classrooms – from independent and group rehearsal to involvement in “critique session” to the maintenance of “reflection journals” to the self evaluation of produced artifacts. One challenge mentioned in the area of discipline was developmental and supporting theses skills at various ages and stages.

This is also a tough area. I have strong classroom management skills, but independent assessing and rehearsing and revising is tough for 9 & 10 year olds.

Once again, time was mentioned as a consideration in supporting opportunities in discipline for students.

More time would be nice to assess, revise, rehearse, and reflect with artist

It was very time consuming. Bottom line. It was for the kids/students.

I think because of time constraints often we didn’t get to go back and revise the work the students did but it was good for the students that finished early to be held to such high expectations and asked to go back and make things better.

The management team described the importance of artist training in the areas of collaboration, coaching and pedagogy as critical for the implementation of Arts Impacting Achievement. Likewise, the teachers described the value they perceived of the artist in their classroom for creating opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge, for adding to the presentation of content, and for the art form and talent that they introduced into the classroom.

Visual artist excelled in this area using the creation of artifacts to gain knowledge

…The artist added more meaning to the concepts by integration[-ing] my instruction with their professional[ism]. Give me more strategies to use in my teaching.

Artist made a song up from each fable. It was her talent that made it a positive learning experience.

Recognizing change over time: teaching and learning in transition

Even one teacher described the importance of his/her own learning and understanding in that of their students. For one teacher, although she/he did not believe that her/his students were not provided with rich opportunities for developing critical thinking skills he/she does recognize the value of the arts integrated work even through this transitional period.

I probably didn’t have a good grasp of this myself – consequently my students are probably not there. Last year’s class was not capable of thing level of thinking

but the work I did with them in AIA was the best work we did all year.

And teachers were very aware of areas for improvement and of transition for their students.

I’d say all students increased focus but not all were willing to do

the practice and/or revision for the final product

One area that could be further developed was assessment of students’ creation, performance, and response in arts integrated units.

I have a better understanding of assessment, but I’m still learning.

Collecting the artifacts to examine how much students have retained, what they’ve become more independent in – this has proven difficult to track and to keep a good handle on.