Spotlight on Schools
Adams Elementary
Adams Elementary School in Seattle joined Arts Impact for Whole School Training in 2010. Louis Allard, 2nd grade teacher and the Arts Czar at Adams, shares stories and insights about their Arts Impact experience:
Why are you an Arts Impact school?
Adams Elementary decided to become an Arts Impact school when the realization came that not every teacher had training in arts integration, which had been the focus at Adams about six years ago. The principal and many staff members had changed since the initial art integration training took place. New teachers were asking,"What is arts integration and how do I teach it?" The arts were being taught in a hit or miss type fashion.
We knew that if all staff had common vocabulary and training experiences, we could actually be an arts integrated school. Our current principal and key staff facilitated getting us back on track. We formed an art committee and joined the Principal's Leadership Initiative with ArtsEd Washington, where we made a plan to improve arts instruction at Adams Elementary. From that plan blossomed several adjustments and approaches to what is now our current arts-rich environment. Being connected to Arts Impact has been a huge piece of making that work successful.
What are you doing differently as a result of the Whole School Arts Impact training?
Since our first Summer Institute, we have seen improvements in staff morale, excitement for teaching, increased risk taking, more student artwork displayed, increased collegiality, energized staff and stronger bonding amongst staff members. As staff members continue their training, teaching and writing lessons, they are talking to each other more about what they are learning and how grateful they are to be teaching more art. Lessons are planned and taught with more intention and structure.
As soon as you walk in the front door at Adams, you feel the difference. Our culture has changed. Our challenge is still about sustainability. It is our hope that with continued work and support with Arts Impact, our Adams community, and each other, we will continue to create a powerful program that will stand the test of time.
What changes have you seen in the Adams community?
Our principal noted that this was the first time she had seen an entire staff come back from a training energized, motivated, uplifted, and excited to teach. "Arts Impact was definitely a much needed shot in the arm!"
Teachers are saying:
"Coming to work is fun!"
Teachers are also noticing that students are more engaged in all lessons and that having increased arts activities in the building has increased their accountability for learning.
Students talk about how much they like the lessons:
Lizzy said, "It's fun and I like it because it is interesting."
Miriam said, "I learned about colors, like the color wheel and the primary and intermediate colors."
Louise noted, "I learned something new each time we have a lesson. I like having the lessons, but I couldn't finish everything."
Tell us about "All Day Art from Your Heart."
As a way to build community in our building, we are creating arts traditions that will hopefully become ingrained in the way we work at Adams Elementary. The first activity we did was to create an art for art's sake day. Our student council decided on a name: All Day Art from Your Heart.
Each teacher and adult in the building came up with an art activity in one of the four arts strands: visual arts, dance, theater and music. The students were given the list of offerings and chose their activities based on their interests—there were more than 35 options! Each activity had a maximum class size of 15 students and the students had 90 minutes of uninterrupted art-making time. Activities ranged from drawing to jewelry making, clay to tie dye, and songwriting to ballet.
The students had a great time and have asked to do it again. Teachers really enjoyed getting to know and work with different students. We have plans to do this at least two more times this school year. All the fruits of our labor were put on display. Kids are still stopping to look at the work and say, "Next time I want to do that, I never did it before."