Arts Education Collaborative


Arts Education Collaborative

Contact: Sarah Tambucci , Director Arts Education Collaborative 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite, 2650 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-201-7406		Fax: 412-201-7401 Email: tambuccis@arstedcollaborative.org Web Address: Visit web site
Approach: Stimulate and nurture partnerships among artists, arts and culture organizations and educators to strengthen quality arts education, including weeklong institute followed by periodic leadership seminars and ongoing professional development opportunities that create a sustained learning community. Partners: Arts Education Collaborative University of Pittsburgh Duquesne University Pittsburgh Public Schools, Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPA) Allegheny Intermediate Unit (IU#3) Shadyside Academy Numerous arts and cultural organizations including: Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Pittsburgh Public Theatre The Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Silver Eye Center for Photography Frick Art and Historical Center Pittsburgh Filmmakers Pittsburgh Opera Mattress Factory The Andy Warhol Museum Attack Theatre Pittsburgh CLO John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center Carnegie Museum of Art Pittsburgh Children's Museum Society for Contemporary Craft WYEP FM Community Broadcast Center Westmoreland Museum of Art Father Ryan Arts Center Description: Mission of the AEC: To strengthen education by making the arts central to learning through collaboration, research, and advocacy. The vision of the Arts Education Collaborative Leadership Academy is to provide on-going professional development for arts educators that will enable them to develop as teacher leaders who are focused on student learning. Structures: Leadership Academy: Initial experience Annual summer institute (5 days) allows participants to have an initial experience in order to build content knowledge and community. Arts specialists endorsed by their principal and superintendent apply to attend, with leadership participants selected by committee. Curriculum focuses on: teaching and learning, standards-based instruction, leadership skills, and the teacher as an artist. By the end of the week each attendee designs an action plan for what they plan to accomplish in their school or district over the next academic year. Some topics from past action plans include: creation of sequential, articulated visual arts curriculum; development of comprehensive arts assessment systems in all disciplines; establish a website of resource material specific to Pennsylvania artists; creation of parent focus group to support music education; and establish and build partnerships with community organizations to support classroom instruction and student learning. The AEC provides a mentor for the class who supports their work and maintains the leadership network. Upon completion academy participants are provided with numerous opportunities to extend their learning and engagement in AEC activities into the future. Sustained Support: School-year Seminars: Over the school year, four day-long seminars for Leadership Academy participants are held every other month at different arts venues. Content for each of the seminars emerges from the common elements and needs of the evolving learning community, changing educational environment, emerging research findings, and unique strengths of each of the partners. Continued Support: Following the year of involvement and support, AEC continues to involve Leadership Academy graduates in the larger arts education learning community with events and professional development opportunities. These include annual reunions, artists’ retreats, assisting in the design and delivery of training of new Academy teachers, and opportunity to apply as an AEC Fellow. Strategies: Needs Assessment: AEC based the development of the Academy, in part, on the results of a 2003 Needs Assessment of arts educators. In addition, the analysis of numerous requests for technical assistance in the areas of standards implementation, curriculum revision, program evaluation, and leadership training informed the design of the Academy. Research-based adaptation: AEC continues to modify both the model and the content of the Leadership Academy according to emerging needs, current research, and the changing arts education environment. The National Staff Development Council Standards for Staff Development informed the considerations for both content and delivery. In addition, an external evaluation by the University of Pittsburgh provided another perspective on the effectiveness of the model. History: The Arts Education Collaborative Leadership Academy began in 2003. The seventh year of this initiative began in 2009. Currently 83 arts educators from public and private K-12 schools as well as education and outreach staff from arts and cultural organizations participate as a systemic network. Resources: Resources to initiate and sustain the AEC Leadership Academy professional development model are provided by private foundation support and the state arts council. The total cost annually, per teacher, is approximately $3,000. In addition, substantial support comes from in-kind services provided by partner organizations. Findings : Analysis of two aspects of the Leadership Academy (creating a learning community and sustaining a learning community) was conducted with 2003-2005 participants by Julia Kaufman et al., University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments of the Learning Research and Development Center January 2006. Methods: Semi-structured, hour long, face-to-face interviews with stratified sample of 20 teachers from the Leadership Academies of 2003 to 2005; qualitative open coding. Leadership Academy helped teachers: "Acquire new skills and strategies for the classroom Acquire new leadership skills Learn how to be strategic planners Learn how to use personal action plans to guide, shape and measure their success Re-connect with their artistic roots and creative expression Become more aware of out-of-school resources for arts education Become part of vibrant and sustainable learning community" (Kaufman 2006 p.3) According to teachers, specific useful skills developed included: Teaching: Backwards planning Assessment approaches, tools, techniques, such as rubrics and portfolios Art critique types Connections among art, music, history, dance, and drama Leadership: Leadership styles Helping different personalities work together Communication for leadership Affecting change, including raising money, improving relationships, achieving new perspectives Teachers also reported improved motivation to use the standards, rediscovering their inner artist, and sustained relationships with colleagues across districts. Sustained support catalyzed longer term changes including: "Teachers are becoming leaders in arts education in their schools Teachers are implementing change in a variety of local school contexts Teachers are changing their ways of classroom teaching Teachers are becoming more active and strategic advocates of the arts and arts education” (Kaufman 2006 p.3) Teachers reported some of the changes to: The tight network among teachers, helping combat isolation and put their action plans to practice. Changes in classroom due sometimes to the content of professional development, other times to implementing the personal action plan. Specific leadership skills reported include: Confidence building Sharing knowledge Strategic thinking and flexible planning Persistence Coordinating efforts Communication and networking Leadership plans in action helped teachers: Start to practice the leadership skills and figure out strategies to overcome obstacles. Begin to make change in advocacy, credibility, and visibility. Create continuity as they moved into more leadership roles in other networks in their school and community environments. Opportunities for improvement: Plan for continuous adaptation of the curriculum to reflect teachers evolving knowledge and practices. Helping teachers to find time and opportunities to continue to build relationships with others in the network. Lessons Learned: High Quality Professional Development is an Achievable Goal. It requires sustained engagement over time, clear, achievable learning targets, high expectations and ongoing assessment. Personal Action Plans Found to be Strong Tools for System Change. Teachers found it particularly helpful to create them with their colleagues’ support, and helping each other navigate the needed changes as they developed over time. “They valued the feedback and support from colleagues who understood the challenges of implementing change within the school system” (Kaufman, et al.) p.2. Active Administrative Involvement. The personal, active engagement of the AEC director together with the ongoing support of the program mentor cited by teachers as critical to sustaining their initiatives. Collegial Dialogue and Reflection Are Important Professional Development Tools. Time must be dedicated for teachers to process information and new ideas and reflect on issues, concerns, problems, options, opportunities, needs and celebrations. Community Engagement is a Critical Component. Identifying and engaging community resources strengthen the initiative and supports systemic change. Community resources become a part of an extended network. References: Arts Education Collaborative. Arts Education Collaborative. http://www.artsedcollaborative.org/. Accessed 4.30.06 ---. "Leadership Academy for Arts Educators: Concept Paper."Sarah Tambucci. 2002.1-3. Kaufman, Julia, et al. Analysis of Two Aspects of the Leadership Academy (Creating a Learning Community and Sustaining a Learning Community). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments of the Learning Research and Development Center, 2006. Source: Analysis of two evaluations, one of the institute, another of the extended learning experiences with 2003-2005 participants by Julia Kaufman et al., January 2006.

Target Population:
Artists

Arts Administrators

Arts Specialists

Classroom Teachers

Education Administrators

Other Educators

Other Population

Teaching Artists

Arts Discipline:
Dance

Interdisciplinary

Interdisciplinary arts and other subjects

Music

Theatre/Drama

Visual Arts

Entry Points:
Plan

Rally

Deepen

Connect

Transform

Sustain

Education Thread:
Education Reform

Capacity-Building

Leadership

Partnership

Network

Evaluation