What We Found
The following describes the findings of our project. Our interviews indicate our major findings that we discovered in our qualitative research. We carried out one focus group with teaching artists, two-parent interviews, and three Hartford Performs observations.
Analysis
After coding and analyzing our focus group interviewing with teaching artists and parent interviews we were able to identify major themes that addressed our main research question. In addition to interviews, we also observed Hartford Performs programming in different Hartford Schools classrooms to see the type of impacts art integration programming has in students. We focused our analysis on our research question: What is the value of arts integration programming?
Theme 1: Arts Integration Improves Creativity and Expression
Teaching Artist’s Perspective
Teaching artists described how using an art-based approach encourages student participation and creativity. Kids have the opportunity to create their own forms of art expression like choreographies to bring to life what they read which helps them better understand curriculum material since they are interacting with it and crafting something in the process. Artists expressed the way they get to create an atmosphere with creative lessons and activities where students can bring their creativity and express themselves through various art forms.
“I had a program with second graders and I walked into the room and told them “we’re gonna have a concert, put your hands up!!’ and their response was crazy! They were dancing, smiling, their energy was wild! As soon as they walked in the room it was like, “yes! This is my group!’ They sing my songs, they love it. They do the moves, they participate.” – Teaching Artist 1
“While you’re there you’ll realize you did something for a kid that the teachers have been struggling to do. And they’ll go “oh! That’s the kid that I thought hated writing.’ And I’ll take the paper from them and they’ll say “no I want to write more!’ So, you can’t say they hate writing.”- Teaching Artist 2
One artist acknowledged that there are a lot of kids in school who are smart but feel their “intelligence is not being valued” because of how the curriculum is taught.
“All I know is, they [teachers]were incentivized to not teach to my need, in particular, ya know if there were like a certain percentage of kids in the class who were doing it fine the way it was.” – Teaching Artist 1
“Oh, there is an instantaneous impact that you can see with the teachers. When a kid gets up in front of the class and a kid is bolder than they tend to be.” – Teaching Artist 2
Many students who are left behind in the classroom since the majority of other kids are doing well enough with how the curriculum is traditionally taught. The teaching artists mentioned that as an artist incorporating the school material through an arts lens sparks an interest in every student to want to engage with the material, participate, and create.
Parent Perspectives
One parent stated that her child who is typically shy and quiet in class values visual art since its an important art form he uses to help express himself. She stated how her child was a shy kid who would really only express himself when doing some kind of art piece. At home, she would decipher how he was feeling based drawings he did or the colors of paper he chose. She emphasized how “all kids are different” and exploring a different method of teaching through art integration can benefit kids who usually are not engaged with the lecture classes.
“Art can help a child express their feelings in a good way, a bad way, an imaginary way and I like art with my son since he is not a talker.” – Parent 1
For the most part, both teaching artists and parents agreed on how an art-based approach in the classroom aided students’ engagement with the school material. They gave examples of the numerous ways it also encouraged students’ own creative thinking within the curriculum and self-expression.
Classroom Observation
The unique potential of arts integration to engage students was also apparent in our classroom observations. Hartford Performs helped kids further engage with the material by interacting with course material in a more creative form.
‘Just Juice’ Program:
The program aimed to teach kids about main themes, making informed predictions based on character actions/traits, and being able to put themselves in the character’s shoes in the story. it provided a space for students to learn about character direct and indirect characterization by creating their own dialogues and collaborating with their peers.
Hartford Stage teaching artist kept 4th-grade students engaged and actively listening throughout the entire duration of her program. She utilized the smart board in the classroom to write down the main characters’ names and traits as she read the students the story. As she read, the teaching arts asked students questions about what they taught was going to happen next. The kids would shoot their hands up ready to answer and predict based on what they had already read. For the one activity, the artist had them partnered up with another student and assigned each a character. She asked them to make up a scene of what kind of dialogue they thought these two characters would have and to incorporate body gestures to portray the character’s personality. Students were excited to create their own dialogue performances. Once everyone was done the artist asked who wanted to present their presentation of their dialogue conversation. Before she could finish her sentence, students were jumping and raised their hands eagerly to share their creations. There was one pair of students in which one student was a bit shyer but she still shared with her partner and the teaching artist guided them throughout their presentation proving words of affirmation. Students used body and facial gestures to portray if their character was grumpy or happy. Students were silly and not afraid to express themselves using elaborate theatrical exaggerations to present. There was laughter and smiles all around after each creative and silly presentation was cleverly delivered to the class.
Theme 2: Arts Integration Improves Student Engagement
Our findings were conclusive and proved what we already knew as true – that the arts are an essential and powerful tool for learning. There are various methods of learning. All share equal value, but some students engage better and deeper with different styles. Arts education incorporates all three methods, whereas traditional methods of learning typically cater to one at a time. In bringing the arts into the classroom as a tool for teaching, it ensures that all students’ style of learning are met. Hartford Performs offers educational programs that utilize dance and movement, music and song, and arts and crafts.
In our classroom observations, we got to witness first hand what this engagement looks like. Here we saw students come to life – interacting, collaborating, and participating in arts, music, and dance, all while learning essential core curriculum. Teaching artists explained that this is the typical engagement in their programs. They have developed tools and strategies to foster an inclusive and encouraging environment within their programs to ensure all students’ participation and engagement with materials. One parent interview revealed a similar sentiment, whereas she said her child is more prone to participate in hands-on learning, such as the arts.
Parent Perspective
Another parent mentioned a similar sentiment of feeling her kids’ engagement was more prominent when the arts were in the mix. She went on to share how she also worked with kids and that she felt her students were most engaged when they were doing a hand-on activity involving the arts as well.
” I feel like more hands-on [activities] because the lectures they just, you know, it gets kinda boring. they get bored. Lectures are good but like, I just feel like a lot of kids in Hartford, in particular, they are more hands-on learners and I’m saying that for my kids too.” -Parent 2