This would allow the regular 3rd and 4th grade teachers the opportunity to meet and plan across grade levels. The days when the fine arts team visits the school give teachers an opportunity to collaborate on instruction, curriculum design, assessments, and performance analysis all the nuts and bolts of teacher retooling and reorganizing. Our 3rd and 4th grade teachers reviewed the recent results of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test to determine strengths and weaknesses and adjust our curriculum accordingly. Another bonus for the classroom teachers is that the fine arts teachers are professionals who deliver a specific curriculum aligned with Illinois State Learning Standards. This is a regular staff member who provides students with high interest fine arts standards-based instruction.
Students also look forward to the fine arts day.
They shared their experiences with me right away. A third grade teacher noted that students enjoyed the quilt art and she did, too. It was a great introduction to our Thanksgiving unit. The fine arts educators introduce students to visual art and drama while teaching skills essential for meeting state standards for fine arts education. They understand and explore sound before they learn to speak.