Groundbreaking Results Released
Integrating Art Methods is Improving Literacy
California State University San Marcos, in collaboration with the North County Professional Development Federation, the San Diego County Office of Education and 10 North San Diego County school districts, held a press conference on Thursday, February 9th to announce the groundbreaking results from DREAM (Developing Reading Education with Arts Methods), a four-year arts integration program funded with a nearly $1-million grant through the United States Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement.
CSUSM's President Haynes and Dr. Merryl Goldberg announced that elementary student test scores in reading improved an astonishing 87 points as a result of DREAM's initiatives. The program's goal was to train 3rd and 4th grade teachers to use visual arts and theater activites to improve students' reading and language arts skills. Begun in June 2009, the program offered one week Summer Institutes coupled with coaching by professional artists throughout the year. Ten school districts have had teachers participate in the project, including Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Julian, Oceanside, Ramona, San Marcos, Valley Center-Pauma and Vista, representing 141 teachers and approximately 3,000 students.
For more on these exciting results, please see the following news items:
Center ARTES receives a National Endowment for the Arts grant for TELL! Theater for English Language Learners:
See the article in the North County Times
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Artists, Arts Lovers, and Educators, we're with you...
we know first-hand the power of the arts to improve the lives and education of our children. Whether it be in the ways that music and rhythm can help teach difficult math concepts, dance can teach anatomy and physiology, drama can teach history or politics, or writing poetry can boost confidence and competence in self-expression, the arts repeatedly demonstrate invaluable benefits in a child's education. We have seen student learning improve across the curriculum, marginalized students get connected, and attendance soar on days featuring the arts and art activities.
We take as our mission to teach with and through the arts, rather than focusing exclusively on teaching about the arts. Capitalizing on this rapidly developing and expanding field, and pioneering the field along the way, we create and implement diverse arts education programming, documenting tangible results. Through our long term partnerships with schools, districts, artists, and arts education institutions, we connect educators with the tools, resources, and personnel to seamlessly integrate the arts into their classrooms and programs, exposing students to a rich, diverse arts education and improving student learning across the curriculum.
Whether you are an educator, artist, parent, student, or concerned community member, we encourage you to think of this website as a resource and a means to connect with like minded individuals. Center ARTES is committed to remaining on the leading edge of arts education research, development, and practice, and to sharing the fruits of our labor with you.
"Arts Education - It's the Law. Ask for More"
Phone: (760) 750-4431
Bring the Mobile Arts Van program to your class! Your school can have Center ARTES' Arts Van come to your school (free of charge) and have an artist do theater activities with several classes....or have our musician come for 4 sessions and create a musical performance with your kids (and for parents!). Contact us at Center ARTES for more information and scheduling:
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