Kristina is the Director of Youth Dreamers. Based in Baltimore, Youth Dreamers began in 2001 and created a youth-run youth center that employs teens and creatively serves children of all ages. Since 2001, Youth Dreamers have raised over $900,000 and served 618 youth in Baltimore City. For more information on Youth Dreamers check out their website and their book! Kristina is also the Education Director of Young Audiences Maryland (YAMD) and the Literacy Specialist of YAMD's Summer Arts and Learning Academy. Below she shares her unique perspective on arts and literacy, and the impacts of arts and literacy on student lives.
What does it mean to be literate? I would take it further than just "a person able to read and write." I believe to be literate TODAY, you must be able and want to read for a variety of reasons AND be able to express yourself/communicate in multiple ways - through writing, speaking, an art form, etc. It is NOT enough to simply be able to read and write - you need to be CURIOUS, CRITICAL, REFLECTIVE, and ARTICULATE (not in the fancy way, but in a way that allows you to clearly communicate. What roles do literacy and language play in identity formation? We figure out WHO we are based on the experiences we have, our engagement with others, and our opportunities to READ about different perspectives. Literacy and language are vehicles for that to happen. How have arts integrated approaches to teaching literacy compare to more "traditional" approaches? How has this affected student performance? Access! Much like Gardner's worm on multiple intelligences, it is COMMON SENSE that we all learn and express our understanding through different modalities. STANDARDS and STANDARDIZED testing can limit how we deliver instruction and what acceptable methods of assessment are. WITH the arts, you HONOR the uniqueness of each individual, invite opportunities to take control of learning through creative choices, explore a variety of ways to communicate and ultimately help students discover who they are vs. being defined by others. Students ACHIEVE when they are HEARD, when they are ENGAGED in different ways, when they are guided to be REFLECTIVE, and when they have choices about how to demonstrate their new understandings. When done well... literacy provides an avenue to step out of our comfort zones and learn about others. The arts provide a vehicle for this AND build the COMMUNITY that is essential for young people to TAKE RISKS. How can community arts initiatives connect students of different languages, dialects, and vernaculars? How do these programs promote mutual respect among students? Community arts initiatives (if done well) are grounded in the communities in which they take place. Even so, these programs must take the time to Build COMMUNITY among participants by allowing each individual to express who he/she is THROUGH ART. Language is not necessary - we can understand each other through art. This freedom to tell our own stories, identify commonalities, and feel comfortable asking questions of each other create and support mutual respect, compassion, honesty and authenticity. Does an emphasis on Standard English create inequitable learning environments? If so, can the arts effectively address these inequities? We can recognize and understand Standard English AND create spaces (through the ARTS and through simply being an effective facilitator) where other dialects and vernaculars are honored, understood and celebrated as part of who we are as unique individuals.
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In this interview Dr. Randy Rumpf, Curriculum Specialist for the Visual and Performing Arts Secondary level for Frederick County Public Schools (MD), discusses the role of literacy in the arts curriculum. The conversation ranges from discourses within the arts, the arts relationship to English literacy, and the value arts have for English Language Learners. While each response is interesting on its own, it is particularly fascinating to see them presented together because they highlight the different arts and literacy relationships that manifest within an arts curriculum.
What does it mean to be artistically literate? Here is our official FCPS definition: Artistic literacy is the knowledge and understanding required to participate authentically in the arts. Fluency in the language(s) of the arts is the ability to create, perform/produce/present, respond, and connect through symbolic and metaphoric forms that are unique to the arts. It is embodied in specific philosophical foundations and lifelong goals that enable an artistically literate person to transfer arts knowledge, skills, and capacities to other subjects, settings, and contexts. (Adopted from Natioanl Coalition for Core Arts Standards (http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/sites/default/files/NCCAS%20%20Conceptual%20Framework_4.pdf) How are artistic discourse communities accessible to students? The arts are accessible to all since there is not specific skillset required as long as one is willing to work to develop the basic skills. What role does English literacy play in the construction of visual and performing arts curriculums? Artistic Literacy Values: Vocabulary development is specific to the concept and discipline but includes reading, writing/composing, discussing, listening and performing. Instruction of the artistic concept includes key vocabulary concepts and performance applications that will be assessed in the county developed, standards-based assessments. Sample key vocabulary for each arts discipline is found in the individual curriculum maps and posted on curriculum websites. Value 1, Reading: The development of artistic vocabulary is discipline specific but commonalities exist across the arts spectrum. Frequently terms are derived or based in foreign languages, are reflective of an event, or signify a physical reaction by the artist. Each artistic discipline presents the opportunity for traditional reading of text, but arts literacy expands to include the identification of and responding to specific symbols or gestures. For example, a theatre student must examine the use of positive and negative space on stage, a visual artist must process or “read” a painting based upon the combination of lines, space, perspective, form, and color to create or discuss a single work. A dancer needs to “read” the interactions of performers and choreography, while a musician learns a sign and symbol system used to perform or present expression. Sample readings will be reflected in curriculum assessments and maps on our GAFE website. These resources began development during Summer 2015. Reading is not overtly present in our assessment system. Value 2, Writing: Writing in the arts utilizes reflection, comprehension, evaluation, and creativity. Student writings may evaluate the accuracy of a live performance or piece of artwork using specific content vocabulary, evaluate the presence of established content concepts, or the creation of a new work using signs and symbols. Writing can be the evaluation of a personal work/performance as an individual or as an ensemble performance/ group project. For example, a visual art lesson could present the class with a piece of artwork and each student could examine the artwork for an element of their choice.The student could discuss how the element was used and if it was effective for the viewer. Value 3, Speaking & Listening: Speaking and listening in the arts serve as priority for formative and summative assessment in the decision making process. Responding to the arts requires an understanding and connection of key vocabulary or skills. In addition to written communication, verbal communication and conversation serve as vehicles of expression for intent of both the student artist choices and discussion of the artist intent being examined. Active listening is critical in the arts to understand and interpret musical ideas of or during performance, adjusting the individual role, reacting to other individuals, and creating a group production. Effective instruction in the arts allows students to respond to stimuli, express thoughts, provide feedback, defend decisions, and offer various interpretations. Value 4, Performing: Performance and/or creating are essential to artistic literacy. Developing the technical skills as in individual, as well as ensemble skills in the area of performing arts, leads to synthesizing and relating content to creation. Performanced Based Assessments (PBA) gauge the individual’s understanding and proficiency. PBA’s are utilized in assessing the application of determined content skills and knowledge, the combination of knowledge across disciplines, and demonstration of communication skills. How do English Language Learner students benefit from visual and performing arts courses? For many students, ELL or general population, they are learning the same vocabulary from the beginning. Recognition of symbols and foreign terms is traditionally new vocabulary and basic knowledge. In the arts setting, a student can demonstrate a skill and then assign a term to that skill with the guidance of the teacher. For the arts, a skill demonstration provides immediate feedback to the student and using a woard bank or word wall, a concept can be vocalized. Arts integration utilizes fine arts as a tool for student learning. While this practice has been around for decades, it has significantly expanded in recent years. Arts integration in the Mid-Atlantic United States is largely supported by two pillar organizations: Changing Education through the Arts (CETA) of The Kennedy Center, and Young Audiences Maryland (YAMD). This post will explore how each organization operates and how they join arts with literacy. CETAThe Kennedy Center began CETA in 1999 as a reaction to growing interest in arts integrated instruction. The program works with schools, teachers, and students to replace isolated traditional classrooms with interactive learning communities. Today CETA is present in 16 schools throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. CETA approaches literacy through many different art forms, but one of the most compelling is poetry performance. The emphasis on the speaking and performing of poetry changes the lens in which students view poetry. It highlights the difference between written word and spoken word and also explores the different ways in which literature can be engaged. One fascinating feature of poetry performance is how it interweaves art, literacy, and personal identity. Beyond the opportunity to create an original composition and deliver an original performance, students are able to embrace leadership skills through public speaking practice. YAMDYAMD opened in Baltimore, MD in 1950. The nonprofit conducts programs year round which emphasize the value of arts in classrooms. YAMD strongly embraces the vast opportunities for student creativity associated with arts integrated learning. The program works with classroom teachers as well as artists within the community to create classroom environments that embrace various content areas along with the arts.
YAMD embraces literacy through its SummerREADS program. For SummerREADS, YAMD pairs with Baltimore City Public School, local libraries, and many more local organizations, including the Baltimore Zoo, to provide a free drop-in summer reading program. Students embrace literacy through independent reading, group reading, group discussion, song, coloring, collaging, acting, and composing stories. The varied approaches to reading creates a more equitable learning environment by meeting the needs of students with different learning styles and needs. The placement of the program during the summer also ensures that students are engaging with literacy skills throughout the year. This is especially valuable for the younger age groups participating in the program. In his interview on the importance of visual literacy, Martin Scorsese delves into the grammar and language of presenting imagery. Everything from the the camera lens size, lens angle, lighting, and shot selection can be used to present information in different ways. This seems parallel to the word choice or tone used to deliver a specific message or emotion in a written language.
like watching a movie while on a cell phone or playing a video game. With this great amount of visual input, it is important to make sure students are not just seeing, but looking. This distinction sounds like the foundation of critical pedagogy in regard to media literacy. If students can analyze why certain elements were chosen to convey messages they will be better prepared to engage with their surrounds. They may also be able to reach new conclusions regarding their personal identities.
HipHopEd may have started as a hashtag, but today it is much more. HipHopEd challenges traditional educational values and approaches while supporting hip hop-based classroom intervention and pedagogy. HipHopEd ties hip hop to literacy through its Liberation Literacies program. This program emphasizes the value of multiple literacies and demonstrates how different literacies have value. Liberation Literacies also seeks to disrupt and be critical of dominant ideologies that leave many students, particularly students of color, on the margins of classrooms.
This disconnect is relevant to literacy because a lack of awareness and representation for cultural art forms often accompanies the same lack of awareness and representation for correlating languages and vernaculars. In both cases there is a set standard which everything is measured against. Instead of recognizing the unique value in varying art or speech, differences are exoticized.
In jazz soloing this note arranging process is unique because it is largely improvised. In this way, jazz represented a casual conversation more than a prepared speech. For the individual, ideas and emotions are expressed through tonalities, rhythms, and inflection. These musical elements provide context to musical thoughts in the same way speaking tools like tone and cadence do. Much like a conversation though, improvising is not just about 'speaking,' it's also about listening! A person can not contribute to a conversation if they don't know what has already been said. Neither can a jazz improviser. This process may be best defined as the pragmatics of jazz improvisation. Musicians need to hear what other soloists are playing, so that they can then respond with relevant information. The concept of conversational improvisation is further explained in the Bruce Babad-Joe Jewell Tedx below. Following a verbal expanation, at 5:56 there is a clear example of listening and responding, with a focus on rhythm:
Jazz improvisation is an established 'language' of its own, but does it also have relevance to English literacy? According to Gloria Ladson-Billings, the answer is yes! In her contribution to The Skin that We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom, Ladson-Billings describes a young teacher with a passion for Wynton Marsalis (see above). The teacher, Carter Forshay, utilized Marsalis recordings, having students create characters and dialog based on the music they heard (Ladson-Billings, 2008, p. 114). In doing so, Forshay was able to " realize the language and literacy skills the students already possessed and connect them up with conventional forms of literacy," (Ladson-Billings, 2008, p. 117).
The relationship between jazz improvisation and literacy is vast, with room for many definitions. On one hand it is a language of its own, requiring unique literacy skills. On another it can be an effective tool for English literacy in a wide range of classroom setting. Exploring these two concepts together provides a more complete view of jazz and literacy and creates another unique perspective of arts and literacy.
The purpose of this blog is to share and highlight varying views and perspectives on the relationship between arts and literacy. Each post aims to highlight a different way in which arts and literacy coexist and interact. Each post also focuses on different educators, artists, and organizations. Together, the intention of these varied posts is to flesh out different relationships between arts and literacy and to expand the scope of how these two words are view together in the classroom and beyond. The target audience of this blog is teachers, students, and communities.
Enjoy! Mark |