Are you a teaching artist? This section is for you: Tips for building relationships with teachers and schools, planning sequential curriculums, and writing lesson plans with clear objectives.

Teaching the Arts

Workshop artists, regardless of art form, are required to submit a Curriculum Overview for their residencies. It should be both age specific and include Learning Goals for the students that the artist hopes to accomplish by the end of the residency.

Download: Theatre Arts Curriculum Overview
Download: Theatre Arts & Creative Movement Overview
Download: Curriculum Overview Template

Throughout the year, Workshop artists are evaluated by the Artistic Director or an Artist Mentor using the Workshop's Teaching Skills Assessment. This evaluation occurs during an individual class and refers back both to the artist's Lesson Plan and Curriculum Overview, but also the the Cycle of Artistic Inquiry used to demonstrate the Workshop's methodology. The Cycle is discussed more in-depth here.

Download: Teaching Skills Assessment

Relationships with Schools and Teachers

The role of the resident artist in schools can have lasting impact on the students, teachers,
administrators, and school culture. Investigation of resources, proper planning, continuous communication, and an understanding of roles and responsibilities are paramount to a successful residency.

The following resources are discussion guides for meetings between a teaching artist and an educator at the beginning, middle, and end of the residency. They offer realistic and applicable strategies for the resident artist to employ during the duration of the residency regardless of the student population served. These strategies include assessment methods, behavior management tools and group-building rituals.

These are ready-to-use techniques that help artists clarify the goals of their residency and build solid agreements with key stakeholders to create a culture of clear expectations, wherein voices are heard and resources are shared.

Download: Artful Expectations Before the Residency
Download: Artful Expectations Mid Residency
Download: Artful Expectations End Residency

The following are links to classroom tips for teachers and artists:

SparkEd Includes lesson plans, information on professional development workshops, and a pedagogy for music, visual arts, dance and theatre.

Free online classroom management training from CalSTAT CalSTAT (California Services for Technical Assistance and Training) is a special project of the California Department of Education. Funded through the Special Education Division and the California State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) the SPDG, a federal grant, supports and develops partnerships with schools and families by providing training, technical assistance and resources to both special education and general education.

510Arts 510 Arts is a private public partnership in conjunction with the East Bay Culture Corridor. Goals include reinforcing the role of the arts as both a proven catalyst for economic development and as a model for improving quality of life and community sustainability, as well as increasing the visibility, accessibility and sustainability of arts communities.

Zambaleta Zambaleta happens when everyone is actively participating, whether by playing music, singing, or dancing. We aspire to create an inclusive musical community where everyone has equal access to music education irrespective of their economic background or musical competency. We develop environments conducive to experiencing and learning music.

Sample Lesson Plans

Creative Movement:
Download: #1 - Preschool through 2nd Grade
Download: #2 - Preschool through 1st Grade

Creative Writing:
Download: #1 - 8th through 12th Grade
Download: #2 - Ages 16 through 20
Download: #3 - Middle & High School
Download: #4 - Ages 10 through 12

Theatre Arts:
Download: #1 - Middle & High School
Download: #2 - Special Education, 4th & 5th Grade
Download: #3 - Special Education, 3rd through 5th Grade

World Dance:
Download: #1 - Kung Fu, Elementary & Middle School

World Music:
Download: #1 - Rhythm, Kindergarten
Download: #1 - Hip Hop, Middle & High School