higher order thinking schools - sharpschool
TRANSCRIPT
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08
HIGHER ORDER THINKING SCHOOLSstrong arts arts integration democratic practice
Paintings from Arts Explorations at the 22nd Annual HOT Schools Summer Institute
2015 Summer InstituteOpening Remarks
Bonnie Koba
Summer Institute Photo Essay
I Am an Outlet for LearningMelissa McInvale
We Learn Through LaughterGeoff Ponticelli
Intercultural Investigationof Arts Integration
Kyoko Ono
Somaly Hay Receives Gubernatorial Citation
Diversity of Involvement and Shared Vision
Lisa Landley
HOT SchoolsSelect Events Calendar
STARS by Jaya Pichay
Worthington Hooker Named2015 Blue Ribbon School
Transforming Curriculum throughArt-making and Critical Literacy
Patty Bode
HOT Resources—Teach Like
a Pirate by Dave Burgess
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 2
And there is still the issue of teacher evalua-
tions. The list goes on. So, who will do this
important work? How will it ever be accom-
plished?
1. Raise Student Achievement and Success;
2. Support Effective Educators and School Lead-
ers; 3. Transform the Teaching and Learning
Environment; and 4. Build Leadership Capacity
and Knowledge.
HOT Schools has been doing this important work
for 22 years. We have data that shows improve-
ment in fluency rates when students are en-
gaged as narrators in a play. We have evidence
connecting increased writing and math scores to
HOT Practice. Our arts teachers, who once felt
disenfranchised, are now leaders in their build-
ings and the go-to people for innovative unit
design. We have classroom teachers leading
workshops on arts integration— teachers teach-
ing teachers. HOT School principals are becom-
ing curriculum directors and superintendents.
Experienced principals are coaching new princi-
pals. Parents are becoming board of education
members and community activists.
And we have teaching artists who are truly col-
laborating with classroom teachers to help them
bring the curriculum alive so that teachers and
students alike want to come to school. And our
schools become innovation hubs. Places where
behaviors shift toward less office referrals and
greater joy in a climate of respect, contribution,
participation, and responsibility. This is HOT
Schools. This is what you are a part of. And it is
only in Connecticut. It is Connecticut’s unique
brand for excellence in arts learning.
THE TIME IS NOW: Making Arts Learning Visible, Viable & Valued
2015 Summer Institute Opening Remarks
Opening remarks were delivered at the Hartford
Hilton hotel on the morning of Monday, July 13,
2015.
Welcome to the 22nd Annual Higher Order
Thinking Schools Summer Institute THE TIME IS
NOW: Making Arts Learning Visible, Viable &
Valued. The Arts Education Partnership, a
national coalition of education, arts, business,
cultural, government and philanthropic organi-
zations, identified four state level priority areas
in which arts and education leaders can situate
their work:
1. Raise Student Achievement and Success;
2. Support Effective Educators and School Lead-
ers; 3. Transform the teaching and Learning
Environment; and 4. Build Leadership Capacity
and Knowledge.
Sounds like a pretty tall order. Right? I mean,
there’s Common Core, and SBAC, and the new
social studies standards. Have we clearly identi-
fied success? And how to measure it? Are we
there yet?
How does one go about transforming the teach-
ing and learning environment when the policy
for practice becomes more and more prescrip-
tive each year? When teachers and building
leaders have seemingly less autonomy over how
they teach and when to teach it? And educators
and school leaders move around. We have,
within our HOT schools alone, four new princi-
pals this year, several retirees, and there must
have been something in the water this year be-
cause nearly every school will start the fall with
one or more long-term subs covering maternity
leaves.continued on page 9
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 3
HOT SCHOOLS SUMMER INSTITUTESCENES FROM THE 22ND ANNUAL
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 4
I Am an Outlet for Learning
I am a parent of two children. My daughter is in
3rd grade and my son started kindergarten just
days ago at a Higher Order Thinking (HOT) school.
My journey with HOT Schools started in the spring
of 2011, when my husband and I had to decide
which school in our district our daughter would
attend. Since I knew what a traditional school
looked like, we made an appointment to tour the
“other” school in town. At this point, I had never
heard of or knew what a HOT school was. The no-
tion was foreign to both of us. We talked to the
principal of the school who then sent us on our
way to “see the school” but not from her perspec-
tive, rather from that of a student who attends
there. In addition to our student led tour, we
were welcomed by a group of students ranging
from grades 1-4 who circled us and proceeded to
sing us the school welcome song, which we later
found out was written by the students at this
school. My husband and I left saying, “Who
wouldn’t want to send their child here?!” We
bantered back and forth about all the wonderful
things we saw and learned in that afternoon and
we were thrilled our daughter was going to be a
part of this. Even then, we couldn’t imagine how
special a HOT school would become in the life of
our child.
So what is so special about HOT Schools in a stu-
dent’s life, from a parent’s perspective? I would
have to say it is the dynamics in which academics
are approached and taught. My daughter has
some learning challenges and even though I see
her struggles she continues to work so hard to
learn. She loves learning and I think that comes
from not only a nurturing, wonderful staff, but
also because of the HOT Schools philosophy. My
daughter has had the luxury of learning from
teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, administra-
tors, assistants and teaching artists who all pro-
mote a healthy attitude to differences, risk taking,
and the ability to help them find their strengths
so they can feel and be successful. Through the
motto of strong arts, arts integration and demo-
cratic practice; she has a voice in her learning,
which allows for her to take ownership of it at
such a young age.
I have known this school to be extraordinary and
tell everyone I know about it, but attending the
HOT Summer Institute was a game changer for
me. Back in the spring, my husband came home
from a PTA meeting and asked me if I knew that
there was a HOT Schools Summer Institute that I
could attend as a parent. I never pass up on the
chance to learn, to be better, and to understand
more teaching practices, most especially because
I am a teacher in another district. I signed up with
the principal the next day. A few months later I
received the link to register for tracks and work-
shops. I read through the pages and pages of of-
ferings. The more I read, the more nervous I
became. The descriptions were clear. There would
be improvisation, movement, investigating, and
sharing. All of these words scary to someone out-
side the circle; after all I was a parent, not a
teacher in a HOT school. When it was time to
choose I was very careful. I didn’t choose any-
thing that was too sharing or too demonstrative,
and I definitely did not sign up for anything that
mentioned improvisation. Well as things turn out,
you don’t always get your first picks. When I got
to the Hartford Hilton, the first workshop typed
in my space was Improvisation with Celeste
Miller. The mere thought terrified me and I
wanted to go running back to my car. I knew that
wasn’t a possibility so I rallied myself. “I could
blend in with the crowd and not be noticed.” If
you have ever been to one of Celeste’s workshops
you already know there is no such thing as blend-
ing in. And at the end of the 2 hours, I was grate-
ful I took this workshop. I found myself closer to
the middle of the visual rubric that measured
comfort level of improvisation. My second work-
continued on page 11
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 5
school, I taught my 16 students how to make tes-
sellations. I also have my students learning about
their community and culture through strategies
that I learned this summer. I took a class that
taught me how to incorporate Pokemon into
math. That lesson plan was created matching the
children's IEP goals and objectives to the Com-
mon Core State Standards. I can't wait to begin
teaching this year!
It's now Sunday night 11:45pm. I will be meeting
my new students in less than 9 hours. I should be
sleeping. However, I am awake anxiously awaiting
their arrival and the ability to incorporate all I
learned. I'm also looking forward to seeing the
children's expression when I can show them a 5
foot by 8 foot canvas that was generously do-
nated to my Gaffney School students by Amy and
Bonnie my HOT Schools heroes. I often go back
to a poem I read to them the last day of HOT
Schools Summer Institute. They are pioneers.
They are heroes to tens of thousands of children
who get this HOT Schools Approach in their life!
Now it is Friday afternoon 5:32pm. WHAT A
WEEK! My students are amazing. The new school
is incredible. Our principals are perfect. This past
week we have played Pokemon which was a huge
success. We sang. We danced our way through an
alphabet march. We made a CVC phonics rap! I
taught my first graders and fourth graders how to
make tessellations. One student said, "It is math.
It is patterns. It's Common Core. But it's fun!"
That is what HOT Schools has done for my
students and me! It's Common Core. It's fun. It's
an infusion of arts into everything we do!
We LearnThrough Laughter
As I walk down the hallway of my beautifully ren-
ovated school with bright teal, bright green,
bright purple, and bright orange I am anxiously
awaiting the students and walk down the main
hallway to see our Gaffney Tiger paw that is larger
than them. My lessons are typed. My plans are all
set. My room has three beautiful paintings that
blanket the back wall. This past week I had 6
teachers come to see my room and tell me how
much they love my paintings. Two people asked
me where I bought them. I smiled and said I
painted them. They were amazed. They said they
didn't know I was a painter. I told them I became
a professional painter 6 weeks ago at the Higher
Order Thinking Schools Summer Institute. Then
they said the same institute that made you a pro-
fessional dancer last summer? I said you better
believe it!
What has HOT Schools done for me? Prior to join-
ing a HOT school and attending the conferences I
was an incredible teacher. However, I taught using
paper, pencil, and manipulatives. Now I teach
using song, dance, raps, plays, painting, clay,
sand, tableaus, and other artistic and real world
tangibles. The students shine. The students love
coming to work in my resource room. I am a spe-
cial education teacher this year working with stu-
dents in first and fourth grade.
Ask the students why they want to come to my
room? You will hear a similar response from all
the students "it is fun!" It is fun because we sing.
We dance. We act. We play. We laugh. We learn.
We do arts and crafts. We learn through laughter.
This year thanks to Patty Bode, my sequential
learning track presenter, I have a new tool belt of
activities to utilize with my students. At summer
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 6
Intercultural Investigation of Arts Integration
continued on page 12
This year, I attended the HOT Schools Summer
Institute for the first time. It was a fine oppor-
tunity for me to meet superb teachers and other
wonderful people. It was indeed an incredible
learning experience.
I am an expressive arts therapist and also teach
clinical psychology to graduate students in
Japan. I have become increasingly interested in
using expressive arts in education, and I have
been inviting Canadian teachers of Learning
Through The Arts to introduce their method
since 2004. In addition, since 2010 I have been
inviting HOT Schools Summer Institute faculty
member Lisa Donovan to Japan to introduce arts
integration through Artwork Japan, a non-profit
organization. Last year we started to offer a
training course for arts integration in teaching.
I attended this year’s summer school because I
wanted to learn more about arts integration
methods. After a day at the institute, I came up
with some questions about arts integration. The
main question I had was: what is the difference
between activities and arts integration? I asked
this question to several people I met at summer
school. One person said that an activity is a part of
arts integration. Another said that an activity
involves following instructions without much free-
dom; an activity itself is not arts integration. She
also said that in arts integration, you create your
own artistic expression and make connections with
other forms of knowledge. She felt it is important
that interdisciplinary learning occurs in arts integra-
tion. She especially emphasized interdisciplinary
learning. After many conversations I realized that
activities alone do not make for strong integration.
Rather, the strongest work has personal relevance
and meaning.
Asking this question to other participants and staff
made it clear to me that arts integration works best
in an environment of artistic expression where stu-
dents can express who they are. My education
background is the traditional Japanese classroom:
just sitting and absorbing information. It was not
enjoyable at all. My soul nearly died because I was
not allowed to express who I am. Since I am now an
expressive arts therapist, I know very well that
when we express ourselves through arts, we get to
know ourselves, we gain more awareness, and our
Louise Pascal, Kyoko Ono, Lisa Donovan and Linda Eakin at the 2015 HOT Schools Summer Institute
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 7
Bonnie KobaDirector
Amy GoldbasAssociate Director for Program Design
Christopher EavesAssociate Director for Professional Development
Kim ThibodeauInformation and Operations Specialist
Alcott Elementary SchoolWolcott
Columbus Magnet SchoolNorwalk
Edgewood Magnet SchoolNew Haven
Gaffney Elementary SchoolNew Britain
High School in the CommunityNew Haven
Integrated Day Charter SchoolNorwich
Jack Jackter Intermediate SchoolColchester
John C. Daniels SchoolNew Haven
John Lyman Elementary SchoolMiddlefield
R. J. Kinsella Magnet SchoolHartford
Lincoln Middle SchoolMeriden
Martin Elementary SchoolManchester
Nathan Hale Arts Magnet SchoolNew London
Pleasant Valley Elementary SchoolSouth Windsor
Samuel Staples Elementary SchoolEaston
Worthington Hooker SchoolNew Haven
HOT SCHOOLS DIRECTORY
Somaly Hay ReceivesGubernatorial Citation
Somaly Hay at her business Somaly Hay & Co. in New London. Photo: Tim Cook
Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) Master Teaching Artist, Somaly
Hay, received a citation from Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy,
State Senator Paul Formica and State Representative Kathleen
McCarty at her Waterford home on September 29TH. COA Master
Teaching Artist Sally Rogers then presented Ms. Hay with a video
compilation of well wishes from her fellow Teaching Artists.
Ms Hay, who was one of the first artists in the COA’s Urban Artist
Initiative program, came to Hartford after fleeing her native
Cambodia in 1981. Her life story is one of perseverance, generosity
and triumph. Ms. Hay’s Gubernatorial Citation reads:
"For your dedication to preserving Cambodian dance culture and
heritage and joyfully sharing this with so many others. You have
gracefully overcome personal tragedy and risen to become a Master
Teaching Artist with the Connecticut Office of the Arts. You have
touched lives all over the United States & Canada as well as
Cambodia with dances you learned as a child dancing in the King of
Cambodia's palace as well as dances you created to promote peace
and greater understanding between all peoples. You taught Cambo-
dian culture to children in the U.S. and supported artists in
Cambodia through your Cambodian Culture store. We want to thank
you for your selfless giving, loving support and warm compassion."
Ms. Hay shared the following with Julianne Hanckel of The Day
(theday.com)— “My mother always told me, ‘Don’t heavy the earth
for nothing. Make your weight on this earth worth something.’”
WED, OCT 21 HOT Schools Orientation8–3:00PM John Lyman School, Middlefield
TUE, NOV 3 Professional Development9–3:30PM Wesleyan University, Middletown
WED, NOV 18 Professional Development9–3:30PM New Britain Museum of Art, New Britain
THU, NOV 19 Coaches Meeting10–1:00PM Connecticut Office of the Arts, Hartford
WED, DEC 16 HOT Schools Orientation9–3:30PM Worthington Hooker School, New Haven
FRI, JAN 8 HOT Schools Spring TAC9–3:30PM Location to be announced
WED, JAN 20 HOT Schools Leadershop9–3:30PM Jack Jackter Intermediate, Colchester
WED, FEB 3 Site Coordinator Meeting9–3:30PM Location to be announced
WED, FEB 17 HOT Schools Leadershop9–3:30PM Location to be announced
THU, FEB 25 Principal Meeting9–3:30PM Location to be announced
WED, MAR 16 HOT Schools Leadershop9–3:30PM Location to be announced
WED, APR 20 HOT Schools Leadershop9–3:30PM Location to be announced
FRI, MAY 6 Site Coordinator Meeting9–3:30PM Location to be announced
WED, MAY 18 HOT Schools Leadershop9–3:30PM Location to be announced
FRI, MAY 20 Principal Meeting9–3:30PM Location to be announced
MON-FRI, JUL 11-15 Summer Institute 2016Location to be announced
HOT SCHOOLS SELECT EVENTS CALENDAR
Events in PURPLE are Open to Non-HOT Schools
Participants. Registration is Required!
CLICK TO REGISTER or visit https://goo.gl/u R p7Fn
Diversity of Involvement and Shared Vision
I attended the 2015 HOT Schools Summer Institute
as a researcher, working on a doctoral dissertation
entitled Arts Integration Professional Develop-
ment: The Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools
Approach. My research questions are focused on
teacher experience and the content and organiza-
tional structures of the program in order to
discover the essential elements of effective profes-
sional development in arts integration.
My research plans were welcomed by Amy Gold-
bas, who introduced me to the HOT program by
inviting me to attend a Saturday workshop. My
first visit to a HOT school took place on October 9,
2014 when I attended a HOT Orientation Leader-
shop at the John Lyman School. Throughout the
day, I witnessed the hallmarks of the HOT program
in action. I observed three classes, each of which
demonstrated one of the Core Components of the
HOT approach: Strong Arts, Arts Integration, and
Democratic Practice. Students were engaged and
showed evidence of deep understanding in each
setting. We were given a guided tour by a well-
spoken 4th grader who proudly showed us various
exhibits of student work and examples of Demo-
cratic Practice. Having taught music in the public
schools for over 25 years, I had never witnessed a
learning environment such as this one.
I attended the 2015 HOT Schools Summer Institute
to research the program further, by attending a se-
quential learning track and workshops, and where
I also hoped to interview participants. I expected
the institute to be well attended by teachers seek-
ing new strategies for integrating the arts in their
classrooms. What I did not expect was the range
of professions and involvements that exemplify
the HOT Schools community. I expected to meet
continued on page 14
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 8
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 9
This was a great year for HOT Schools.
This year we initiated Phase I of the three-phase
plan for developing teaching artists and we are
about to launch Phase II;
We initiated Phase II of providing HOT Coaches to
each school to observe and help guide HOT prac-
tice and we are about to launch Phase III;
We renewed our relationship with the Depart-
ment of Education. In a new initiative and with
our partnership, the CSDE created a grant
program to advance arts learning in CT schools
and to encourage partnerships between school
and community arts and cultural resources. And
they fashioned it after the HOT Schools model
and HOT Schools Approach.
And our treasured teaching artist, presenter, and
friend Jackie Coleman, was hired to fill the posi-
tion of CSDE’s State Arts Consultant – and filling
that position was a high priority for the Commis-
sioner of Education, Dr. Dianna Roberge-
Wentzell.
We hosted a 7-member team from Louisiana A+
Schools interested in the HOT Approach, and we
welcome new schools from Bridgeport, Hartford,
Manchester, New Haven, Waterford, Newtown,
and our first Summer Institute participant from
Japan.
Opening Remarks
Making arts learning...
Visible: that can be seen; perceptible to the eye,
apparent; manifest; obvious; being constantly or
frequently in the public view; noting or pertaining
to a system of keeping records or information in
such a way that the desired reference can be
brought instantly into view;
Viable: practicable; workable; vivid; real; stimu-
lating, as to the intellect, imagination or senses;
having the ability to grow, expand, develop;
Valued: highly regarded or esteemed; relative
worth, merit, or importance; the worth of some-
thing in terms of the amount of other things for
which it can be exchanged or in terms of some
medium of exchange.
At the core of HOT Schools is a delivery system
that provides teachers, teaching artists, adminis-
trators, parents and arts organization educators
vital professional development, resources, tools
and strategies to develop, deepen, and expand
effective practices in arts education, arts integra-
tion, school culture change, and leadership devel-
opment. We have the ability to make arts
learning visible, viable and valued. We can do a
better job of it. And the time is now.
Last year on the first day of the Institute I pre-
sented you with a challenge to incorporate the
book Where Does the Trail Lead into your teach-
ing and school culture in some creative way. This
year I present you with a new challenge. It is to
focus on the ways in which you make arts learning
visible, viable and valued in your school commu-
nity, your town, or more broadly.
What’s your personal contribution?
This year I ask you to pilot, refine, prove and
model best practices in arts education and the
HOT Approach. Lead the way.
continued on page 10
Nancy Daugherty (center) of the National Endowment for
the Arts opens her arms to the 2015 Summer Institute.
Today�marks�the�first�day�of�our�22nd�year�as�a
program� that� has� inspired,� challenged,� rejuve-
nated�and�in�the�words�of�teachers�themselves,
“changed�the�way�teachers�will�teach,�forever.”
This�week�is�about�building�community,�sharing
ideas,� expressing� wonder,� taking� risks,� noting�
differences,�and�talking�about�what’s�important.
It’s�about�finding�your�comfort�zone�and�nudging
yourself�beyond�it.
The�time�is�now to�make�Arts�Learning�Visible,�
Viable,�and�Valued.�And�we�are�here�to�support
one�another�every�step�of�the�way.�If�the�journey
gets� bumpy� –�we’re� here� for� you.� As� Brandon
Kazen-Maddox� so� beautifully� and� gracefully
signed�during�our�opening�performance,�“I�won’t
give�up�on�us.”
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 10
On�Wednesday�of�this�week�we�will�be�joined�by
an� additional� 99� educators,� superintendents,�
assistant�superintendents�and�curriculum�direc-
tors�–�teams�of�3�from�across�the�state�who�are
interested�in�arts�integrated�curriculum�mapping.
We�also�welcome�a�very�special�guest�and�long-
time�supporter�of�HOT�Schools,�Nancy�Daugherty
representing�our�Federal�partner,�the�National�
Endowment�for�the�Arts.
We�are�about�to�launch�a�track�devoted�to�“Bring-
ing�the�Connecticut�Freedom�Trail�to�Life�Through
the�Arts”�in�a�collaborative�partnership�between
the�Office�of�the�Arts,�the�State�Historic�Preser-
vation�Office,�the�Department�of�Education�and
the�Freedom�Trail�Committee�–�Amistad�America.
As�racial�tensions�flare,�civic�unrest�rises�and�the
Confederate�flag�becomes�the�center�of�discourse
in� coffee� shops� and� around� dinner� tables
throughout�the�country�–�how�could�the�timing
for�this�track�be�any�more�relevant?
The�time�is�now.�You�are�at�the�forefront�of�all�of
this.�I�know�it�isn’t�easy.�And�I�know�the�Arts�Ed-
ucation� Partnership� has� identified� lofty� goals.�
I�believe�we�chip�away�at�it�every�day�–�together.
On�Wednesday�afternoon�Poet�Taylor�Mali�will
perform�for�you.�His�poem�that�went�viral� in�a
heartbeat� acclaims� the� importance� of� what
teachers�do�—�what�YOU�do.�Everyday.�I,�for�one,
can’t� stand� to� hear� it� said� that� one� is� ‘just� a
teacher’.�I’m�here�to�tell�you,�and�I�speak�on�be-
half�of�the�entire�HOT�Schools�Summer�Institute
core�faculty,�you�are�not just a�teacher.�You�are�a
researcher,�a�collaborator,�an�important�member
of�a�team.�You�are�a�courageous�change�agent.
What�you�do�matters.�What�you�do�does�make�
a�difference�and�we�come�together�this�week�–�a
community�of�practice�–�to�renew�our�commit-
ment�to�what’s�right�for�kids,�to�what�the�arts�can
do�for�kids,�and�to�help�one�another�with�some
strategies�to�do�just�that.
Opening Remarks
Dr. William D. BreckConnecticut�Association�of�School�Superintendents;�
Executive�Coach,�Connecticut�Association�of�Schools
Deb BrzoskaArts�Education�Consultant;�HOT�Schools�Core�
Faculty;�Workshop�Facilitator,�Kennedy�Center
Linda EakinArts�Education�Consultant;�Former�Teacher-Leader,�
Jack�Jackter�Intermediate,�Colchester
Daniel S. HansenAssistant�Superintendent�for�Curriculum�and�Instruction,
South�Windsor�Public�Schools
Leslie JohnsonConnecticut�Office�of�the�Arts�Teaching�Artist
Cathy Lechowicz (rotating)Director,�Office�of�Community�Service,�
Green�Street�Teaching�and�Learning�Center,
Wesleyan�University
Sara MacSorley (rotating)Director,�Green�Street�Teaching�and�Learning�Center,
Wesleyan�University
Kim Fox SantoraPrincipal,�Samuel�Staples�Elementary,�Easton
Pamela Tatge (rotating)Director,�Center�for�the�Arts,�Wesleyan�University
HOT SCHOOLSADVISORY COMMITTEE
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 11
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the
John Lyman school and staff for affording me
the opportunity to be a part of this journey. I
also want to thank all the presenters I had the
pleasure of having, during the 2015 HOT
Schools Summer Institute, for being patient
with me, teaching me, making me think, and
being an outlet for learning. You have made me
a better mother and teacher.
I Am an Outlet for Learning
shop was with Christopher Eaves on Multiple
Intelligences. I thought it was going to be safer
there, where I could just listen and watch those
people who claimed to be extroverts in my last
workshop to volunteer in his. What I found was
each minute passing was more engaging than the
next and even though I was uncomfortable I
found myself wanting to take more risks. On day
two, I felt I was really getting it, understanding
and learning how to apply these concepts with my
students and thinking how this would help my
own children with their learning. These work-
shops—this learning was powerful. It made me
think about how often we ask students, children,
and people to do things out of their comfort zones
and expect them to comply. It challenged me to
put myself in the shoes of my own children and
my students. It compelled me to learn new things
and I realized that learning new things can be risky
and scary. It caused me to think of how brave my
daughter is—always looking for new challenges
and trying them with such eagerness. Attending
these workshops made me uncomfortable; re-
quired me to move out of my comfort zone and
think outside of the box. There is so much that I
learned from the workshops. This definitely was
the most powerful outcome for me both person-
ally and professionally.
My daughter feels a special belonging; she has
ownership of her learning and her school. My son
is just starting and while he is very different than
his sister, I look forward to see what his journey
at this HOT school brings. Although I know it will
be different, I am confident it will be successful
too. I have always known that I made a great de-
cision for my children to be a part of a HOT school;
this experience just reinforced it for me. I want
others to know these opportunities are out there
for them and how beneficial a HOT school is for
students. I hope that I can take what I have
learned and share with people—not only what a
HOT school is but how it can make learning excit-
ing and transforming for students.
JULY 11-15, 2016THE 23RD ANNUAL
HOT SCHOOLS
SUMMER INSTITUTE
SAVE THE DATE
STARS
Stars shine
I wish they were mine
They twinkle at night
And never have a fight
They’re friends with the moon
They wait for the sun
Charge their light
Keep waiting for the night.
by Jaya Pichay, Grade 2, Poet of the
Week, Pleasant Valley Elementary
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 12
The National Blue Ribbon Schools
Program recognizes schools based
on their overall academic excel-
lence or their progress in closing
achievement gaps among student
subgroups. Every year the U. S.
Department of Education seeks out
and celebrates great American schools
demonstrating that all students can achieve to
high levels.
Worthington Hooker, a K-8 school in New Haven,
CT., pays specific attention to reducing/eliminating
the achievement gap inherent in the socioeco-
nomic and educational experiences their students
bring to the table. We know that children's learn-
ing styles are as diverse and unique as they. We
know that the arts; visual, musical, and kines-
thetic, capitalize on student interest, identify
strengths, and bridge those strengths to academic
learning. Because of this, our students experience
the joy of learning utilizing their abilities as we
work to identify and support the challenges they
bring to school.
self-esteem increases. I would say that healing
occurs through self-expression in the arts, so I am
very much interested in environments where
learning and healing occur simultaneously, partic-
ularly in the classroom through arts integration.
So often I observe people healing themselves
through expressing who they are through the arts.
I often think healing and self-growth in psy-
chotherapy accompany learning, that is to say
learning about the self, learning how to handle our
difficulties, and learning how to interpret
reality and how to live positively. Learning can
involve increasing our knowledge, or it can be
about knowing ourselves, human affairs, etc. Heal-
ing happens when we can get in touch with
ourselves and know who we are, express it at the
moment, and become understood by others such
as therapists, teachers, or fellow students.
I also learned here that cultural perspectives mat-
ter in arts integration. For example, if I had to do
some expressive activity involving many rules, I
would lose interest because there are already so
many rules and restrictions in Japanese culture. I
lost spontaneity after growing up in the traditional
Japanese educational environment. Of course
Worthington HookerNamed 2015
Blue Ribbon School
continued on page 15
Our students represent the full range of social, eco-
nomic, and cultural groups. Each child can
experience success, acceptance and community
with their peers. Our school team of energetic and
committed teachers is encouraged to be creative in
their planning and teaching. They are supported by
the school leaders who encourage interdisciplinary
collaboration, and sharing of best practices. The
parent community supports our educational pro-
gram and serves as advocates for resources. Our
community of committed teachers, supportive par-
ents, and academically curious children is the rea-
son for our school success.
Intercultural Investigation
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 13
This work to define and redefine critical literacy
propelled our work in both the workshop and the
sequential learning track titled “Transform Cur-
riculum: Student Voice, Critical Engagement and
Meaningful Arts.” Embracing the multidimensional
connotations of critical literacy in this way led us
into an investigation of how we read our world
through visual imagery and the central role of vi-
sual culture in communicating power. These con-
cepts came alive in a close examination of
classroom practice through examples of student
artwork and writing. We studied a piece of art by
professional artist Juan Sanchez from his series
that he calls “Ricanstructions” using Visual Think-
ing Strategies (http://www.vtshome.org) and Art-
ful Thinking Routines (http://pzartfulthinking.org).
We saw how studying contemporary artists can
uncover classroom conversation about student
identity, race relations and social justice through
a painting project that engages students and
teachers in dialogue about skin color. By studying
the work of contemporary artists who grapple
with identity and power structures, students and
teachers co-construct a classroom where art mak-
ing is relevant to students daily lives and society’s
big issues. Our moments of discovery concur with
the research of Hilary Janks (2009) who asserts
that art making paves avenues for investigation in
a learning environment of inquiry, instead of
struggles of power.
We continued to expand these discussions in the
sequential learning track, by questioning each
component of our task from the title of the track:
1) Transforming Curriculum, 2) Student Voice, 3)
Critical Engagement and 4) Meaningful Arts.
Through some case studies of integrated arts cur-
riculum, and professional dialogue with one
Transforming Curriculum throughArt-making and Critical Literacy
continued on page 15
My role with Higher Order Thinking Schools inter-
sects with my various experiences as a public
school art teacher for seventeen years, a univer-
sity professor in teacher education for ten years,
and my current work as a magnet resource
teacher in an urban, public magnet school for the
arts, where I support all the teachers in the devel-
opment and implementation of arts integrated
curricula. After delivering a keynote presentation
at the 2014 HOT Schools Summer Institute, I was
honored to return to the 2015 Summer Institute
as a presenter of a sequential learning track and
a workshop.
In the workshop session titled “Art, Inquiry and
Critical Literacy,” I invited participants to consider
the term critical literacy and to investigate its rel-
evance to “art” and “inquiry.” After reading one
another’s anonymously written brainstorms about
each individual’s best-guess of the definition of
critical literacy, it became obvious that the first
task was to discuss the multiple ways in which the
term “critical” is used in education. We employ
the word “critical” in a range of educational con-
texts such as critical thinking, critical feedback (or
critique) and critical pedagogy, so it makes sense
that we bring divergent understandings to the
ways in which we use the term “critical.” While
each use serves a specific purpose, the term crit-
ical literacy builds on critical pedagogy as
advanced by Paulo Freire (2000). From a Freirien
perspective, the term “critical” connotes an analy-
sis of power structures and active engagement
with reading/rereading our world and
writing/rewriting our world in order to change our
world. That is the meaning of critical that we used
in this workshop. Employing critical literacy to
lead inquiry-based dialogue about visual art and
art-making drove the activities of the workshop.
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 14
HOT Resources
TEACH LIKE A PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement,
Boost Your Creativity, and Trans-
form Your Life as an Educator
by Dave Burgess
Based on Dave Burgess's popular
"Outrageous Teaching" and "Teach
Like a PIRATE" seminars, this book of-
fers inspiration, practical techniques,
and innovative ideas that will help
you to increase student engagement,
boost your creativity, and transform
your life as an educator.
www.daveburgess.com
To Register CLICK HERE or visit
https://goo.gl/xVSK40
teachers who might share their experience in the HOT Schools pro-
gram, but found myself talking with a professional storyteller, a
songwriter and singer, a professor and certified movement analyst,
an arts integration coach, a project-based learning director, a parent
of a HOT school student, an elementary school principal, a native
instrument educator, and so many more who represent the larger
HOT Schools educational community. All were gathered together
with the common purpose of expanding learning potential through
the arts. I knew that one of the key attributes of the HOT Schools
mission is to include all stakeholders of the educational community,
but I did not expect such diversity of involvement at the Summer In-
stitute.
I also expected the HOT Schools teachers would be enthusiastic
about their program, but I never envisioned a professional develop-
ment environment with such a high level of energy, excitement, and
involvement. No one sat on the sidelines, but all assumed the stu-
dent’s role as they engaged in the same activities they would ask
their students to perform in their classrooms. Discussions subse-
quently revealed how this hands-on strategy generated fresh under-
standings on how students might be challenged by arts integrated
activities, and how planning might be modified accordingly.
I was grateful that several people took time out of their busy sched-
ules to participate in interviews. As I listened to narratives of various
HOT Schools experiences, certain themes emerged. “Energized” and
Diversity of Involvement
Bonnie Koba presents Carlos Leal, Principal of Nathan Hale Arts Magnet
School, and Shanta Smith (seated in foreground), Principal of Edgewood
Magnet School with HOT Schools banners at the September 10TH Principal, Site
Coordinator and Coach Meeting held at the Legislative Office Building.
Higher Order Thinking Schools in
partnership with The Center for
the Arts at Wesleyan University
present a day of Professional
Development for Arts Classroom
Teachers featuring Dave Burgess
on November 3rd!
continued on page 15
SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 08 15
there are many beautiful aspects of Japanese cul-
ture and I love my culture, but from my experience
I have realized that activities and artistic expres-
sion must have a different impact on students of
different cultures. So I wonder if American stu-
dents who have a lot of freedom could find merit
in activities with rules and the philosophy of “har-
mony”, in the Japanese sense.
Another thing I have noticed is that the balance of
personal expression in group dynamics is impor-
tant. If there is a preponderance of group activities
in an expressive arts environment, a shy or intro-
verted individual may have difficulty speaking up
or taking a leadership role, thus becoming passive.
Shy or introverted individuals find satisfaction in
individual expression like drawing, handiwork or
writing. It is important to understand, though, that
we get to know who we are by both solitary and
group activities.
I realized that arts integration includes any activi-
ties which may or may not involve arts expression
that heightens students’ curiosity and stimulate
learning. Learning can be subject-specific, it can
be the acquisition of general knowledge, and it
can be an understanding of oneself and life. Learn-
ing can be so broad, but from my perspective,
when students can express who they are through
arts integration, it is so beautiful and it helps to
nurture healthy mental and emotional develop-
ment.
For me it is important to nurture students’ emo-
tional, mental and spiritual development through
arts integration. I also personally want to invite
that beautiful moment of simultaneous learning
and healing when I teach using art expression, as
the integration of learning and healing is my vi-
sion. I am so glad that I was able to find my vision
this summer. It was a very fruitful time I had with
you! Thank you. Hopefully I will come back with
other Japanese participants next year.
Intercultural Investigation
“transforming” were key words. The Democratic
Process was frequently mentioned as a key factor
in student involvement and success. The power of
the arts as gateways to learning, and to expose hid-
den potential was evident throughout. There was
no doubt expressed by anyone of the effectiveness
of arts integration, and its transforming effect on
the learning environment for student and teacher
alike. It became clear that the various members of
the HOT Schools community approach arts integra-
tion from different vantage points, but all share the
same vision and are committed to expanding
student learning potential through arts integration.
Diversity of Involvement
another about ways in which to expand our own
curriculum, we planned concrete strategies for
meaningful arts integration in our classrooms. We
noticed that the lived realities of teachers and
their students in daily classroom life bring much
needed perspective to an interdisciplinary discus-
sion of curriculum and instruction addressing the
postmodern, multicultural condition.
By collaging together both student voice and
teacher voice we collectively revealed intersec-
tions and gaps between theory and practice and
pointed to where that gap could be narrowed. For
example, the incorporation of visual culture in art
education, with a focus on critical literacy ad-
dresses key questions from students about making
their learning relevant. Ultimately, a curriculum
that integrates the visual arts can guide classroom
dialogue around big questions what counts as art,
who counts as artists, and even by extension, what
counts as knowledge? Such dialogue can help our
students’ worlds become more understandable
and ultimately more changeable.
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. (M. B. Ramos,
Trans.). New York: Continuum.
Janks, H. (2009). Literacy and Power. New York: Routledge.
Transforming Curriculum