| The Arts for Academic Achievement Program | | | | students put real effort into what they do |
| | | | and develop a strong positive attitude toward |
| The Arts for Academic Achievement Program | | | | learning. At the high school level, |
| (AAA) has been bringing artists into | | | | attendance has jumped for students involved |
| Minneapolis Schools since 1997. While its | | | | in the AAA program, as students desire to |
| outward focus is on teaching students to | | | | come to school and learn more. |
| paint, dance, and express themselves | | | | |
| artistically, its real mission is to make | | | | How It Helps Teachers Teach |
| students love learning and use the arts to | | | | |
| apply themselves to their academic subjects. | | | | AAA brings teachers into the planning and |
| Supported initially by an Annenberg | | | | implementation process. This builds a |
| Foundation educational reform grant and in | | | | community of learning that cares most about |
| partnership with the Perpich Center for Arts | | | | helping students achieve through an |
| Education, AAA has expanded throughout | | | | atmosphere of cooperation and understanding. |
| Minnesota. Currently the Minneapolis School | | | | Minneapolis School District teacher teams |
| District has pledged to continue the program | | | | develop curriculum and work together with |
| after the end of the initial grant, bringing | | | | local artists to present and enhance new |
| the program to 120 classrooms in 40 schools | | | | learning experiences. This leads to changes |
| in the Minneapolis School District. | | | | in the way that individual teachers as well |
| | | | as whole schools view education. |
| How It Helps Students Learn | | | | |
| | | | AAA research shows that teachers involved in |
| Students in the AAA Program develop a | | | | the AAA program change the way they teach. |
| positive attitude toward school and learn the | | | | Minneapolis School District teachers see how |
| value of determination in finishing a project | | | | students can learn, redirecting their efforts |
| that has meaning for them. National research | | | | toward students that had otherwise been |
| indicates that instruction through the arts | | | | regarded as weaker. AAA gave teachers to |
| is very effective in raising the achievement | | | | understanding and experience to help develop |
| scores of at - risk groups. The AAA Program | | | | more children in areas such as intelligence, |
| has documented the substantial increase in | | | | leadership, and motivation. In addition, |
| student assessment scores when arts are | | | | instruction by Minneapolis School District |
| integrated into the Minneapolis Public | | | | teachers participating in the AAA program |
| Schools. The ties between third grade reading | | | | created more child - centered classrooms in |
| scores and the level of arts instruction show | | | | which children can develop and explore at |
| a clear link between the two. The more arts | | | | their own pace. Minneapolis School District |
| education provided, the higher the scores, | | | | teachers learned that the creation of |
| especially within groups that have shown | | | | independent student learning activities |
| greater barriers in learning. | | | | allowed students to develop their own skills |
| | | | in a different way from teacher - led |
| AAA makes students work hard and feel pride | | | | classroom instruction. Minneapolis School |
| in demonstrating their skills to the | | | | District teachers participating in AAA |
| community. Students perform or present their | | | | learned how to encourage students to take |
| projects to real audiences and strive to make | | | | risks in order to increase their |
| those audiences proud of them. As a result, | | | | understanding. |