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Arts Can Teach brings the arts into day-to-day learning to help students shine and succeed in school!

Artists and Teachers

Artists and classroom teachers team up to create and lead dynamic, arts-infused lessons in science, history, math, language, and more. Arts Can Teach lesson plans are prepared in consultation with the teacher, ensuring lesson activities connect with the curriculum and learning needs of their classroom. Our artists and classroom teachers combine their skills and expertise, planning and delivering the lessons together.

Students

Students eagerly participate in hands-on learning activities, becoming confident creatives in their day-to-day subjects. Learning to draw, to create movement, to drum together, to take turns during a shadow puppetry performance— developing arts skills requires practice, focus, and a willingness to make mistakes along the way. Structured, thoughtfully prepared lessons offer students individual expression.

Engaged and Memorable Learning

Students design, problem-solve, collaborate, engage, struggle, build resilience, focus, add details, justify their choices, accept mistakes as helpful and inevitable, present their ideas and perform in a safe, supportive learning environment.

What Does it Look Like?

Arts Can Teach lessons are created together with classroom teachers in response to student needs. Some examples:

Dance/Creative Movement

Students develop dance vocabulary to embody and represent human body systems, creating healthy and unhealthy environments to investigate their impact and interactions.

Drumming

Newcomer students and language learners develop and practice English vocabulary with their English-speaking peers by playing with word rhythms and repetition, building confidence and community in a supportive drum circle.

Puppetry

Shadow puppetry offers students a chance to explore sensitive topics such as self-image, bullying, and peer pressure in an inclusive and reflective process, from script writing and audio recording through performance.

Visual Arts

Students deepen their understanding of math concepts such as fractions, geometry, multiplication and more through designing and creating their own quilt patterns.

Music

Students create and illustrate story settings, characters and plot lines in response to music, using rich imagery and descriptive vocabulary. Groups are then guided in writing their own music variations, experimenting and playing with contrasts in character and mood.

The sign of a holistic and healthy community is the presence of the arts. Music, dance, drama, and visual arts provide a plethora of learning opportunities and joy to students throughout our district. Arts Can Teach is a valued partner in leveraging creativity, critical thinking and expressive communication for all learners. It is a privilege to work with a community partner that exemplifies integrity, professionalism and commitment to the arts and learning!

—Dr. Clara Howitt, Superintendent of Program and Professional Learning
Greater Essex County District School Board

Our Artist Team

Our team of arts integration specialists are active, practising artists and educators in our community, professionals dedicated to artistic excellence and community contribution.