Training: Special training
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Artist as teacher training
The Mississippi Arts Commission offers training for artists who work in Mississippi schools. Initial training was designed and piloted through a partnership with the Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute. Funding for the development of the training design and manual was provided through a grant from the United States Department of Education.
In the summer of 2006, WSI and The Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education partnered to provide another series of trainings for teaching artists through funding from the Dana Foundation. This series continues and information concerning how to participate may be found at www.maae.org.
Download the handbook.
Field advisor training
The work of the Whole Schools Initiative depends heavily on the through-line provided by the Field Advisors. Recruitment and training of this cadre is an on-going process. Training procedures were piloted during the 2001-2002 school year. Ongoing training is provided to Field Advisors through the WSI summer institutes, retreats and special initiatives.
Download the handbook.
Who are the field advisors?
- Professional educators with arts training
- Professional artists with education training
- Professionals with an understanding of arts infusion and the Whole Schools Initiative concept
How can they help schools?
- Provide grant writing assistance
- Facilitate the Change Journey Map (required)
- Help planning new teacher orientation to Whole Schools Initiative
- Assist in problem solving
- Serve as resource person
- Be your cheerleader
- Act as an outside set of eyes and ears to help schools see progress on stated goals and time lines
- Monitor evidence of arts infusion and record how it is being accomplished
- Help schools stay on track
- Support…suggest…recommend…answer….
- Act as an ongoing reminder that each school is important to the statewide model
What are the purposes of the site visits?
- Site visits by field advisors may serve a variety of purposes, including the following:
- Facilitating planning and keeping the implementation process on target
- Assisting in development appropriate timelines
- Encouraging appropriate staff to be selected to attend the Institute and Retreats
- Encouraging staff to find new ideas to “raise” the vision
- Assisting in identifying and securing professional development needs and resources
- Building the staff’s capacity to solve their own problems
- Assisting in determining how other school/district initiatives fit into the Whole Schools Initiative
- Encouraging documentation
- Facilitating creation/update of Change Journey Map
What are field advisors observing?
The following are some of the areas field advisors are asked to observe during site visits. Each item can’t be observed during each visit, but field advisors provide feedback whenever it is appropriate.
Evidence of Arts Integration
- To what extent are classroom teachers using the arts in regular classroom lessons?
- How are lessons/units being documented for continued use?
- What type of and where is student work displayed?
Support for the Project
- To what extent has the faculty “bought into” the Whole Schools Project?
- How does the principal hold teachers accountable for implementing arts infused lessons?
- How does the school reach out to parents, business partners, and the community to include them in the project?
Professional Development
- What types of staff development activities are planned to support implementation of the project?
Scheduling/Planning Time
- How does the schedule allow for common planning time for teachers?
- How do the arts specialists know what lessons/units are being presented in the classroom?
Staffing
- What plans are in place to bring new staff members on board with the arts initiative?
- What plans have been made to adequately staff the arts positions?
Funding
- What other sources of funding are being used to supplement the MAC grant and the matching funds?
Use of Visiting Artists
- What type(s) of activities are planned for students, teachers, parents, and the community?
- What arrangements are made for advance planning?
- How are residencies connected to the curriculum?
What does the Mississippi Arts Commission expect from field advisors?
- Make site visits to the schools for the following purposes:
- professional development
- advisory committee meetings
- strategic planning
- grant writing advice
- new teacher orientation
- visiting artists
- student performance
- classroom visits
- Meet with principal, project director, teachers, parents, artists, business sponsors
- Facilitate creation/update of Change Journey Map
- [2002-03: 5 visits — not to exceed 7]
- Attend summer Whole Schools Institute and facilitate school / team / study group meetings, as assigned.
- Attend the fall and spring retreats, if possible (optional, but encouraged).
- Attend field advisor professional development sessions (or make-up sessions).
- Maintain contact with principal and project director through phone calls, emails, etc.
What are the school’s responsibilities to field advisors?
- Communicate! Include! Share information!
- Share copies of grant applications
- Invite to special events
- Provide schedule of staff development and other events
- Send internal WSI communications to field advisor
- One meeting per semester with field advisor / principal / project director
- Provide list of advisor committee members with contact information
- Introduce to faculty at every visit
Project director training
Each Whole Schools site is required to designate a Project Director. The schools leadership team is comprised of the Project Director, Principal, and Field Advisor. Grant funds may be utilized to compensate the Project Director for management time spent outside of contract time. The responsibilities of the Project Director vary based upon accounting practices and the local school plan. The selection of the Project Director is also a local decision.
Download the handbook.
The following criteria should be considered:
- Capable of creating effective change and coordinating the efforts of and the goals of the Whole Schools Initiative.
- Willing to spend extra time and energy in and away from school responsibilities for the advancement of the Whole Schools Initiative.
- Work in close communication and on good terms with the principal toward a common goal.
- Must value the arts as a means to engage students in effective learning.
- Be motivated and motivational.
- Display strong leadership skills and respected by fellow staff members.
- Uses diplomacy.
- Be an enthusiastic learner.
- Be a public relations ambassador for the school, the Initiative and the Mississippi Arts Commission.
- Able and willing to delegate responsibilities to ensure effectiveness of leadership team and advisory committee.
Project directors receive ongoing and specific training through the professional development opportunities of the Whole Schools Initiative.
