The Arts as a Teaching Tool and the Power of Collaboration and Co-teaching

Over the last seventeen years, an arts education initiative has transformed the dynamics of an isolated rural school into a model for rural arts access. Three teachers from Copper Basin High School began an avalanche of possibilities in 1997 when the Annenberg Rural Challenge Grant provided funding to begin a new era in a small rural school. Isolated by geographical boundaries and stifled by economical hardships since the closing of the copper mines in 1988, something had to be done. After a series of teacher in-services for visual strategies (using art as a teaching tool reflective of Gardner\u27s Multiple Intelligences), followed with collaborations between teachers and art consultants, students were led to a deeper understanding through problem solving, critical thinking, and creative explorations. After this experiment proved successful, in a grassroots self-supporting survival move, a non-profit organization was established and grants were obtained to continue and expand the work. In 2004, an unexpected corporate partnership with Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc. was established to provide funding and support to develop the Copper Basin Learning Center. This session examines the path that led to the Learning Center, challenges faced along the way, and what works in the program and why. There is a lot of talk on the educational forefront today concerning moving from STEM to STEAM, with the arts being a significant component. Discussion will include dispelling basic assumptions and developing a workable plan of action for incorporating the arts in the school curriculum