IN BRIEFMark DeGarmo & Dancers/Dynamic Forms Inc. (MDDF) is committed to changing lives by making the arts and dance a permanent part of an improved public education system. Our educational vision is to inspire social responsibility through the arts and dance. We believe that different learning styles require different teaching approaches, including the arts and dance. Research shows that the arts and dance help level the playing field for learners considered underserved and at-risk by increasing self-esteem and motivation.
SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Provides:
- Arts skills and creativity-based teaching and learning.
- Interdisciplinary arts (music, theater, dance, visual arts, and film/video and new media) teaching and learning.
- Aesthetic education (exploring imagination, observation, reflection, analysis, and interpretation).
- Reflective self-assessment of the learner's learning style,
accomplishments, and challenges.
Includes:
- Regular meetings with steering committee and project team.
- Arts instruction as part of the core curriculum.
- Co-development and co-teaching of curricula with certified classroom and arts teachers.
- Open classroom and auditorium events, sharings, and performances to celebrate active learning.
- Professional development for partnership teachers, administrators, and staff, including paraprofessionals, social workers, guidance counselors, psychologists, and therapists.
- On-going opportunities for parents to volunteer and participate as active observers and learners.
- Collaborative assessment and evaluation.
