The goals of the Technology Enhanced Arts Learning (TEAL) Project are to increase the knowledge and skills of K-6 pre-service and in-service teachers and administrators throughout Los Angeles County in the fundamentals and best practices and of arts integration. This includes identifying the connections between the Visual and Performing Arts Standards for the State of California, the Common Core, and content standards throughout the curriculum. Important TEAL objectives that support this goal include developing an understanding of the academic and social emotional value of the arts as well as stimulating interest and enthusiasm for arts integration in the classroom. TEAL accomplishes this by engaging pre-service and in-service Los Angeles County K-6 educators in practical, high-interest and inspiring content and activities. Sessions are designed and led by arts specialists, including nationally recognized visual and performing artists.
TEAL gives educators access to professional development through the blended learning model. The blending learning model combines online and in-person interaction to provide content and support for arts integration in the classroom, to the benefit of K-6 students.
The online modules furnish content that is unique to each of the Visual and Performing Arts disciplines, including dance, music, theatre, and the visual and media arts. Teachers and administrators will learn methods of integrating the learning objectives of these art forms with other subject areas. The areas of STEAM and Social and Emotional Learning Using the Arts are also addressed with in-person trainings and online support.
In addition, TEAL facilitates a learning and sharing arts integration community using webinars and an online PLC. Teachers and administrators post their lessons, share videos, and celebrate the work of their students via the online PLC.
The objectives that support and facilitate the goals of TEAL are:
- Engage pre-service and in-service educators in useful, high-interest and inspiring content and activities to support arts integration with K-6 students.
- Introduce K-6 pre-service and in-service teachers to the meaning, practice, and instructional benefits of arts integration.
- Familiarize teachers with the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools and their connections to the Common Core Standards and content standards throughout the curriculum.
- Using in-person arts integrated experiences, as well as online and in-person support and resources including session-follow ups through webinars, TEAL develops K-6 educators’ ability to design, revise, and implement existing lessons that align the Visual and Performing Arts Standards with the Common Core Standards and standards in other content areas.
- Increase the participant's’ level of comfort and confidence in implementing arts integrated lessons.
- Develop a repository of resources for professional learning, support, and strategies related to arts integration.
- Facilitate a community for arts education and integration using online communication, networking and assistance with building partnerships with local and regional arts institutions.