Beyond the Beat

Beyond the Beat is a program that will reach about 445 students in grades K-5 at Dolores Huerta Elementary School and their families. This program will train teachers, paraprofessionals, parents and provide opportunities for student improvisation/experimentation in the arts, music and dance. In addition, the program has a parent involvement component essential to its success. Beyond the Beat will utilize partnerships with community specialists in art, music and dance to develop vocabulary, cultural understanding, and social skills by creating a climate of possibility in our elementary school. Beyond the Beat will focus on three principles on which human life flourishes to create a systemic/universal program that will unify/connect our school with the community that it serves by identifying and respect the idea that: 1. People are naturally different and diverse. 2. Curiosity flourishes human life. 3. Human life is inherently creative, so must be creative in the way we approach learning to address all learning modalities and styles. Once this preparation has been established students and their parents will be invited to partake in learning workshops in our multipurpose room one day at month. Local artists, dancers and I (Mr. Guilln) will conduct workshops. These sessions will provide hands, mind and feet on opportunities for students, along with their parents, to explore the arts, dance and world of music.

Beyond the Beat will also provide a platform of opportunities for our students to learn about the various careers in the world of arts through visits of music, art and dance teachers. This way, students get information and experience firsthand stories of successful individuals in the arts. The natural progression of Beyond the Beat will include monthly genres of music, styles of dance and artists of the month during the school year. This organized and teacher guided instruction program will provide ongoing, extended learning opportunities in all grade levels by aligning the Common Core arts curriculum standards to language, mathematics and social studies disciplines. Goals and Objectives The primary goal of Beyond the Beat is to align our school vision to help every student in our school and their families to be an integral part of their learning. Beyond the Beat will provide training and support for teachers as well as increased opportunities for inquiry based Common Core standard instruction in the arts. The use of special guests, fieldtrips and dance, art and music activities will provide students with the opportunity to openly explore and experience relations between art, dance and music with the other school disciplines. Beyond the Beat activities and lessons will address, at the appropriate grade levels, our schools vision, California Common Core standards in the disciplines involved and the National Music Standards. Teachers will be provided with the resources to supplement their current curriculum through trainings and staff

meetings to identify key goals and desired objectives for the school year. Internet based resources will be identified, compiled and used with the idea to reach our instructional goals with hi-tech tools when appropriate. Beyond the Beat will involve parents and community members as partners in the education process by utilizing their skills and knowledge to support the development of the activities during each month in art, dance and music. Community leaders will be invited to be active participants and provide support in this exciting and well deserved endeavor to help our students dream Beyond the Beat in art, dance and music both literally and figuratively. Beyond the Beat main two objectives are to unite and invite the community into our school to be an integral part of the learning and curriculum activities while developing language and positive connections with the community. Method to Implement Project During the fall teachers at Dolores Huerta Elementary will get together once a week to map out the genres of music, skills, artists and dances to be introduced with future lessons for the school year. For example; The first phase of staff development will review and prepare participants to fully utilize and understand California Common Core state standards in art, dance, music, mathematics, physical education and social studies.

Secondly, teachers will select the genres of music, artists and dances to be introduced during the school year. This way, we can ensure that all students will have the opportunity to explore and experience the vast vocabulary, history, reasoning and world connection within the arts in an exciting and meaningful manner.

Three, teachers will begin to implement the lessons in their classroom each month to develop vocabulary, social understanding in the arts and dance and movement skills. Each month, students will learn about a particular artist, genre of music and dance style.

Four, every two months, each grade level will have the opportunity to present a cultural dance during our assembly to peers, parents and other stake holders to show their understanding, gratitude and continued commitment to learn about themselves and other cultures in the world.

Lastly, well-known members of the community who have volunteered their time and expertise to support this project will host workshops with parents every month to involve everyone in the learning process. In this way, parents will be given suggestions to continue support the artist of the month, genre of the month and dances introduced during daily activities in the classroom.

To encourage full participation a special assembly will be held. Students and their families will participate in an evening of art, dance and music with special guest speakers to encourage and kick off the journey.

Project Evaluation Evaluation of Beyond the Beat success will be a tri-fold. The first component of this evaluation will be the completion of planned professional development activities. Once trained, teachers will be able to utilize instructional strategies in Art, Music and Dance to develop language skills. Each participating teacher in Beyond the Beat will document classroom activities, lessons, objectives and vocabulary targeted. Later, this documentation will serve as a point of reference to align Common Core standards, skills, goals and objectives for future activities and modifications. The second part of this evaluation will be to measure the degree of parental involvement in this project. Currently, at Dolores Huerta Elementary School theres very little parent involvement in school related activities. Parents at our site dont show up to many of the activities taken place in our school. The only activity that brings in more parent involvement is our Winter Program. There are no monthly activities or workshops that promote a sense of a learning community for our parents and any other activities that provide extended learning opportunities for our students. Our school should provide a platform of opportunities in which students would get the chances to succeed, but not limited to one or two school subjects. The facilitator will log participation in after school activities and workshops by students, parents and community partners.

The third part of the evaluation process for Beyond the Beat will occur by an examination of the development of language in our students. We will use our ELD portfolios as a way to measure language acquisition and we will develop common core tests for IFEP, RFEPS and EO students to measure their language development. Beyond the Beat Time Line August Training for teachers and community partners/presenters Analyze test scores and data from previous year. Logistics of Beyond the Beat Expectations and goals Beyond the Beat Kick-off Celebration during morning assembly and an evening celebration/kick off. Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Museum Fieldtrip Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Museum Fieldtrip Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Museum Fieldtrip Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Museum Fieldtrip Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Presenter/workshop for parents and students Music-Art and Dance activities in classroom Museum fieldtrip Culminating ceremony during morning and evening

September

October November December January February March April May

Budget for Beyond the Beat Field trips to museums, 7 field trips music and dance events Teacher training 50.00 per hr. 20 teachers 8 presenters One hour presentation/ workshop 8x100.00 Paraprofessional training 2,000 3,000 800.00 1,000

Art, Music and Dance Crayons, pencils, paper, 2,200 materials brushes, paint, music, art supplies, books, folders, posters, Supplies for kick-off and Miscellaneous items 1,000 culminating ceremony Total Requested Budget 10,000