January 27, 2009, 2:16 pm
This past month the LinkEducation staff met with Tim Lord, Co-Executive Director of DreamYard, an organization that works with public schools in the Bronx to develop school wide arts programs. We were so impressed with their programs and their school DY Prep, that we decided that all of our LinkEducation needed to know about them! We hope that you enjoy this interview with Tim.
What are DreamYard’s programs and services?
DreamYard works with public schools in the Bronx, collaborating to develop school wide arts programs. Through this arts education partnership program, schools and teachers work with DreamYard teaching artists in developing school wide arts plans, to develop arts projects in the curriculum and to develop twice yearly festivals of student art work. Teaching artists and teachers also develop professional development workshops for teachers both who are partnering with teaching artists and those who are not; these PD's teach teachers unit plans and project ideas for integrating arts projects into the curriculum. DreamYard offers school-based partnership programs in visual arts, theater, dance and poetry/performance.
This program does cost the school some portion of the teaching artists' yearly salary. DreamYard raises the rest of the money from private and government sources.
DreamYard also is the lead partner in a public arts integration high school in the Bronx called the DreamYard Preparatory High School (www.dyprep.org). DY Prep offers arts integration in all subject areas, arts electives, a full after school program and an arts major, a college preparatory program and is a member of the National Honors Society.
DreamYard also offers outstanding teen arts programs that meet on Saturdays, during the summer and after school. In fact, the DreamYard ACTION Project, a four-year arts and activism program (www.dreamyardactionproject.com), is recruiting current eighth graders interested in the arts and community activism for our summer component this year; the summer program runs on the Lehman College Campus for five weeks. Interested parents and students should contact Evelyn Borjorquez at DreamYard- 718 588 8007, ext.6. This program is free!
Next fall, our two Bronx-wide teen arts programs will start up again for high school-aged students. These ten arts companies offer pre-professional training in theater (The Bronx Theater Ensemble) and visual arts/curation/exhibition design (What Is Art?). These programs will be recruiting students in the fall of 2008.
Does it meet city/state standards?
All of DreamYard’s programs meet city and state standards; we as an organization are rigorous in our evaluation and self-evaluation of programs, using a variety of youth development evaluation models as well as the New York City Blueprint of Teaching and Learning in the Arts and the state standards as benchmarks.
Is there any teacher or parent involvement or training?
The schools-based programs at DreamYard include a great deal of teacher involvement in both weekly project planning and in DreamYard’s professional development protocol. This past week we held part 2 of a two-part professional development series in developing arts based projects using a backwards planning model; the workshop was for DreamYard teaching artists and their teacher partners. Also, many of our school partners develop Family Arts Days in which families can create together; parents are always involved in celebrating the work of their children at our schools as audience members.
What has been the most positive impact you've had on your community?
In schools we have measured program success in many ways and have seen increases in student academic achievement, attendance, writing ability and stamina as writers, changes in teacher practice and in school culture. Over 75% of our school partners are graded as A or B level schools in the Bronx, not due solely to DreamYard, of course; but this does indicate that schools and teachers and school leaders who are committed to the arts as part of a full and equitable education are developing successful schools in collaboration with groups like us. In our out of school programs we have seen students develop as artists, as politically aware and empathetic citizens and as effective critical thinkers. Part of how we are measuring success is in having our young people go on to college or a clearly defined career path. All of ACTION’s twelfth graders have been accepted into college.
Would you expand to new schools or communities?
Right now we are working just in the Bronx, so there are not any immediate plans to expand. Our most exciting news is that we are moving and opening a new DreamYard Arts Center in the Bronx (in Morrisania) next fall; this will be a home for DreamYard and for our teen and other after school and out of school programs. It will also be a home for teachers and school leaders developing arts programs in their classrooms and schools.
How can LinkEd members get involved with your program?
We hope that LinkEd members will spread the word about our teen arts companies and the ACTION Project. The ACTION Project is recruiting a new cohort of participants right how for Summer 2008. Otherwise, if LinkEd members know that DreamYard or another arts education group is working with a particular school to develop strong arts programs, all we would ask is that they get involved in supporting the arts as a powerful and essential element to every young person’s education. Thanks for the time and for your interest in DreamYard!
Tips for Parents (12)
January 27, 2009, 2:16 pm
This past month the LinkEducation staff met with Tim Lord, Co-Executive Director of DreamYard, an organization that works with public schools in the Bronx to develop school wide arts programs. We were so impressed with their programs and their school DY Prep, that we decided that all of our LinkEducation needed to know about them! We hope that you enjoy this interview with Tim.
What are DreamYard’s programs and services?
DreamYard works with public schools in the Bronx, collaborating to develop school wide arts programs. Through this arts education partnership program, schools and teachers work with DreamYard teaching artists in developing school wide arts plans, to develop arts projects in the curriculum and to develop twice yearly festivals of student art work. Teaching artists and teachers also develop professional development workshops for teachers both who are partnering with teaching artists and those who are not; these PD's teach teachers unit plans and project ideas for integrating arts projects into the curriculum. DreamYard offers school-based partnership programs in visual arts, theater, dance and poetry/performance.
This program does cost the school some portion of the teaching artists' yearly salary. DreamYard raises the rest of the money from private and government sources.
DreamYard also is the lead partner in a public arts integration high school in the Bronx called the DreamYard Preparatory High School (www.dyprep.org). DY Prep offers arts integration in all subject areas, arts electives, a full after school program and an arts major, a college preparatory program and is a member of the National Honors Society.
DreamYard also offers outstanding teen arts programs that meet on Saturdays, during the summer and after school. In fact, the DreamYard ACTION Project, a four-year arts and activism program (www.dreamyardactionproject.com), is recruiting current eighth graders interested in the arts and community activism for our summer component this year; the summer program runs on the Lehman College Campus for five weeks. Interested parents and students should contact Evelyn Borjorquez at DreamYard- 718 588 8007, ext.6. This program is free!
Next fall, our two Bronx-wide teen arts programs will start up again for high school-aged students. These ten arts companies offer pre-professional training in theater (The Bronx Theater Ensemble) and visual arts/curation/exhibition design (What Is Art?). These programs will be recruiting students in the fall of 2008.
Does it meet city/state standards?
All of DreamYard’s programs meet city and state standards; we as an organization are rigorous in our evaluation and self-evaluation of programs, using a variety of youth development evaluation models as well as the New York City Blueprint of Teaching and Learning in the Arts and the state standards as benchmarks.
Is there any teacher or parent involvement or training?
The schools-based programs at DreamYard include a great deal of teacher involvement in both weekly project planning and in DreamYard’s professional development protocol. This past week we held part 2 of a two-part professional development series in developing arts based projects using a backwards planning model; the workshop was for DreamYard teaching artists and their teacher partners. Also, many of our school partners develop Family Arts Days in which families can create together; parents are always involved in celebrating the work of their children at our schools as audience members.
What has been the most positive impact you've had on your community?
In schools we have measured program success in many ways and have seen increases in student academic achievement, attendance, writing ability and stamina as writers, changes in teacher practice and in school culture. Over 75% of our school partners are graded as A or B level schools in the Bronx, not due solely to DreamYard, of course; but this does indicate that schools and teachers and school leaders who are committed to the arts as part of a full and equitable education are developing successful schools in collaboration with groups like us. In our out of school programs we have seen students develop as artists, as politically aware and empathetic citizens and as effective critical thinkers. Part of how we are measuring success is in having our young people go on to college or a clearly defined career path. All of ACTION’s twelfth graders have been accepted into college.
Would you expand to new schools or communities?
Right now we are working just in the Bronx, so there are not any immediate plans to expand. Our most exciting news is that we are moving and opening a new DreamYard Arts Center in the Bronx (in Morrisania) next fall; this will be a home for DreamYard and for our teen and other after school and out of school programs. It will also be a home for teachers and school leaders developing arts programs in their classrooms and schools.
How can LinkEd members get involved with your program?
We hope that LinkEd members will spread the word about our teen arts companies and the ACTION Project. The ACTION Project is recruiting a new cohort of participants right how for Summer 2008. Otherwise, if LinkEd members know that DreamYard or another arts education group is working with a particular school to develop strong arts programs, all we would ask is that they get involved in supporting the arts as a powerful and essential element to every young person’s education. Thanks for the time and for your interest in DreamYard!