Date of Award

4-8-2013

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Beth Benedix

Second Advisor

Joe Heithaus

Third Advisor

Caroline Good

Abstract

The Putnam County Coalition for Education and Creative Arts (a.k.a. The Castle), among other organizations within the United States, has begun to tackle this issue of a middling education. The Castle’s mission is to partner with schools in Putnam County, Indiana, to invigorate the curriculum in such a way that arts learning becomes naturally embedded. Utilizing local artists, teaching artists, and the resources of a nearby university, The Castle has brought free programming to Fillmore Elementary and Greencastle Middle Schools since January 2012. This booklet’s goal is not a “how-to” on creating an educational system like Finland’s. It has several different, more immediate goals. One goal is to provide information on why arts education and integration are important to students, teachers, teaching artists, and the community; it also sets out to explain more specifically how 21st-century skills — the skills necessary for success in the workforce — are developed through arts learning. It also provides an overview of The Castle and an ideal model of programming, based on measures of quality, which aims for sustainability and true arts learning that is embedded into the public schools’ curriculum. The pages that follow are written for all readers. University students who are interested in becoming teachers, or who are simply interested in impacting the community, public school faculty and administration, donors, and foundation members — there is content and context for everyone. Donors may be interested in the chapters titled, “Navigating the 21st Century: The Economy and Necessary Skills” and “What do the Arts do for Students?” to learn about how The Castle can bolster the local and national economies through innovative arts programming. Public school faculty and administration may be interested in gaining more knowledge on how arts learning can benefit individual students, classroom environments, school systems, and communities. For this, look into “What do the Arts do for Students?” The chapter “Ten Profiles At A Glance: Programs That Bring the Arts to Children, Educators, and Communities” gives the reader a brief overview of successful arts education and arts integration across the nation. This chapter serves as a quick reference for those wanting to learn more about other programs. University students and faculty may be interested in learning how they can impact The Castle, public school students, and the Putnam County community. Insight into these matters will primarily be found in “What do the Arts do for Students?”, “What is The Castle?”, and “The Ideal Castle.” Note that each of these chapters or sections is not mutually exclusive — each complements and informs the others. In the pages of this booklet, there is something for everyone. Its function is a conversation starter; it offers possibilities.

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