Arts Integration
The presence of the Arts grows at Monte Vista as we continue developing and integrating the Arts into our learning! How do the Arts guide us in teaching, learning, and performing?
Classroom Instruction: Monte Vista teachers continue learning new ways to use the Arts to support instruction in all content. These strategies provide students with an opportunity to create, make connections to content, and demonstrate their understanding through many forms of art, such as drama, music, visual art, or movement. For example, Tableaux, a drama strategy, asks students to create frozen pictures with their bodies in a way that communicates with their audience an understanding of an idea, concept, or theme.
The Arts on Campus: We continue to increase opportunities for middle school students to learn about the arts through electives such as Improv and Acting, Perspective Drawing, Guitar, Band, Theater for Change, Graphic Design, Portraiture, Dance, and Choir. This year, Monte Vista’s Band Teacher, Mr. Wheat, began a 4th Grade Band program - a great first step in building upon an already excellent program. In addition to electives, our goal is to increase public performance on our campus. This year our drama and choir program produced Monte Vista's first musical, Schoolhouse Rock, LIVE!
Connections to the Art Community: Monte Vista has partnered with the Phoenix Symphony to bring Mind over Music to our school. World-class musicians co-teach lessons with our Monte Vista teachers that bring lessons to life through music. This year the program expands to middle school students. Once again, our students journeyed to the Symphony to see their musicians play live while they learn more about symphonic music and develop a deeper connection to a unique cultural experience. Additionally, many grade levels received access to field trips through Act One to see plays, concerts, and other arts events throughout the city. Grand Canyon University brought to our primary grades "BRAINDANCE", focusing on interpreting the written word with movement, and the Arizona Opera brought OPERATUNITY to our campus.
As we continue to deepen the presence of the Arts on campus, we are always looking for partnerships to enhance our community's learning and appreciation of the universal language of the Arts.