Residency Structure and Content: Social-emotional learning is embedded within an arts framework designed to impact children, parents, teachers and overall school culture. By following children from transitional kindergarten through third grade and engaging parents and teachers, we have the greatest impact on a child’s development in their formative years.

All programs are based on the Visual and Performing Arts standards for the State of California Common Core Standards for Language Arts and the National Core Standards. Each program links with core subjects and connects the art form with a universal principle which applies to children’s everyday life experiences. Workshops are built upon an “anchor work”, an artistic work, which propels an exploration into the art form itself, and creates an entrance to the enduring understanding which is revealed throughout the creative process.

Enduring and recurring themes, called “secrets of the heart,” are presented in each residency and build upon what children have learned in the previous year. Children learn to sign each “secret” using American Sign Language. Programs provide a high-quality arts experiences delivered by well-respected arts professionals. In the first year, Secrets of the Heart® teaches children friendship, kindness, imagination and gratitude as they are immersed in multi-disciplinary arts. In year two, One World Drum Circles teaches compassion, respect, generosity and other secrets through drumming, rhythms, music and folklore from seven different countries.  In year three, Dance In America teaches children dedication, passion and discipline through dance forms from ballet to Hip-hop.   In the fourth year, Gifts of the Griot explores inspiration and the journey of a hero through the eyes of a West African storyteller called a griot.

Evaluation and Assessment:  Following every residency, anecdotal information, classroom observation, rubrics completed by classroom teachers and surveys completed by principals and parents are combined into a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of student outcomes.