More than 200 people filed into the Vero Beach Museum of Art on Saturday evening to learn about the Museum’s new partnership with the Learning Alliance and the combined strategy to utilize art as a vehicle to spread literacy among children.
Partnering with the Museum is one of many initiatives the Learning Alliance has developed to help meet the ambitious Moonshot Moment goal, set by Dr. Fran Adams, Indian River County School District superintendent, of having 90 percent of third-graders reading at grade level by 2018.
One focus of the Learning Alliance is to involve the entire community in reaching what has become known as the Moonshot Moment, which aims to mark Indian River County as a national leader in literacy. Teachers, the Learning Alliance argues, cannot lead students to this level on their own.
“Our kids need multiple and diverse exposure to language so they can really own what they’re learning in school,” said Liz Woody, Learning Alliance co-founder.
More than two-thirds of those in attendance were community figures and business owners; most had never before been tasked with creating lesson plans for elementary aged students. But on Saturday they got their chance to experience firsthand what it is like to step into a teacher’s shoes.
Under the guidance of a teacher facilitator, groups of attendees brainstormed ideas for teaching reading, comprehension and writing skills to targeted age groups, using a piece of art as the focal point of the lesson.
“When you’re a teacher, you’re really in your own cave,” said retired teacher Betsy Bunnell. “As a teacher, you just do it. But to talk about how to teach and bring that out into the community, I love that.”
Bunnell spent the last 15 years of her 30-year teaching career in Vero Beach; retiring at the end of last year. As a former third grade teacher, she said the Moonshot Moment effort is really making a measurable difference in today’s students.
“It brought more attention to the students. They were brought out of the dark on what is expected of them,” said Bunnell. “This concept of doing it through art and music – the universal language – it’s a great place to start.”
After a short collaboration session where attendees shared their mini art-based lesson plans with each other, the groups moved into the museum exhibits, examining art from a student point of view. Galleries were full of chatter about colors, shapes, textures, design and style.
Small groups analyzed paintings and devised language exercises that might help students describe pieces of art. Others discussed ways that sculpture could spark meaningful conversations among children. And the teachers listened, as everyone around them embraced the idea of art as a method for developing language and reading skills.
“We don’t even know the extent of this partnership yet,” said Barbara Hammond, Learning Alliance co-founder and executive director, as she watched people weave through the galleries. “The museum is going to be a huge catalyst in reaching our goal.”
In addition to using the Museum as a training ground for Master Coaches, staff will assist with the installation of interior and exterior art pieces in public schools across the county, and eventually throughout the community, according to Sophie Bentham Wood, VBMA director of marketing and communications.
“This is really the perfect fit for a partnership,” Bentham added.
