Big Thought:Our Mission
Mission
To make imagination a part of everyday learning.
Vision
We envision communities where every learner is immersed every day in opportunities to imagine, create and succeed.
Project Overview: System Building
Our community believes
that it’s the relationship
between a variety of high
quality creative learning
experiences, designed to
build over time,
Which result in lasting benefits
for children and their
community.
Out of School Time Creative
Learning
Integrated Creative Learning
In School Creative Learning
Children
Thriving Minds Cycle: Listen, Learn, Respond
•Conversations within communities•Family, Student Interviews•Other Research
•What does the community want?•What kinds of arts learning opportunities are there?
•Design mechanisms that address what we’ve learned•Actualize in the communities•Begin Cycle all over again
Listening: Community Conversations
A picture of what there is, and what there needs to be
167 members representing the education, philanthropic and cultural communities attended six meetings to create a cohesive vision of arts offerings in Dallas.
Learning: Community Conversations
Arts Learning requires:
•Interdependent and Interconnected Systems
• Variety of Supportive Roles • Active Engagement & Participation
Quality
Inclusion
Empowerment
Communication
Accessibility
Neighborhood-based
Common Themes Key Issues
Research Components• Need for Arts Learning: Parent Survey
Parent Interviews
Teacher Survey
Student Interviews
Community Leadership Interviews
• Arts Learning Assets School Survey
Community and Cultural Institution Survey
Family Unit Interviews
Learning: ResearchPreliminary Findings
Learning: Parents as Key
Out of School Time Creative
Learning
Integrated Creative Learning
In School Creative Learning
Children
The three learning
environments depend heavily
on and react frequently with
parents
Learning: Parent Interviews Findings
•The home is often the most important venue for early arts learning.•Parents perform a wide range of creative activities•In school, out of school, and after school learning is deeply linked
© June, 2009 by Big Thought. Thriving Minds is managed by Big Thought.
Parent Interviews: Results
Neighborhood problems
wasting time, unproductive activities unsafe outdoor play low achievement, over-emphasis on
testing vandalism
Creative learning solutions
multi-age programming to serve family units
programmatic pathways fostering progressive learning
mentorship & leadership opportunities for youth & adults
community building & networking
Learning:Parent Engagement
Pathways
Personal Experience: Connect message to real experiences
Education: Provide access & information
Involvement: Neighborhood Leadership Teams
Advocacy: Mobilize leaders to promote resources for creative learning
Awareness: Spread the word about the value of arts learning
Responding:Coordinating
Neighborhoods
leverage
coordinate
connect
Meet w/Neighborhood
Leaders
Discuss Community
Values
IdentifyNeighborhoodSupply and
Demand
Host CommunityOrientation
Allocate Funds &
ImplementPrograms
Information Session
with Community Providers
Document & Report
PartnershipImpact
Responding:Neighborhood Leadership
Teams
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
Recreation Center
Park
Library
Private School
Cultural Institution
Community Asset Collecting: Protocol
What we’re asking Why we’re asking
Genre (Dance, Visual Art, Spoken Word) Discipline and Cost Association
Neighborhoods Served Relevance in the Community
Connections to other Cultural Institutions
Referrals and Leverage Points
*Always Update Contact Information
Connecting Assets and Needs
Need Asset
Thriving Minds
Engaging ParentsAlfreda Rollins
“What we found was that when we invest in the families, the families invest in themselves”
•Recruited to join Neighborhood Leadership Team
•Has a long history of advocating for education as a PTA President
•Brought with her a wealth of relationships, connections, and ideas
•Helped to pilot a summer camp, whose programming guided the expansion of our summer programming
•Sons are now teaching kids as part of creative workforce instructional team
Engaging the Community:Camp Metal Head
“When we mapped what services were provided where and in what disciplines, we could quickly see there was nothing for teens to do in the summer. That spurred conversations about what we could do with them.”
• Six weeks of apprentice-like study, facilitated by a professional artist
•The Dallas Public Library helped recruit teens
•Food and gasoline were provided by local businesses
•Students coached how to find professional opportunities through their new skill
•Graduates of the program can mentor new students
Engaging Institutions:Libraries
• 10 local organizations were involved in putting together this event.
•134 families participated in the services offered
•YA artist Junanne Peck created an interactive “jungle” for children to explore in
•This year, the same project will be duplicated, infusing creative learning into programming
Going Forward: A new vision for the hubs
Cultural Institution Community
Based Organization
Recreation Center
Parent Leaders
Library
Church
Elementary School
Middle School
High SchoolCurrent presence
Planned
Future
•Year-Round After School and Summer Programming
•Technical Assistance •Technology Support
•Communications Support•Gap Funding
•Professional Development
Cultural Institution Community
Based Organization
Recreation Center
Parent Leaders
Library
Church
Going Forward: System of Creative Learning
Instructors
# of Creative parents and citizens
# of Pre-professional creative students
# of Professional creatives, non-teachers
# of Professional creative learning instructors
Going Forward:Ensuring Quality
Climate thatSupports Art Learning
Engagement and Investment in Learning Classroom Dialogue and Sharing
Skills, Techniquesand Knowledge of the Discipline Creative Choices Expectations, Assessment and
Recognition
SUPPORTS FOR LEARNING
RIGOROUS AND CREATIVE LEARNING
Six Dimensions of QualityResearch conducted by : Arts specialists, researchers, teachers, national experts and Big Thought staff
Going Forward:A Road to Shared Civic
Outcomes
Increased Creative Capital
An Excellent System
An Equitable System
Livable and Productive City
Big Thought:Contact Information
Gigi AntoniPresident/[email protected]
Erin OffordCommunity [email protected]
www.bigthought.org