This document discusses City Lore's Nations in Neighborhoods arts education program and how externally imposed assessment requirements can be turned into an opportunity to demonstrate authentic arts and cultural learning. The program engages over 900 students in 10-14 week residencies where they explore traditional art forms, investigate their own communities, learn across disciplines, and create and share original works of art. Assessment includes focus student interviews, pre-and post-assessments, teacher and artist interviews, student journals, and artifacts. The goal is to show learning as defined by the organizations, teachers and students rather than external requirements.

1. Assessment is not a total drag all of theAssessment is not a total drag all of the
timetime
City Lore’s Nations In Neighborhoods AEMMDCity Lore’s Nations In Neighborhoods AEMMD
ProgramProgram

2. How can externally imposed assessmentHow can externally imposed assessment
requirements become an opportunity torequirements become an opportunity to
demonstrate authentic arts and culturaldemonstrate authentic arts and cultural
learning as defined by arts organizations,learning as defined by arts organizations,
teachers and students?teachers and students?

3. City Lore
Document - Preserve - Foster
Living Cultural Heritage
Our education programs engage
youth, families, and educators in
exploring the role of the arts and culture
in their own lives and in the lives of
others. We encourage youth to see the
arts as a powerful means for expressing
their ideas and for understanding the
world around them.

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Nuts and BoltsNuts and Bolts
• 28 classroom teachers and
school arts specialists
• 926 students. Over 40%
English language learners
• 10-14 week 90 minute
residencies
• 3 yearly teacher
development days
• 1 week-long summer
institute with artists and
teachers
• Teaching artist PD

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Explore traditional and culturally specific art formsExplore traditional and culturally specific art forms

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Investigate their own traditions, communitiesInvestigate their own traditions, communities andand
neighborhoodsneighborhoods

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Learn to work in different modalities andLearn to work in different modalities and
across disciplinesacross disciplines

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Create original works of art inspired by theirCreate original works of art inspired by their
investigations and researchinvestigations and research

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Share their artistic process and products throughShare their artistic process and products through
exhibitions and performancesexhibitions and performances

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• Malini teaching photo

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Assessment ComponentsAssessment Components
• Focus Students
• Pre-Assessment
• Observations
• Video Interviews- Students,
Teachers, Artists
• Post Assessment
• Journals/portfolios
• Extra footage
(rehearsal/art, peer
interviews, thank you
letters)

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Describe the work of art
in the picture above.
Name three things that
make this a work of art.
Look closely. What can
you figure out about the
culture that made this
art?
What country or culture
do you think this comes
from? Give three
reasons why.
Why do you think the
people made it?
Imagine you were going to
introduce this art to an
audience at your school. What
are three things you would say
so that students and teachers
could understand what they
are seeing?
How could you find more
information about this?
(Besides books or the
internet)
What is something that you
(or someone in your family or
neighborhood) That is like
this. Why do you do it? Why
does it matter to you?
Is there anything you want to
add that you were thinking or
noticing?
Pre and Post Assessment

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Interview QuestionsInterview Questions
For Teachers Pre Class:
• What is your residency about? What
have you covered so far?
• What do you hope students will notice
in the work they are doing? What do
you hope they will take away from this
session?
Post Class
• Where did you see kids grapple with
the question of your residency?
• What do you think went well? Where
did you see the kids engaged and
learning?
• Did anything surprise you? How will you
build on it next time?
• What could have gone better? What
would you do differently next time?

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For Students: During class:
• What are you doing in this residency?
• What did you notice just now when you
saw / heard [art form/ teaching artist’s
demonstration/ their own or other
students’ mini-performance]?
• What makes it an [African mask/ insert
proper art form]?
• If you were going to explain to someone
what makes it from [specific region] what
would you say?
• Did you tell anyone about the residency?
What did they ask? What did you tell
them?
• What are you learning about (stated
theme of residency)? What does that
mean in your own life?
Group interview (post class)
• What did you learn in today’s class?
• Can you show me something from class
today?
• How did you learn it?
• What is it like to have an artist in your
class?
• What do you learn from each other/about
your classmates?
• Does this remind you of anything else
you are doing in school?
• Does this remind you of anything else
you do or have seen somewhere else?

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JournalingJournaling
• GLOSSARY OF TERMS—Have students create a
glossary of vocabulary words related to both the art form
and culture in which you are working with students
throughout the residency. Start with a minimum of 5
words. Use your list of key concepts and vocabulary
from your unit plan.
• Name two new things that you learned based on today's
residency. Explain what they mean.
• If you were able to interview (artist's name), what would
be two questions that you would like to ask him/ her?
Explain why you are curious about these two questions.
• If you could travel to (the place your students are
learning about), what are three things that you would
expect to see (based on what you are learning from this
year's residency)?
• What makes (South African, West African, etc)
(music/dance/sculpture) different from other forms of
(music/dance/sculpture)?
• What makes a good performer/artist? Why?
• Who gave you your name and why (family name, special
meaning, historical figure)? Tie to the residency.
• Write an exhibition card for another student’s work. The
cards can be used for a final exhibition or a student-led
tour of the class’s artwork.
 NOTICE--Write about or draw what
you saw and heard today. Include
details that you noticed.
 CONNECT--What does the art you
saw today remind you of or make you
think of? Use words you’ve learned
to help describe the connections.
 INVESTIGATE--What are two
questions you have after today’s
session? If you couldn’t use the
internet or books, how could you find
answers to your questions?

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ArtifactsArtifacts
Dear Mr. N’ketiah Brakohiapa,
Hello, my name is Asa Shin, the student from 801. I first time met you in the social studies class with
adinkra art. I am from Japan and had lived here for almost one year. I never knew about adinkra
symbol or clothes until this art project begin. Well, not only adinkra symbol, I even didn’t know any of
African art. When I first time saw the pictures of adinkra clothes, I was amazed by it, because I’ve
never seen clothes designed by stamps. In Japan, there is cloth made using dyeing process, but not
with stamps. So I couldn’t imagine how to stamp on the fabric. Then Ms. Judy, the artist and our
teacher of our art project, showed us the videos about how to stamp or make the adinkra symbol.
Also, I learned there is a process… and when or how to wear it. When I heard that, I felt that I want
to see people who actually do that. So when you came to our class, that wish came true. By your
talking, I could learn more about what native Ghana’s adinkra makers do every day. I was surprised
when I heard that children also help their family from early morning to night. I didn’t have that
experience when I was in Japan. I helped my mother sometimes, but not everyday, all the time. So I
thought maybe it is tough, but I wanted to experience that, too.
One more thing, I felt surprise that there is rank between people. For example, you said that only the
village chief can wear a lot of symbols and others wear only one symbol… Actually, there was like
this rank in ancient Japan, too. When people started making rice, there were people who manage
that, who make that rice, who make the tool to make rice, and who cook. In that time, people who
manage the rice was most admired by people… I learned many things from what you spoke and
taught us. Also, it make my ability of understanding more and I learned many knowledge that I can’t
know from pictures or videos. I’d like to be thankful for that. From this experience, I want to learn
more about adinkra symbol and tell people how beautiful and amazing it is. Again, thank you very
much.
Sincerely, Asa

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Coding rubric- Developed with teachers
during teacher coding sessions- 5 Paid
evening sessions to code and make
suggestions for next year assessment
project
Art Form Content- Terms, Processes, Tools
Little to No Evidence
The dance are so good and so beautiful. “
Some Evidence- expected for grade level
I see that the rhythm of the dance is the same as
the beat of the music.
Ample Evidence- (more than expected for grade)
“What I know about the music is that it matches
with the dance. I know about the dance that a
lot of spinning around. It has drum sound, piano
sound and guitar sound.”
Striking evidence (MUCH more than expected for grade)
It is art from India. In ancient time Indians used to
use animals in their symbol…I think the artist
took some small part from the picture, then
he/she make it from a small paper. Then she
make it in a big grid in a big canvas. Then after
she enlarge it and put it on a grid”
Scoring

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VOILA! DATA!VOILA! DATA!

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Self evaluate: is what we say we are good at what we actually do well?
Where do we need to strengthen our approaches, where can we
substantiate claims we make?
Leverage with schools and principals to support high implementation
projects
Use with teachers to advocate for further funding within their schools
Get buy-in from parents/community/administrators/ stakeholders. Have
other people advocate for more cultural arts time in school.
Participate in the policy conversation at a different level.

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Questions/ DiscussionQuestions/ Discussion