July 1, 2010 :: In The Classroom, News :: No Comments

IN THE CLASSROOM: Connecting to our Students

Urban Gateways teaching artists led two artist residencies this spring around the theme of connectivity.  These residencies resulted in student artwork that Urban Gateways featured and auctioned off at ArtsWired 2010, our annual interactive benefit on June 22.

The student artists were paid a stipend for their work and invited to the event to connect with our guests and share their artwork .  Below is a description of each residency, as well as links to view the artwork.

May 7, 2010 :: In The Classroom, News :: No Comments

In The Classroom: Students Take Flight in Theatre Residency

In the Classroom is a new monthly feature created to take you inside a different Chicago-area classroom, introduce you to the Urban Gateways Teaching Artist who is working there, and share with you the experiences of the teaching artist and their students.

"Birds, Wings and Flying Things” – that’s the theme that the students of Hamilton School (K-8) have been exploring this year.  It sounds like a science lesson, maybe even history, but it has also been the focus of a 20-week Urban Gateways Artist Residency at the school.

Hamilton is one of the schools that participate in Urban Gateways’ Cultural Education Program (CEP), which is a multi-year grant partnership between UG and selected schools through which students and teachers receive training in one of four specific arts disciplines each year: dance, music, theatre and visual arts.  The goal is to give educators the tools to make connections between the fine and performing arts, social sciences and language arts.

This year, Hamilton students and teachers are exploring the discipline of theatre, and for the past few months, they’ve been doing so with Teaching Artist Maia Morgan.

March 11, 2010 :: In The Classroom, News :: No Comments

In the Classroom: Our New Teaching Artists

In the Classroom is a new monthly feature created to take you inside a different Chicago-area classroom, introduce you to the Urban Gateways Teaching Artist who is working there, and share with you the experiences of the teaching artist and their students.

This month, we want you to meet three of Urban Gateways newest teaching artists! Each year, we welcome a handful of new teaching artists to our roster. After a rigorous application and interview process, a select few are asked to participate in professional development, as well as a provisional residency in the fall. Depending on the outcome of those short-term residencies, the teaching artists are then asked to officially join Urban Gateways roster.

We have some incredible new teaching artists this year. Below is a look inside three provisional residencies led by visual artist Jillian Gryzlak, media artist Hondo Lawrence, and media artist Jesse Avina.  And definitely check out the photo slideshow of the residencies, as well. 

February 8, 2010 :: In The Classroom, News :: No Comments

In the Classroom: Global Rhythms

In the Classroom is a new monthly feature created to give you an up-close look at Urban Gateways Teaching Artists in action. Each month, we’ll take you inside a different Chicago-area classroom, introduce you to the Urban Gateways Teaching Artist who is working there, and share with you the experiences of the teaching artist and their students.

In Fall 2009, teaching artist and musician John Knecht led a semester-long residency at Immaculate Conception School called Global Rhythms.  John explored world percussion with first through fourth graders, connecting his lessons to music appreciation, reading notation, world cultures, sociology (concepts of community and identity) and literature. 

The video below documents the residency through photos and the voices of students and teachers at Immaculate Conception. 

January 13, 2010 :: In The Classroom, News :: No Comments

In the Classroom at Andersen School

Inside the Classroom is a new monthly feature created to give you an up-close look at Urban Gateways Teaching Artists in action. Each month, we’ll take you inside a different Chicago-area classroom, introduce you to the Urban Gateways Teaching Artist who is working there, and share with you the experiences of the teaching artist and their students.

A classroom at Anderson School is buzzing with two dozen fifth graders – they’re out of their seats, talking, laughing, and moving around the room. Not necessarily the picture of a well-behaved class.  But Urban Gateways Teaching Artist Jennifer Green wouldn’t have it any other way.

From the middle of the room, she suddenly shouts, “You’re in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Within seconds, the room is silent, each child frozen in a pose – some are marching in a band, some are waving to people lining the streets, others are desperately trying to hold on to giant balloons floating high above their heads.  A classroom full of kids who are not sitting quietly at their desks – yet fully focused and engaged, and also having fun.