Bringing Creativity to the Classroom
The Creative Learning Initiative seeks to provide a quality, arts-rich education for every student at Austin ISD. The initiative is a nationally recognized, collaborative effort among Austin ISD, MINDPOP, the city of Austin, and over 100 community arts partners. CLI provides a specialized curriculum and professional development for educators with the goal of ensuring that students receive the benefits of creative learning across core curriculum subjects and during and outside of the school day. CLI uses emergent, culturally responsive, trauma-informed Creative Teaching strategies that support positive social-emotional learning and development.
CLI includes:
- Campus arts access inventories, audits, and individualized plans
- Increased community arts partnerships
- Campus-level community building events
- Districtwide curriculum development, including exploring options and support for the district's commitment to ensuring all elementary students receive exposure to theatre and dance curriculum in addition to visual arts and music classes
- Professional development for teachers, artists and arts organizations
- Identification and mapping of neighborhood arts opportunities
- Inclusion in the City of Austin’s Comprehensive 30-Year Plan
MINDPOP: Why Creative Teaching?
MINDPOP and AISD share why Creative Teaching works.