News from the Field
CONNECT WITH ART: A Collaborative Project of PS 57, Wagner College, Staten
Island Mental Health Society and COAHSI
Program Overview
The "Connect with Art" program, now in its 2nd year, blends the
NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies with those of the Arts for third
grade students at PS 57. Using a different art-based text each session, Wagner
students meet with PS 57 students on Friday mornings, beginning in late September
for a nine-week period. Working in small groups and using age-appropriate
texts, Wagner students will engage the third graders in a variety of learning
experiences that include demonstration, hands-on project making and writing
exercises designed to increase their literacy.
The program's curriculum was developed by Wagner College educators Dr. Lori
Weintrob (History) and Dr. Laura Morowitz (Art History) in concert with the
third grade teachers at the Park Hill school. Each weekly lesson focuses
on achieving a particular NYS arts and social studies learning standards
goal "to help youngsters improve their proficiency in reading and, at
the same time, introduce them to the power and pleasure of art," according
to Dr. Weintrob.
The Wagner College student mentors receive expert training in techniques
of helping young children to read- and to love reading- by Ms. Marcia Jacobson,
a former NYC Department of Education reading teacher
instructor. Ms. Jacobson
is also the Staten Island Mental Health Society's trainer for its well-known
School Reading Volunteer Program, which operates at PS 57 and 33 other Staten
Island public elementary schools.
Staten Island Mental Health Society provides the books for the "Connect
with Art" program. The books include easy biographies, narratives and
collections by well-known painters, musicians, dancers and poets and other
artists from Benjamin West, to Pablo Picasso, to Jacob Lawrence. The
Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island provides coordination, consultation
and research assistance.
PARTNERS' PROFILES
COUNCIL ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES FOR STATEN ISLAND
The Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSI) is an
arts-service organization, dedicated to fostering, promoting and developing
arts, cultural, and humanities activities on Staten Island. We provide technical
assistance services to artists of all disciplines, cultural organizations
and the general public. We operate the VISIT (Vital Information for Staten
Island Tourists) Center in the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Manhattan, administer
multiple grant programs for artists, schools and community organizations,
publish a bi-monthly newsletter, "Arts and Letters", and maintain
a community cultural calendar which can be accessed through our website at
www.statenislandarts.org.
PS 57 - The Hubert H. Humphrey School - Staten Island, NY
PS 57 is a diverse collaborative school community committed to excellence
and equity in student and staff education. Parents are welcomed participants
in all aspects of school life. Here, students learn about self, the community
and the world. Through integrated classes, special programs and extra-curricular
activities, students are afforded the opportunity to be problem-solvers,
critical thinkers and effective communicators. They are encouraged to experiment,
predict and take risks. Teachers and administrators embrace challenges and
obstacles and learn from them and grow, continually striving to reach their
goal of creating a school of lifelong learners.
Special Programs include literacy initiatives, integrated technology programs,
instrumental music and pond conservation while Extra-Curricular
Activities include Chess in the Schools, Vermont Farms for City Kids, Trailblazers Breakaway
Camp, Junior Achievement, Music Outreach, Guggenheim Museum, Project Arts
and Audubon Society.
STATEN ISLAND MENTAL HEALTH SOCIETY www.simhs.org
Since 1895, SIMH Society, a not-for-profit children's services agency, has
been preparing for Staten Island's future - one child at a time.
Its mission is to diagnose and treat emotional, behavioral, organic, and
developmental problems; to create and support programs and environments that
reduce the risk of disability and advance the optimal development of children;
to increase knowledge of the causes and treatments of mental illness and
developmental impairment; and to promote public awareness of, and support
for, the value and availability of our services.
Achieving Our Mission
The SIMHS provides a comprehensive range of award-winning, direct clinical,
educational, and therapeutic mental health and related programs to Staten
Island children (and their families), who are emotionally disturbed, developmentally
disabled (children and adults), neurologically impaired, dependent on drugs
and alcohol, and/or economically disadvantaged, with the goal of helping
our clients and their families improve the quality of their lives. Since
September 11, 2001, the Society has expanded its services to Staten Island
children and families who were directly or indirectly affected by the terrorist
attacks.
Each Year the Staten Island Mental Health Society
Serves one-in-ten Staten Island families
Treats over 6,600 individuals
Provides over 181,000 child and family evaluation and treatment sessions
Furnishes services at 25 sites, by 275 professional and support staff
Has volunteers donate over 50,000 hours of services
The Staten Island School Reading Volunteer Program
The SIMHS considers its award-winning School Reading Volunteer Program one
of its most effective services. The program not only has a direct impact
on the students, but a positive outcome for their families and schools.
The program was launched in 1960 by Mrs. Elizabeth W. Pouch, a philanthropist
who was one of the founders of the Staten Island Mental Health Society. Mrs.
Pouch was asked by SIMHS's Founding Director Dr. Richard M. Silberstein to
devise a method of providing one-on-one instruction to young students who
needed extra help in reading, at no cost to the schools of the families of
the children.
A mental health professional, Dr. Silberstein knew that for these children,
improving their reading was more than an academic issue. Children who cannot
read lack confidence and self-esteem, which often leads to a poor attitude,
defiant behavior and other mental health disorders. Therefore, if the children
could become better readers, positive mental health benefits, such as self-confidence
would follow.
Mrs. Pouch sought the help of three friends. Together, they were able to
make arrangements with teachers and principals to tutor a handful of children
right in their home schools. The women also knew that it would be easier
to engage the children and gain their trust if they took a personal interest
in the students, and offered their friendship as well as instruction.
The Reading Program has been operating in collaboration with the NYC Department
of Education for more than 20 years. As the years passed, the program grew
in stature and volunteers grew in number. In the last school year, 250 tireless,
dedicated volunteers donated 19,200 hours tutoring almost 500 children in
35 Staten Island public elementary schools. Most volunteers stay in the program
for several years and some have been tutors for more than ten years.
WAGNER COLLEGE - Staten Island, NY www.wagner.edu
Wagner College sits on a hilltop, overlooking Manhattan which is located
just twenty-five miles away. The 105 acre campus is located on Grymes Hill
and its suburban setting provides students and visitors alike with a wealth
of countless cultural, intellectual and professional opportunities a short
ferry ride away.
Beginning in their freshmen year, Wagner College students participate in
a nationally recognized, sequential program that blends theoretical learning
with practical experiences during all years of their college education.
Experiential learning uses meaningful practical experience to enhance the
learning of abstract concepts. Through direct involvement with people and
issues, students learn to apply their knowledge to real life situations.
Students learn about different social and professional cultures by working
directly within these communities. As active participants, students will
also share their knowledge, ideas and perspectives with members of the on-site
community and their classmates.
Beginning with the very first semester at Wagner, Wagner students are involved
in learning communities that introduce real-world problems by directly linking
field work with their coursework. Learning Communities are clusters of courses
that are linked together by a single theme and share a common set of students.
The faculty plan their Learning Community courses with overlapping assignments,
common readings and joint problems so that courses share some common ground.
These Learning Communities are combined with carefully selected field sites
in which students typically spend three hours per week, observing the organization,
its practices and dynamics. Reflective Tutorials emphasize writing skills
and discussions, where students link their field experiences directly to
the academic course work, students learn how to scrutinize ideas in the light
of real world experiences.
WHAT WAGNER STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED FROM "CONNECT WITH ART…I
have personally been blessed with the art education all through my years.
From elementary all the way through high school, art played an extremely
important role in my life and the lives of all the kids I knew. Without my
art education I know for a fact I would not be the person I am today.
Just working with the students at PS 57 through "Connect with Art" for
a short amount of time has made me realize how utterly important the arts
are in schools. Art time is a special time where kids can express themselves
as individuals and gives them a chance to show their creative side. Thought,
persistence, patience, creativity and determination are all aspects one needs
when pursuing the arts. Within the first three times of being at PS 57, I
have noticed a huge change in the kids. At first they seemed skeptical on
why we were there to teach them about art. Now when they see us walking through
the door they get so excited they cheer for us. To bring that much joy to
children just warms my heart. Each week they are eager to open new books
and learn about a new artist and that particular artist's techniques. They
get huge smiles on their faces when we tell them about our next art assignment.
To me, denying kids arts is denying them their full education..." Nina Urban, RFT 112, Wagner College
"I came from an excellent arts-aware elementary school. I was always
involved in theatre that was in collaboration with education… I believe
that artistic expression is so important in formulating a well-rounded education
that leads to success in later life. The arts teach acceptance, creativity,
freedom and encourage children to be themselves… The students at PS
57 are so eager to learn. They are enthusiastic and bright. The sheer fact
that I can help provide the students at PS 57 with something so essential
as artistic expression is so priceless not only to these students but to
myself as well. I am realizing that by handing them a marker every Friday
and saying 'Go for it!' I am helping these children in so many ways. Through
my participation in this project I see that we are providing these students
with opportunities to explore something that they might use to build upon
in the future. They are the next generation, and along with us, will run
this country. If the arts are not reinforced now, and not a prominent piece
of their education, will it ever be?" Kat Murphy, RFT 112, Wagner
College