Nurturing Hearts and Minds Through Arts in Education

by | Oct 30, 2024

Collage of three images: Left shows two women discussing learning materials at a table with notebooks and a laptop. Top-right depicts a man teaching students to combat summer slide at their desks. Bottom-right displays a woman engaged in an arts-focused conversation with a group in a classroom setting.

Imagine walking into a classroom where students not only learn math and history but also feel truly seen, heard, and valued. A space where their creativity thrives, their emotions are understood, and their cultural identities are celebrated. For many students, these experiences are rare but essential, especially in a world where they face emotional challenges shaped by stress, trauma, and uncertainty.

At ArtsNOW, we believe that arts in education can be a powerful tool to address these challenges, and that’s why we are proud to be part of the RAISE (Responsive Arts in School Education) project.

RAISE is a five-year, multi-state initiative developed by Young Audiences Arts for Learning and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive arts education residencies to support students' academic and emotional well-being.

At its core, RAISE is about nurturing both hearts and minds. As an affiliate of National Young Audiences, ArtsNOW is honored to have our team members participate in this training opportunity.

Why RAISE Matters

The students we serve today are facing unprecedented levels of stress. From social pressures to the impacts of the pandemic, the need for emotional and cultural support in the classroom has never been greater. RAISE (Responsive Arts in School Education) addresses this by focusing on three crucial pillars:

  • social-emotional learning,
  • trauma-informed practice, and
  • cultural relevance.

Through these pillars, RAISE equips teaching artists and educators with tools to create classrooms that nurture both hearts and minds. By participating in RAISE, ArtsNOW deepens its commitment to arts-integrated education, ensuring students feel supported and connected.

Transforming Classrooms in Metro Atlanta

RAISE training is incredibly impactful for ArtsNOW’s work with partner schools like Hillside Conant and Youth Villages (Inner Harbour Campus), residential schools supporting students with emotional and behavioral challenges. Our Theatre Consultants Barry Stewart Mann and Susie Purcell are bringing the RAISE training to life in these settings.

For example, Barry recently completed a residency at Hillside, working with 6th-9th grade students. Through storytelling and folktales, Barry helped students explore emotions, connect with their cultural heritage, and build social-emotional skills.

His work exemplifies how the RAISE project’s pillars come together to transform learning:

  • Social-Emotional Wellbeing: Storytelling helps students express and reflect on their emotions, fostering empathy and emotional resilience.
  • Trauma-Informed Practice: Barry created a safe, creative space for students to process their emotions without fear or judgment.
  • Cultural Relevance: By choosing folktales from various cultures, Barry and the Hillside teachers celebrated the students’ diverse backgrounds and cultural heritage, with inspiration from Hispanic Heritage Month.

Additionally, Barry and the teachers plan to create an audio-visual retelling of the stories with each class, giving students ownership of the narratives and fostering teamwork, creative thinking, and confidence.

Building a Lasting Impact

The residency at Hillside is just one example of how ArtsNOW’s participation in RAISE is expanding our approach to arts in education. We are using the arts to help students navigate their emotional worlds, build connections, and embrace their identities. This approach fosters a deeper, more meaningful educational experience.

Through RAISE, ArtsNOW is part of a growing movement that recognizes the arts as a critical tool for healing, connection, and growth. Our team members are gaining new skills to meet their students' emotional and cultural needs while creating innovative, arts-integrated lessons that align with academic goals.

We believe every child deserves to learn in an environment where they feel valued, their voices are heard, and their creativity is encouraged. Through our affiliate partnership with Young Audiences, we are making that vision a reality, one classroom at a time.

Would you like to learn more? Register to attend the Demonstration of Learning Day at Hillside Conant December 5, 2024. ArtsNOW invites you to tour the school, meet the teachers, and see arts-integrated lessons in action. Click here for details.