
When
it
comes
to
learning,
Clare
Phillips
wants
to
make
the
process
as
easy
as
possible
for
children.
As
an
English
speakers
of
other
languages
(ESOL)
teacher
at
Occoquan
Elementary
School,
she
is
always
looking
for
new
techniques
that
will
help
make
curriculum
easier
to
understand.
Recently,
Phillips
learned
new
strategies
through
The
Kennedy
Center's
Changing
Education
Through
the
Arts
(CETA)
program.
She
was
one
of
60
educators
in
the
D.C.
metropolitan
area
to
receive
the
2020
CETA
Certificate
of
Study.
The
CETA
program
provides
teachers
with
strategies
for
incorporating
the
arts
and
arts-integrated
instruction
into
their
classroom.
Examples
of
CETA
integration
techniques
include
dance,
movement,
and
"word
painting,"
or
arranging
words
into
a
poem.
"How
many
times
is
a
topic
just
not
being
understood?"
asked
Phillips.
"The
main
goal
[of
this
program]
is
to
integrate
[the
arts]
into
the
curriculum
and
make
the
material
more
palpable
to
children."
For
the
program,
teachers
participate
in
a
minimum
of
21
hours
of
professional
learning,
which
includes
attending
group
workshops.
Expert
teaching
artists
and
educators
lead
the
group,
as
they
explore
ways
to
bring
the
arts
into
any
subject.
Rather
than
listen
to
a
lecture,
attendees
participate
in
the
lessons
themselves
to
practice
the
techniques.
"You
learn
from
the
instructor's
teaching
style
as
much
as
you
hear
it,"
said
Phillips.
"Everyone
is
professional
and
friendly,
so
it's
easy
to
learn
[the
techniques]."
Throughout
the
program,
each
participant
develops
a
lesson
and
submits
documentation
that
shows
evidence
of
the
impact
of
the
arts
on
students.
Phillips,
for
example,
developed
a
lesson
where
students
created
a
tableau,
or
live
picture,
in
small
groups
to
learn
about
the
water
cycle.
Upon
learning
about
abstract
techniques
like
tableau,
Phillips
has
further
learned
the
value
of
bringing
the
arts
into
the
classroom.
She
recommends
The
Kennedy
Center's
CETA
program
to
all
educators,
especially
those
looking
to
incorporate
new
techniques
into
their
lessons.
"[The
arts]
can
make
learning
fun
and
exciting
for
them.
The
kids
have
to
work
together
to
make
it
happen,"
said
Phillips.
"You
want
your
kids
to
be
thinkers
and
[incorporating
the
arts]
helps."