Given UW-Stout’s unique rural context, AIM prepares, supports, and tracks its pre-service and early career teachers in a regional network of school district partners. Pre-service and early career teachers practice teaching alongside mentor teachers and teaching artists in authentic school environments in which the arts and mindfulness are woven into the curriculum and methods.

Establishing a network of partnering teachers in regional districts enables AIM to share, expand and sustain its successful model of teacher training and supports for new and emerging teachers. AIM increases the caliber of hands-on co-teaching experiences among pre-service teachers and mentors; and AIM deepens its pool of trained mentor teachers, thereby increasing the number preservice teachers who can effectively teach in and through the arts and mindfulness. Finally, AIM maintains connections with alumni who teach or get newly hired to teach within the region.

A.I.M. at the School District of the Menomonie Area

A.I.M. at SDMA enhances teacher competence, confidence, and happiness through 1) short-term immersive teaching artist residencies, and 2) art labs for exploratory arts learning and making. In both experiences, the teacher learns to integrate the arts from a teaching artist who mentors by means of an “I do. We do. You do” approach.

A MINI RESIDENCY IS:

• An opportunity for a teacher to explore arts integration with a teaching artist for a curricular unit that they already teach.

• A creative and fun approach to teaching language arts, science, social studies, math, etc. by teaching in and through an art form.

• A low commitment way for teachers to explore a new way of teaching.

GOALS:

• Infused creativity into curriculum and instruction

• Strengthened instruction and student engagement

• Collaborative professional relationships

• Increased confidence and joy in teaching