PROGRAMS AND FORMAT

Kala makes a commitment to schools and students by providing collaborative, long-term programs. In-school residencies generally run 1 hour per class per week for 8-12 weeks. Artist-Teachers work predominantly during school hours, however, we also offer after-school programs and school assemblies.

Through hands-on classroom workshops, students explore a spectrum of visual and performing arts. Kala artists teach technical and conceptual tools with which students explore, express and document their ideas and experiences. Through the creative process, students learn resiliency and adaptability; skills that support effective problem-solving. In every case, we customize our programs to meet the needs and curriculum goals of the individual school partner.

Our collaboratively designed projects include "Adventures in Map Making", an exploration of cartography that bridges visual thinking strategies with narrative storytelling, scientific observation or cultural documentation. Animation and printmaking programs offer students and teachers specialized technical training that can be applied to a variety of subjects.

The Artists-in-Schools program also provides traditional Indian Kathak dance instruction taught by renowned classical dancer, Purnima Jha. These workshops teach mathematics, cultural history and storytelling through exercises in rhythmic counting, movement, and traditional costuming.

Space permitting, we like to culminate our programs with a performance or an exhibition of student work on campus. Class sizes vary according to each project. Resource materials can be provided to classroom teachers upon request.

Many of our Artist-Teachers are trained in the Teaching for Understanding framework, an educational pedagogy developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and endorsed by the Alameda County Office of Education.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development for educators is offered through both school-site programs and a variety of courses at our West Berkeley studio. Parents are also welcome to enroll in studio courses at Kala to further support and enrich their child's education. Kala Art Institute is happy to work with students who have diverse and special needs.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Project sites include target schools in Alameda County's Model Arts Program Pilot Districts:

Berkeley
Jefferson Elementary School, Longfellow Middle School, Malcolm X Elementary School, Martin Luther King Middle School, Oxford Elementary School, Rosa Parks Environmental Science Magnet School

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley

Go Bananas: Scale and proportion in contemporary art

Emeryville
Anna Yates Elementary School, Emery Secondary School (Middle and High Schools)

Oakland
Peralta Elementary School, Thornhill Elementary School

top