RUTGERS-CAMDEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

STEDMAN GALLERY
GORDON THEATER
Third and Pearl Sts.
Camden, NJ 08102

856-225-6306
FAX: 856-225-6597

Read the RCCA Blog


Archived Programs


artstart (2006-2009)



ArtStart In Abbott School Districts, such as Camden, very young children are required to attend preschool to increase their ability to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Supported by a three-year NJSCA AESI grant, RCCA partnered with LEAP Academy University Charter Pre-School and the Camden Early Childhood Initiative to design research-based arts modules consistent with the existing curriculum that cultivate pre-literacy skills and enhance cognitive development. ArtStart is an arts-based pre-literacy curriculum designed to improve reading readiness in Camden’s pre-school students. The ArtStart pre-literacy arts education project, developed, integrated, documented, evaluated, and implemented arts-based curriculum units for pre-kindergarten students. The program built pre-literacy skills through visual arts, storytelling, dance, and theater in partnership with the Rutgers Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership and the Camden Abbott Early Childhood Initiative.

ArtStart included teaching artist workshops, professional development for Pre-school teachers and Instructional Assistants, parent workshops, performances of professionally staged adaptations of age-appropriate literary works, gallery explorations in visual literacy and object-based learning, storytelling, and other activities.


arts immersion (2006-2010)



RCCA and Camden County Educational Technology Training Center collaborated on an Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination initiative funded with a four-year grant from the US DOE's Office of Innovation and Improvement. Arts Immersion includes development of an arts and technology integrated curriculum, a teacher training program, and in-class mentoring and modeling for grades K-4 in two socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts. The purpose of the project is to improve student achievement and teacher performance. The partnership developed a comprehensive plan to increase student achievement in the national and New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards while infusing arts education into the core content areas with two local school districts, Lawnside Public School and Woodlynne Public School. The project goals and outcomes were measured and reported by Dr. Susan Lowes, Teachers College/Columbia University.