Guiding Instruction through Fine Arts and Technology, provides the school focus for Abingdon to increase student achievement and community engagement by integrating arts and technology into our daily instructional practices.
The Project GIFT program is deeply rooted in Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences—that is, all students are gifted in several intelligences. The intelligences, as defined by Gardner, are linguistic, spatial, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, naturalist, and bodily-kinesthetic. Project GIFT’s purpose is to engage students using a wide range of instructional approaches and thus provide more individualized learning experiences.
Here is an example of "Fine Arts and Technology Integration" in the classroom:
As of school year 2013-2014, Project GIFT now consists of the following components:
- Staff-wide training provided by the Kennedy Center through the CETA (Changing Education Through the Arts) Program.
- School wide implementation of arts and technology integration strategies.
- Arts coaching provided by Kennedy Center experts Melanie Layne, Sean Layne, and Marcia Daft.
- Wheel Courses: Architecture, Communications, Living Histories, Science Lab, Spanish (K-1st Grade), Suzuki Violin for all 4th graders, and Instrumental Music for all 5th graders.
The elimination of early release Wednesdays and the implementation of 1½ hours of daily uninterrupted planning time for teachers.
After school activities that further expand students’ talents and extend the time, if needed, for remediation.
- Increased opportunities for parent and community involvement with evening events, such as Library Nights, Project GIFT Showcase Nights, Movie Nights, Fall Festival, Book Fair, and cultural-themed nights.