Program staff have a keystone position for the implementation of the LLEF into our residencies. You will be the first to articulate to school administrators what an LLEF is, and how it will benefit their students and the whole school community. You will keep Teaching Artists accountable in integrating LLEF into our residencies and providing us with support to make it happen. You will need to take LLEF practices into account from budgeting to scheduling to program reporting.
I anticipate that this sounds like a mammoth task added to an already heavily burdened schedule…
Yes and…
For anyone familiar with ArtsConnection as an organization, especially existing school partners, LLEF is not going to feel completely new. It is a deepening of existing practices that are being implemented following over 2 years of focused research, including pilot programs in a variety of artforms.
It has probably been a while since you checked out the ArtsConnection website, but there is a tab on there titled EDIA Values. I want to call attention to one small bit – the aligned action for schools and classrooms: “We strive to achieve Socially Just Learning Environments through on-going practice, reflection and assessment … creating learning curricula, processes, and environments that model and address diversity, equity, inclusion and access.”
The Liberated Learning Environment Framework is a product of that commitment to action.
The key components of an LLEF are responsive planning, community building, cultural humility, and student agency. It is also a de facto checklist for Teaching Artists integrating LLEF into their teaching practices. Incorporating questions into existing planning and reporting and inquiries regarding support needs all support implementation and accountability.
Implementing an LLEF goes beyond traditional arts instruction and requires more time for planning and implementing. This is an area where program staff expertise in making amazing stuff happen within the confines of reality will be crucial to influencing school expectations and finessing budgets accordingly.