The Art of Education University (AOEU) announced a new partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). This partnership will strengthen MPS’s visual arts program by providing on-demand access to standards-aligned curriculum materials and personalized professional development, empowering art teachers with the resources and strategies needed for greater student growth in the arts.
“The implementation of PRO Learning in MPS has served as an invaluable resource for professional development, particularly during the pandemic,” said Dr. Deb Bowling, fine arts manager at MPS. “PRO has also supported teachers and mentors learning together to best support standards-based instruction. We are anxious to incorporate FLEX Curriculum to enhance our practice and provide high-quality, standards-based, equitable arts instruction across the district.”
AOEU supports visual art teachers with customizable, art-specific professional development and curriculum solutions. FLEX’s growing library of instructional materials embraces history and encompasses current events, allowing for responsiveness that textbooks can’t provide. PRO provides on-demand professional development with in-depth video tutorials, giving art teachers the skills they need to succeed with the lessons inside FLEX Curriculum. Together, FLEX and PRO are a comprehensive curriculum solution that can elevate every aspect of teaching and learning.
“I am thrilled that our art teachers will have access to both PRO Learning and FLEX Curriculum,” said Steve Van Zande, arts integration support teacher. “PRO will provide our teachers with individualized and differentiated professional development. FLEX will provide outstanding standards-aligned resources that can be easily integrated into other content areas.”
Over the past year, the pandemic has magnified the importance of art education because investing in art education is a powerful way to help students learn and master social-emotional competencies, which translates beyond the art room. FLEX and PRO will help MPS art teachers support their students as they navigate social-emotional learning.
“We are proud to partner with schools, like MPS, that equip visual arts teachers with the resources they need,” said Cheryl Hayek, chief academic officer at AOEU. “Each month, we release new materials that are both timely and timeless, so art teachers have continuous access to relevant content, including cross-curricular connections, social-emotional learning, and cultural competency. Additionally, our resources can be used for online, hybrid, and in-person learning.”
Navigating the educational landscape through the pandemic has been a challenge unlike any other, but MPS has demonstrated its commitment to student achievement by providing its art educators with comprehensive resources that will support its visual arts program for years to come.
