The School Partnership Program is modeled on the acclaimed aesthetic education program that has evolved over a 30-year period at Lincoln Center. The Partnership is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning about the arts, applicable to all grade levels and academic disciplines. The Partnership inspires students and teachers to approach the arts with an open mind and to gain insights into the creative process. Attendance at professional performances at Tilles Center and viewing art works at museums is combined with experiential learning during school workshops. These workshops are led by teaching artists from the Tilles Center and Portledge teachers. Students explore their own artistic capabilities while strengthening essential skills, abstract thinking, teamwork, critical judgment and problem solving. Students learn what to look for, and listen to, in a performance or work of art. The goal is to help guide students towards a deeper level of understanding.
Teachers who participate in the School Partnership Program attend an introductory course in Aesthetic Education, presented at the Tilles Center for one week in the summer. The School Partnership program has been operating at Portledge School since 2004.
For the 2010-2011 school year, students in Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten will attend a performance of Strega Nona at the Tilles Center and visit an art museum on Long Island. The choice of art museum and art exhibition will be determined soon.
Teaching artist Lyn Variale, from the Tilles Center works with children in Pre-Kindergarten during a workshop.
Children attend a performance at the Tilles Center at C.W. Post campus.