Each year, Elementary STEP candidates undertake a course in the creative arts, led by long-time artist and teacher Susan Freeman. The course seeks to encourage students to explore the arts in hands-on work and theoretical discussion, as well as to memorably communicate to students the importance of the arts, how they align with Common Core State Standards, and how to integrate the arts into everyday curriculum.
Students explore intersections of math and engineering with the visual arts as they engage in block-building, free block play, and study the architecture of Stanford's campus.
Students examine intersections of literacy and the arts through journaling and creative writing, as well as work in which they expand their thinking about the arts and literacy through sensory description.
Students are deeply exposed to the connections between the visual arts and science and social studies through curricular study, study of children's literature, and mapping of science and social studies state standards onto arts-based activities and curricula.
The course culminates with the creation of a student-designed project that explores interactions among the creative arts and a science or social studies curricular activities aligned with California State Standards. Students frequently make this activity a part of their curriculum during their first year of teaching.
An "arts learning wall" documents student thoughts, ideas, and questions throughout the course.
Students are given an arts toolkit to jumps tire their work in the creative arts in their own classrooms as they transition from being student teachers to classroom teachers.
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