Personal Narrative: My Visit To Findley Elementary School

I visited Findley Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa on April eighth. Before attending Findley, I had never heard of the Turnaround Arts Program and how schools were using art and music as a way to help improve student learning and test scores. Findley Elementary school is considered a high-needs school because of their consistently low test scores. For this reason, they were eligible for the Turnaround Arts Program which provides art education resources to high-needs schools. At Findley and other Turnaround Arts Programs, teachers incorporate art, music, and drama to connect with students and provide them with an easier way to learn. There are many benefits of art and music education which include improvements in math and reading, reduction in suspensions, and increased attendance. Along with these general benefits, students claim it helps them concentrate more and control their behavior. Since Findley became a part of the Turnaround Arts Program in 2011, they have improved 11.40 percentage points in math proficiency, increased their reading proficiency score by 2.50

Having grown up in a small, rural town made up of mostly Caucasian students, being in a school like Findley was a great learning experience for me as a future teacher. The effects the school has on the children are astonishing. The students are well-behaved and mindful to their teachers. Although most of the students come from families whose parents did not attend college or even obtain a high school diploma, it is evident these students are working hard and listening to their teachers to achieve the unimaginable: a quality education. The students and teachers interacted in a relaxed and comfortable way which is important for students to learn. The artwork that was displayed in the rooms and outside the rooms create a pleasant place for students to be creative in order to gain knowledge that is vital for student