Walking tall in the hall

This change was not only observed in the form of more artwork on the walls of the school as remarked by parents and students at Caslan School, but in the general climate of the school including the behaviour and attitudes of students. [...] This transformation was believed to be the result of arts integration in the classroom and the project-based and student- centred nature of the learning. [...] They noted that, by virtue of having an artist in the classroom, they were forced to let go some of the control of their classrooms and trust the creative process and abilities of the artist. [...] A large majority of teachers and administrators (83%) observed that Aboriginal students related well to the Aboriginal artists who came to work in the schools and suggested that positive role modeling was an important part of the students’ exploration of the arts. [...] In the case of Caslan School, both the parent and student focus groups agreed that the appearance of the school was more welcoming for the community with more art on the walls, less graffiti, and more visible symbols of Métis culture such as the Métis flag flying at the school.