OUTREACH

Imagination Quest

Imagination Quest (IQ) is a teaching and learning model that advances active and personal education in, through, and about the arts via three initiatives: Teach to Reach (for teachers), Learning to Read, Reading to Learn (for students), and Partners for Learning (for parents/caregivers).

IQ is a unique collaboration of Imagination Stage and American University working with schools to inspire achievement - in the classroom and in life - through discovery learning. The goal of IQ is to enhance student achievement and foster creative and social skills through arts-based teaching and learning across the curriculum. IQ has reached over 1,777 teachers; 485 parents and caregivers; 3,432 students through residencies (another 20,000 students have been reached through the residency sharings); and 70 school principals from MD, DC, CA, VA, and NH.

For a more thorough description of Imagination Quest, please view the point presentation "Imagination Quest: A Glimpse at the Imagination Quest (IQ) Model" presented at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education's 2007 conference.
View Powerpoint Presentation

Research and Publications

ARTICLES:
"Transforming the Classroom Teacher into a Teaching Artist"
by Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Yvonne Pelletier Lewis, Lynn Hussey Fox
Teaching Artist Journal: Volume 5, number 2, Summer 2007
Abstract: http://www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15411790701285633

“Literacy Learning for At-Risk Students Through Arts-Based Instruction”
by Gail Humphries Mardirosian and Lynn Hussey Fox
International Journal of Learning: Volume 10, 2003
Presented at the Internation Literacy and Research Conference 2003(see below -- "Presentations"-- to download Powerpoint or copy of presentation).

HANDBOOKS:
LESSON PLANS -- The Quest to Reach Potential Through the Arts: An Instructional Guide with accompanying DVD
contact jbook@imaginationstage.org for further information

PRESENTATIONS:

International Literacy and Research Conference

A workshop and a paper on IQ were published in a monograph entitled "Literacy Learning for At-Risk Students Through Arts-Based Instruction - A Case Study of the Imagination Quest (IQ) Model" by Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Associate Professor of Theatre & Music Theatre Department, with Lynn Fox, Dean of the School of Education at AU, at the International Literacy and Research Network Conference on Learning at the Institute of Education, University of London July 2003.

Download a PDF of this publication

View Powerpoint presentation

IQ Sponsors Include

The Association for Theatre in Higher Education
Baltimore County Public School System
The Brimstone Fund
BWF Foundation
Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Inc.
The Fowler Foundation
Freddie Mac Foundation
Gilbert and Jaylee Mead Family Foundation
ISI Board Member Sponsorship
Lockheed-Martin Corporation
MD State Arts Council
MD State DOE
Montgomery County Public Schools
PEPCO
PG&E Generating Co.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
University of New Hampshire
VA Commission for the Arts
The Webber Family Foundation

IQ Team
The IQ team is committed to the value and importance of the arts and imagination in education. It consists of a seasoned ensemble of professional artists and teachers from Imagination Stage and researchers and artist/teachers from American University's School of Education and Department of Performing Arts.

For more information about IQ contact Jenn Book Haselswerdt jbook@imaginationstage.org 301-280-1648.