Partners in Education Across Kansas (PEAK)
PEAK jump links
What is PEAK?
Partners in Education Across Kansas (PEAK) is a professional development program for K–12 teachers developed by the Spencer Museum of Art. It connects teachers with museum educatorsand one another, building a shared learning community through art. Participating educators receive a stipend for their involvement in the program. PEAK serves approximately 40 educators each year from pre-kindergarten through high-school in subjects ranging from art, language arts, and creative writing, to science, history, and math.
PEAK educators participate in hands-on learning experiences with art designed to support their own wellbeing and deepen their students' learning through resiliency, strength of character, and social competence. Programs are led by artists, community educators, Spencer Museum staff, and most often by PEAK teachers themselves.
Incorporating art into classroom teaching has been found to increase student achievement and engagement. PEAK aims to expand educators’ knowledge and skills in arts integration, especially in social-emotional learning (SEL) through direct arts experiences.
PEAK Quote 1
“I like to start off the semester with quite a few of the social-emotional learning projects I learned through PEAK to get the kids settled and set the tone for the class. It allows them to soul search a little bit, to realize the class isn’t just about what I’m going to do for them, but for what they’re going to do for themselves.”
High School Art Teacher
Program Elements
PEAK teachers receive a stipend and supplies for their classroom in exchange for their participation. PEAK activities include:
- Art Breaks: Two virtual workshops each month present arts-integrated lessons inspired by the Spencer's collection and provide an opportunity for teachers to share ideas across districts and build skills to use in their classrooms.
- Workshops: Once a semester PEAK teachers attend an in-person workshop that explores art-based resources in their communities.
- Annual Institute: Once a year teachers gather in-person at the Spencer Museum to immerse themselves in the Museum's collection and experience the depth and breadth of art-based learning.
- Lesson Plans: Teachers write lesson plans based on an artwork from the Spencer's collection that incorporate skills learned in PEAK. These lesson plans are available for free on our website.
PEAK Quote 2
"PEAK has helped me design and modify existing lessons to help the growing group of kids with neurodivergence. I am a much more compassionate and patient teacher with my students, and I think they leave my classroom feeling more confident and valued. I love how we have access to images of the Spencer Museum’s collection to share with students who live too far to visit in person."
Elementary Art Teacher, Salina, Kansas
PEAK video
Teachers, art therapists, and museum educators met at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka, Kansas for a two day workshop on arts integration and art therapy in July 2022.
Enrollment
Each year PEAK grows by adding to a cohort of teachers from different regions across Kansas. The program is open to all K–12 educators in the state, regardless of what subject they teach.
For more information on enrollment, please contact Rachel Straughn-Navarro.
Peak quote 3
"I was able to take the lessons we learned and use them both in the classroom and in my personal life, helping myself and my students to focus emotions through art. I feel like I’ve become a better teacher, learning to understand not only the student but what might be behind that student’s behavior. PEAK has helped me see through more informed eyes."
K–12 Art Teacher, Madison, Kansas
Contact
If you’re interested in learning more about PEAK, reach out to our staff: