My Contact Information: 

My class schedule has me teaching on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. You can reach me by email at:jmelchiorre@woodlynne.k12.nj.us or leave me a voice mail @ 856 962 8822 ext 602. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.

Why Are the Arts Important ?

• They are languages that all people speak that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhance cultural appreciation and awareness. 

• They are symbol systems as important as letters and numbers.

• They integrate mind, body, and spirit. 

• They provide opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality.

• They offer the avenue to "flow states" and peak experiences.

• They create a seamless connection between motivation, instruction, assessment, and practical application--leading to deep understanding.

• They are an opportunity to experience processes from beginning to end.

• They develop both independence and collaboration. 

• They provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection. 

• They make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and to bridge into understanding sometimes difficult abstractions through these

strengths. 

• They merge the learning of process and content.

• They improve academic achievement -- enhancing test scores, attitudes, social skills, critical and creative thinking. 

• They exercise and develop higher order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and "problem-finding." 

• They are essential components of any alternative assessment program. 

• They provide the means for every student to learn.