Higher Order Thinking Schools Higher Order Thinking Schools - HOTS Higher Order Thinking Schools - HOTS
Connecticut - Still Revolutionary

The HOT Approach

An innovative delivery system

The HOT APPROACH is an innovative delivery system that provides teachers, teaching artists, administrators, parents, and arts organization educators vital professional development, resources, tools and strategies to develop, deepen and expand effective practices in standards based arts education, arts integration, school culture change and leadership development.

The HOT APPROACH, reflected in a school's commitment to child centered, experiential, arts integrated teaching and learning weaves best practices in arts in education with present-day needs and experiences of urban, suburban, and rural school communities. The HOT APPROACH is comprehensive. It considers the whole child, teacher, artist, administrator, and school community. Professional development supports teacher growth and parental involvement, and leads to personal renewal. The strong presence of teaching artists and parents is a distinctive feature of the HOT APPROACH.

Program staff work closely
with each school ...

... to design a professional development plan to implement the HOT Approach. It is designed to be flexible for adaptation and uniquely suited to help individual school communities address their specific needs and build community. It can be adopted by arts organizations, individual artists, and state and local arts agencies wishing to strengthen their school/arts partnerships and arts in education initiatives.

In an arts-infused environment, the processes of creating, performing and responding lead to increased achievement, increased attendance by students and staff, fewer retentions, higher self-esteem, decreased discipline problems, greater parent participation and a growing sense of community. 

HOT Schools Quote

"The arts integration and creative expression, adapted by each learning community, furthers greater depth of understanding, self-direction, and collaboration. A HOT school gives voice to choice in ways that develop reflective, caring and active citizens. HOT schools are places where everyone can learn, share and grow."

Gail Freeman, Coach/Facilitator

Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools is a program of the Connecticut State Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of the Arts. ©2026 HOT Schools™

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