me arts ed

Pileated Woodpecker

Each morning around 5:30AM my husband and I go for a walk. It is a tradition we started several years ago to get us away from the details of everyday. About 10 minutes into our walk yesterday morning I heard a tapping above our heads. We searched the trees and spotted a pileated woodpecker. Even with the fall leaf colors surrounding it, the brilliant red head jumped out. We stood there for several minutes watching it use it’s beak as a drill. My husband wondered aloud if we could go back to get the camera and return to take a picture before he moved on to another task.

I suggested that we had nothing to lose so we were pleased to return a few minutes later to see and hear him still at work. We watched him move around the tree working on several holes. Lately when I see or hear or smell something that won’t be around for long I try to stop and live in the moment. Yes, a bit of stop, looking and listening! Of course, this doesn’t always work depending on where I am but when I can, I find I really appreciate those moments.

I am also conscious of my time and conversations with people. Life is to short not to smell the flowers, take in the landscape and reach out to others. During September I have taken a photo each day from the same spot looking at the same landscape at about the same time. What a collection I have! I have noticed the colors and how they change the field, sky, trees, mountain and farmland in my view.

As many of you know on October 8 and 9th we will have our biennial statewide arts education The Arts Connect conference at Point Lookout in Northport. It will be an opportunity to gather with colleagues to learn and network and to pause to reflect on the good work that arts educators everyday in their classrooms, schools and school districts. I hope I will see you there and that we have time for a conversation! If you haven’t registered and would like to please click here.

Camden National Bank donates $500

Mike, Argy, Judy, Jane

Camden National Bank Managers, Jane Pierce and Judy Brogden joined Mike Edgecomb, Chairman for the Maine Alliance for Arts Education and myself last week to present us with a check for $500 that will go towards The Arts Connect conference. Two years we had their support as well by donating the funds to purchase mugs for conference participants. This time their support will help with the Thursday night Celebration at The Summit at Point Lookout in Northport.

We are grateful for their continued support! Registration is still open for the conference but please don’t hesitate to register for the October 8th and 9th biennial event.

Along with Thursday nights celebration we are delighted to have keynote speaker, the 2007 National Teacher of the Year, music educator Andrea Peterson. Many outstanding workshops, information on our statewide arts education census, an artists showcase including several performances. If you have not registered please do so by clicking here. If you have questions please contact me asap by email @ argy.nestor@maine.gov.

Friday night at Point Lookout

AP Studio Art Workshop participants

I  had the pleasure of attending the Advance Placement (AP) Studio Art Workshop last Friday evening. The 11 art educators who attended were from different areas of the state and were there for Friday night and until just after lunch on Saturday. Along with art teachers were teachers of the other content areas as well.

Participants had a variety of experiences in their work with AP Studio artwork and it was a great opportunity to share and learn from each other. I was impressed with their willingness to share and their dedication to the program.

The conversation included what successes and challenges teachers had last year in their individual schools. Here are some of the successes that teachers mentioned:

• Critiquing impacts student work positively
• Going over the rubrics with the students – apply rubric knowledge to their work and to others work moves the thinking to a higher level
• Commitment of students really made an impact on their learning and accomplishments
• Each student had a wall in the “art fest”and the work transformed the exhibit as well as raising the bar for all art students
• Students realizing cost savings when taking a class at college

On Saturday resources were shared, participants viewed and discussed portfolio work, practiced scoring art work using the scoring guide and discussed what the elements are of high quality work.

Thank you to Kal Elmore, Bangor High School and Sheila Bohlin, Mt. Ararat High School for their expertise and leadership in facilitating the AP work and the meaningful discussions at Point Lookout. And thank you to Nancy Lamontagne and Wanda Monthey from the Maine Department of Education for their work on the AP Studio Art program.

In a follow-up email from Kal she made the following statement:

“for me teaching AP Art has made me a better teacher. I am more conscious of what I say and do in my classes and am more likely to set higher expectations for students. In all of my classes I can find evidence that teaching AP has raised the bar for all in a totally good way and has challenged me to be a better teacher for students of all abilities.”