me arts ed

Skowhegan High School

Submitted by Art Teacher and Department Chair Frank Chin

Mike Walker, German foreign language teacher recently collaborated with Art technology teacher, Paul LeBrun. Their work included integrating technology, art and German language.

Mike Walker, German language teacher said: ….”our roles as teachers is teaching them to think creatively……. by doing this project, my students learned about surrealism and saw what their fellow classmates were doing in a class at the other end of the building.  Paul’s students got to see what my German students came up with for titles on their creations.”

Paul  LeBrun, technology visual art teacher said: I put up a “word wall” of German words in my computer art room and overheard a student passing by the pictures and exclaim, “Hey, that’s the title I suggested!”  To me, that is what learning and education is all about: collaboration, and the more, the better.”

In sharing the disciplines teachers crossed the barrier of departmentalization and enriched the curricula and further experiences demonstrating everything is connected.  I am thrilled to see this type of cross curricula with foreign language, technology and the visual arts.  It is one of many ways to a holistic approach to education.

You can see examples of the work by clicking here. On the home page of RSU 54 you can see how student art work is featured.

Congratulations to Mike and Paul for taking the time to make curriculum connections. Collaborating is more time consuming and difficult for educators but those who engage in it understand the benefits for students. Thanks to Frank for submitting this blog post. Tell us about the curriculum connections you make with the arts and other content by commenting on this post.

Funding Available through the Maine Community Foundation

The Leonard and Renee Minsky Fund for Arts Education is available the elementary schools in Washington County. Recognizing the important role the arts can play in a school’s curriculum, the donors established the Leonard and Renee Minsky Fund for Arts Education to encourage teachers in grades three through five to work with professional artists to bring the arts into the classroom and, in addition, to integrate a variety of art forms into the standard curriculum.

Up to five $1,000 will be awarded to Washington County schools.  The application deadline is January 15, 2010.  For more information please visit the fund’s website by clicking here or email Pam Cleghorn at pcleghorn@mainecf.org or call her at 761-2440.

In the past they’ve funded projects in pottery, puppets, dance, theater, murals, mosaics, etc.  Next year January, 2011 it will be offered in Penobscot County.  Even years for Washington County and odd years for Penobscot.  What a great opportunity for arts educators in Washington County.

Time to Share

Each day I receive more emails than I care to announce as I am sure many of you do as well. Some contain valuable links to articles, announcements, exhibits, and opportunities. Much of the information I post in “student opportunities”, “professional development opportunities”, “upcoming events” or “research” that can be found on the right side of the front page of meartsed blog. Some turn into full blog posts. Sometimes I wonder for a day or two if it really meets my criteria. At full disclosure some of it goes into the trash. As my husband says “its your blog so you get to pick what you post”.

So, this YouTube video “Pink Glove Dance” I’ve received in several emails now. I’m sharing because “I get to pick” and its a worthy cause. Supposedly, once it got 1 million hits the hospital received a huge contribution, as well as offering free mammograms for the community.

Each of you probably know people who suffer from or have lost their lives to some type of cancer. This was put together to raise awareness of breast cancer by the staff at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Some of these folks can really dance and all of them certainly enjoy dancing! I’ve watched this more than once… I love their facial expressions. My favorites: the custodian with the mop and the guy with the short beard, blue scrubs and the glasses on top of his operating room hat! (I think I had him as a student). Who are your favorites? Let us know in the comment section below.

Shout About the Work

It is especially important (in this economy) to communicate about what you do and why you do what you do! When I taught I sometimes wondered why arts educators had to communicate about the importance of arts education. I remember thinking that teachers who taught other content didn’t have to promote or advocate for what they did.

One day I realized I didn’t have to, but I wanted to! I wanted educators and people who were not teachers to get it! I wanted them to know what kids were up to in the art room and beyond and why and I wanted them to know what. I also wanted them to know and understand what students were involved with in the art room was as valuable and sometimes more valuable than what they were getting and doing in other classrooms in the school building.

Recently I got an email from Therese Provenzano who teaches art at Madawaska Middle High School. She sent me a link to a new segment on Madawaska Middle School’s Voices from the Middle webpage.

Therese’s students had their art work on display at the Department last Spring. Please click here and you can read an outstanding piece written by one of Therese’s students. Check it out and respond with your comments below.

So, what are you doing lately that is worth shouting about? Please send me a link and a few sentences describing what your students are involved in and I would be glad to post the information.