me arts ed

Professional organizations using wikis

Wikis have been around since the 1990’s but I’ve noticed recently that they are getting more use. In fact, both the Maine Music and Art Educators Association boards have recently created wikis and are using them for some of their work.

Wikis are websites where you build knowledge through collaboration. If you are not familiar with wikis and are interested in learning, I suggest you watch a 4-minute video called “Wikis in Plain English” to understand and appreciate the power of wikis. It will not only explains wikis you but it is a funny little video worth seeing.

Yes, the largest wiki in the world is Wikipedia where you can go and of course, read more about wikis, if you’d like. Two popular sites where you can start a wiki for free are called pbwiki and wikispaces. Both have their advantages and small differences but for the most part they have work similarly. I have used both and like them.

It will be fun to have board members make comments below and let us know how the collaborations are going in the wikis. If you have questions about using wikis please be sure and email me!

Art Education 2.0 is a Ning social network began by Dr. Craig Roland, art education professor, University of Florida.

This week is “Open House” on the ning so it is a good time for you to visit! The ning is open to visitors until January 23rd. Click here for the direct link or copy and paste this link http://arted20.ning.com into your browser. You will need to register as a member to post.

This is taken directly from the ning:

The mission of Art Education 2.0 is to develop a global community of art educators exploring uses of new and emerging technology in the classroom. It aims to support this community of practice by promoting:

• professional discourse
• best art teaching practices
• the production and study of visual culture
• collaboration and joint creative work
• curricular projects and student art exchanges
• the sharing of information, ideas and experiences
• other activities deemed important by its members.

Once your registration has been approved, you can participate in forums, groups, blogging, photo and video sharing, and RSS. We welcome newbies as well as experienced technology users.

So many interesting projects now in the works on Art Education 2.0!

Sponsored by Maine String Teachers and Players Association

Normally I post future events under the “Upcoming Events” section that is found on the bottom right side of the front page of the blog. Since this event is taking place for the first time I thought I’d post it here.

The First Annual Fiddle Festival, sponsored by the Maine String Teachers and Players Association, is being held on March 20, 9:15-3:00 at Thornton Academy in Saco. A wide variety of workshops will be offered. To learn more you can see the brochure at http://www.mainestrings.org/. If you have questions please email the president, Mary Eckstein at belgraphica@fairpoint.net or by contact her at 642-4368.

I hope many students attend, sounds like a great day!

$1,000 for an Art Teacher

For students, ages 5-15, deadline Feb. 5, 2010. VSA arts of Maine announces All Kids Can… Create!, call for Children’s Art. All Maine children with and without disabilities are invited to submit artwork.

All teachers submitting their students’ work are elligible to receive $1,000 for their classroom.

All types of visual art are accepted and one selection will be chosen to represent the State of Maine in a national exhibition in Washington D.C.

Application and guidelines for entry can be found on the VSA arts of Maine website by clicking here. For additional information or questions concerining eligibility, please contact VSA arts of Maine’s Education Director, Rachel Spatz at rspatz@vsartsmaine.org or please call 207-930-0190

Teacher Magazine publishes article on the link between the Arts and other Content

This article gives a brief overall in the importance of making meaningful conditions. Read Fine-Arts Techniques Linked with Academics by clicking here.

Win $500 for Your School!

Albert Einstein developed his theory of relativity, E=CI², at the age of 26, and it became the most famous equation of the 20th century. In Maine, we have a new theory of prosperity for the 21st century, which is that prosperity is tied to education and education is only as good as our students’ creativity, imagination, and innovation.

In other words, E=CI².

The Maine Design Team, a group of innovative thinkers from our local schools, higher education, the legislature, the business community, the arts community, and the Maine Learning Technology Institute (MLTI) has formed to kickstart Maine’s learning environments and build on all the ways that we can teach our students to imagine, innovate, and create.

With that in mind, the Maine Design Team would like to see what sorts of amazing work is already happening all around the state.  We invite students, teachers, and administrators from any Maine school to submit a digital video that highlights their most innovative, imaginative, and creative project.  The winning school will be chosen by the members of the Maine Design Team and receive $500.  Several other schools will have their innovative work publicly acknowledged.

Who: Any student, teacher, or administrator from a school in Maine

What: Submit a short digital video (maximum 2 minutes long) that demonstrates how your students are being asked to imagine, innovate, and create.

Where: Send a DVD to Lindsay Rowe, Maine Arts Commission, 193 State Street, 25 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0025.  Any questions can be directed to Lindsay Rowe at 207/287-6720 or lindsay.rowe@maine.gov or please go to the MAC website by clicking here.

When: Submit by April 1

Why:
·   Because you want to show how creative, innovative, and imaginative your students are and highlight the great work happening at your school

·   Because you want to win $500 for your school’s next creative project

Screen Savers – Deadline: January 24th

The 2009-10 MLTI laptop screen image features twenty outstanding student works of art. During the 2008-09 school year almost 200 photographs from students, grades K-12 were submitted for consideration to be part of the current MLTI screen saver. We are providing this opportunity in anticipation of the 2010-11 MLTI laptop image. We will be selecting a new set of twenty outstanding works of art.
The students whose artwork is selected will be recognized and given a gift at the MLTI Student Conference being held on May 27, 2010 at the University of Maine at Orono. A group from the 20 artists will be invited to present a workshop session at the conference.

Change from last year:
This year art works submitted will be on display in a Studywiz Gallery. Students and teachers will be asked to vote for and critique the art works. The three photographs receiving the most votes will automatically be entered into the group of 20 finalists.  A group of independent judges will score the remaining photographs. The art works receiving top scores from the judges, will be submitted to the finalists group as well. If you do not have a Studywiz account you will be issued an account to post the work.

This opportunity is available to Maine students in grades K-12.

Submitted works may be:

·      Photography

·      Photographs of 2 or 3 dimensional work

A .pdf file on how to submit and/or view art works in Studywiz can be found at the Maine Department of Education Arts Education Resource webpage http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/news.html.

Submissions must be:

·      Landscape orientation

·      Digital format 1152×870 pixels

A .pdf is also available for resizing directions on an MLTI laptop.

·      Without images of people (which would require a model release).

To view the photographs and have your students view the photographs you need to have a Studywiz account. If you do not have an account please contact Steve Garton at Steven.Garton@maine.gov and he can provide you with the needed accounts.

If you have questions please contact Steve or email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov

Creator and performer of music for children

Judy Pancoast is a Waterville native (now living in New Hampshire) who has been creating and performing original music for children since 1996.  A former classroom teacher with a Masters in Education, Pancoast has presented creative and clever Literacy Through Music assembly programs in schools across the country, as well as a musical conflict resolution program that uses her own experience as the victim of bullying to encourage children to utilize the Golden Rule.

Her travels through the USA inspired her newest program, “Weird Things are Everywhere,” a virtual road trip that takes students on a musical journey through the land in search of real-life connections to children’s literature, cool places to visit and just plain “weird” things.  The program uses the power of humor and music to excite children’s interest in US geography and social studies, and has received rave reviews from educators, school administrators and students.  Pancoast’s newest CD is a recorded version of the program sure to delight youngsters ages 8-11.

For the remainder of the academic year Pancoast is offering “Weird Things are Everywhere!”  either as an in-school assembly OR evening PTA fundraiser at no charge to school or PTA in exchange for the opportunity to sell her new CD.  The sales for the in-school assembly would take place in the form of a pre-order form that would go home with students well before the concert date so that CDs may be delivered the day of the assembly.

For recommendations and additional information, contact Judy Pancoast at judy@judypancoast.com or you can go to her website by clicking here.

Dancing their hearts out for the younger children

The Holiday spirit was very much underway at Steven’s Brook Elementary School in Bridgton as Lake Region High School (LRHS) dancers performed their annual Holiday Show.  This year’s show was entitled “All Around Us” which looked at things going round and that were round.

Songs performed included Lollipop, Wheels Go Round, Circles, Wheels, to name a few.  The opening number set the scene as the dancers came out dressed as train drivers to the  lively vocals of Tina Turner singing those famous words “….big wheels keep on turning…..”  The show continued with small group dances, duets, and solos.  Children clapped and bodies wiggled as dance after dance the high school students entertained and inspired their younger peers.

In the middle of the show members of the audience were invited to show their moves along with the performers in a freestyle arena.  The show concluded with a lively rendition of Lollipop in bright costumes and large lollipops where the whole audience were taught a short step combination and joined in with the jolly happy season!

The Dance Outreach Program is part of the dance program offered at LRHS and performs shows and workshops for students within district #61.  Please watch out for their annual end of year show to be scheduled for late May and will be performed in the evening.  Dancers included Sydnee Chianese, Bridgitte Kwakk, Tristan Lacey, Zack Larrabee, Caitlyn Paul, Michaela Rullo, Alesha Schaffer, Shelly Tomacchio, Alyssa Kruger, and Angelica Beek.  Photographer was Cheryl Chapman, a student of LRHS and posters were designed by Courtney  Estes, also a student of LRHS.
Many thanks go to principle Cheryl Turpin, teachers and custodians of SBES for their support and organization in making the show a wonderful success for students and parents.

Thanks for the post from dance educator Carmel Collins and to the photographer Cheryl Chapman!

Outstanding films

A colleague passed this website on to me. I found the themes for this project most interesting: Authenticity, Community, Sacrifice, Commitment, Truth, Identity, and Hope.

The 2009 selections are posted @ http://www.thedoorpost.com/ and I have found a few minutes to watch two of the four and found them to be outstanding. Submissions for 2010 are being accepted until February 1st. Take a few minutes and enjoy.