Great story about an art teacher retiring
Mathias “Spider” Schergen retired this year after 23 years teaching art from Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts in Chicago. This is a great story from NPRs All Things Considered. You can listen to or read the article at this link http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/07/15/420876522/mr-spider-says-goodbye-an-art-teachers-final-day-at-school.
Continually listening to teachers
Who knows best about what goes on in classrooms? Who has first hand information on the reaction of students to curricula teaching and assessment? Who communicates with students day in and day out? Who knows the impact of the changes that are taking place in schools? Who knows what works really well and not so well in educational practices? It should be no surprise to you that I believe (and many of you do as well) that the answer to each of these questions is TEACHERS.
No, not every teacher necessarily has the skill set to communicate about each child’s learning. But I have noticed teachers who are continually listening to students, partnering with colleagues to discuss instructional practice and school expectations, and stepping up to take leadership roles, are on target in meeting learner needs. And, if they don’t know they have conversations with colleagues, conduct research, ask questions, and dig for answers. Learning never stops for educators who are searching for multiple avenues into student learning.
I enjoyed reading this blog post written by a teacher who is clearly a life-long learner. And, a bit frustrated with those who think they know everything about education. The piece is called Seven things teachers are sick of hearing from school reformers and written by Valerie Strauss
Career days
I don’t recall where this came from but I really like it so I am passing it on.
TEDx Talk, Cindy Foley
This information is taken from YouTube accompanying Cindy’s TEDxColumbus
Published on Nov 26, 2014
What is the purpose and value of Art education in the 21st Century? Foley makes the case the Art’s critical value is to develop learners that think like Artists which means learners who are creative, curious, that seek questions, develop ideas, and play. For that to happen society will need to stop the pervasive, problematic and cliché messaging that implies that creativity is somehow defined as artistic skill. This shift in perception will give educators the courage to teach for creativity, by focusing on three critical habits that artist employ, 1. Comfort with Ambiguity, 2. Idea Generation, and 3. Transdisciplinary Research. This change can make way for Center’s for Creativity in our schools and museums where ideas are king and curiosity reigns.
Cindy Meyers Foley is the Executive Assistant Director and Director of Learning and Experience at the Columbus Museum of Art. Foley worked to reimagine the CMA as a 21st century institution that is transformative, active, and participatory. An institution that impacts the health and growth of the community by cultivating, celebrating and championing creativity. Foley envisioned and led the charge to open the 18,000 sq. ft. Center for Creativity in 2011. In 2013, the museum received the National Medal for Museums in recognition of this work. Foley guest edited and wrote chapters for Intentionality and the Twenty-First-Century Museum, for the summer 2014 Journal of Museum Education.
In 2012, Foley received the Greater Columbus Arts Council Community Arts Partnership award for Arts Educator. She was a keynote speaker for the OAEA (Ohio Art Education Association) 2012 Conference. She is on the Faculty of Harvard University’s Future of Learning Summer Institute.
Foley is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and The Ohio State University. Prior to joining the Museum, she was with the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art, the Portland Museum of Art, and the Wexner Center for the Arts.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
Worth repeating
Reprinted from The Teachers Edition – A newsletter Celebrating Teaching & Leading from the U.S. Department of Education
5. “Teacher leadership is the only way we can be successful in our district. We grow our own.” (Principal, Pennsylvania)
4. “When looking at what a teacher achieves, the data don’t tell the whole story.” (Teacher, Maryland)
3. “Education failed Michael Brown.” (Teacher, Colorado)
2. “You have got to be prepared for the call out when you put teachers in leadership positions. You can’t be so in awe of your own leadership that you can’t be called out.” (Principal, New York)
1. “We ([principals) have to both evaluate and support teachers. It can be done, they both can be done–especially if you support more than you evaluate and if teachers know you are there to help them grow.” (Principal, Michigan)
Maine Educators will showcase work at U.S. Department of Education event
The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) has been selected as one of 28 teams out of 125 proposals to participate in one the Teach to Lead Regional Leadership Summit happening July 23-24 in Washington, D.C.
MAAI will be sending a team of five:
The participating teams were selected by a panel of educators based on the teacher leadership ideas put forth for the conference. The MAAI team will be working on plans for the next 3-5 years of the initiative.
To make their time in D.C. to be as productive as possible participants will be using a variety of strategies the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative teacher leaders have been employing in planning and implementing Maine’s work.
See more at: http://teachtolead.org/summits/#sthash.e0lxfvRR.dpuf
MAAI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission and was established in 2015 by the Maine Department of Education.
Don’t be shy, consider the opportunity
As many of you know the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) has just started phase 5. When the idea was launched after an energizing trip to NH in August of 2010, Rob Westerberg, Catherine Ring and I never dreamed of what would be in store 5 years down the road.
Recently, I had the opportunity to take a different look at MAAI and realize just how much more MAAI has been then “just an assessment initiative”. Five years ago “assessment in arts education” was almost a dirty phrase in Maine. (I am not naive, I know that there are still people out there who don’t understand why we would suggest assessment for and in the arts.)
However, the initiative has become so much more and different than that. Yes, it is about assessment and in addition, it is about leadership, technology, creativity, curriculum, teaching, and learning. It is about educator effectiveness, proficiency-based education, student-centered learning, integration. And, it is about community, networking, questioning, pushing back, learning from each other, taking chances, finding ones voice and a place at the table, communicating, being brave, respect, individual differences, honesty, and honoring what teachers know.
I am proud to know those who have stepped up to represent Maine arts educators as Teacher Leaders. I am so impressed with the work each one of you have done. The total number is 75 Teacher Leaders, I am amazed that you continue to expand on your thinking. You are truly life-long learners. The more that you learn, the more you seem to want to share. We all benefit from the great work that you are doing! My hat is off to you, MAAI Teacher Leaders!
If you’ve been thinking about applying to be a Teacher Leader I hope that you will continue to consider it – you have about 11 months to decide because you will most likely have a chance in 2016 to apply to be a Teacher Leader for phase 6 of the initiative.
(Yes, Teacher Leaders, the hats are in and the t-shirts are on the way!)
Gretchen Berg, Teaching Artist
MAC webpage updated
The Maine Arts Commission is thrilled to have 14 new Teaching Artists profiles added to the roster. The roster was established in December 2014 to provide a space for Teaching Artists to communicate about their offerings in educational settings included PK-12 classrooms. In December 27 artists were included. The roster is located at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Teaching-Artist-Roster.
Congratulations to the following artists who have been added recently.
Anne Alexander
Beverly Mann
Carin Lee
Chrissy Fowler
Dee Peppe
Judy Fricke
Laurie Downey
Leland Faulkner
Martin Steingesser
Michael Wingfield
Reba Short
Sandi Cirillo
Theresa Secord
The Maine Arts Commission encourages school districts to connect with Teaching Artists to enhance their local visual and performing arts curriculum and to provide students the opportunity to connect with working artists.
Deadline October 14
Tyler Technologies, Inc. has launched the Maine App Challenge with $10,000 in total scholarships to be awarded to the top three finalists. In cooperation with Project>Login and Educate Maine, Tyler’s Maine App Challenge is the first application development challenge solely for high school students in the state.
The goal of the Maine App Challenge is to provide Maine high school students with an opportunity to design, develop and demonstrate a mobile application that addresses a real need within the student’s school or local community.
“We are awarding scholarships because the Maine App Challenge could turn a student’s casual interest in software development into a college major, internship, and eventual career in the Maine computer science and technology industry,” said Chris Hepburn, senior vice president of Tyler’s ERP & School Division.
“We hope this challenge inspires more Maine high school students to pursue the fields of computer science and software development.”
Learn more: http://projectlogin.com/2015/07/maine-app-challenge/
The deadline is October 14, 2015.
The blog is on vacation
I believe that it is important to periodically take a break from routines. It can keep us on our toes and help us to view the world differently. Don’t get me wrong I believe routines are valuable but there is nothing like a surprise or a road detour to encourage us to look around. So, the blog is taking a vacation for a few days. Call it a holiday, if you’d like. The blog will return before you know it and for those of you who subscribe you will know immediately when it returns. For those of you who are not subscribed I invite you to do so by scrolling down and look on the right side until you see You Are Following This Blog. Click underneath there and you can join the 1,133 others who automatically receive an email every time there is a new blog post.
Let me take a moment to thank the subscribers and loyal blog readers.
Happy Vacation from the blog.
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