If you are one of the blog followers you’ve read about HundrED in the past. HundrED is an organization based in Helsinki, Finland who specializes in K-12 education innovation. Each year they put a call out for innovative ideas to be submitted for review. Some are selected and become part of the HundrED collection that serve as resources for educators around the world.
DEDICATION
“We at HundrED are dedicated to helping every child flourish by giving them access to quality education. We believe that with education innovations we can transform school systems and equip students with the skills to thrive as global citizens.”
MISSION
“The world is full of hardworking educators who are driving innovative, impactful, and scalable approaches in education. Our mission at HundrED is to give them the recognition and visibility they deserve.”
IMPACT
“At Hundred we believe that through identifying, amplifying, and facilitating the implementation of education innovations we can transform education systems and equip students with the skills to thrive as global citizens.”
In fact Hundred has identified 694 Innovations which have impacted 4.77 billion students. To land on the 694 innovations a team of reviewers have read through 24732 innovations. I’ve been fortunate to be part of the review process as a member of Hundred’s Academy. Each July for the past four years I’ve been invited to review the new innovation applications. It is an amazing opportunity. Below are just three that I find interesting.
Global Schools Program – The mission of Global Schools is to create a world where every primary and secondary student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values to tackle the problems of the 21st century.
Play Africa – Disrupting the idea of a “museum,” Play Africa developed a flexible museum model to bring transformative learning experiences promoting creativity, innovation and connection to a divided society
Story Arts – Story Arts inspire creativity, critical thinking, communication, and empathy.
The HundrED Innovators represent countries from around the world. Along with the collections of innovations they have several different research reports and resources that are easily accessible on their website. All of the resources are available to the global community at no cost. I invite you to check them out.
The winter 2024 issue of the Maine Arts Journal is all about PLAY! It celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Surrealism and the pieces included penned by Maine artists, writers, and educators elaborate on how vital play is to the human experience. Maine poet Betsy Sholl writes,
“(M)aging art and allowing art to make us is perhaps one of the most serious and necessary kinds of play.”
I am continuing impressed by the tent of the UMVA Maine Arts Journal. Some of you are familiar with writers who have contributed including of dear friend from days gone by at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Stuart Kestenbaum, Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, Susan Webster, Carl Little, and Maine Art Education President Cory Bucknam. You can read Cory’s piece and all the others by CLICKING HERE. You can subscribe at no cost at THIS LINK.
Student work of Cory Bucknam, fall 2023, white earthenware and tempera
The cover design is by Charlie Hewitt, neon sculptures inside NeoKraft sign shop in Lewiston.
UMVA is an amazing organization, please consider becoming a member. The journal alone is worth the price of membership. You can join at THIS LINK.
Perhaps you’d like to consider writing for the journal. If so, please email me at meartsed@gmail.com and I’d be glad to communicate with the details.
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is pleased to announce that it will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship on December 1, 2023. Launched in 2007, the School Ambassador Fellowship is a unique professional engagement experience designed to improve the outcomes for students nationwide by leveraging the voices of outstanding school-based practitioners to inform the Department on a range national education policy issues.
Founded on the principles of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with school-based educators, the Fellowship seeks to:
Establish an active community of teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, social workers and other school-based staff members who share expertise and collaborate with Department of Education leaders on national education issues.
Engage school-based educators in development of policies that impact learning environments nationwide.
Showcase the power of practitioners’ voices and expand the critical leadership role of educators at the national, state, and local levels.
Ideal candidates for the School Ambassador Fellowship can demonstrate that they have made significant contributions to student learning and culture throughout their professional careers. They promote excellence in education through their collaboration and leadership. Further, School Ambassador Fellows demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of education stakeholders both internal and external to the Department.
How do local school districts benefit from having a School Ambassador Fellow represented at the Department of Education?
Through their interaction with leaders at the U.S. Department of Education, Fellows provide a direct line of contact and engagement between the Department and their local school districts and are positioned to elevate pressing educational challenges faced by the students they serve.
Fellows build, foster and facilitate relationships between their school districts and the Department’s nationwide network of educational organizations.
In collaboration with Department staff and resources, Fellows take on important projects intended to solve complex challenges that will directly impact the students, families and educators within their local communities.
The deadline to apply for the 2024 – 2025 School Ambassador Fellowship is Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST. On December 12, 2023 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm EST, the School Ambassador Fellowship Program Office will conduct a virtual informational and question and answer webinar about the program. Prospective applicants and others seeking to learn more about the School Ambassador Fellowship and the 2024-2025 cohort application and selection process should follow the link below to register for the webinar: https://shorturl.at/doFJX.For additional information about the Fellowship, please visit the School Ambassador Fellowship program webpage as well as the 2024-2025 School Ambassador Fellowship Program Flyer and School Ambassador Fellowship Program Brochure for more information about the types of Fellowship opportunities, eligibility requirements, and to access the online application. We look forward to engaging great educators from your district and/or network at the Department as we partner together to improve educational outcomes for all of our nation’s children.
Prospective applicants can contact SAF@ED.gov with any questions about the School Ambassador Fellowship program or about the application process.
Each year the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) recognizes and celebrates outstanding educators during their annual spring conference. This year is no exception. Now, perhaps more than ever, taking the time to consider who does what to promote quality art education, is critical. We know that art teachers dedicate their lives to teaching. A career as an art teacher is forever woven into the fabric of dedicated teachers. YOU have the opportunity to nominate a colleague for their contributions. The deadline for nominations is January 5, 2024. CLICK HERE to nominate or email aeforme.awards@gmail.com for more detailed information.
The categories include the following:
Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Middle School Art Educator of the Year
High School Art Educator of the Year
Higher Ed Art Educator of the Year
New to the Profession Art Educator of the Year
Retired Art Educator of the Year
Museum Art Educator of the Year
Community Art Educator of the Year
Supervision/Administration Art Educator of the Year
Preservice Art Educator of the Year (nominations due April 5)
The leaves had just started to turn their brilliant colors as I followed the windy road west to Rangeley from my home in the mid-coast. It was a warmish and beautiful day. I haven’t traveled to western Maine in a few years and surprisingly during my 13 years working for the state (Maine Department of Education, 7 years and Maine Arts Commission, 6 years), I didn’t visit the Rangeley Lakes School. (I say surprisingly because during those 13 years I visited about 450 schools.)
Sonja Johnson and Maryam Emami
I’ve know Rangeley art teacher Sonja Johnson and English teacher Timothy Straub for many years. More recently, I met Maryam Emami, graphic arts and history teacher and the 2023 Franklin County Teacher of the Year. I was excited to visit the Rangeley Lakes School and to learn more about Maryam and Sonja’s collaborative project. I shared my recently published book, Catching Fireflies, that I’ve co-authored with poet Jean Feldeisen. I learned about the community project that Sonja and Maryam have had underway for almost 10 years called Words of Wisdom. Students have made beautiful black and white photographs and collected stories from almost 100 community members. We discussed ideas on how they can move forward to complete this comprehensive historical and artistic project this school year. The lessons learned in creating Catching Fireflies have been many and I was happy to share them.
Along with the collaborative project I had a chance to learn about some of the recent engaging curriculum work Maryam had underway with students. You’ll find descriptions below of two units plus Words of Wisdom. It was fun for me to talk with students as they worked in the classroom space and the hall gallery they were creating with the completed work.
Graphics Arts
Retail Design: Part 1. The Logo-Create a fictitious company. Begin by naming it. Once the name has been selected everything else falls into place. Think of who your audience is and the company’s personality. The logo design will be most effective when the spirit of the store is clearly thought through. Keep in mind that you will be using the logo for a broad range of applications. The typographic symbol is usually, but not always, the expression of a unified design for advertising and manufacture. It must be original and simple in form, have a very high degree of memorability, and be easily recognized and noticeable. A symbol either brings letters together to make a new form, or illustrates the product or does both. A symbol is something completely different and of higher importance than a monogram (a sign of identity usually formed by the combined initials of a name). A faulty symbol is far worse than none at all, and a bad symbol can be disastrous to a product.
Humanities II
Historical Exhibit: Students curate artifacts which can include music, visual art, videos, digital media, information about important individuals from the time/culture, and cultural/historical items in their exhibit. Artifacts should be cataloged and given museum tags. And, students should be able to act as a docent to visitors to the classroom exhibit. When designing your exhibit, consider incorporating a mix of artifacts, documents, interactive displays, and multimedia presentations to engage visitors and provide a comprehensive view of your Empire’s history and cultural heritage. The Empires are the Inca, Songhai, Ayuttyha, and the Ottomans.
Words of Wisdom
Sonja and Maryam plan to publish a book with the information below that students have collected from almost 10 years of community members. The information supports the beautiful black and white photos students took and developed. These are older community members, at this point some of them have passed away. One student is the child of a student from 10 years ago when the project first got underway.
what is your full name including nickname
how old or young are you
where do you live in rangeley
what is your connection to rangeley how did you get here how long have you lived here
what was/is your occupation
what do you enjoy doing now
describe your family background
what are some of your interests/hobbies
Last piece: please share with us any additional details about your life or anything else you would like to share with future generations.
There is nothing more wonderful than learning about teachers collaborating in an impactful way. The information is of course, authentic and somewhat raw. I spent a few minutes reading through the answers, looking into the eyes of the portraits. I couldn’t help but wish this project could be carried out in every school in the state. This is a gift to the students who participated in so many ways. They’ve had a chance to learn about the individuals (in some cases relatives), to learn the history through the lives of community members, and to reflect on who they are as young people because of the people who live in their own community. Very, very powerful work! I look forward to holding the book in my hands in the future.
I’ll let you know when the project is complete. Good luck to Maryam and Sonja and to the students as they move to complete this gift to the community!
If you’d like to purchase my book Catching Fireflies it is available at THIS LINK.
During a surprise ceremony Thursday, 700 students and staff members learned Waterville Senior High School (WSHS) has received the Performing Arts School of Excellence award given by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The award was introduced in 2016 and only the eighth one presented. WSHS is the smallest school to have received the award.
Principal Brian Laramee said: The award “is truly a testament to the many students and staff of Waterville Senior High School that have worked long and hard to expand and improve their craft.”
WSHS music department visual and performing arts department chair Sue Barre said: The award “was not just representative of the hard work and dedication of current and past department members, but also a celebration of the transformative power of the arts in society.”
Chorus Director Ciara Hargrove, VPA Department Chair Sue Barre, string and Orchestra Director Colin Wheatley, former Drama Director Gayle Pelligrini and current Drama Director Dana Bushee. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Performing as first violinist in the orchestra Thursday, senior Sophie Scheck, 17, said she was surprised and happy about the award, but was not sure everyone realized its magnitude. “This is really big,” Scheck said. “I think we definitely deserve it. The teachers are amazing, and I don’t think we would have gotten it without them.”
Waterville Schools superintendent Peter Hallen emailed: “To me, our performing arts program is an example to all of us in education about how to engage and inspire students. It’s the unique place where students of all ages, interests, backgrounds and abilities come together and learn with, from and about each other. Lots of credit was thrown around today, but make no mistake, those teachers are what drive that program.”
We (arts educators) have first hand knowledge of the work that goes into a dynamic arts education program! I know all of my colleagues reading this blog post join me in offering a huge congratulations to the students, educators, and all those who support arts education in Waterville school district!
Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
The information for this blog post taken from an article in the Morning Sentinel and written by Amy Calder. Read the entire article at THIS LINK.
Four Maine teachers were selected as the State Finalists for the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year program. Second-grade teacher Joshua Chard from Cumberland County, sixth-grade writing and social studies teacher Edith Berger from Lincoln County, fifth-grade science teacher Lacey Todd from Oxford County, and high school science teacher Colleen Maker from Washington County were all selected to move forward in the Teacher of the Year process and were chosen from the 2023 Maine County Teachers of the Year.
“Colleen, Edith, Joshua, and Lacey are all extraordinary educators who care deeply about their students, schools, and communities. They lift up everyone around them, are passionate about their profession, and are true champions of all students and schools in Maine. These four finalists represent the best qualities of Maine’s amazing educators, and I congratulate them on this very well-deserved honor,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin.
One of the four State Finalists will be named the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year, an honor awarded each year to one teacher in Maine. The announcement will be in October after the final stages of the selection process are complete. During the last two weeks the schools and classrooms of all four finalists were visited. Maine’s Teacher of the Year serves as an advocate for the teaching profession, Maine schools, and students, and represents Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.
“Maine is fortunate to have so many outstanding educators working to ensure that every learner has what they need to be successful,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Executive Director of Educate Maine. “These state finalists are great examples of all the dynamic and versatile teaching that happens each day in our Maine classrooms. Congratulations to them and their districts. We look forward to working with them as they continue their journey as teacher leaders and ambassadors for the profession.”
“Congratulations to these four wonderful teachers! The hard work, dedication, and love they put into all they do and the commitment they show to their communities, schools, and students is inspiring,” said Matt Bernstein, 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year. “I am grateful to these four educators for representing the incredible work that happens in classrooms and schools all over Maine. I am tremendously proud of them. It is an honor to know them and learn from them.”
“Maine educators support their students, families, and communities with professionalism, compassion, and commitment,” said Heather Whitaker, 2020 Maine Teacher of the Year and President of the Maine County and State Teacher of the Year Association (MCSTOYA). “Our finalists, who come from all across the state, are leaders in this work. We look forward to learning from their expertise as we work together in our shared commitment to Maine public education.”
More information on the State Finalists and the Maine Teacher of the Year program:
Joshua Chard East End Community School, Portland 2023 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year
“Teachers across our state do amazing things in their classrooms every day. Being a finalist for Maine Teacher of the Year provides me with a platform to share and celebrate the incredible work happening in Portland Public Schools and in schools all across Maine. I am humbled and proud to stand among such amazing professionals.”
2023 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard is a second and third-grade looping teacher at East End Community School and the drama director at Deering High School in Portland, Maine. His approach to designing and implementing curriculum for young learners always starts through a culturally responsive lens. Joyful relationships are at the heart of everything Chard does in his classroom and he is inspired every day by the honor of lifting up and celebrating his diverse learners. Chard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in theater from the University of Southern Maine, a Master of Science degree in Education with a K-6 Literacy focus from the University of New England, and a Certificate in K-6 Standards Based Mathematics from The American College of Education. He is also certified as a K-12 teacher of English to speakers of other languages. During his 31-year career, he has been an educational technician, has taught fourth and fifth grade, and has been an instructional coach with a focus on mathematics. Chard is proud to teach in two of the most culturally diverse schools north of Boston, having passionately dedicated his entire career to working in high-needs, urban schools, and he is excited to have a platform to share the amazing work that is happening there. Outside of school, Chard can be found participating in local theater as an actor and director and exploring Maine’s beaches and lighthouses with his husband and their grandsons.
Edith Berger Miller School, Waldoboro 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year
“Being a part of the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year program is an opportunity to lift the voices and amplify the experiences of all teachers in Maine and beyond. My school, administration, colleagues, and district have supported me in my growth as a teacher leader and I owe the same to others in education no matter where they teach.”
Edith Berger is a teacher of writing and social studies in 6th grade at Miller School in Waldoboro, Maine, RSU 40. Berger has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with concentrations in art and architectural history and psychology from Ithaca College and a Masters of Education in Literacy: Writing and the Teaching of Writing from the University of Maine, Orono. She is the 2023 Lincoln County Teacher of the Year. A 2013 Fellow of the Maine Writing Project, her poetry and essays have been published in several anthologies. Berger considers mentoring her mission in life. She is especially passionate about using mentoring to help other teachers integrate civics into their classrooms. Berger feels that sharing excitement, knowledge and strengths with each other benefits teachers across all grade levels and content areas. By explicitly teaching and embedding the traits of good citizenship across the curriculum, she believes children will grow up to respect the rights and beliefs of others and contribute to a civil society. Whether presenting at an international literacy conference about teachers teaching teachers, mentoring new teachers and graduate students in their craft and leadership, or representing social studies in her district and state, Berger demonstrates her commitment to the profession of teaching as well as to the subject of social studies. When not at school or doing other “teachery” things, Berger can be found writing in a noisy coffee shop, reading history geek nonfiction or baking goodies she shouldn’t eat to satisfy her husband’s sweet tooth.
Lacey Todd Mountain Valley Middle School, Mexico 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year
“The Teacher of the Year program has provided me with an opportunity to recognize and honor those who have supported my journey in education. This award represents the hard work and dedication of my teaching team, who support and challenge me every day; my husband, who spends his evenings and weekends working in my classroom; and my parents, who made countless sacrifices to ensure my success as a first-generation college student.”
Lacey Todd is a fifth-grade science teacher at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico, Maine. Todd earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington, Master of Education in Inclusion Education and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Literacy K-12 from the University of New England, Education Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Todd grew up in Oxford County, where she continues to live and teach, which is why she takes great pride in being named the 2023 Oxford County Teacher of the Year. Todd is a Maine Science Teachers Association board member, completed a three-year term on the Maine Professional Standards Board, and was selected as a mentor for the national Diversity in STEM Education Summit in 2020 and 2023. She is also a Next Generation Science eXemplar facilitator and advocates for the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards at all grade levels, especially elementary. Todd is a teacher leader in her district, serving on several committees, including Staff Council, Technology, Certification, and Contract Negotiation, and is a mentor for new and pre-service teachers. Todd is especially passionate about making science education engaging and accessible to all students and regularly seeks out professional learning opportunities that promote collaboration, authentic learning experiences, and inclusion. When she’s not teaching or tending to her menagerie of class pets, you can find her camping or exploring the Maine woods with her husband and their golden retriever, Ruby.
Colleen Maker Washington Academy, East Machias 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year
“It’s an honor to represent Washington Academy and Washington County in the Maine Teacher of the Year Program, and I’m thankful to my students, colleagues, administrators, community partners, family, and husband, Joshua, for fueling and nurturing my passion and love for teaching. Being part of a program that celebrates teachers across Maine is truly exciting, especially in a state where incredible things are unfolding in our classrooms and communities.”
Colleen Maker teaches biology and marine biology at Washington Academy in East Machias, Maine. Maker has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Machias. Maker is the 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year. Maker’s pedagogy revolves around experiential learning and emphasizes student engagement through hands-on experiences and community partnerships. She integrates the curriculum with real-world applications, fostering lifelong learners who are productive community members and responsible stewards of their environment. She creates student leadership opportunities by advising homeroom, student council, science club, and sustainability club. As a member of the Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee, she collaborates with colleagues to develop and implement initiatives that foster a safe and accepting environment for all. Her commitment to creating a sense of belonging is evident in her efforts to ensure everyone feels welcomed and valued.
Maker seeks opportunities to engage with other science educators and is a member of the Connected Learning Ecosystems cohort sponsored by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. She was the 2022 recipient of the prestigious University of Maine Volunteer Pen Award for her dedication to the Washington Academy Community Garden, which donates all produce to the Machias Food Pantry. Maker is passionate about fighting food insecurity in her community and provides opportunities for students to volunteer by caring for the garden, participating in gleaning initiatives, and supporting personal care share drives. While not teaching, Maker cherishes time with her family camping, playing board games, reading, and exploring beaches.
For more information about the Maine County Teacher of the Year Program and to see a list of County Teachers of the Year, and Maine Teachers of the Year, visit http://www.mainetoy.org.
As we know the summer is filled with opportunities around the arts. The Farnsworth Art Museum is no exception; they provide exhibits, classes, lectures and other learning situations. Here is some the latest information from the Farnsworth, even a job opportunity.
ARTS@THEINTERSECTION 2023
In its first year, Arts@theIntersection worked with schools in Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties, lifting up the voices of midcoast youth. Museum staff start by building trust with students in their own classrooms. They engage with teachers to understand the relationships at play in each class, then build programs and community connections to best meet both teacher and student goals.
“Arts@theIntersection gives students a voice in their education and a choice about how they can engage with it most effectively.” ~Alexis Saba, School Programs Manager at Farnsworth Art Museum.
The Farnsworth’s education staff are all part of the Learning & Engagement Department. They have a job opening for the Academic and Program coordinator.
The Farnsworth Art Museum seeks a creative and collaborative Academic Programs Coordinator to join the Learning & Engagement department. The core responsibilities of this role include supporting arts integration and K-12 programming at the museum, primarily the Farnsworth’s Arts@theIntersection year-long program. The Farnsworth Art Museum is located in Rockland, Maine and the Academic Programs Coordinator role is an on-site position with some travel required throughout the area.
Reporting to the Senior Manager of Academic Programs, the coordinator will provide support for the implementation of our Arts@theIntersection program, a year-long arts integration program working with midcoast Maine area middle and high school students. This position will also work closely with Learning and Engagement staff members to develop core components of K-12 online learning units to align with current education standards and collections-based learning in museum environments. This position supports department program implementation as needed.
The duties, qualifications and application are located at THIS LINK.
PICTURE BOOK: DANIEL MINTER’S BLUE
Join Coretta Scott King and Caldecott Honor winner Daniel Minter for a reading of Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond’s Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, which he illustrated. The book addresses the question, ‘where did the color blue come from-and how did it evolve to be the color we know today?’
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 23, 10:30-11:30, the Farnsworth Library. For more information CLICK HERE.
All teachers want to be prepared and to broaden their horizons so they can be better prepared personally and when interacting with their own students. Below is a list of books that were brought to my attention by the Maine County and State Teacher of the Year Association. These are Rainbow Reads 2023 booklist.
PICTURE BOOKS
Calvin, RJ and Vanessa Ford & Kayla Harren (illustrator). In this joyful and impactful picture book, a transgender boy prepares for the first day of school and introduces himself to his family and friends for the first time.
If You’re A Kid Like Gavin: A True Story of a Young Trans Activist, Gavin Grimm, Kyle Lukoff, & J Yang (illustrator) A celebratory and empowering story from young trans activist Gavin Grimm, two-time Stonewall Award-winning and Newbery Honor-winning author Kyle Lukoff, and illustrator J Yang follows the true story of how a young boy stood up for himself—and made history along the way. A Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Best Book of the Year!
Love, Violet, Charlotte Sullivan Wild & Charlene Chua (illustrator) Perfect for Valentine’s Day, a touching picture book about friendship and the courage it takes to shareyour feelings.
Mama, Mommy, and Me in the Middle, Nina LaCour & Kayla Juanita (illustrator) A little girl stays home with Mama when Mommy goes off on a work trip in this tender, inviting story that will resonate with every child who has missed a parent.
True You: A Gender Journey, Gwen Agna & Shelley Rotner (illustrator) There are different ways to show and be who you are in this affirming photographic picture book that offers a celebratory and informative look at kids and their wide-ranging gender identities.
MIDDLE GRADE
A High Five for Glenn Burke, Phil Bildner A heartfelt and relatable novel from Phil Bildner, weaving the real history of Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Glenn Burke–the first professional baseball player to come out as gay–into the story of a middle-school kid learning to be himself.
Ana on the Edge, AJ Sass Perfect for fans of George and Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World: a heartfelt coming of age story about a nonbinary character navigating a binary world.
The Insiders, Mark Oshiro A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Title for Young Readers Three kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in.
The Real Riley Mayes, Rachel Elliot A Stonewall Book Award Honor * A Sid Fleishman Humor Award HonorFunny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, Esme Symes-Smith In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old nonbinary hopeful knight battles for the heart of their kingdom. A thrilling middle-grade series opener that explores identity and gender amid sword fights and magic, and proves anyone can be a hero.
YOUNG ADULT
The Family Outing: A Memoir, Jessi Hempel A striking and remarkable literary memoir about one family’s transformation, with almost all of them embracing their queer identities.
The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune “The House in the Cerulean Sea is a heart-swelling wave of sweetness and hope. Mild-mannered government caseworker Linus Baker is sent on a secret assignment to an island orphanage he’s never even heard of. The astonishing inhabitants he gets to know there will change his life and make him reassess everything he thought he knew. This book will leave you believing in the good in everyone — even those society has given up on — and contemplating how huge changes have to start somewhere.” — Haley Stocking, Phinney Books, Seattle, WA
Imogen, Obviously, Becky Abertalli With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestseller Becky Albertalli explores the nuances of sexuality, identity, and friendship in this timely new novel.
Loveless, Alice Oseman This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn’t understand why she can’t crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She’s surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It’s not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum — coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she’s been told since birth isn’t easy — there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia’s determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends.
The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, fairy tales are the only way one boy can communicate with his Vietnamese immigrant parents. But how will he find the words to tell them that he’s gay? A powerful read about family, identity and the enduring magic of stories.
I live in a community where some individuals have requested that the school board have certain books removed from our classrooms and library book shelves. The conversation went on for months with both sides taking time to express their opinions. Some advocacy is based on fact and research while others are based on personal beliefs/choices and emotions. These conversations are similar to others going on across our state and the country. We all have opinions and lately I’ve been wondering how individuals can express their options in a way that provides a ‘point of view’, not in a way that comes across as “I am right and if you don’t agree with me, you are wrong”. Most importantly, I wonder how opinions can be expressed without negatively impacting the education of young people? After all, we know they’re watching and listening.
Every year before the July 4th parade in Whitefield, a small town located not a 30 minute drive from Augusta, an artist gathers with other artists and friends to shed light on a ‘challenging topic’ to include in the parade. Artist Natasha Mayers has been doing this for years. Some of you are familiar with the marvelous film that was made to document Natasha’s life story called Natasha Mayers: An Unstill Life. The film chronicles her life as an artist and activist. You can access the trailer and rent the entire film at THIS LINK.
Some of the many participants presenting ‘banned books’ at the Whitefield parade
For this years parade the group focused on books that have been banned and created giant books that are included on a list. They passed out more than 100 children’s books wrapped in caution tape, with bookmarks listing banned books. I’m sure many of you are familiar with some or all of these books, I’ve listed them below.
Its one thing to be aware of banned books but it’s another to express your opinion or to take action. I’ve given some thought about my beliefs and I’m reading, listening and watching. One of my summer goals is to read more of the books on banned book lists. When I participate in a conversation it will be based on my reading and my understanding through my own lens. I attended my town’s candidates forum this spring where the candidates were asked their opinions on banning books from our schools, specifically the book Queer Gender by Maia Kobabe. The two individuals who strongly opposed hadn’t read the book, one had looked at the pictures. I’ve noticed that many people who are opposed to certain books also have strong feelings about the curriculum being taught in our schools. In addition, their rhetoric includes wanting the power to make curriculum decisions. As a teacher I am totally committed to working with parents to educate the child. But I am opposed to parents making decisions for other families. Should parents be making decisions for their own children or all children? Some advocates are attempting to undermine the wisdom of teachers and educational experts who are trained to make curriculum decisions and choices about teaching and learning. I realize that not all educators are ‘experts’ and I’m not suggesting that educators make all the decisions. Policy’s and procedures are in place with curriculum committees that include teachers, administrators, and school board members to guide and make decisions on curriculum.
Handing out books to children
I’m not offering answers, only questions. My baseline question that has always guided me: what is in the best interest of all students? Some folks are saying ‘best interest’ has become murky. Well, no one said that education wasn’t messy business. It feels like we’re at a critical moment so I ask you: will you be part of the problem or part of the solution? How can arts educators use artistry to help at this moment in the history of education?
Banned books for teens and adults
FICTION, FANTASY, ETC.
The Bluest Eyes, Tony Morrison
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
The Call of the Wild, Jack London
The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas
The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon
The DaVinci Code, Dan Brown
Black Boy, Richard Wright
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs
Looking for Alaska, John Green
The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
NONFICTION
A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, Susan Kuklin
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, Nikole Hannah-Jones
The Autobiography of Malcolm X & Alex Haley
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
You Can’t Read This: Why Books Get Banned, Pamela Jain Dell
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
Maus, Art Spiegelman
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
March (series), John Lewis & Andrew Aydin
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Alison Bechdel
Queer: A Graphic History, Meg-John Barker
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, Gregory Neri & Randi DuBurke
Blankest, Craig Thompson
This One Summer, Mariko Tamaki
Banned booksfor children
PICTURE BOOKS
Donovan’s Big Day, Leslea Newman
It’s a Book, Lane Smith
The Day in June, Gayle Pitman & Kristyna Litten
The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats
In Our Mother’s House, Patricia Polacco
Flabby Cat and Sleepy Dog, Jeanne Willis
Little Red Riding Hood, Trina Schart Hyman
Nappy Hair, Carolina Herron
Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Bill Martin
Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story From Afghanistan, Jeanette Winter
The Paper Bag Princess, Robert Munsch
The Dumb Bunnies, Dav Pilkey
Strega Nona, Tomie DePaola
The Stupids (series), Harry Allard & James Marshall
CHAPTER BOOKS
The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963, Christopher Paul Curtis
Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead Goerge
The Giver, Lois Lowry
Melissa, Alex Gino
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle
Go Ask Alice, Anonymous
Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White
The View From Saturday, E.L. Konigsburg
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Argy Nestor
Arts Educator, Blogger, Artist, Connector meartsed@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/anestor/
Argy’s Blog
The purpose of this blog is to share stories about people and places; and to celebrate the amazing work (and play) that students, educators, and organizations are doing in and for arts education. In addition, the blog has a plethora of resources and innovative ideas. This forum gives blog readers the opportunity to learn from each other. It is essential that we listen, learn, and collaborate in order to build on teaching practices for the benefit of every learner in Maine and beyond.
me arts ed 