2015-16 High School Model Cornerstone Assessment Pilot Project Launches
The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) has issued a call for high school arts educators to pilot the National Core Arts Standards Model Cornerstone Assessments (MCAs) in dance, media arts, music, theatre and visual arts during the 2015-2016 school year. MCAs are curriculum-embedded performance-based assessment examples that are designed to model standards-based arts assessment and student achievement. The pilot follows a similar project that was conducted during 2014-15, in which 75 arts educators piloted the MCAs at grades 2, 5, and 8. The 2015-16 pilot teachers, working with the MCAs at the high school benchmark levels of Proficient, Accomplished, and Advanced, will put the example tasks “on their feet,” focusing on students’ application of their knowledge and skills in in authentic and relevant contexts.
Twelve to fifteen pilot educators from each of the five arts disciplines will be selected, with an effort to achieve a balance of rural, suburban, and urban classroom settings across the country. Prior to the launch of the full project in January, 2016, chosen teachers will be asked to pre-pilot the assessment in their discipline with a small test population of 1-2 students in November. Those selected will be asked to participate in online training; secure administrator approval of participation and permissions to share student work; pilot the assessment with their students; select student work; and upload appropriate images, audio, or video files that documents student work.
Applications for Dance, Media Arts, Theatre and Visual Arts will be accepted through Wednesday October 21st, 2015. Applicants must complete an online application form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HighSchoolMCA and forward a résumé or CV, along with a signed letter of permission from your principal or school administrator to the Project Manager at projectmanager@seadae.org. NCCAS will contact chosen applicants and announce selected pilot sites by November 5, 2015. Applicants for Music will be taking part in a research study and are asked to apply at: https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9S0S2RlSn0udN1b
The Model Cornerstone Assessment pilot project is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Questions should be addressed to NCCAS leadership representative Lynn Tuttle at LynnT@nafme.org.
I know that the professional learning opportunity on October 9 is going to be so valuable that I’ve written a “Dear Administrator” letter that you can use to support your request to attend. The Biennial Statewide Arts Ed conference, The Measure of Success, is being held at Point Lookout Conference Center in Northport. The letter goes like this… (see below) and can be accessed by clicking here http://mainearts.maine.gov/CMSContent/arts_in_education/Biennial_Statewide/MALI_Letter_of_Support.pdf. (you can download it from there easily). Please note: I realize that the formatting might be a total mess below but I promise that when you download it from the link above that it will be fine!
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION COST OF $90. Tomorrow the cost goes to $100 and the day of the conference, the walk-in cost is $110. I hope that you can join us!
June 2015
Dear Administrator:
The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI – formerly known as the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative) is pleased to announce the 2015 Biennial Statewide Arts Education conference “Maine Arts Education: The Measure of Success” will be held on Friday, October 9, Point Lookout Conference Center, Northport. On behalf of your visual and performing arts education teaching staff, I encourage you to support their participation in the conference. We are fortunate in Maine to have a vibrant community of arts professionals who will attend the conference with the common goal of advancing arts education for the benefit of all students in schools across Maine.
MALI (MAAI) was established in 2011 by the Maine Department of Education and is presently a
program of the Maine Arts Commission. The conference program is grounded in the mission:
MALI is committed to the development of Teacher leaders to ensure deep understanding and
meaningful implementation of high quality teaching, learning and assessment in the Arts.”
Conference opportunities include engaging workshops on Assessment, Teacher Effectiveness, Arts
Integration, Proficiency-Based Education, Movement/Dance and the Creative Process, Brain
Development, Studio Habits of Mind, Benchmarking in Music, and Assessment in Visual Arts. These
workshops will showcase the latest in research and practice, provide interactive learning through
hands-on experiences, and challenge teachers thinking. The content of the conference can be applied
immediately to teaching and learning in your school–helping to advance your goals.
The MALI shares your vision for ensuring that Maine students receive the best possible education and
that your teachers possess a deep knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning. The
professional learning opportunities made available through the MALI are unparalleled in the field of
visual and performing arts education in Maine. MALI offers a comprehensive opportunity for educators who are engaged with the arts in learning to experience exemplary practices, methodologies, and research.
I appreciate your commitment to visual and performing arts education and in supporting your arts
educators with release time and in whatever way you can, so they may attend. In closing please accept
my gratitude for your leadership that ensures a quality, comprehensive education for all students across Maine.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions by email argy.nestor@maine.gov or by phone
207-287-2713.
Yours in Arts Education,
Ms. Argy Nestor
Director of Arts Education
Maine Arts Commission
The conference is brought to you by the Maine Arts Learning Initiative (MALI), a program of the Maine Arts Commission.
Please note: On August 3, 2015, MAAI, the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative, announced its new name, MALI, the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative. MALI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission. You can read about it at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/maai-goes-to-mali/. Please email Argy Nestor if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
Below is the schedule for the Biennial Statewide Arts Education Conference: The Measure of Success being held at Point Lookout Conference Center, Northport. Registration and other details are located at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Biennial-Statewide. Early-bird registration is $90 and lasts until Thursday, September 17. ($100 after that and day of conference $110) Don’t miss this great learning opportunity with colleagues from across the state! The conference is brought to you by the Maine Arts Learning Initiative (MALI), a program of the Maine Arts Commission.
Friday, October 9, 2015
7:45 – 8:45 Registration and Check-in Erickson Hall Coffee and Tea
All morning sessions will be held in Erickson Hall
9:00 – 9:40 Arts Education: The Measure of Success, Opening
Welcome: Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education, Maine Arts Commission
Performance: Camden Hills Regional High School Vocal and Jazz Ensembles under the direction of Kim Murphy and Nancy Rowe
Celebrating Excellence
9:40 – 10:00 Statewide Arts Education Census
10:00–10:30Keynote SurpriseSurprise
10:30 – 10:45 Break Coffee and Tea
10:45 – 11:45 5 x 5 Nine Topics @ 5 Minutes
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch Pavillion
12:45 – 2:00 Breakout 1 athenaU Education Center
Studio Habits of Mind – Androscoggin
Making Maine and ME – Lincoln
Evaluating Individual Proficiency – Waldo Dancing with the Creative Process – Washington In the Midst of Madness – Hancock
Arts Integration at Work – Knox
Brains on Fire – Sagadahoc
From Cool to Tool – Aroostook Proficiency Based Learning – Penobscot
2:00 – 2:15 Break
2:15 – 3:30 Breakout 2 athenaU Education Center
Studio Habits of Mind – Androscoggin
Making Maine and ME – Lincoln
Evaluating Individual Proficiency – Waldo Dancing with the Creative Process – Washington In the Midst of Madness – Hancock
Arts Integration at Work – Knox
Brains on Fire – Sagadahoc
From Cool to Tool – Aroostook Proficiency Based Learning – Penobscot
3:30 – 4:30 Wrap-up – Arts Education: The Measure of Success Aroostook Room Musical Theater Performance: Selections from The Addams Family by Camden Hills Regional High School Performers, under the direction of Kim Murphy, Rick Ash and joani mitchell
Door Prizes
Closing
Point Lookout Conference Center
67 Atlantic Highway, Northport, ME 04849
Please note: On August 3, 2015, MAAI, the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative, announced its new name, MALI, the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative. MALI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission. You can read about it at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/maai-goes-to-mali/. Please email Argy Nestor if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
The biennial Statewide Arts Education conference, The Measure of Success, is being held at the Point Lookout Conference Center in Northport on Friday, October 9. The early-bird registration of $90 runs until Thursday, September 17. After that the cost goes to $100 and at the door is $110.
This years conference is unique for many reasons. The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI, formerly MAAI) has gone all out this year to provide you with outstanding workshops in two formats along with a day filled with celebrating arts educators and recognizing the excellent work that takes place every school day and beyond! You can read about the workshop format in a post from last week at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/a-word-about-the-conference-presentations/.
In addition, each of the workshop leaders have provided a short video that provides an overview of the workshop content. THE VIDEOS ARE ALL BELOW! If you take a look at the videos and read the workshop descriptions at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Biennial-Statewide-Workshop-Descriptions# you will get a clear picture of what the conference and these amazing educators have to offer!
Studio Habits of Mind: Using the “Hidden Curriculum” to Encourage Student Autonomy with Visual Arts Teachers Theresa Cerceo from Dr. Levesque Elementary, Wisdom Middle/High School and Janie Snider from Hancock Grammar School
Making Maine and ME with Visual Arts Teacher Jennie Driscoll from Brunswick High School
Evaluating Individual Proficiency within the Large Ensemble with Music Teacher Jen Etter from York Middle School
Dancing with the Creative Process: How to incorporate standards-based dance and movement activities in classroom learning and assessment with Dancer, Educator, and Teaching Artist John Morris
In the Midst of Madness with Music Teacher Jen Nash from Sabasticook Valley Middle School, Dance Teacher MaryEllen Schaper from Bonny Eagle Middle School, and Associate Professor, Educational Leadership from USM Jeff Beaudry, Ph.D.
Empathy, Kindness and Wonder, Arts Integration at Work with the Director and Founder of Sweet Tree Arts Lindsay Pinchbeck
Brains on Fire: How Research on the Brain Can Inform Arts Education with the Executive Director of the New England Institute for Teacher Education Catherine Ring
From Cool to Tool: Technology Integration with Student Learning in Mind with Music Teacher Kate Smith from Central School in South Berwick, Mountain Valley High School in Rumford Teacher Jeff Bailey, and Mt. Blue High School in Farmington Teacher Dan Ryder
Proficiency Based Learning: An Advocacy Story Music Teacher Rob Westerberg from York High School
Please note: On August 3, 2015, MAAI, the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative, announced its new name, MALI, the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative. MALI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission. You can read about it at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/maai-goes-to-mali/. Please email Argy Nestor if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
MALI Summer Institute, August 3-5, 2015, USM, Portland
It’s back to school time and the air is changing. Whether you are in full swing with teaching or in your classroom preparing for students or perhaps waiting at home for the first day with “kids”, I know that the school year is upon you in some form.
I can sense that it is going to be a great year for visual and performing arts education in Maine! The Maine Arts Commission has been busy all summer supporting the work of Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education. Read below just a few of the ways in which MAC is doing just that:
In addition to the name change MALI sent a representative team to the Teach to Lead Summit in Washington, D.C., July 22-24 sponsored by the US DOE and the National Board. The experience launched us into phase 5 in an amazing way. We found ourselves at the same table with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Read about it at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/07/25/teach-to-lead/.
On August 3-5 the MALI summer institute took place at USM, Portland campus. It was a fabulous learning opportunity where 12 new Teacher Leaders created an action plan that is turning into a workshop to be presented during the 2015-16 school year across Maine. This brings the total of Teacher Leaders to 73! You can read about the Teacher Leader work at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/08/13/teacher-leaders/.
The veteran Teacher Leaders used a Logic Model to guide their work. Starting with a “problem” they created a plan that they will take action on during the next several months. Pretty amazing work!
The biennial fall arts ed conference is happening on Friday, October 9, Point Lookout Conference Center, Arts Education: The Measure of Success. Early bird registration and detailed information is at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Biennial-Statewide.
The Teaching Artist roster expanded this summer to a total of 40. You can read about the program and check out the roster at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Teaching-Artist-Roster. Please consider contracting with one (or more) of these artists for your students during this school year. Another call for the roster will go out in the near future. Watch this blog and arts ed list-serv for the invitation.
The statewide visual and performing arts education census will be launched this fall and plans are underway to collect data from all 100% of Maine schools. Watch for more information because we will need everyone’s help to make this happen!
This is the sixth blog post for 2015 on the Phase 4 Maine Arts Assessment Initiative’s (MAAI) Teacher Leaders sharing their stories. This series contains a set of questions to provide the opportunity for you to learn from and about others. You can learn more about MAAI at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/MAAI# and learn more about all 61 of the MAAI Teacher Leaders at http://www.maineartsassessment.com/#!teacher-leaders/c1qxk.
Michaela DiGianvittorio attended the Maine College of Art and graduated with a B.F.A. in Illustration in 2006. She taught pre-school at a local childcare center for a year and decided to go back to school to obtain a degree in Art Education. In 2008 she graduated from the Post-Baccalaureate in Art Education program at MECA. Michaela is currently a visual arts teacher at Gray-New Gloucester High School. She has been teaching art for seven years and has taught all seven at GNGHS. She is one of two art teachers at the high school. This semester, she is teaching Foundations In Art, Drawing, Multi-Media, Digital Media and Gifted & Talented Visual Art.
What do you like best about being an art educator?
I have a passion for art and a passion for teaching. What I like best about being an art educator is that I am able to practice what I love. It is not often that people love their job, but I truly do. Being an art educator is not just something that I do, it is who I am.
What do you believe are three keys to ANY successful visual and performing arts education?
Connections- Making connections with students, colleagues, administration, parents, community members and other VPA educators is crucial. Through connections you are able to collaborate, receive feedback, and advocate for your program.
Life Long Learning- It is so important to be a life long learner. Staying up to date with new initiates, technology, and attending professional development opportunities will improve your knowledge, and keep you grounded/connected with your school/district and the field of education.
Reflection & Revision- To have a successful program you need to be willing to make changes, take risks, and try new things. Making things new, exciting, and relevant to/for students will make your class more meaningful. Taking time to reflect, review and revise is so important in keeping your students engaged and improve your curriculum, instruction, and assessment. As a teacher, your job is never done. It can always be improved.
How have you found assessment to be helpful to you in your classroom?
Assessment has not only helped me track student progress, but it also has helped in developing and revising my curriculum. When developing my rubrics, I organize and “unpack” the standards that are being assessed, then target what is essential for the student to know in order to meet each standard. This has allowed me to determine where there are gaps and also create essential formative assessments that help them be more successful when they are working on their summative assessment.
What have been the benefits in becoming involved in the arts assessment initiative?
Making connections with other art educators has been by far the most beneficial part of being involved in the arts assessment initiative. Also, it has made me reevaluate what I do and has given me ideas and inspiration for new and different methods in my teaching.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I am very proud of everything that I have contributed to the art department at GNGHS. I feel as though I have made a big impact on our art program through curriculum development and also transitioning to standards based instruction and assessment. However, what I am most proud of is the connections that I have made with students. I know that I have impacted many students lives throughout the years, and in return they have impacted mine. Teaching is such a rewarding career!
What gets in the way of being a better teacher or doing a better job as a teacher?
I always feel like I could be a better teacher. The only thing that can really ever get in the way of becoming a better teacher is myself. To be a “better” teacher, you need to be a life-long learner. To be a life-long learner, you need to have self-motivation. Lack of motivation can definitely get in the way of being a better teacher. The trick is to find out what will motivate you when you are in that rut.
What have you accomplished through hard work and determination that might otherwise appear at first glance to be do to “luck” or circumstances?
I honestly don’t know. I feel very fortunate and “lucky” to have a job in art education. I feel as though I have worked hard to get where I am, but some might see that as luck? Art teaching positions are few and far between. Being among so many dedicated and inspirational art educators, I could see how some might see that landing in a position could be do to luck or circumstance.
Look into your crystal ball: what advice would you give to teachers?
Practice what you teach! It is so important to continue to nurture your own creativity, and when students can see that you are truly passionate about what you do, it helps to inspire and motivate them. Also, stay in the loop on new initiatives and keep up to date with technology.
If you were given a $500,000.00 to do with whatever you please, what would it be?
If I was given $500,000.00 I would start an international travel program for the art department!
Imagine you are 94 years old. You’re looking back. Do you have any regrets?
I can’t really predict future regrets when I still have many years to live before I am 94 years old. At 32, my only regret is that I haven’t traveled much. If I went back in time I would look into opportunities to teach abroad for a few years before I got married and started a family.
The feedback is clear – the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative’s Mega – regional workshop at MDI High School last week was a success! Participants learned new information and the work that is done each day in classrooms across Maine was reinforced. Once again the highlight was the opportunity for Arts educators to come together for a professional development opportunity that was designed specifically for them.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Charlie Johnson and his colleagues at MDI High School for hosting, to the MAAI Teacher Leaders who provided outstanding workshops: Janie Snider, Lisa Ingraham, Shannon Westphall, Frances Kellogg, Sue Barre, Charlie Johnson, to Teaching Artist Stevie McGary for the workshop and artists showcase, and to Catherine Ring, Rob Westerberg, and Nancy Salmon who provided technical assistance and leadership for the day!
I LOVE reading the feedback and how the day influenced participants thinking and teaching. Don’t take my word for it, below is what some of the participants said. I will post more in the near future along with a video that Charlie created to document the day.
I can’t believe how quickly this day flew by! As always, I wish that we had more time like this and opportunities to meet… I love these MAAI conferences, I always leave feeling more grounded and ready to take action
I like the Habits of Mind posters and the idea of the check list to keep throughout a project to assess each habit… These were really solid examples of what can be done.
I have already been implementing a few of these processes into my curriculum. Now, I just need to communicate this to my students in a clearer, more consistent manner.
Our district is focusing on Habits of Mind. I didn’t realize Studio Habits of Mind are different, but similar. Definitely a lot of useful information.
On the arts assessment website http://www.maineartsassessment.com there is a proficiency toolbox that I will be able to revamp my assessments at my school.
I LEARNED…
how to authentically apply the learning results to assessment
how to create a simple rubric for standards is an easy way to keep track of what 1, 2, 3, 4 etc actually means
simple, quick class assessments concrete examples of student growth — A+
about how to apply assessments to the art classroom and how to make the language usable for students of all ages
recording with the ipad for quick assessment
strategies for holding myself and my students accountable for what they are learning and creating in the art room
engage and persist can be a way to think about behavior in a positive way
about some fun and creative resources to help with assessing my students
how students demonstrate their learning through a hands-on project (pinhole cameras)
even a quick 60-second movement can benefit across the school day
how to clearly describe different standards and allow students to have an important part in the grading process
some quick and effective ways to assess students on the fly in the elementary music setting, and how to score and record them.
The above list includes just some of the feedback from November 25. If this is information that you’d like to learn more about please be sure and attend another Mega-regional workshop that is planned for this school year. The dates and locations are below and the link to the registration is http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/MAAI-Mega-Regionals-2014-2015#
Friday, March 6, 2015 Aroostook county (to be announced)
Flanked by two representatives from Lesley University are L to R Boothbay High School art teacher Manon Lewis, senior Courtney Brewer, and her Mother Patricia Brewer
Every year, and always on a Sunday, in the fall, Manon Lewis, Boothbay High School art teacher takes a group of interested students to National Portfolio Day in Boston. This is a “college fair” for students who plan to attend (or are simply interested in) colleges that offer majors in the fine arts, design and architecture.
Art schools from across the country have representatives who evaluate and give input to students who offer up their portfolios. In addition, it can simply be a way for younger students to pick up catalogs and other information about various schools. The event used to be held, on alternating years, at the various art and design colleges located in Boston. But, over the years, the event has become so well attended (and huge), that it can no longer be housed on a college campus and is now held at the Hynes Convention Center. This year it was held on October 19th.
Manon travels with her students on the Concord Trailways bus from Portland to Boston and then take the “T” from South Station to move around the city. Many of her students attend several years running in order to work up the confidence to have their portfolios critiqued. And on several occasions, Ms. Lewis has had students accepted to colleges “on the spot”, on the basis of the work in their portfolio. This is almost as exciting for me, as it is for them! This year one of my students was accepted for the major of “Animation” on the merit of her portfolio, at Lesley University. Her mother also came with us to Boston and was as thrilled as her daughter! (see photo)
Oxford Hills Middle School, South campus Mega-regional workshop, Friday, March 13, 2015
The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) is once again offering Mega-regional workshops in five locations across the state of Maine during the 2014-15 school year. The workshops are being facilitated by the MAAI Teacher Leaders, different workshops scheduled for each location.
The five Mega dates and locations for the 2014-15 school year
Tuesday, November 25 Mount Desert Island High School
Friday, March 6 Aroostook county
Friday, March 13 Oxford Hills Middle School South Campus
Thursday, April 2 UMaine, Orono
Friday, April 3 University of Southern Maine, Portland
Registration is also open for Mega Mount Desert Island High School. It will be available for the other three locations in the near future. MAAI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission.
You can pay the $25 registration fee using PayPal or you can pay by sending a check made out to Maine Art Education Association and mail it to Maine Arts Commission, c/o Argy Nestor, 193 State Street, 25SHS, Augusta, 04333. You will find all of the information and details that you need when you register at the link above. Please contact me if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
Overall Workshop Schedule
8:15 a.m. Registration begins
8:45 a.m. Opening Session and Morning Workshops
9:10 – 10:20 a.m. Breakout Workshop Session I
10:20 – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 – 11:40 a.m. Breakout Workshop Session II
11:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Lunch, participants on their own
12:30 – 12:45 p.m. Artist Showcase
12:45 – 2:45 p.m. Session III Large group by Arts Discipline
2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Closing Session
The workshop titles and descriptions for the Mega Oxford Hills Middle School, south campus are included below.
Session I
Transform Your Fear of the Bear: Examining Proficiency-Based Arts Diploma Systems
Join us for a modified roundtable opportunity to share and glean developed strategies, reflections, benefits and challenges on this student centered journey. Beginners to full scale implementors are encouraged to participate. Please bring questions and/or artifacts to share: assessments and systems for documentation and communicating proficiency, as well as business cards/info strips to help with networking and the digital sharing of resources. Grades PK-12
Suzanne Goulet Waterville Senior High School Visual Arts
The Recipe: Ingredients in a Proficiency-Based Curriculum
The thought of creating a proficiency-based curriculum from scratch can be daunting. When we try cooking something new for the first time, we seek a recipe to follow, and over time we adjust, improvise, substitute, and personalize the ingredients to make the recipe our own. We would like to share our recipe with you, it may not be exactly your taste, but we have ingredients and tools to share to help you get started. Grades 9-12 (Easily adapted for all grades.)
Michaela DiGianvittorio and Sarah Gould Gray-New Gloucester High School Visual Arts
Dancing With the Standards: How to Incorporate Standards-Based Dance and Movement Activities in Classroom Learning and Assessment
Are you an arts teacher who would like to incorporate more movement in your classroom, but may feel that you lack confidence or familiarity with dance movement? This experiential workshop will walk you through a powerful yet simple creative movement exploration and dance making process that are standards-based and well suited to integrate with any content area. You will learn simple movement tools and a dance making activity that you can implement – no dance background needed – to help your students explore lesson content and engage in creative problem solving together. Grades PK-5 (all Arts disciplines)
John Morris Dance
Let the Maine Learning Results guide your Ensemble Curriculum
The Maine Learning Results are still the state wide Visual and Performing Arts Standards. Take a closer look at your ensemble and discover how you are using the MLRs each and every day. Learn new ways to integrate all of the MLRs. This workshop is applicable for any age ensemble elementary through high school. Grades 5-12
Sue Barre Waterville Junior and Senior High Schools Music
Session II
The Choir Gets It: A Meaningful Approach to Arts Advocacy
Have you been exposed to a wealth of information about why the arts are important in schools and why, as arts educators, we should advocate for our programs? If you answered “yes,” consider attending this reflective workshop that offers an opportunity to think about arts advocacy on a personal level. Listen to the arts advocacy journey of the presenter, while also having ample opportunities to share ideas with colleagues and develop your own attainable arts advocacy goal. PK-12 (all Arts disciplines)
Samantha Davis Molly Ockett Middle School Visual Arts
The Foolish Man Builds his House Upon the Sand: Laying a Firm Foundation for the Arts (and life) in Early Childhood
A workshop for Early Childhood Educators, Elementary Arts Specialists, and Elementary Administrators. Come join the fun as we explore how and why arts play is essential to every young child’s ability to learn how to learn! Grades PK-2 (all Arts disciplines)
Judy Fricke Main Street Music Studios Music
Graphic Notation: “Do You See What I Hear?”
Participants will learn a simple music graphing process that can serve as an effective tool for teaching repetition & contrast, form, and note reading skills to visual learners. In addition, participants will match audio examples with their corresponding music graphs, as well as have the opportunity to play simple melodies on Orff instruments by reading the melodic graphic notation. Those in attendance will discover there is an answer to, “Do You See What I Hear?” for all the learners in their music classes. Grades K-8
Linda McVety and Jenni Null Songo Locks Elementary School Music
The How and Why of Digitial Portfolios
This workshop is focused on using Google Drive to create a digital portfolio as a means to show evidence of proficiency, allow for a method of feedback on student work and as a way to organize and maintain student work. This workshop can be used by all VPA teachers. Grades 6-12 (all Arts disciplines)
Mount Desert Island High School Mega-regional workshop, Tuesday, November 25
The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) is once again offering Mega-regional workshops in five locations across the state of Maine during the 2014-15 school year. The workshops are being facilitated by the MAAI Teacher Leaders with each location scheduled with different workshops.
The five Mega dates and locations for the 2014-15 school year
Tuesday, November 25 Mount Desert Island High School
Friday, March 6 Aroostook county
Friday, March 13 Oxford Hills Middle School South Campus
Thursday, April 2 UMaine, Orono
Friday, April 3 University of Southern Maine, Portland
You can pay the $25 registration fee using PayPal or you can pay by sending a check made out to Maine Art Education Association and mail it to Maine Arts Commission, c/o Argy Nestor, 193 State Street, 25SHS, Augusta, 04333. You will find all of the information and details that you need when you register at the link above. Please contact me if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.
Overall Workshop Schedule
8:15 a.m. Registration begins
8:45 a.m. Opening Session and Morning Workshops
9:10 – 10:20 a.m. Breakout Workshop Session I
10:20 – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 – 11:40 a.m. Breakout Workshop Session II
11:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Lunch, participants on their own
12:30 – 12:45 p.m. Artist Showcase
12:45 – 2:45 p.m. Session III Large group by Arts Discipline
2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Closing Session
The workshop titles and descriptions for the MDIHS Mega are included below.
Session I
The Studio Habits of Mind: Using the “Hidden Curriculum” to Encourage Student Autonomy
Join us in our exploration of assessment and proficiency using the Studio Habits of Mind. This workshop will present a practical look at how we came to understand and use the constructs of Studio Thinking in our K-4 and K-8 classrooms to promote independent, self-directed learning. You will gain hands-on knowledge of these habits and leave with strategies you can use in your own classroom. Grades K-8 (Easily adapted for grades 9-12.)
Jane Snider Hancock Grammar School Visual Arts
Lisa Ingraham Madison Elementary School Visual Arts
Making Evidence of Learning from a Sequence of Artworks
This hands-on workshop will explore a simple photographic darkroom technique to produce artworks to use as examples of proficiency for several of the National Core Arts Standards along with links to Maine’s present P.E.I.’s. Student work will also be presented as examples/exemplars for levels of proficiency. Grades 6-12
Charlie Johnson Mount Desert Island High School Visual Arts
Efficient and Effective Assessment in the Elementary Music Classroom
When you see 200 or more students each week, assessing everyone is challenging. The lack of time seems insurmountable! At this collaborative session, we will discuss ways to make assessments efficient for both class time and your time, while still keeping them effective for teaching and learning. The presentation is directed toward elementary classroom music, but all are welcome to attend and give input. Grades K-5
Frances Kellogg Ellsworth Elementary Middle School Music
Let the Maine Learning Results guide your Ensemble Curriculum
The Maine Learning Results are still the state wide Visual and Performing Arts Standards. Take a closer look at your ensemble and discover how you are using the MLRs each and every day. Learn new ways to integrate all of the MLRs. This workshop is applicable for any age ensemble elementary through high school. Grades 5-8
Sue Barre Waterville Junior and Senior High Schools Music
Session II
Standards-Based Grading and Assessing for Proficiency
This workshop is about how to use standards and create learning targets in the visual art classroom. We will be focusing on using standards in every day art lessons, assessing for proficiency and showing growth through the use of portfolios. Grades 6-12
Shannon Westphal Ellsworth High School Visual Art
It’s Elementary, My Dear!
Come find out ways you can advocate for your elementary school arts program. In this workshop, we will share ideas and strategies to get what you need for your visual art or music classroom and simultaneously take arts education to a whole new level. Let’s put all those wonderful resources and tried and true strategies to work for us! Grades PK-8
Catherine Ring New England Institute for Teacher Education Visual Art
Stir-Crazy: A Movement Tool Kit for the Sedentary Classroom
Kids not sitting still in class? Unable to focus? This session is for all teachers wanting to add some movement activities and games into the classroom without sacrificing important academic time. All games can be adapted to fit all subject areas. Grades PK-12 All Teachers
Stephanie McGary Dance
Resources, Resources and MORE Resources for Music Educators
This session will identify helpful, meaningful resources for every need under the sun! Attendees will inform the conversation, bringing their own unique needs to the table. The take-away will be for every music teacher to leave with a bucketful of assistance towards implementing standards, proficiency and assessment practices into their own classrooms. Grades PK-12
Rob Westerberg York High School Music
Session III
The Arts and Proficiency: What, Why and How?
The afternoon session will be focused around group discussions utilizing key questions on how proficiency is being implemented across the state of Maine in our own arts classrooms. Participants will leave with concrete ideas and/or plans to facilitate their own actions. These may lead to breakout sessions to deeper discussions and common concerns. This session will be separated between visual and performing arts teachers.
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.
Twelve to fifteen pilot educators from each of the five arts disciplines will be selected, with an effort to achieve a balance of rural, suburban, and urban classroom settings across the country. Prior to the launch of the full project in January, 2016, chosen teachers will be asked to pre-pilot the assessment in their discipline with a small test population of 1-2 students in November. Those selected will be asked to participate in online training; secure administrator approval of participation and permissions to share student work; pilot the assessment with their students; select student work; and upload appropriate images, audio, or video files that documents student work.
The Maine Learning Results are still the state wide Visual and Performing Arts Standards. Take a closer look at your ensemble and discover how you are using the MLRs each and every day. Learn new ways to integrate all of the MLRs. This workshop is applicable for any age ensemble elementary through high school. Grades 5-8
me arts ed 