Posts Tagged ‘teacher leaders’

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Join MaryEllen, Jake, Danette

March 29, 2013

Maine Arts Assessment Initiative

MAAI
Maine Arts Assessment Initiative
Regional Workshop
April 3, 2013
Bonny Eagle Middle School
5:00-7:30
Join local arts educators in Dance, Music and Visual Arts
for a FREE workshop, including potluck dinner and networking opportunities!

Bring some food to share, and learn about what our colleagues are doing in their classrooms. Three workshops will be offered simultaneously in separate rooms that address innovations in assessment and best practices in the classroom.

Workshop #1

MOVIES TOWARDS BETTER ASSESSMENT, Mary Ellen Schaper

What do Netflix and this workshop have in common? Learn to use tools on your MLTI device to create formative and summative assessment that you can watch on demand.  (open to any art form and/or physical education)

Workshop #2

Individual Assessments in an Ensemble, Jake Sturtevant

Participants will learn how to use technology to help with individual assessments, sharing, and keeping track of them over an extended period of time.  The workshop will focus on using Quicktime, networked shared folders, and Bento to categorize files and assessment information. If time permits, participants may also explore web based recording and sharing including SoundCloud (which would require a free registration to use).

Workshop #3

Assessment, A Self Help Program for the Art Teacher,  Danette Kerrigan
A journey to understanding the power of authentic assessment and using technology to manage student product and track student growth.

RSVP:
(OR Please  contact any of the teacher leaders for more information about the event.)
Mary Ellen Schaper: mschaper@bonnyeagle.org
Jake Sturtevant: jsturtevant@bonnyeagle.org
Danette Kerrigan: dkerrigan@sad55.org

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Danette

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Jake

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MaryEllen

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Mega-regional workshop UMF

January 19, 2013

A success!

art sessionAll the reports tell us that the first Maine Arts Assessment Initiative/MLTI Mega-regional workshop was a worthwhile professional development for all those involved. Twenty five educators participated in the MAAI workshop that was held at University of Maine in Farmington.

theatre segmentUMF students were still on winter break so the campus was fairly quiet during the all day event. Participants attended three sessions led by MAAI teacher leaders during the day and had a variety of choices at the free workshop.

  • Drew Albert and Ashley Smith presented Getting Started: Incorporating Meaningful Assessment Within the Large Ensemble
  • Leone Donovan presented Title: A Skeptic’s Exploration of Rubrics
  • Susan Jones presented Theatre Games: Learning Through Doing
  • Gloria Hewett presented Formative and Summative Assessment Two Big Words with Practical Applications in an Art Class
  • Susan Beaulier presented There is no I in ART; Working Together to Promote Quality Art Education for all Learners
  • Alice Sullivan and Jim Wells presented Using Digital Tools to Capture Music Assessments
  • Ann Marie Hutton and Lindsey Farnham presented Making Art with MLTI
  • Tim Hart presented Capture the Performance! Using MLTI tools to record, review and share music, dance and theatre assessment pieces

Great job MAAI teacher leaders and MLTI technology integrators. The next three Mega-regional workshops are scheduled and all educators are invited to attend but we ask that all participants be pre-registered by going to http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/assessment.html and click on the dates for the following sessions.’

  • March 1, USM, Portland Campus
  • March 22, Presque Isle High School
  • March 29, Ellsworth High School
Participants and facilitators at the end of a productive day!

Participants and facilitators at the end of a productive day!

Posted in assessment, Communication, Community, Creativity, Curriculum and Instruction, Food for thought, Integration, Leadership, Professional Development, Standards Based Education, Technology, VPA | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Happy New Year!

January 1, 2013

Reflecting

I have taken some time today to reflect on 2012 and realize how fortunate I am to work with incredible arts educators in Maine and throughout the United States. Educators who are dedicated, passionate, and fully committed to providing an outstanding arts education for every student!

The year has been filled with many successes, some challenges, and sad losses! I wish I had time to go back through all the blog posts that I wrote in 2012 to help me remember all of the successes, challenges, and losses but instead I will provide the highlights.

Successes

The biggest success is the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI). The second phase of MAAI officially kicked off in the spring with the identification of 20 teacher leaders. These arts educators joined the 18 teacher leaders from phase one. They participated in a 4-day institute in August at the Maine College of Art (MECA) in Portland where they expanded their knowledge in the areas of assessment, leadership, technology, and creativity. They have created workshops that are being delivered throughout this school year at the regional and mega-regional level. (Registration for the mega-regional workshops is now open – FREE and contact hours are available.) The topics of the sessions are as varied as the individual teacher leaders. I am so grateful for their commitment to the work that is making a difference for arts teachers and in arts classrooms across Maine each day. The impact on students learning is amazing!

And, uniquely the Mega-regional workshops are being co-sponsored with the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). At these workshops their will be at least one session that is integrated with an MLTI integrator to provide a first time opportunity for educators!

The MAAI would not be possible without the commitment of the leadership team who have consistently shepherded the work. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Catherine Ring, Rob Westerberg, Jeff Beaudry, Bronwyn Sale, Pam Kinsey, and Matt Doiron. Their willingness to lead has made a difference! Close to 1000 arts educators have taken advantage of the professional development opportunities during the last year and a half.

The MAAI is aligned with the Maine Department of Education’s Strategic Plan: Education Evolving: Maine’s Plan for Putting Learners First.

In July Catherine and I flew to Denver for a national conference on arts assessment held at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. I was proud to let others know of the grassroots efforts that Maine arts educators are involved with.

Art educator Chris Milliken, on sabbatical from Wells schools, has been following and doing research on the MAAI during this past year. He will join art teacher Lisa Marin and present a session on their findings at the Mega-regional workshop at Ellsworth High School on March 29, 2013.

Literacy is a statewide focus with the Literacy for ME being launched this fall and arts education has stepped up to become an integral part of the cross content literacy connections. Arts educators Jen Nash, Suzanne Goulet, and Lisa Gilman have been facilitating literacy webinars. Suzanne is also co-facilitating face to face sessions.

We have had 4 wonderful art exhibits at the Maine Department of Education during this past year from Maranacook Community Schools, Bangor Elementary and Middle Schools, Lake Region High School, and Messalonskee High School. Along with the exhibits we had receptions at the Blaine House with music and dance performances from each school/district. Participating and collaborating are First Lady Ann LePage, the Maine State Board of Education, and the Commissioner of Education, Steve Bowen.

First Lady Ann LePage partnered with the Barbara Bush Foundation to create a new baby journal to present to parents at hospitals across Maine when their babies are born. We did a call for K-8 artwork and 867 young artists submitted work. Thirty two pieces were selected to be published in the book which will be completed in June 2014.

The Maine arts education list-serv has grown to 1200 and the meartsed blog is growing as a source of information, not only for arts educators but for all educators. If you are not on the list-serv but would like to be, please email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov. On December 5, 2013 the blog set a record high day of 976 visitors. And a record high week happened during that same time of 2508 visitors. Thank you for taking the time to visit and informing others about what is available on the Maine arts education blog.

Challenges

  • Common Core standards for ELA and Math were released this year and teachers are being asked to incorporate them into their curricula.
  • We are waiting patiently for the next iteration of the national arts standards to be released in March March 2013.
  • Arts education in Maine is underserved. As the economy continues to be a challenge so is providing adequate arts education programs and teachers.
  • Determining how to provide quality arts education to be ready for the “proficiency based graduation requirement” slated for the graduating class of 2018.
  • What will determine “teacher effectiveness” for arts educators (the non-tested content)?

Sadness

In March music teacher Beth Polletto died in a car accident driving to school. Beth taught at Gray New Gloucester and Georgetown Central School. In May art teacher Jackie McTigue died in a car accident on her way to school. Jackie taught at Glenburn Elementary School. Both teachers were amazing arts educators and have left a huge hole. My friend and colleague 2nd grade teacher and Maine’s 2010 Teacher of the Year Kevin Grover died on Thanksgiving day after returning from a run. He is greatly missed by family, friends, and colleagues.

Looking forward

photoBeing forever optimistic, I know that 2013 will be filled with many more successes and that the challenges will be small mountains for us to climb. I invite you to collaborate with your colleagues to face the challenges and enjoy the successes. I hope you will continue to use the meartsed blog for resources and to access information. Many of you have heard me say “none of us is as smart as all of us”. Please continue to share information that I can pass on to others through the blog. I appreciate it!

I am confident that 2013 will be filled with opportunities for arts education to move forward. For example part of phase 2 of the MAAI is videotaping arts classrooms to respond to your request “what does a standards based arts education classroom look like?” So, Debi Lynne Baker (newly retired art teacher) will be visiting arts classrooms in the next few months and creating 4 short videos with examples. This is just one example of resources being developed for arts teachers.

I enjoy the challenges that my work at the Maine Department of Education provides for me. I especially love the opportunity to interact with you, the readers of the meartsed blog. So please take a moment when possible and drop me an email at argy.nestor@maine.gov or make a comment at the bottom of a blog post. You can subscribe to the blog by clicking on “Sign me up!” located on the right side of the front page of the blog.

I hope your year is filled with love and laughter and that you continue to provide outstanding opportunities for your students in arts education! Best Wishes for a wonderful 2013 and THANKS so much for all the good that you do in education!

Only one photo and one quote included in today’s post. Hopefully the photo will put a smile on your face and the quote will provide you with some “food for thought” as we dive into 2013!

The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society. – Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

Posted in assessment, Communication, Community, Creativity, Curriculum and Instruction, Dance, Food for thought, Integration, Leadership, Music, Opportunity, Professional Development, Research, Standards, Technology, Theater, Visual Arts, YAHOO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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MAAI Regional Workshops

October 30, 2012

Underway throughout Maine

We are fortunate to have nineteen phase 2 arts education teacher leaders from the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) who have created workshops and started delivering them throughout Maine. The topics vary greatly and I am sure there is something for everyone!

You can find the schedule posted on the arts assessment page at the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) and below. You will notice that some of the details are missing below but as they become determined will be added to the MDOE page. The locations are spread out through the state to make it possible for you to attend a session in your region.

Along with the regional workshop, Mega-regional workshops are being planned as well. They will be posted in the near future. These workshops will be all day opportunities and we have teamed up with MLTI for Mega-regional workshops. If you have questions please be sure and email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

WORKSHOP TITLE AND DESCRIPTION DATE & LOCATION PRESENTE
MAAI: Impossible – What exactly is the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative and what direction are we headed in Maine Arts Education? November 2, 2012, 11:00am, Dexter Ridgeview School, District V Middle School Honors Festival Andria Chase, Instrumental, general music, grades 4,5, Corinth, RSU #64 and Sarah Williams, band/chorus grade, general music, grades 2-4, Glenburn Elementary School, RSU 26
Unpack it! Unwrap it! – Breaking down the Standards to Inform Instruction and Learning Information and techniques in breaking down the standards with students to provide a successful learning experience. November 2, 2012, 2:00pm to 3:00pm, Hancock Grammar Schoo Janie Snider, visual arts, grades K-8, Hancock Grammar & Laomoine Consolidated Schools
Getting Started: Incorporating Meaningful Assessment Within the Large Ensemble – A look at incorporating standards based learning and assessment within the large ensemble without the use of technology. District III High School Honors Festival & District III Junior High Honors Festival Drew Albert, Music director, Maranacook Community High School, RSU 38 and Ashley Smith, Choral Director, Brunswick High School, Brunswick School Department
There is no I in ART; Working Together to Promote Quality Art Education for all Learners – Presentation addressed to parents. The Maine Learning Results and assessment terminology will be explained in user-friendly terms. A hands-on component is also included, as the parents create a piece of art. The presentation can be tailored to suit the needs of arts educators, classroom teachers, and/or administrators. November 5, 2012, MSAD#32 Superintendent and Board of Directors
meeting, November 6, 2012 Ashland PTO meeting		 Susan Beaulier, Visual Art, K-12 MSAD #32, Ashland
Assessment: This is NOT a Drive By (Assessment is MEANT for ME-student perspective) – Take a close look at a student performance in terms of formative and summative assessment. Through a hands-on exercise participants will determine what needs to be assessed and generate a rubric with the groups’ ideas. Information about the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative and resources will be shared. January 19, 2013, All Aroostook Fesitval Mari-Jo Hedman, Director of Music K-12, Fort Fairfield, MSAD #20
A Skeptic’s Exploration of Rubrics – The presentation follows my research into rubrics in order to improve both the clarity of the assessment instrument for myself and my students and to find ways to genuinely involve my students in the process. January 16, 2013, Messalonskee High School, RSU 18, 4:00 to 6:15 Leone Donovan, Visual Arts, Messalonskee High School, RSU 18
Formative and Summative Assessment – Two Big  Words with Practical Applications in an Art Class – Participants will create a clay sculpture and get a hands-on understanding of both formative and summative assessment as part of the creative problem-solving process January 16, 2013, Messalonskee High School, RSU 18, 4:00 to 6:15 Gloria Hewett, visual arts, grades 6-8, Mount View Middle School, RSU 3
Literacy – A Gateway to Creativity – This workshop shows how literacy strategies can be utilized to improve students’ ability to analyze artwork. Stronger art analysis abilities can change and improve students’ understanding of their own creative problem-solving process.  Assessments are discussed as a vital part of this process. January 16, 2013, Messalonskee High School, RSU 18, 4:00 to 6:15 Pamela Ouellette, visual arts, Lisbon High School
Theatre Games: Learning By Doing – Using a Theatre-based rubric allows any teacher to assess students using the MLRs, thus “hitting” standards that may not have been accessible before.  Theatre techniques will be taught to show how to enhance curriculum/learning in any subject area. January 25, 26, 2013, Mt. Ararat High School Susan Jones, chorus, theatre, social studies, Medomak Valley High School, RSU 40
A journey into the 21st Century – Changing the Way I Teach!  – Come along on my journey as I talk about the changes I am making in my Keyboarding Class to fit the learning styles of all my students! January 26, 2013, District I Music Festival, Noble High School, North Berwick Jane Kirton, chorus, keyboarding, music for the soul, Sanford High School
Assessment, A Self Help Program for the Art Teacher – My journey to understanding the power of authentic assessment and using technology to manage student product and track student growth. TBA Danette Kerrigan, Visual Art, Sacopee Valley Middle School, MSAD 55
Sighting in Rubrics: How to Hit Educational Targets – This workshop revolves around the concept of General Rubrics and how they can be used to assess a variety of different products and processes. A good portion of the workshop involves assessment of student examples and discussion of how to interpret criteria using the rubric currently used in my classes. TBA Samantha Orchard, visual arts, Woodland Jr/Sr High School, Baileyville
Conditions for a Creative Classroom Using formative assessments to promote creative thinking and student voice in the classroom. TBA Suzanne Southworth, visual arts, Camden Hills Regional High School
The Sweet Spot: Where Learning Meets Engagement              This presentation discusses the importance of engaging students in their learning and tools that can support them. TBA Barbie Weed, visual art, grades 5-8, Gray-New Gloucester Middle School, MSAD 15
How can we meaningfully assess a large and diverse student population in music classrooms?      A brief overview of: why to assess, formative verses summative, when to use which type, examples of different assessments, and Q & A TBA Andrea Wollstadt, music, grades k-5, Biddleford Intermediate School, John F. Kennedy Memorial School, Biddeford
Assessment: To Educate and Advocate!There are many benefits to bringing authentic assessment into the music classroom. This workshop will discuss fundamental core benefits by identifying connections to the student, the community at large and the classroom teacher. In doing so, the case is made for utilizing assessment as a core component of the educational landscape for all Arts educators. TBA Jarika Olberg, choral/general music, grades 2-12, Waynflete School, Portland

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Maine Learning Community of Learners Website

September 10, 2012

What is MaineLearning.net?

MaineLearning.net is an online community of practice for Maine educators. The idea for MaineLearning.net was established after Stephen Bowen, the Commissioner of Education, learned from touring the state in March 2011, of the desire for sharing resources and best practices amongst and between educators.

Thus was born MaineLearning.net: a project designed to leverage limited resources by creating an online collaboration platform that allows groups of educators to share best practices in their areas of specialty, and allows all educators to observe and/or participate.

Currently the Department of Education has rolled out the site with an initial set of practice groups. Arts education has a “Group” called Maine Arts Education Leaders. The intent of the group is to have discussions, share documents, and participate in online activities to collect and share best practices. This is a collaborative space that provides the opportunity for conversations on arts education topics to share ideas, ask questions, and provide feedback to the group members. Along with me (Argy Nestor) the community is made up of the following educators:

  • Jeff Beaudry
  • Bill Buzza
  • Shannon Campbell
  • Cami Carter
  • Suzanne Goulet
  • Charlie Johnson
  • Lisa Marin
  • Jen Nash
  • Leah Olson
  • Jame Perkins
  • Catherine Ring
  • Ben Speed

Each of the MaineLearning.net practice groups follow the “fishbowl” model: group members can collaborate within their group space, but all interested educators, parents, and community members will be able to view the conversations and resources. The topic we are presently discussing is “proficiency based high school graduation”. I suggest you take a minute and read what these arts educators are saying.

In another space in MaineLearning.net arts educators are submitting to the “Resources” section. During the summer Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Summer Institute for the initiative’s teacher leaders the first phase teacher leaders started populating this site with sample lessons and units. The teacher leaders are working on a method for “peer review” of the resources submitted which will provide the contributor with feedback. If you are interested in contributing click on “Recommend a Learning Object” at the top of the Resources page.

The teacher leaders who have contributed resources to date are:

  • Shannon Campbell
  • Jennie Driscoll
  • Charlie Johnson
  • Lisa Marin
  • Jen Nash
  • Jeff Orth
  • MaryEllen Schaper
  • Jake Sturtevant
  • Alice Sullivan
  • Shari Tarleton

The resource section of MaineLearning.net is open to all however you will notice at this time that most of the resources submitted are from arts educators.

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What Happens After Teacher Leaders Meet?

August 13, 2012

Teacher Leaders Meet in Maine and in DC

Interestingly enough on the day after our Maine Arts Assessment Institute finished, a teacher leader conversation was taking place in Washington DC. It was hosted by the US Department of Education and it was called Transforming the Teaching Profession: A Teacher Leader Convening. Over 130 educators attended the event representing about 28 organizations. The educators were asked to identify priorities and develop strategies to move the RESPECT Project vision forward. The RESPECT Project is about envisioning a teacher profession for the 21st century and includes plans for teacher leadership, teacher preparation and other topics that directly relate to the teacher in the classroom. The educators in DC discussed what the USDOE needs to do to move the components of the RESPECT Project forward.

During the last part of the one-day event in DC the small group discussions were shared with the USDOE and White House officials and questions and answers were exchanged. Many times educators get together and walk away from similar events wondering whatever happened to those ideas that were so important at the time of discussion? A teacher asked “what’s next?”

When Secretary of Education Duncan launched the RESPECT Project he noted: “This new vision will not appear overnight… It will proceed in different ways in each state and district. There will be no single formula for success.”
When I read the information on the project and thought about the work we are doing in Maine arts education with the assessment initiative I couldn’t help but have similar thoughts. Each Maine arts educator has been invited to participate in the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI). We have 38 who have been named Teacher Leaders in the last two years. Many of you have participated in the workshops offered by the teacher leaders, some at the statewide conference and others at regional levels. Many have participated in the 7 webinars when they took place and others have accessed them and used at teachers meetings. In the near future there will be other opportunities. The bottom line is that the MAAI will proceed in different ways in districts across the state of Maine.

Visual Arts Teacher Leaders Gloria Hewett and Janie Snider at the MAAI summer institute, MECA, August 2012

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Maine Arts Assessment Inititiave Institute

August 10, 2012

Reflection

Today marks a week since the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Summer Institute has ended. Over and over again this week I have marveled at the dedication and commitment of the 34 teacher leaders who spent 4 days at Maine College of Art (MECA) learning about assessment, leadership, technology, and creativity. Since we returned home the communications via email, snail mail, phone, skype, and on the teacher leader wiki have been numerous. Each teacher leader is creating a workshop that they will present at the regional level at least twice. Each of you will have the opportunity to attend those workshops. The dates and times will be determined in the next couple of months so watch for the details on the blog.

I want to publicly thank the teacher leaders for their willingness to share their important work with you. And a great big thank you to the leadership team who worked tirelessly to plan the summer institute! Below is a group photo that was taken just before we left MECA.

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Day 4: Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Institute

August 9, 2012

Presentations, questions, next steps

The last day of the 4-day summer institute gave the teacher leaders from the second phase of the MAAI the opportunity to share their ideas for regional workshops. The opportunity was equally valuable for the leadership team and the first phase teacher leaders to learn from the presentations. The topics varied as much as the 20 teacher leaders do in their learning and teaching.

Part of the afternoon was spent on formative assessment “in action” through MLTIs (Maine Learning Technology Initiative) version of Jeopardy. The game was created by Tim Hart who works for Apple with MLTI and the questions were created by the teacher leaders from the first phase. It was a great fun and an example of how formative assessment doesn’t have to be stressful and serious. The categories matched our work for the week: Assessment, Technology, Leadership, and Creativity.

The day concluded with participants providing feedback including their “takeaways”. I’ve included some of the points so you can get an idea of the opportunity that these teacher leaders had and some of what they will take into their classrooms, schools, and regions.

TAKEAWAYS:

  • The creative process is teachable and assessable.
  • Lots of awesome arts teachers in Maine.
  • The MAAI is growing strong.
  • None of us are as smart as all of us.
  • Some ideas about sparking creativity.
  • There is a broad spectrum of understanding w/regard to standards.
  • Ways of creating digital portfolios.
  • Different methods that can be used to track progress.
  • There are many ways to approach delivery of content.
  • New people and what they’re doing.
  • Bento (data)
  • News: Nationally & State.
  • Creative thinking/problem solving.
  • SCAMPER
  • Where we are with Core and National Standards.
  • How to make the computer talk.
  • How to engage 30+ people in activities that are fun and they can learn.
  • We are all resources and can learn from each other.
  • I’ve learned a better understanding of formative vs. summative assessment.
  • More techniques for meaningful assessments.
  • Numerous resources and where to go for more information on any topic we discussed.
  • New Skills – technology, vocabulary.
  • New colleagues, friends & collaborators.
  • Renewed energy, we can do this.
  • Technology info. i.e. – MTLI minutes – note-share, script, sketch-up, etc.
  • A ton of resources books, online sites.
  • Ideas from discussions w/peers.
  • Activities & Assessments I can use w/my students i.e. consensogram, stickies, games.
  • Become a strong leader.
  • Assessing is important for everyone involved.
  • MLTI!!
  • There are many colleagues out there, willing to help!
  • The arts are Central, not peripheral.
  • Assessments can be straight forward & clear, not as scary as first thought!
  • Maine Learning.Net
  • Connections/Friendships
  • More confidence in myself & the Initiative.
  • Creativity Research
  • A better understanding of Standards-based assessment.
  • Data collection tools.
  • Quantifying, creative thinking/learning.
  • New energy and thinking process.
  • Inspirations.
  • Respect.
  • Using mind maps is very helpful.
  • HOW POWERFUL IS PASSION!
  • Apply what I’ve learned regarding assessment (Just do it).
  • Continue communication and observation of great educational leaders.
  • I can do this!
  • Other educators have problems similar to mine.
  • Arts teachers are really enthusiastic.
  • I know more than I thought I did.
  • I can use new technology and enjoy it!

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Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Summer Institute

July 30, 2012

First day

The last week has been crazy, busy getting ready for the summer institute which starts this morning. The Maine Department of Education’s second summer institute of the Maine Arts Assessment Institute gets underway today at Maine College of Art Thirty five teacher leaders started arriving in Portland yesterday to be ready for the early start at Maine College of Art. The leadership team met to go over the details of the daily schedule and participants continued to communicate electronically.

Over the past six weeks the 20 phase 2 teacher leaders have been communicating on the initiative wiki by responding to questions and having conversations on assessment, leadership, and technology. The standards based, student centered institute will continue to ask questions and provide the time for participants to discuss ideas, share practice, and explore options. Two essential ideas identified by Stiggins in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning:

  1. Teachers must be masters of the five standards of assessment quality in order to communicate accurate, dependable assessment information to any audience or assessment user.
  2. Students are the key users of assessment information and one of the best practices for teachers to improve student use of assessment information is to involve them directly in classroom assessment in appropriate ways as much as possible. 

    Throughout the week I will blog on the institute and keep you posted on the progress. I am excited about the possibilities and opportunities this provides, not only directly for the institute’s participants but for all Maine arts teachers and arts classes this could reach. One outcome of the week is that the teacher leaders will put together a workshop to present at the regional level. This allows the initiative to come to your region of the state! This work aligns with the Department’s strategic plan Education Evolving.

     

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Arts Assessment Teacher Leaders: Phase 2

May 14, 2012

Look to your arts education leaders

Almost exactly one year ago the teacher leaders were announced for the first phase of the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative. I am excited to write this blog post to let you know who has been selected for the second phase of the initiative. During the summer they will attend a 4-day professional development institute at Maine College of Art in Portland expanding their knowledge in assessment, leadership, and technology. During the 2012-13 school year the teacher leaders will lead regional workshops throughout Maine. Watch for the blog posts with more information on the opportunities provided by the second phase of the initiative! CONGRATULATIONS to the following arts educators for stepping forward and taking on this important work across Maine! Continuing with the initiative for the second phase are almost all of our teacher leaders from last year! Thank you for your continued support, interest, and for taking on the role of leader!

DANCE EDUCATOR

  • CARMEL COLLINS, Lake Region High School

MUSIC EDUCATORS

  • ANDREA WOLLSTADT – Biddeford Intermediate School, grades 4 and 5, John F. Kennedy School, grade K
  • ANDRIA CHASE – Corinth Schools, grades 4-12
  • ASHLEY SMITH – Brunswick High School, grades 9-12
  • BONNIE ATKINSON – Machias School District, grades K-5
  • DREW ALBERT – Maranacook School District, grades 5-12
  • JANE KIRTON – Sanford High School, grades 9-12
  • JARIKA OLBERG – Waynflete School, grades 4-12
  • MARI-JO HEDMAN – Ft. Fairfield Schools, grades K-12
  • SARAH WILLIAMS – Glenburn School, grades 2-8

VISUAL ART EDUCATORS

  • BARB WEED – Gray-New Gloucester Middle School, grades 6-8
  • DANETTE KERRIGAN – Sacoppee Valley Middle School, grades 6-8
  • GLORIA HEWETT – Mount View Middle School, grades 6-8
  • LEONE DONOVAN – Messalonskee High School, grades 9-12
  • PAM OUELLETTE – Lisbon High School, grades 9-12
  • SAMANTHA DAVIS – Sumner Memorial High School, grades 9-12
  • SUSAN BEAULIER – Ashland Schools, grades K-12
  • SUZANNE SOUTHWORTH – Camden Hills Regional High School, grades 9-12

The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative wiki is located at http://maineartsassessment.pbworks.com. The Maine Department of Education has a webpage devoted to the initiative at http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa.

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