This and That

A few good stories

I have been cleaning out as I start 2012 and found over 20 drafts for blog posts. Each of the segments below could be full blog posts however, in the nature of “cleaning up” I have compiled them into a “this and that” post because I didn’t want to leave any out. Enjoy! There may be another post similar to this one since there are still 14 drafts!

• Gospel for Teens: 60 – minute segment

This is a story about a woman named Vy Higginsen who brings young people together each weekend in Harlem to study gospel music. Her original intent was to save the music however it has turned into a much greater project. She has auditions each fall for 13-19 year olds to select the participants. Vy says: “Learning the music of gospel as an artform.” And a comment from a viewer: “In Gospel for Teens, we see in the faces of the youth how lives are transformed when they are granted a vehicle of expression.” I suggest you take a look at these when you have a few minutes to view them them from beginning to end.

View Part 1 by clicking here.

View Part 2 by clicking here.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

• TEDx: Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes

A teacher describes her teaching experience with experiential learning. Students using their own voice to explore their learning. She has taught in several schools in different states and presently in a school in PA with one 2 one laptops.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

• STEM/STEAM

Article from the Art of Science Learning written by Martin Storksdieck that you can read by clicking here.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

• World Children

The International Child Art Foundation has served as the leading art and creativity organization for American children and their international counterparts since 1997.  ICAF organized the Arts Olympiad, hosts the World Children’s Festival, and publishes the ChildArt magazine for the development of students’ creativity and empathy. The link below will take you to the Children’s World Festival celebrating peace and diversity. Please click here to learn more. And one of Maine’s students artwork will be included in the event. Read about it by clicking here.

• Art and Neuroscience

For Art and Neuroscience check out this article about an exhibit at the Franklin Institute on Automaton. Please click here.

• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Providing opportunities for artists to pursue their learning and creating the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation website gives you an overview and information. Please click here.

Thank you to Nancy Salmon for sharing this link.

• Karen Montanaro on the theater

When well-coached and inspired, kids are miraculous performers . . . and, they all deserve the opportunity to feel the nervousness and thrill of performing . . . shining as brightly as the spot-light they stand in.

Suzanne Farrell (George Balanchine’s muse) is quoted as saying, “The only place to learn is ‘out there,’ on the edge, when the beginning and end of your career hinges on that one performance, that one moment.”

Even though kids aren’t looking for a performing career, there is something about “being on stage” that demands their total commitment to every word they speak, every gesture they make, and every stage-direction they follow.  They also experience the dynamic interplay between themselves, the other performers and the audience.  In fact, I think the stage teaches one of life’s biggest lessons . . . the universal appeal of one’s vitality, awareness, presence and spontaneity.

Karen gives her permission to quote her with the above statement on the theatre.

• Education Week article

The article written by Eric Fox for the December 13th issue is called “Every Student Is At Risk. I found it has ‘food for thought’ and recommend it. Please click here.

• Art Knowledge News

I am not sure when I stumbled upon this site but it has some good information that you might want to check out. Please click here.

• Leighton Art

Mrs. Girbino is an art teacher for grade 3, 4, and 5 at Leighton Elementary School. She has a blog with many wonderful ideas and examples of her students’ art work. You can check it out by clicking here.

• Victoria Wyeth’s grandfather Andrew said…

“My grandfather taught me a valuable lesson, that there are a lot of boring people out there, the more unusual the people you hang out with, the more fun you’re going to have.”