Update: Arts Assessment Courses Available

Jackie McTigue, Glenburn and Sue Beaulier, Ashland look at student exemplars

Bangor and Augusta

In January, a group of visual art educators met with faculty instructor, Catherine Ring, to begin a course in Refining Arts Assessment in the Visual Art Classroom in Bangor.  This was a great opportunity to bring together art educators who really do not have a lot of time to collaborate with each other. Looking at student art work, sharing how to assess student work according to standards, and participating in some very lively discussions were the name of the game. Many wonderful resources and ideas were shared. Participants are looking forward to more rich dialogue, and exciting discoveries of things they can do to improve student learning in Visual Art classrooms around Maine!

Katy Helman, Deer Isle-Stoningon and other art teachers in an animated discussion of student work

Does this partially meet, meet, or exceed proficiency?  How do we know our students are learning concepts and skills?  Are we teaching through standards-based instruction?  How do we measure creativity?  How does an art teacher balance the need to teach art skills and techniques and still encourage student ownership and creativity?   These are just some of the questions teachers tackled in the recent class in Bangor.  If you missed that opportunity, another course at Falmouth High School is happening on March 9, 10 and May 4 and 5.  There are still some openings in that class, though they are filling up fast!  Be sure to save a spot by registering for the course: Refining Arts Education in the Visual Art Classroom K-12 at Falmouth High School.

To register for upcoming courses, contact Catherine Ring (207) 367-5807 or visit the New England Institute for Teacher Education at www.newenglandinstitute.org.

Jake Sturtevant presents on Standards-Based Instruction in the Music Room

On February 10, faculty instructor, Jake Sturtevant, greeted music educators from Deer Isle, Millinocket, Waterville, and Nobleboro in the first session of the course, Refining Assessment in the Music Classroom, at the Arboretum in Augusta. Jake presented on standards-based teaching in the music room, shared many resources (including ways to use technology) and fielded questions from how to give grades in a standards-based classroom to when to use formative and summative assessments. Jake is a Teacher Leader with the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative and has led seminars on music assessment at conferences and regional workshops around Maine.

Sue Barre, Waterville, Eileen York, Deer Isle, and Kris Vigue, Millinocket

These teacher-friendly courses are held in two weekend sessions and are offered for three graduate credits through the New England Institute’s partnership with Endicott College. If you are interested in bringing an arts assessment course to your area, please contact Catherine Ring, Executive Director, New England Institute for Teacher Education, PO Box 460, Stonington, Maine 04681 (207) 367-5807 or visit the website www.newenglandinstitute.org.

Thank you to Catherine Ring, member of the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Leadership team, for contributing this blog post.