Arts Teachers and Teaching Artists come together
Yesterday was the first day of the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Summer Institute. Over 50 educators including PK-12 arts teachers and teaching artists participated in the professional development opportunity. Theater artist Jeri Pitcher started the institute with warm up and ice breaker techniques, Maine Arts Commission Executive Director welcomed participants, and Jeff Beaudry provided an overview on assessment.
Quickly following participants jumped into the their respective strands. The topic for the new MALI teacher leaders and teaching artists (including teaching artists leaders) was proficiency and assessment literacy while returning teacher leaders reflected and shared on their past years work.
The three days are designed to meet the particular needs of the groups so what proceeded was the chance to go deeper on these topics with creativity at the heart of the teaching artists conversation. Maine Arts Commission Senior Grants Manager Kathy Shaw provided information on the funding available from the Commission. The other two groups began work considering a topic to research that will impact their teaching and student learning.
Participants shared lunch with their like content areas before an afternoon of advocacy, messaging, and conversations about what the benefits of teaching artists in PK-12 schools. Ideas and lists were generated, questions asked and answered.
In between the group work participants have been asked to write a statement on why they teach and to reflect on their day to day work as leaders. The MALI summer institute continues for two more days. Participants will continue their work around the topics in arts education that are most important to them and their students.
To learn more about MALI CLICK HERE.
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