Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI)
Teachers are registering for the MALI Mega at USM Portland and I invite you to register as well. It is scheduled for Wednesday, January 4 at on the Portland campus of USM. The sessions and descriptions are included below and registration is available by CLICKING HERE.
Dates and Locations
There are six Megas offered this year, at this time registration is available for those underlined.
- Monday, November 21, 2016 Ellsworth High School – GREAT conference!
- Wednesday, January 4, 2017 USM, Portland – Registration is open!
- Thursday, February 2, 2017 UMaine, Orono – Registration coming soon
- Friday, March 17, 2017 Hebron Station School, Hebron (Oxford Hills) – Registration coming soon
- Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Easton Schools, Aroostook County
- Wednesday, April 26, 2017 UMaine, Orono – Theatre conference, registration is open! Free!
The cost to attend each Mega is $25 (unless otherwise indicated). Contact hours for full participation – 5.5 contact hours. The Megas provide multiple opportunities for the Maine Arts education community to engage in professional development specific to come together to deepen our knowledge, make connections, and learn from each other!
SESSIONS MEGA USM
SESSION I
The Role of the Digital Portfolio in Arts Advocacy, Assessment, and Student Ownership Learning

Jackie Bousquet Traip Academy Visual Art
“Making Art History Come to Life with iBooks Author”
Student’s Reflective Voice: Using the Artist Statement
This workshop, participants will explore the ways in which student voice and understanding within visual art creation can be expanded upon with the use of reflective writing using an Artist Statement. Grades 7-12
Melanie Crowe Marshwood Middle School, Grades 6-8 Visual Art
Assessing Singing in the Primary Grades
This workshop offers methodical strategies for assessing young children’s singing. Assessment logistics and tried and trusted rubrics will be provided as examples, along with ideas for formative assessment including self assessment. Grades K-4
Patti Gordan Raymond Elementary School, Grade K-4 Music
More Cowbell
Using Multiple Intelligences to Teach Students with Disabilities
Learn how teaching using multiple intelligence can be a way to unlock learning goals for students with disabilities. All grade levels. All content.
Brigid Rankowski Teaching Artist
SLOs – Student Learning Objectives
The workshop will give a brief overview of Chapter 180, and focus on writing and implementing SLOs. Time will be provided to practice writing SLOs and receive feedback All grade levels. All content.
MaryEllen Schaper Bonney Eagle Middle School, Grades 6-8 Dance
SESSION II
Stars and Stairs
Stars and Stairs, Where am I now and Where am I going? How can the use of Stars and Stairs in your classroom help to inform you and your students of their learning progression and actively engage them in the learning process. This will be a round table discussion. Looking at your standards and your curriculum how can you use the Stars and Stairs model in your classroom. All grade levels. All content.
Writing Across the Curriculum in a Performing Arts Classroom
Writing is a life skill that is of critical importance to our students. I will share ways in which I have incorporated writing composition and critical responses in to my dance classroom. All grades levels. All content.
Emma Campbell Thornton Academy Dance
Including Students with Disabilities in Your Art Classroom Using iMovie

Use stations and sites fostering independence to help students collect assets for creating art infused iMovie productions. This session will showcase how a green screen and some photos can provide opportunities for all learners to showcase their creative side. MLTI MacBooks with the most current version of iMovie is encouraged. All content. All grade levels.
Lindsey Carnes MLTI Apple Learning Specialist
Reflections on Standards Based teaching and Learning

In this workshop participants will discuss ways to connect students with standards, methods of to make SBL visible for students and the use of a matrix to document teaching opportunities that are standards based. Grades 6-12
Jennie Driscoll Brunswick High School Visual Art
Beginning with early Atari and Nintendo video games, the 8-bit aesthetic has been a part of our culture for over 30 years. No longer just nostalgia art, contemporary 8-bit artists and chiptunes musicians have elevated the form to new levels of creativity and cultural reflection. In this session, we will focus on tools that assist in creating 8-bit images, animations, and music. Please bring your MLTI MacBook. All grade levels.
Tim Hart MLTI Apple Learning Specialist
“Something from Nothing” or Costuming on a Budget
Hot glue, curtains, table cloths, children’s sleds, and ribbon – what do they all have in common? They can be ingeniously used to create authentic costumes for all plays. Armed with this knowledge, you can devise a lesson in the designing of costumes for the stage for your students. If time permits, participants can brainstorm possible resources and ways to include students. Grades 9-12
Jean Phillips Wiscasset High School Theatre
Music Curriculum SLOs
Building SLO and Data Points from your Music Curriculum. Grades K-8
Cynthia Streznewski Woolwich Central School, Grades K-8 Music
About MALI
In the spring of 2011, the Maine Department of Education launched the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI). During the summer of 2015 after gathering feedback from the initiative’s Teacher Leaders the name was changed to the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI). Presently in phase six, the Maine Arts Commission continues to provide professional learning opportunities for educators. The mission was changed to reflect the present work underway. The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (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.
Thank you to the MALI partners for your collaborative work with MALI: Maine Department of Education, Maine Art Education Association, Maine Music Educators Association, New England Institute for Teacher Education, University of Southern Maine, and UMaine Performing Arts.