Summer MAEA Opportunity

Going to summer camp

REGISTRATION

Monson Arts

Wicked visual art summer opportunity

Monson Arts is offering Maine art educators a 25% discount on its 2023 summer workshops.  Monson Arts, established by the Libra Foundation in 2018, offers residencies for artists and writers, community based programs, and summer workshops.  This year’s workshops include offerings in audio, mixed-media, painting, weaving, and writing.  There is also 24 hour studio access. For more information: https://monsonarts.org/workshops/.

Besides ample studio spaces and newly renovated accommodations, participants eat all their meals at The Quarry Restaurant.  It’s the only restaurant in Maine to be a finalist for a James Beard Foundation award this year.

Monson is the last town before the 100 Mile Wilderness of the Appalachian Trail.  A beautiful natural setting, great workshop leaders, studios, and food!  Questions?  Email information@monsonarts.org or call 207 997 2070.

AI – Save Humanity?

Beginning conversations

Recently I joined a book group. I’ve never been part of a formal ‘book group’ (secret is out). I’ve never been interested and truth be told its only recently that I’ve been reading books at a very fast rate, now that my schedule allows. I like this book group for several reasons. It’s pretty non-traditional, no one book is read and discussed like in traditional book groups. Actually, its one of the reasons I decided to join the group. We gather over lunch monthly and each participant shares books, films, podcasts and other forms of stories and ideas. The participants are retired educators who have a keen interest in education and other interesting and sometimes challenging topics. At our April gathering we each shared a poem in recognition of National Poetry Month.

At more than one gathering the conversation has included AI – Artificial Intelligence. I’m certain as we learn more that the conversation will continue. I’m reading and learning about what AI is, where it is, and the potential impact on the world. A 60 Minutes episode from a couple of weeks ago provides foundational information that I suggest you take the time to VIEW. It’s very informative and important as educators that we inform ourselves.

You can google AI and come up with the definition but until you begin to ‘see’ and experiment with the online tools I’m not sure it will provide you with the understanding to consider the impact on education. For example, think about this: The sum of all human knowledge is online. AI is replicating the brain. What are the implications on education? What is the impact on art making? AI can solve problems in very little time compared to the brain. Is humanity diminished because of the enormous capability of AI?

Visual artist Jonas Peterson is creating art work using AI. His collection of art called Youth is wasted on the young is an amazing collection that is his way of celebrating the ‘old’ and a comment on ageism. He used fashion to highlight the personalities of older people. Jonas is a photographer but in this collection he uses AI to create scenes, the people and what they’re wearing. In his own words:

I give specific direction using words only to a program, lenses, angles, camera choice, color theme, colors, styling, backgrounds, attitude and overall look and the AI goes to work, it sends back suggestions and more often than not it’s completely wrong, so I try other ways to describe what I’m after, change wording, move phrases around and try to get the AI to understand the mood. It’s frustrating mostly, the AI is still learning, but getting any collaborator to understand you can be difficult no matter if it’s a human or a machine. After a long stretch of trial and error I get closer to a style and look I want and after that it comes down to curation, picking the renders I believe go well together, I start making it a series. To me the process is similar to that of a film director’s, I direct the AI the same way they would talk to an actor or set designer, it’s a process, we try over and over again until we get it right. Should I get all the credit? God, no, the AI creates with my help and direction, it’s a collaboration between a real brain and an artificial one.

You might be thinking or asking, is this really art? Do I want my students to use this in their art making? Here are some of my thoughts and questions. AI exists in the world. Microsoft introduced ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, in November 2022. Bard is a conversational generative artificial intelligence and was released in March 2023. How should educators learn about AI? Should we leave it up to students to teach us? I’m sure that this will be the next wave of education professional development offerings, in person and online.

Jonas Peterson said:

I’m not here to debate the process, I’m a professional photographer, writer and artist myself, I understand the implications, how this will affect many creative fields in the future. I’m simply using a tool available to me to tell stories, the same way I’ve always told stories – to move people. To me that is the point of this, not how I did it. Dissecting something will almost always kill it.

You can learn more about Jonas’s work by googling him and also at this LINK.

I’m sure I’ll circle back to this topic in future blog posts. If you have questions or comments that we can all learn from please don’t hesitate to comment at the bottom of this blog post. Thanks!

Klangfarbenmelodie

Poem by manuel arturo abreu

As I said in my first blog post in April every morning I receive an email from Poem-a-Day put out by the Academy of American Poets. It’s a way to stretch my thinking in a different direction, reading poetry written by artists from varying backgrounds. I can read them or listen to them. I prefer listening since they’re often recited by the poet. On some days listening helps me center myself for the day ahead. Some poems are calming, others sad and some challenge my thinking.

I found this one fascinating and I learned what Klangfarbenmelodie means.

Klangfarbenmelodie

clock that measures the opposite of time
ancient pixel built from half a breath
the seed of a perfect moon

numbers don’t lie because they can’t tell the truth
the kindling space between a choice
& its airless shadow

a polite noumenon guides my dismay
with the grace of email for doves
originating in silence like all eternal things

joystruck demon of rain
the welas at the bus stop look like potatoes
in cellophane       the milk of their laughter

Anaisa’s mirror is her palm
a plangent yellow, bones of song
tracing lines of flight

Almost always at the end of the poem is About this Poem. Some days it takes me listening to this section to get a sense of what the poem is about and/or what the poet is conveying. This is one of those times but I’m sure music educators reading this are familiar with Klangfarbenmelodie.

“Klangfarbenmelodie (German for ‘sound-color melody’) is a musical technique that involves splitting a musical line or melody between several instruments, rather than assigning it to just one instrument (or set of instruments), thereby adding color (timbre) and texture to the melodic line. Serialists such as [Arnold] Schoenberg and [Anton] Webern are known for this approach to tone color. The technique is sometimes compared to ‘pointillism,’ a Neo-Impressionist painting technique. In this poem, I explore linguistic applications of this concept with reference to non-linear time, placemaking, and what Wilson Harris calls the ‘predatory coherence’ of quantized or Cartesian time (as opposed to Bergsonian ‘pure time’ or ‘duration’).”
—manuel arturo abreu

To learn more about the poem and are curious about a person who would write a poem about Klangfarbenmelodie go to THIS LINK. Enjoy and consider subscribing to Poem-a-Day.

National Poetry Month

Celebrate – April

“I’ll tell you a secret: we don’t read and write poetry because it’s pretty. We read and write poetry because we belong to the human race; and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, Law, Commerce, Engineering… they are noble and necessary races to dignify human life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love are things that keep us alive” – Dead Poets Society (1989), Robin Williams

Perhaps just because I am more tuned in to poetry at this point in my life but it seems like there are so many more poetry resources and a ton of information on the topic that comes into my email. My favorite poetry emails are from the Academy of American Poets. Everyday I get an email with a Poem-a-Day included. You can sign up for free. Not only is it in text but also a click away to a recording of someone reciting the poem, often the author. At the end of each poem is an ‘about this poem’ which gives a context for the poem. I find this very helpful since my ‘poetry education’ has been slight. In addition, there is information about the poet.

Each month there is a poet who serves as the ‘guest editor’. The host sometimes has a theme for the month and the daily poem connects with the theme. It’s an interesting way to absorb poetry. Most of the poems are very serious but not always. Sometimes the layout of the poem is non-traditional and it connects directly to visual art, which of course, I enjoy. I copy and paste my favorite poems into a word document and print it to keep in my ‘sayings and poetry’ book. I use this book when I’m looking for inspiration or to use in a handmade card. It is filled with my favorite sayings and poems, a lifetime of ‘good stuff’. I find a morning that starts with listening to a poem from the Academy of American Poets is a wonderful way to start the day. You might want to consider doing so for yourself or consider sharing with your students.

In celebration of National Poetry Month the Academy of American Poets is hosting their 20th annual Poetry & the Creative Mind. The event takes place online on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 7:30 and is open to the public. The poets include the following and the event will be hosted by Richard Blanco and Kimiko Hahn.

• Andrew Bird
• Alan Cumming
• Ethan Hawke
• Emily Igwike – National Students Poet Program
• Daniel Dae Kim
• Eric Kim
• Ada Limon – U.S. Poet Laureate
• Jonathan Majors
• Shantell Martin
• Liam Neeson
• Rosie Perez
• Molly Shannon
• Malala Yousafzai

This is a fund raiser however, it’s not necessary to contribute to attend. The proceeds support National Poetry Month and the Academy of American Poets Education Program, providing thousands of free resources to teachers.

You can register for this event for FREE at THIS LINK. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to include poetry in your life in a new way!

MAEA Spring Conference

Maine Art Education Association

eARTh
​”The earth without art is just eh”

2023  Maine Art Education Association Spring Conference Retreat

Location: The Ecology School at River Farm 184 Simpson Road, Saco, Maine​

​Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30, 2023

$250.00 – one night (Saturday), 5 meals
2 people per room.

$350.00 – two nights (Friday and Saturday), 5 meals 

​2 people per room.

$175.00 – Commuter Rate (zero nights), 5 meals 

Optional linens are available at $40.00 payable to The Ecology School at the registration table.

*Must be a MAEA member to attend. ​If you are not a current member, join HERE!
​

Reciprocal membership for out-of-state art education associations.

Join us and attend in-person studio workshops in comfortable yurts!  The Conference Retreat cost includes one Saturday overnight stay with check-in on Saturday and 3 meals will be served: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Sunday includes two meals:  breakfast and lunch.  Add-ons for 1-day early check-in ($100) and linens ($40) will be offered.

Meals: Guests will be treated to farm-fresh, local, and nutritious foods during community building meals in our beautiful Dinning Commons. Coffee, tea, and fruit are always available. 
​
Lodging: During a two-day, one-night conference at The Ecology School, up to 72 guests may stay in our unique dormitory building. Rooms are doubles. There are two or three shared bathrooms per floor, floor dependent. It has been built according to the rigorous sustainability standards of the Living Building Challenge and promotes sustainable actions in everyday routines and facilitates conservation and mindfulness in community living practices.

Downtime: A 3.5-mile trail system is blazed throughout the 105-acre property, great for walking or running. 

Join in your choice of 4 studio workshops for hands-on experiences plus additional optional program elements that could include a Living Building Challenge Tour, a Field Ecology workshop, or a Food is Ecology Lab. Possibly join the Astronomical Society of Northern New England for an evening under the stars Saturday night after attending the MAEA Art Educator of the Year Awards Ceremony! Celebrate Earth Day 2023 and create art expressed through earth-conscious ways!  Experiment with Demetri Martin’s quote as you submit your studio workshop proposals or volunteer to assist workshop leading educators and/or teaching artists!

Register HERE!

Conference Schedule:

The Ecology School at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine, proudly hosts the MAEA’s 2023 Spring Conference Retreat.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DAYTIME SCHEDULES:
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM:  Check-in, Move in,  and Registration
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM:  Morning Workshop Sessions
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM:  Lunch and The Ecology School Presentations
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM:  Afternoon Workshop Sessions
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM:  Dinner

Saturday Evening, APRIL 29TH, 2023 
AWARDS CEREMONY AND OUTDOOR PROGRAM
7:30 PM – 8:15 PM:  MAEA Art Educator of the Year Awards Ceremony
8:30 PM – 10:30 PM:  Star Gazing Format  by The Astronomical Society of Northern New England 

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: APRIL 10, 2023

One Boy’s Story

Imagination, Focus, and Autism

I love this story and the way it is presented for the viewer to stop and listen and think. The creativity and Anthony’s autism remind me of the importance of doing all three. What does each child have hidden inside them? How do I support young people to tap into their passion? The support of his mother is amazing, something I wish for all children. Anthony is using his tools and creativity that contribute to his success now and hopefully into the future. I can only imagine what the future holds for this child.

The Boy Who Loves Cars

The Boy Who Loves Cars

Book Arts Making a Difference School Wide

Gardiner High School

Periodically I have learning opportunities that are so pleasurable! I am grateful that I have more flexibility in my schedule at this point in my life to consider options. Last fall I participated in a Book Arts class that took place at a beautiful location, a stones throw from Mussel Ridge Channel, in the mid-coast called 26 Split Rock Cove located in S. Thomaston. 26 Split Rock Cove is owned by artist and poet Sandy Weisman who moved to Maine in 2010 after working at Massachusetts College of Art as the director of museum education.

It was fun to take the class alongside retired Bangor High School art teacher Kal Elmore. It was like a mini-Haystack workshop with a variety of people (artists, educators, and creatives) attending. A pleasant surprise was meeting Gardiner Area High School (GAHS) science teacher Sharon Gallant.

This wasn’t the first book making class that Sharon had taken. In fact, in the summer of 2021 she had taken a week-long bookmaking summer class at the University of Southern Maine. At the conclusion of the class Sharon was so excited that she wrote a grant to Oak Grove for funds to support a school wide book making project. Her goal for the 2021-22 school year was simple but enormous – transition the school/subjects/teachers and students from paper and pencil to creating books. Sharon provided book art training to staff. We all know the value of professional development for teachers and when a staff come together to learn, community is created and expanded upon. In this case Sharon noticed that the staff confidence grew, classrooms opened to possibilities for projects, and conversation was stimulated among staff implementing projects as curriculum options were considered.

“Participants discussed ways they might use the book art samples in their classes in the varying content areas in the upcoming year. Participants were informed of the grant and the opportunities for supplies to be checked out from the library, prep of supplies by students doing community service, and support from us. In November (2021) and in March (2022), 21 staff members across all content areas participated in learning book art creation techniques.”

You might be asking WHAT? and wondering WHY! This is an example of one teacher getting excited about something learned, trying it in her classroom and understanding the potential of student learning all because of making books!

Librarian Debra Butterfield has been incredibly supportive and added so much to the project. A room off of the library was set up to store the materials and provides access for students to check out the materials, the same as library books. The school has a community service component as part of high school graduation. Debra worked with three trained student volunteers and as other students saw volunteers using professional cutting machines and a variety of tools provided by the grant, other students offered to volunteer. The student volunteers have grown to twenty who are not involved in sports or other clubs. The preparation of materials before, during, and after school has connected them to GAHS in a meaningful way. One student stated, “ I love preparing book art materials because I see in classes how much teachers and students appreciate that the supplies are prepped for them.” Volunteers have learned the importance of quality control, deadlines, and school service.

After I met Sharon at the Book Arts workshop we arranged a day for me to visit GAHS. I spent time with students in the social studies class with teacher Susan LeClair. Students were totally engaged in creating accordion books on The Great Depression and New Deal. The approach was structured but flexible, the materials plentiful, the atmosphere was supportive, relaxed and creative. The classroom was set up similarly to a ‘workshop model’. Students are introduced to history material, art materials and techniques at different intervals in the book making process. They work independently understanding their goals using a rubric based on a total of 100 points.

• Causes of the Great Depression – 50 points
• New Deal Programs – 50 points
• Illustration – 25 points
• Organization – 25 points

Susan is a veteran teacher having seen many changes during her teaching career. She shared that students had become passive, going through the motions of learning, memorizing for the test and to obtain a good grade. Many immediately forgetting material as soon as information was spit out for the paper and pencil test. Making books provided the opportunity for students to demonstrate learning in an engaging way. Understanding and retention of the material was evident as they created the story using illustrations. Not to mention students were proud of their creations.

As the school year, 2021-22 continued the ideas morphed and grew. Sharon’s description of what followed, thanks to the enthusiasm of teachers and the grant funding:

We have supported a range of projects this year with our support with instruction in classes. Following is a sample of some of the projects implemented this year that replace traditional paper and pencil assessment. A biology teacher created nature journals with compartments for collecting samples. A foreign language teacher had year four students create illustrated children’s literature books and then hosted a student lead reading to other foreign language levels. Social studies teachers have created a variety of projects as they have learned about the founding of our country, abolitionists, immigration, and world cultures. English teachers are currently having students create illustrated poetry selections for National Poetry Month, a showcase for learning from a variety of texts read this school year, and another focused on the exploration of fairy tales. Our library is physically in the center of our school with an English/social studies wing on one side and a science/math wing on the other. Historically students have rarely shared about their assessments for learning from one side of the building to another. Book art, however, has changed the culture. It has been a connecting force with students talking with each other across classes and disciplines. Through these projects, we have had a focus on developing templates as rough drafts and this repeated experience has fostered a habit of mind focused on quality, planning, and revision that we see transferring to research, the writing process, and scientific inquiry. This has been an unexpected benefit of the grant. Students have been more present in their learning and deepened their own personal expectations for quality. One student stated, “Thank you so much for letting me make a book to show what I know. I don’t test well, and I’ve never felt the teacher knows what I know.”

Beyond projects in the classrooms, we have offered opportunities for students and staff to come together for after school sessions to learn advanced book art making techniques with holiday card making in December and Valentine card making in February. The sessions were intended from 2:00 to 3:30, but because students and staff were in the flow of creating together, the events lasted closer to 5:00 pm. Several students reflected on how amazing it was to be a learner along with their teachers. These experiences, which created amazing positive school energy, showed students the role that book art can play beyond the classroom for personal pleasure and engagement.

Due to such a positive response from students, we quickly realized that students needed a venue to showcase their impressive book art. We approached the art teacher, who has an annual K-12 art show, to feature book art as an added feature to expand the show to an art extravaganza. We have invited all students who have made a book to participate in the show. One student, who struggles academically, exclaimed in shock and delight, “You seriously want to show my book. No one has ever asked to have my work displayed!” This reaction alone exemplifies our belief that students need an alternative form of assessment. Book art fills that space.

No doubt about it, the excitement and impact that one person has made, the collaborative spirit and flexibility of staff and the support from administration has all come together to make a huge difference in teaching and learning at GAHS. Evaluating the program helped determine the next steps for Year 2. And, funding helped again. Sharon’s words describe it best:

During our tremendous success with book art as an alternative form of assessment, we quickly realized that there was still work to be done. We have a large population of students without access to materials at home, a space at school to complete book art projects, and the need for additional after school enrichment experiences.

The first year of Turn the Page funding allowed us to introduce a new form of assessment and purchase materials for multiple classes to simultaneously work on these projects. While several class periods are devoted to time in class for these projects, to ensure the quality of work required to complete a book, students are asking to work on the books at home. With the additional funding, we created supply kits, issued through the school library catalog, with all necessary materials for students to bring home to further work on their books. Not only does this assist students who need more time, but it also makes it easier for those who are economically challenged to have access to all materials not available at home. Through all of the amazing success of year one, we did note the disparity between students who had home access to additional embellishment and those who struggled with the basics. These kits eliminate any barrier for success.

Book art has truly made a significant shift in our attempt to establish learning environments and experiences that feature collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum, and shared instruction. It also addresses various forms of inequity and empowers young adults to thrive at school.

GAHS’s commitment to responding to and making needed changes are exemplary. What an outstanding example filled with possibilities. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Sharon and visit the school to see the project in action! Are they proud of their accomplishments? You betcha; again in Sharon’s words:

We are very proud and grateful for what this grant has allowed us to do for professional development, student engagement, and expanded community connections. We have presented to the Plymouth State art class, at Viles for a pre-service teacher training , and a Saturday Maine Association of School Libraries conference session scheduled. Students have told us that they want to create with their hands, do meaningful projects, and have deep engagement with their learning.

Susan LeClair, Social Studies teacher – Sharon Gallant, Science teacher

Congratulations Rob Westerberg

NHS Award

Rob Westerberg is one-of-a-kind! With the clearest of eyes he can look over his shoulder and see where’s he has been, learn from his mistakes, and build on the successes. And, no, this isn’t about him but all about his students learning and successes. We’re fortunate to have Rob, not just in the field of education, but in the classroom. When he speaks, we know it is not about some pie-in-the-sky idea. He’s not spouting wisdom from an ivory office down the hall or in another building on campus or from a state agency but it’s from his experiences on that day with his high school students. He continually asks “why” and seeks answers while analyzing actions. In his classroom he has paused, experimented, shifted, observed, listened, reflected, written and re-written curriculum and assessment. This ongoing process has created a teaching and learning environment that continues to excite Rob and his students are jazzed!

Those of you who are fortunate enough to know Rob as a teacher, colleague, conductor, musician, and/or friend know that he cares deeply about teaching and learning. Most importantly he is an amazing human being who cares about people, as evidenced from past and present student comments. He has a unique sense of humor that is remembered by students and colleagues. He doesn’t mess around with people who aren’t fully committed to high quality music education for all learners. Sure, he’ll cajole them, encourage and answer their questions but he’s not interested in wasting his time or theirs. He’ll walk away before becoming frustrated and accepts the individual or group’s thoughts and ideas as working for them. All the while with a smile on his face! His advocacy for arts education at the local, regional, and state level has been highly impactful. When Rob is not teaching he is spending time with family or exploring with a backpack on. He has climbed all 44 of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks; an impressive accomplishment!

Recently Rob was recognized for his teaching accomplishments receiving the 2022-23 National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Music Educator Award. Rob is one of seven section recipients. Since 1989 the Outstanding Music Educator Awards have been presented by NFHS and 306 individuals have received section awards.

Some of the following information is taken from the NFHS awards page at THIS LINK.

Rob presently serves as the choral director at York High School where he has taught for nearly 25 years. Since beginning in education in 1988, his passion for music has helped students reach their full potential, and in 2004 played an integral part in getting a graduation requirement for music approved by the York school committee. York High School remains the only public high school in the Northeast to possess a graduation requirement for music.

Westerberg holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Keene State College and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Maine. As an educator, Westerberg has earned many awards, including the 2020 York County Teacher of the Year, the 2012 Maine Distinguished Choral Director, and the 2011 Carol Trimble Award for Exemplary Service to Arts Education.

In terms of leading students, Westerberg has overseen a variety of events and performances, such as the 2010 New Hampshire All State Treble Choir and the Maine Festival Chorus performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. His talents have also been used at choral camps like Laurel Music Camp as the high school choral director and at the Summer Youth Music Camp at the University of Maine from 2002 to 2016.

In terms of leading teachers, Rob is a founding member of the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative established in 2010 and has impacted the over 125 teacher leaders. He has worked extensively with arts educators and school districts across the northeast developing customized assessment strategies and proficiency based models of instruction. He is always willing to talk education and his insights are, as he likes to say are, ‘spot on’!

I can’t think of anyone who deserves this award more for ongoing work in arts education. Thank you Rob for your life long commitment to teaching and CONGRATULATIONS!

Magaga

Kenyan educator

I have the privilege of working with an educator from Kenya named Enos Magaga who goes by Magaga. He and his family are delightful and over the last two years I have grown to appreciate and understand them in ways I could never have imagined. I am so grateful.

Magaga is the STEAM coordinator for a program called BEADS for Education. He also serves as the Communication and Outreach Coordinator for BEADS. It’s a fascinating program that was initiated to improve the quality of education for women and girls. BEADS established a high school for girls called Tembea Academy located about an hour and a half from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Magaga teaches Math and Science at the school. The program has grown mainly due to the work of Magaga and other staff who are committed to girls education. They are not only teaching them ‘content’ but it goes way beyond that. Years of traditions that are detrimental to girls are being interrupted and girls are provided with the opportunity to reach their potential.

In addition to teaching at Tembea Academy 6 hours each week Magaga teaches at the local elementary school. His time there is through the Full STEAM Forward program where students are loving learning through hands-on experiences that connect them with educators and programs in other parts of the world.

Magaga’s committent to the arts came about when he participated in a fellowship program in arts integration that I was part of at Sweet Tree Arts. His pathway to there was through the HundrED program that I’ve blogged about in the past. We met bi-weekly for a semester and during every meeting his face lit up with joy. Magaga’s positivity is contagious. His beliefs are strong and embedded into his daily actions.

I believe in an education system that does not rob learners of their curiosity, creativity and imaginations and above all, one that serves to create a balance in the lives of all learners.

You can read an interview with Magaga and learn more about him and his sweet family on the HundrED blog at THIS LINK. I’m sure it will inspire you!