Posts Tagged ‘Elise Bothel’

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Storytelling in the Arts Classroom

August 27, 2018

How might you use storytelling?

At the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Summer Institute “Storytelling” was the overarching theme. It was interwoven in many aspects of the 3 days.

Storytelling session led by Jake Sturtevant and Lindsay Pinchbeck

Falmouth High School and MALI Design Team member Jake Sturtevant and Sweetland School founder and director and MALI Design Team member Lindsay Pinchbeck provided a workshop on Storytelling and they set up a Story Corps tent where teachers could visit during the institute and have a conversation, similar to the National Public Broadcasting Story Corps.

We listened to musician and MALI Teaching Artist Leader Tom Luther tell his story of the stroke he had almost a year ago. He worked his way back and to almost full recovery using a ‘beginner’s mind’ and his music.

Brian Evans-Jones and Kris Bisson

MALI Teaching Artist Leader Brian Evans-Jones and Marshwood Middle School music educator and MALI Teacher Leader Kris Bisson shared their story of their incredible collaboration during the 2017-18 school year where they composed a song about an all but forgotten bridge in South Berwick.

Elementary visual art teacher and MALI Teacher Leader Elise Bothel shared her story and research on self-care tools and how they are enriching her life and positively impacting her teaching.

A panel on Leadership included stories from Catherine Ring, co-founder of MALI and art educator, teaching artist and MALI Design Team member John Morris, MALI Teacher Leaders: music from York Middle School Jen Etter, visual art from Brunswick High School Jenni Driscoll, and music from SeDoMoCha school and Maine’s 2018 Teacher of the Year Kaitlin Young. All unique!

Stories in the Leadership session

In a recent edition of the eSchoolNews from NAfME music educator Lori Schwartz Reichi reflects on her college wind ensemble rehearsal when her conductor would pause to tell a story. She wondered why he would take time out of rehearsal to share details of his personal life.

Years later when she started teaching it made perfect sense to her. The stories her professor told were intentional ‘pauses’ in the rehearsal. READ the entire article and learn more about the power of storytelling in the music classroom. (Storytelling has potential in any classroom)!

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MALI Summer Institute: Day 2

August 4, 2017

Wowzer!

Kate Cook Whitt

Day 2 kicked off with an amazing STEAM presentation from Kate Cook-Whitt. The opening was titled This is your Brain on Art: Neuroscience and the Arts  – “Examining the World Through Different Lenses: Art and Science”. Kate is an Assistant Professor of Education at the Center for Innovation in Education (CIE) at Thomas College. Participants agreed that Kate’s presentation was outstanding!

Teacher Leaders participated in several great mini-sessions, some led by teacher leaders and teaching artists leaders themselves including:

  • Nancy Frolich, Social Justice mini-lesson

    Social Justice and the Power of the Arts with Nancy Frohlich from Leaps of Imagination

  • 7 Strategies of Assessment with Jeff Beaudry from USM and visual art teacher leaders Holly Leighton and Samantha Armstrong

  • National Board Certification with visual art teacher leader Danette Kerrigan

  • Connecting the STUDIO HABITS of MIND to the NATIONAL STANDARDS in the Visual Arts classroom with visual art teacher leader Jane Snider

  • Things Into Poetry session with Brian Evans-Jones

    Things Into Poetry with poet teaching artist leader Brian Evans-Jones

In addition Bronwyn Sale and John Morris provided a session called Teaching for Creativity. The afternoon brought all three strands together (teaching artist leaders, new PK-12 teacher leaders and returning PK-12 teacher leaders) for a session with teaching artist leader and potter Tim Christensen. We engaged with a small medallion of clay using the process Tim is so in tune with: sgraffito.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on leadership, advocacy, and putting it into action on the follow up plans for the next year. Strand 1, the Teaching Artist Leaders met with Jeff Poulin, electronically, from the Americans for the Arts.

Day turned into night and educators gathered around the Thomas College fire pit for drumming and a chance for Tim to fire the clay pieces created earlier in the day in the propane fire pit. This provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the state. What a great way to end an outstanding day!

Strand 1 with Jeff Poulin, Americans for the Arts. Kate Smith, Design Team member, holds the computer during the question and answer period

Jennie Driscoll, Elise Bothel visual art teacher leaders

Jen Etter, music teacher leader

New teacher leaders David Coffey – music and Amy Donovan-Nucci – visual art

Tim Christensen firing the clay pieces

Fun around the fire pit!

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Mega-Regional Hebron Station School

February 7, 2017

MALI conference

The Maine Arts Commission is offering the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Mega-Regional Conference at Hebron Station School in the Oxford Hills School District on Friday, March 17. In addition to these fabulous sessions (listed below) past participants remind us how the opportunity to network with arts educators from across Maine is so valuable!

REGISTER HERE!

Mega-regional conferences take place between 8:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. 

SCHEDULE

  • 8:30 a.m. Registration begins
  • 9:00 a.m. Opening and Morning Sessions
  • 9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Breakout Session I
  • 10:30 – 10:40 a.m. Break
  • 10:40 – 11:55 a.m. Breakout Session II
  • 11:55 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Lunch, participants on their own
  • 12:45 – 1:20 p.m. Artist Showcase
  • 1:25 – 2:40 p.m. Session III Maine Arts Education Census Survey
  • 2:40 – 3:00 p.m. Closing

SESSION I OFFERINGS

Stars and Stairs

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-22-25-amStars 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.

 

Samantha Armstrong Paris Elementary School and Hebron Elementary Schools, Grades K-6 Visual Art

 

“Making Art History Come to Life with iBooks Author”

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-23-amDive into iBooks Author to harness the power of developing multi-modal, Multi-Touch iBooks. You’ll learn features which make iBooks come to life for learners by incorporating audio files, 3D widgets, image glossaries, study cards, jailbreaking templates, and much more. Be prepared to create an art history chapter together. You can also use this app for making comics and graphic novels or creating art portfolios. This session is great for MLTI beginners and experts. MLTI MacBooks with iBooks Author preinstalled is encouraged. Grades 7-12

Lindsey Carnes MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

Arts Residency In Action: Guidelines for a Successful Teaching Artist Collaboration in Your School

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-32-amMany arts educators in K-12 education have never had the opportunity to work with a teaching artist. Knowing where to start and identifying the most important steps to take can feel daunting. This workshop provides a framework for creating a high-quality teaching artist residence in the schools. We will focus on the steps needed to create a powerful residency, and the nature of an effective collaboration between teaching artist and arts educator. We will provide experiential work and guidance in addressing the complexities and sometimes different languages of the teaching artist and the school-based educator. All grade levels. All content.

Carmel Collins Lake Region High School Dance and Visual Art John Morris Teaching Artist Dance

 

Improving Content Literacy Through Formative Assessmentscreen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-40-am

Improve content literacy with a tool box of formative assessments and literacy strategies to gauge what your students already know, how well they are learning content, and help drive your classroom instruction.           All grade levels. All content.

Iva Damon Leavitt Area High School Visual Art

 

More Cowbell

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-47-amPlaying and composing songs on your own is a blast for some, however there’s something special about making music in collaboration with other like-minded folks that just can’t be beat. In this hands-on, music making session, participants will use GarageBand to learn the basics of song writing and music production. Participants will have plenty of time to explore and experience the fun of collaborative music creation. Musicians of any and all skill levels are welcome. Make sure to bring your Mac and/or iOS device with GarageBand installed. All grade levels.

Tim Hart MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

Do You See What I Hear?screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-52-am

Participants will learn how to use graphic notation as a visual tool to reach all learners in the music classroom. (This is a great STEAM lesson!) Grades 4-6

Linda McVety Songo Locks Elementary School, Grades K-5 Music Jenni Null Songo Locks Elementary, Grades K-6 Music, District Fine Arts Coordinator

Arts Integration

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-58-amWhen you are deeply engaged in Arts Integration you realize it is about learning with you mind, body and heart in the present moment.  This hands on workshop explores this idea through drama, music, movement, poetry, storytelling, and the visual arts. Come prepared to experience arts integration through your own individual lens in a safe environment. All grade levels. All content.

Lindsay Pinchbeck Director Sweet Tree Arts/Sweetland School

Visual Notetaking/Doodling in Class

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-05-amA combination of sketching and traditional note taking results in rich educational documents to support learning. Studies show that sketching leads to better retention of information and helps clarify ideas. Sketching is one of our original forms of communication. Visualizing ideas is a great way to learn. Why not bring this creative form of learning into your classroom? Explore how visual notes support learning. Discover techniques to create, share and integrate visual notes into your instructional practice. Visual notetaking, often called sketch noting, uses two parts of your brain, which is referred to as Dual Coding Theory. This has been found to improve learning. Research has shown that people who doodle while listening retain 29% more information (Andrade, 2009). Join this hands-on session and start sketching your notes today. Please bring your updated MLTI iPad, if available, with Notability installed. Arts supplies will also be available. All grade levels. All content.

Ann Marie Quirion Hutton MLTI Apple Professional Learning Specialist, former Art Educator

 

SESSION II OFFERINGS

Supporting Literacy in the Elementary Visual Art Classroom

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-11-amThis workshop focuses on a collection of techniques that aim to support literacy in the art classroom. From using word walls, sight words, and phonemic awareness participants will leave with a fresh perspective on incorporating literacy while still adhering to their art curriculum. K-5 Visual Arts, adaptable for middle school.

Elise Bothel Vivian E. Hussey School, Grades K-5 Visual Art

 

Including Students with Disabilities in Your Art Classroom Using iMovie OS screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-23-23-am

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. Grades 7-12. All content.

Lindsey Carnes MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-18-amGuiding the Young Padawan to Become a Jedi Music Master

This workshop will demonstrate a scaffolded instruction process and assessment system created to guide middle school band students through the basic levels of performance to highly skilled musicianship. Grades 4-12

Dianne Fenlason Spruce Mountain Middle School, Grades 6-12 Music

 

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-24-amThe Cloud Ate My Portfolio: No More Excuses…Start a Digital Portfolio Today

This is a step by step experience designed to help you to consider how to use a digital portfolio to help students self-asses and manage the evidence of their learning. Access to Google Drive, Drawing, email, built in camera and mic ideal…but not required. . All content areas. All levels.

Suzanne Goulette Waterville Senior High School Visual Art

 

Making 8-bit Art

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-31-amBeginning 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

 

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-32-41-amThe Heart of Advocacy

Educators will leave with the knowledge of how to create and present a variety methods to advocate for issues pertinent to their arts educational causes and how to organize those methods to feel comfortable in beginning personal advocacy efforts. All grade levels. All content.

Lynda Leonas Farwell and Longley Elementary Schools, Grades K-6 Visual Art

 

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-36-amTheatre as a Tool:  Using Theatre Across the Curriculum

Introduction to the process of using devised theatre as a teaching tool. I will take participants through that process and give them strategies for using devised theatre across curriculum areas and grade levels. All grades levels. All content.

Hilary Martin Vassalboro Community School, Grades K-8 Theatre

 

Illustrating to Write

screen-shot-2017-02-07-at-8-24-05-amOne creation lends a hand to the other. Illustration is a part of many great stories, extending the ability of ideas to be shared, and increasing enjoyment and comprehension on the part of the reader. Apple technology provides many possibilities for creating illustrations, making drawing and visual images a part of the overall literacy experience. Learn how to use your MacBook Air to draw and paint creative illustrations in this “hands on session”. Bring your MacBook Air with Acorn installed (included with your MLTI participation).               All grades levels.

Ann Marie Quirion Hutton MLTI Apple Professional Learning Specialist, former Art Teacher

Information on the professional development offerings this year from MALI located at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/MALI-Mega-Regionals.

The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative provides ongoing professional development opportunities. Resources are available by CLICKING HERE.

If you have any questions please contact Argy Nestor, director of arts education, Maine Arts Commission at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

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MALI Mega Hebron

December 20, 2016

Hebron Station School, Oxford Hills District – March 17, 2017

REGISTRATION is NOW OPEN for the MALI Mega-Regional Conference at Hebron Station School in Hebron. During this school year there are six Mega-Regional Conferences planned. All the information is located on the Maine Arts Commission website at http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/MALI-Mega-Regionals and the information is below.

mali_v1_color_100ppiAll 2016-17 Megas Dates and Locations

Each site offers different sessions so you may wish to attend more than one Mega. Sessions will be provided by MALI Teacher Leaders, Teaching Artist Leaders, and MLTI Apple Learning Specialists. A portion of the afternoon will feature a Teaching Artist and information on the statewide arts education census that was conducted during the 2015-16 school year.

Teachers during the movement session with Teaching Artist Nancy Salmon

Teachers during the movement session at Mega Ellsworth in November with Teaching Artist Nancy Salmon

The cost to attend each Mega is $25 (unless otherwise indicated). Contact hours for full participation – 5.5 contact hours. The Megas provide opportunities for the Maine Arts education community to engage in professional development that is specific to Arts education. This is a chance to deepen your knowledge, make connections, and learn from each other!

MALI MEGA HEBRON STATION SCHOOL

SESSION I

Stars and Stairs

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-50-30-pmStars 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.

Samantha Armstrong Paris Elementary School and Hebron Elementary Schools, Grades K-6 Visual Art

 

“Making Art History Come to Life with iBooks Author”

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-2-42-36-pmDive into iBooks Author to harness the power of developing multi-modal, Multi-Touch iBooks. You’ll learn features which make iBooks come to life for learners by incorporating audio files, 3D widgets, image glossaries, study cards, jailbreaking templates, and much more. Be prepared to create an art history chapter together. You can also use this app for making comics and graphic novels or creating art portfolios. This session is great for MLTI beginners and experts. MLTI MacBooks with iBooks Author preinstalled is encouraged. Grades 7-12

Lindsey Carnes MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

 

Arts Residency In Action: Guidelines for a Successful Teaching Artist Collaboration in Your School

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-50-18-pmMany arts educators in K-12 education have never had the opportunity to work with a teaching artist. Knowing where to start and identifying the most important steps to take can feel daunting. This workshop provides a framework for creating a high-quality teaching artist residence in the schools. We will focus on the steps needed to create a powerful residency, and the nature of an effective collaboration between teaching artist and arts educator. We will provide experiential work and guidance in addressing the complexities and sometimes different languages of the teaching artist and the school-based educator. All grade levels. All content.

Carmel Collins Lake Region High School Dance and Visual Art John Morris Teaching Artist Dance

 

Improving Content Literacy Through Formative Assessment

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-50-13-pmImprove content literacy with a tool box of formative assessments and literacy strategies to gauge what your students already know, how well they are learning content, and help drive your classroom instruction. All grade levels. All content.

Iva Damon Leavitt Area High School Visual Art

 

More Cowbell

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-50-04-pmPlaying and composing songs on your own is a blast for some, however there’s something special about making music in collaboration with other like-minded folks that just can’t be beat. In this hands-on, music making session, participants will use GarageBand to learn the basics of song writing and music production. Participants will have plenty of time to explore and experience the fun of collaborative music creation. Musicians of any and all skill levels are welcome. Make sure to bring your Mac and/or iOS device with GarageBand installed. All grade levels.

Tim Hart MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

 

Do You See What I Hear?

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-42-pmParticipants will learn how to use graphic notation as a visual tool to reach all learners in the music classroom. (This is a great STEAM lesson!) Grades 4-6

Linda McVety Songo Locks Elementary School, Grades K-5 Music   Jenni Null Songo Locks Elementary, Grades K-6 Music, District Fine Arts Coordinator

 

Arts Integration

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-37-pmWhen you are deeply engaged in Arts Integration you realize it is about learning with you mind, body and heart in the present moment.  This hands on workshop explores this idea through drama, music, movement, poetry, storytelling, and the visual arts. Come prepared to experience arts integration through your own individual lens in a safe environment. All grade levels. All content.

Lindsay Pinchbeck Director Sweet Tree Arts/Sweetland School

 

Visual Notetaking/Doodling in Class

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-48-26-pmA combination of sketching and traditional note taking results in rich educational documents to support learning. Studies show that sketching leads to better retention of information and helps clarify ideas. Sketching is one of our original forms of communication. Visualizing ideas is a great way to learn. Why not bring this creative form of learning into your classroom? Explore how visual notes support learning. Discover techniques to create, share and integrate visual notes into your instructional practice. Visual notetaking, often called sketch noting, uses two parts of your brain, which is referred to as Dual Coding Theory. This has been found to improve learning. Research has shown that people who doodle while listening retain 29% more information (Andrade, 2009). Join this hands-on session and start sketching your notes today. Please bring your updated MLTI iPad, if available, with Notability installed. Arts supplies will also be available. All grade levels. All content.

Ann Marie Quirion Hutton MLTI Apple Professional Learning Specialist, former Art Educator

SESSION II

Supporting Literacy in the Elementary Visual Art Classroom

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-25-pmThis workshop focuses on a collection of techniques that aim to support literacy in the art classroom. From using word walls, sight words, and phonemic awareness participants will leave with a fresh perspective on incorporating literacy while still adhering to their art curriculum. K-5 Visual Arts, adaptable for middle school.

Elise Bothel Vivian E. Hussey School, Grades K-5 Visual Art

Including Students with Disabilities in Your Art Classroom Using iMovie OS

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-19-pmUse 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. Grades 7-12. All content.

Lindsey Carnes MLTI Apple Learning Specialist

 

Guiding the Young Padawan to Become a Jedi Music Master

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-09-pmThis workshop will demonstrate a scaffolded instruction process and assessment system created to guide middle school band students through the basic levels of performance to highly skilled musicianship. Grades 4-12

Dianne Fenlason Spruce Mountain Middle School, Grades 6-12 Music

The Cloud Ate My Portfolio: No More Excuses…Start a Digital Portfolio Today

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-49-02-pmThis is a step by step experience designed to help you to consider how to use a digital portfolio to help students self-asses and manage the evidence of their learning. Access to Google Drive, Drawing, email, built in camera and mic ideal…but not required. . All content areas. All levels.

Suzanne Goulette Waterville Senior High School Visual Art

 

Making 8-bit Art

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-48-53-pmBeginning 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

 

The Heart of Advocacy

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-48-47-pmEducators will leave with the knowledge of how to create and present a variety methods to advocate for issues pertinent to their arts educational causes and how to organize those methods to feel comfortable in beginning personal advocacy efforts. All grade levels. All content.

Lynda Leonas Farwell and Longley Elementary Schools, Grades K-6 Visual Art

 

Theatre as a Tool:  Using Theatre Across the Curriculum

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-48-36-pmIntroduction to the process of using devised theatre as a teaching tool. I will take participants through that process and give them strategies for using devised theatre across curriculum areas and grade levels. All grades levels. All content.

Hilary Martin Vassalboro Community School, Grades K-8 Theatre

Illustrating to Write

screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-12-48-26-pmOne creation lends a hand to the other. Illustration is a part of many great stories, extending the ability of ideas to be shared, and increasing enjoyment and comprehension on the part of the reader. Apple technology provides many possibilities for creating illustrations, making drawing and visual images a part of the overall literacy experience. Learn how to use your MacBook Air to draw and paint creative illustrations in this “hands on session”. Bring your MacBook Air with Acorn installed (included with your MLTI participation). All grades levels.

Ann Marie Quirion Hutton MLTI Apple Professional Learning Specialist, former Art Teacher

REGISTRATION

To register please CLICK HERE. The cost is $25 and 5.5 contact hours are provided for full day participation. If you have any questions please email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

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Another Arts Teacher’s Story: Elise Bothel

March 29, 2016

MALI Teacher Leader series

MALI_V1_Color_100ppi

This is the fourth blog post of the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Phase 5  Teacher Leader stories. This series contains a set of questions so you can learn a little bit about the work they are doing as Maine arts educators. CLICK HERE for more information on MALI. CLICK HERE for more information on the 73 of the MALI Teacher Leaders. CLICK HERE for Arts education resources. Search in the “search archives” box on the bottom right side of this post for past stories. There have been 63 posted to date.

Elise Photo - Meca PosterElise Bothel teaches grades K-5 art at Narragansett Elementary School in Gorham. She has been teaching at Narragansett for two years now, and is in her third year of teaching. Elise is the only art teacher in the school, and teaches part-time 3 days a week. She teaches 12 classes, about 220 students total, for 45 minutes each class. Elise also teaches an after school clay club at Narragansett, and has taught after school art classes at the Art Alliance in Gorham.

What do you like best about being a visual art educator?

I love seeing what my students create! I focus on adding choice to my lessons to let students explore their creativity and to help develop creative problem-solving skills. My favorite part of the day is when I see a student create something incredible, and to see the joy and pride in their face. I also love when students make connections from art class to their personal lives and what they are learning in their other classrooms.

What do you believe are three keys to ANY successful visual and performing arts education?

  1. The educator needs to be passionate about the subject.
  2. The educator needs to work to meet the needs of many.
  3. The program needs access to materials and support from the district, and if not, an educator that can advocate and get what they need.

How have you found assessment to be helpful to you in your classroom?

Assessment has helped my students track their own learning. It has made my program a bit more rigorous, but I feel that my students are learning more, understand why they are learning it, and what they need to do to meet proficiency.

What have been the benefits in becoming involved in the arts assessment initiative?

It has helped my increase confidence as an educator. I’ve gotten to know so many Visual and Performing Arts educators in Maine, and the benefits of connection are endless. I’ve already added so many new tools to my toolbox, and look forward to more collaboration and inspiration.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I am proud to say that I am a Teacher Leader in my third year of teaching! I’m proud of the respect I’ve received as an educator, despite how young I look. Most of all, I am proud of my students when I see them grow, build confidence, and show interest and excitement about something new.

IMG_0163

Elise presenting on the MALI Critical Friends Day

What gets in the way of being a better teacher or doing a better job as a teacher?

Time is probably a challenge for every teacher. I wish I had more time with students to help them learn and progress as artists. Personally, the work/life balance can get in my way. I only work part-time, but I commute over an hour to work and participate in other activities after school. Making sure I don’t get burnt out or let my personal problems seep into my job can be challenging.

What have you accomplished through hard work and determination that might otherwise appear at first glance to be due to “luck” or circumstances?

This year I put on an Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Gorham Food Pantry, which raised over $1200. Though I facilitated the event, put in many extra hours, and had every student in the school make a clay bowl for the event; I didn’t seem to get the personal recognition of the success of the project. I now know that I need to advocate more for the art department and the hard work that I do. Here’s a link to a TV spot with a mention of the money raised, but no mention of our art program! http://m.wmtw.com/weather/narragansett-students-wake-up-early-for-weather-at-your-school/38144668

Look into your crystal ball: what advice would you give to teachers?

My advice to all teachers would be to breathe and to focus on the positive aspects of teaching. I see many teachers stressed, burned out, and counting minutes. Teachers need to remind themselves why they wanted to teach in the first place. My advice to arts educators is that it can feel isolating and we can feel misunderstood, but it is up to us to reach out, make connections, and find creative solutions to our unique challenges.

If you were given a $500,000.00 to do with whatever you please, what would it be?

I don’t want to be selfish but I would use some of the money to travel! As a life long learner, I’d love to see art and architecture from all over the world. I feel that my art curriculum could use more global awareness. I’d use the rest of the money to help the schools in Maine that don’t have the funding they need to have arts programs.

Imagine you are 94 years old. You’re looking back. Do you have any regrets?

I’m not quite sure what I’ll be getting up to by the time I’m 94, but I do already regret not taking the time to focus on my own artistic practice. I believe that it is important to have working artists as educators, and being an artist is important to me. I’m glad I have plenty of time to build and grow my own artistic practice.

IMG_0087

 

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Phase 5 MAAI Teacher Leaders Announced!

May 26, 2015

YAHOOOO!

Screen Shot 2015-05-23 at 1.05.09 AMThe Maine Arts Commission is pleased to announce the Phase 5 Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Teacher Leaders.  Thirteen visual and performing arts educators have applied and were selected to join the 61 Teacher Leaders from the other four MAAI phases. The total is 74 Teacher Leaders. Fifty will be active this year. The MAAI Leadership Team joins me in congratulating the teachers listed below who represent all grade levels, PK-12 and Dance, Music, and Visual Arts.

Almost 40 teachers will meet for three days in Portland this summer for professional development that is likely to be energetic, mind-filling, and a great opportunity to expand ideas on teaching and learning. Not to mention a chance to meet and network with arts educators from across the state. I am excited about the work we are furiously planning. Of course I will keep you posted as the MAAI, Phase 5 progresses. If you have any questions about MAAI please don’t hesitate to contact me at argy.nestor@maine.gov. And, I do hope that you will join us at some point during Phase 5 at one of the professional development offerings that the Teacher Leaders are providing.

MUSIC EDUCATORS

  • JOSH BOSSE – Madawaska Schools, grades PK-12
  • VIRGIL BOZEMAN – Richmond Middle/High School, grades 6-12
  • DIANNE FENALSON – Spruce Mountain Middle School, grades 6-12
  • NANCY KINKADE – Mattanawcook Junior High School, grades 5-12
  • TREVOR MARCHO – Mattanawcook Academy, grades 9-12

VISUAL ART EDUCATORS

  • SAMANTHA ARMSTRONG –Paris and Hebron Elementary Schools, grades K-6
  • ELISE BOTHEL –  Narragansett Elementary School, grades K-5
  • IVA DAMON – Leavitt Area High School, grades 9-12
  • HOLLY LEIGHTON – Mattanawcook Academy, grades 9-12
  • LYNDA LEONAS -Farwell and Longley Elementary Schools, grades K-6
  • MANDI MITCHELL – Hermon High School, grades 9-12
  • ALLIE RIMKUNAS   – Great Falls Elementary School, grades K-5

The Maine Arts Assessment Resources page is located at http://www.maineartsassessment.com/. You will find a ton of information and resources that was either gathered or created by Teacher Leaders and the Leadership Team of MAAI from the past.

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