Posts Tagged ‘Maine Arts Leadership’

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MALI Summer Institute Day 1

July 31, 2018

Storytelling at its finest

Today marked the first day of the phase 8 Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Summer Institute and what an amazing day it was! Almost 40 educators are attending the three day professional development, exchanging ideas, collaborating, and building on their knowledge.

Participants comments

  • “Learning to lead the story to my “why” versus the “what” was a huge revelation today – and we’re only on day 1!” ~Shawna
  • “Love the social aspect of MALI and seeing old friends and making new ones.” ~Catherine Ring
  • “Exciting and inspiring safe space to share ideas with people who get it.” ~Dorie
  • “Such a beautiful and supportive group.” ~Nicole
  • “Always wonderful to have the “tribe” back together!” ~Pam
  • “Hair on fire.” ~Tom

The institute theme is “storytelling” which is integrated throughout the institute. The day started with the MALI story and ended with a story from Dorie Tripp who shared information about the drums created by the students of Dorie and art teacher Hope Lord. Making music together was amazing!

Throughout the day there were sessions on assessment, the Logic Model design, Express-a-Book (MALIs version of a book club), and making stories.

Tomorrow will be another day filled with new learning. If you have questions please be sure and email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

 

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MAC Teaching Artist Roster

February 15, 2018

7 new artists

Seven Maine Artists Added to Arts Commission’s Teaching Roster

Maine Arts Commission’s roster provides additional resources for teachers and schools

AUGUSTA, ME, February 8, 2018—The Maine Arts Commission is pleased to announce the addition of seven new artists to its online Teaching Artist Roster.  Selected by the Arts Commission through an application process, teaching artists provide greater access for teachers, schools, and community groups to area artists who are trained and knowledgeable in classroom requirements throughout Maine. The following teaching artists have been recently listed on the roster:

  • Nicole Cardano

    Nicole Cardano, an actress who teaches elementary and middle school improvisational skills as well as theatre productions and show choir. She lives in Seal Cove.

  • Emilia Dahlin, a musician who teaches students to explore literary devices in songwriting to create powerful imagery and foster a strong sense of authorship. Emilia resides in Gorham.
  • Rob Duquette, a musician and songwriter whose lessons teach themes of resilience, compassion, kindness, gratitude, and a sense of purpose. Rob is from York.
  • Emilia Dahlin

    Kal Elmore, a printmaker who collaborates with teachers to develop lessons that help students experience a new media, a new technique, and/or a different way of thinking about visual art. She is from Old Town.

  • Russell Kaback, a musician and a storyteller who writes songs that tell the story of his grandfather’s life as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor.  Through lyrics and song, students make a lasting connection with the experience of a concentration camp survivor from the Nazi era to the present. Russell resides in South Portland.
  • Dana Legawiec, an actress whose recent teachings involve grade 3-5 students in mask, improvisational, physical theatre, and yoga. She is from Bowdoinham.
  • Rob Duquette

    Tom Luther, a musician who teaches piano and multimedia art. Tom applies traditional composition, improvisation, generative, and interactive techniques in his teaching, drawing freely from his experiences in numerous musical forms.  Tom is from Union.

“We are really proud of the learning opportunities that each artist on the roster provides to our schools and communities in Maine,” said Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education at the Arts Commission.

In addition to overseeing the teaching artist roster along with many other arts education programs and services offered by the Arts

Kal Elmore

Commission, Argy organizes the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI) Mega-Regional Conferences. Maine educators from PK-higher education are invited to participate in this year’s professional development opportunity at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris, Friday, March 23 at 8:30 – 3:15 p.m.  The workshop facilitators are Maine arts educators who will have dynamic ideas to share.

Since 2011, MALI has provided opportunities for hundreds of educators with inspirational workshops, presentations, and webinars at the school, district, regional, state, and national level. More information and event registration for the 2018 MALI Mega Regional is available here.

Russell Kaback

The Maine Arts Commission currently administers the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative as part of one of its five priorities, fostering PK-12 lifelong arts education programs, in its five-year cultural plan, Fortifying Maine’s Creativity & Culture. To learn more about any of the Maine Arts Commission’s arts education funding opportunities or programs, please contact Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education at argy.nestor@maine.gov or 207/287-2713.

Dana Legaweic

Tom Luther

The Maine Arts Commission supports artists, art organizations, educators, policy makers, and community developers in advancing the arts in Maine. For more than 50 years the Commission has encouraged and stimulated public interest and participation in the cultural heritage and cultural programs of our state; has worked to expand the state’s cultural resources; and encouraged and assisted freedom of artistic expression for the well-being of the arts, to meet the needs and aspirations of persons in all parts of the state. Additional information is available at mainearts.com.

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MALI

March 6, 2016

Sooooo proud!

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MALI at Bowdoin for Winter Retreat

I am continually amazed and proud of the commitment and passion of Maine’s visual and performing Arts educators. Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend all day at Bowdoin College with the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative’s (MALI) for the Phase 5 winter retreat. Twenty five MALI members were able to join us. Thank you to the Bowdoin College Art Museum for hosting. The beauty of the room and the delicious food added to the energy, thoughtfulness, and incredible knowledge of the MALI Teacher Leaders.

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Teaching Artist and Teacher Leader John Morris

The topics of the day included overarching questions that are helping us to formulate the details of MALI’s Phase 6. The ideas are created based on the needs of teachers to meet the needs of Maine’s PK-12 students in the Arts. Who better to know about the needs of Arts education than Maine Arts educators?!

MALI’s Mission

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 for all students.

Teaching Artist/Teacher Leader – John Morris

During phase 5 John put together Creativity resources for the Resource Bank located at http://www.maineartsedresources.org/. The description of the Creativity resource: This discussion group model will help participants make connections with creativity research, while promoting inquiry and dialogue about the nature of creativity, as well as the role of creativity in K-12 teaching, learning and assessment. John facilitated the use of the model yesterday and the conversation was one that I wish every educator in the state could engage in. Contact John if you have questions about the resource at JohnMorris08@gmail.com.

IMG_1805MALI and Teaching Artists

We spent some time yesterday considering the role of the Teaching Artist and brainstormed ideas on possibilities for Phase 6. The Maine Arts Commission is committed to continue to develop opportunities. The Teaching Artist roster located at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Education/Teaching-Artist-Roster will continue to grow and be available for those interested in contracting with a Teaching Artist to provide learning opportunities for students.

MALI focus

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Deep in thought, Rob Westerberg, Mari-Jo Hedman, Jake Sturtevant

The bulk of our day was spent on looking at and discussing the MALI topics that have become essential components of our work. Using the MALI Logic Model we asked two questions: 1) What is the role of the Teacher Leader working with the MALI mission? and 2) What activity or output could be created or included to implement the essential topics? The topics include: Arts Integration, Creativity and 21st Century Skills, Proficiency-Based Learning and Reporting, Educator Effectiveness, Advocacy, Assessment Literacy, Effective Teaching and Learning/Best Practices, Funding, Legislative Policy, and Guiding Principles.

It was a great day and I am so grateful to know and be part of a group that is so positive about the work they do educating PK-12 student in Arts education. It is a pleasure to LISTEN to what each Teacher Leader is doing and has to offer! If you are considering applying to be a Teacher Leader for Phase 6 please watch for the “call” and email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

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Gorham School district Art teachers Elise Bothel and Allie Rimkunas

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Beth Lambert, DOE VPA specialist and St. Agatha art educator Theresa Cerceo

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Dance teacher MaryEllen Schaper and Music teacher Jen Nash

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