I LOVE March!
I know many people dread March but I’ve ALWAYS LOVED it. I know it is because, as an arts educator, there is so much to celebrate this month. With Music In Our Schools Month, Youth Art Month, and Theatre In Our Schools Month, anyone who is an arts teacher can find the silver lining in March – the month that is not really winter, nor spring, just in between.
It is a wonderful month to celebrate and during the last week I have attended a variety of celebrations. Starting on Saturday with the state Youth Art Month opening at the Portland Museum of Art, on Monday in Presque Isle at the mall for the Aroostook County art exhibit, yesterday at the Blaine House for the Celebration of Arts Education, and tonight in RSU#40, my home district, for their once every four years Arts Celebration.
From the actors on the stage, to the musicians in the band, the classes of singers, the art work covering the walls; students, parents, grandparents, and educators had much to smile about. It’s an event that brings the community together.
The event was dedicated to former colleague Anne Kofler, elementary art teacher, who retired almost two years ago after teaching in Friendship, Washington, and Union for 21 years. We collaborated often bringing together her elementary students with my middle school students in Union. We worked with our students to transform the elementary and middle schools (located upstairs and downstairs). Everyone’s artwork was important and played an integral and necessary part of the collaborative outcome. And we had FUN!
Anne and I giving Christo and Jean-Claude a book of our student collaboration.
As I walked through the exhibit tonight and saw former students who were there with their own children I thought of how fortunate we are to be arts educators.
When students have the opportunity to exhibit and perform, Visual and Performing Arts Educators:
- bring people together
- celebrate students
- bring out the best in students
- provide the stage and the wall space to show accomplishments
- push students to the edge
- challenge creativity and imagination
- create the forum to show accomplishments
- use curriculum, instruction, and assessment seamlessly
- provide a public space to show the standards are being met
During this month, I hope you are getting many YAHOOOOOOOOOs for the work you do providing the above and much more to all students! And, if you are not celebrating your students and colleagues accomplishments, well, we’re only half way through the month, there is still time! Take the time to SHOUT about arts education!
me arts ed 