Summer 2017
Thank You!
It has been a fantastic year for Arts in Education! Our schools hosted over 100 artists and held over 2,000 performances and workshops. As we come to a close of another school year, we would like to thank all our Arts in Education Liaisons for the time and effort you put in to help bring these incredible experiences to the students. These programs enrich the educational experience and create memories that will last for years.
Looking to the future, we encourage our schools to talk with each other about their favorite Arts in Education Programs. Sharing ideas and recommendations is a great way to bring new and exciting experiences to your school. We plan to feature your recommendations in this quarterly newsletter as well, so please let us know your favorites!
Please remember to send us your updated Arts in Education Liaison contact information for the upcoming school year. Thank you again for all you do!
Acorn Circle
For over 19 years Jeff Bennett has offered a number of educational programs to schools in the Capital Region of New York State. Focused on local and regional history, these engaging presentations are designed to meet the NYS Learning Standards.
Jeff has developed over 20 different in-classroom programs using secondary sources such as historians, archaeologists, anthropologist and geographers. These scholars and scientists provide a diverse perspective to the social studies programs.
Many of our educational presentations integrate geography, math, science and technology with social studies. Over 20,000 students have seen the various programs in their classroom over the years.
For more information, please contact Jeff at 518-669-7227.
-information collected from www.acorncircle.com
Kit's Interactive Theatre
Kitty Jones writes, choreographs, produces and performs all of her material for Kit’s Interactive Theatre. She has been developing her original style of interactive theatre since 1987 and has combined her passion for history and love of theatre to create 17 different high-energy shows.
She brings 4,000 years of history to life for audiences by involving them in performances that feature improvisation, dance, music and a great deal of humor. Her programs explore a diverse range of subjects from ancient Egypt to Mother Nature, and she performs more than 275 shows each year throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Kitty has appeared in films, on television and in New York. She studied at Webber Douglas Academy for Dramatic Art in London and Circle in the Square in New York. After completing her acting degree at Emerson College, she continued her graduate work at The New Actors Workshop in NYC. There she studied with the late Mike Nichols, Paul Sills and George Morrison.
For more information, please contact Kit at 570-476-5612.
-information collected from www.kitsinteractivetheatre.com
Songspun
Brian Chevalier has been energizing audiences throughout NJ, NY (including Long Island), CT, PA, MA, NH, VT, VA, DE and MD for 25 years. He has been providing school assemblies, school programs and artist in residence programs since 1995.
With his highly interactive and engaging delivery of various music styles from Rock to Blues to Reggae to Folk, he will have your Kindergarten through eighth grade students up and moving! He specializes in working with Elementary school aged children.
Most of Brian's repertoire of songs have been written in collaboration with educators so the connection to curriculum is right on. Brian has also become well known throughout the Capital Region and North Country of New York State.
“Whether you are looking for an Arts experience with a solid curriculum connection or for an engaging performance for your school, I look forward to brainstorming and collaborating with you to help you create an educational and memorable event for your school!” ~ Brian Chevalier
For more information, please contact Brian at 518-798-2030 today!
-excerpt from www.songspun.com
Bruce Taylor— Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are now the agreed upon educational currency across the country for the coming decade. All Common Core standards can be modified through an artistic lens. Mr. Taylor’s approach to Common Core puts less of an emphasis on increasing the amount of content and more on what strategies can be employed with content from any art form and enable transfer into contexts that might not be arts specific or dependent.
“Within the next decade there will be a fundamental rethinking on how kids will learn and what they should be learning. Because of the adoption of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) across the country, there will be a shift from just knowing content to the transfer and manipulation of it. There will be more of a need for understanding rather than simple recall. Much of what kids will need to develop is how to think, create and communicate effectively. But these very same abilities are in reality arts skills! In order to succeed in an increasingly complex, conceptual, and globalized world kids will have to acquire skills that require them to analyze, interpret, evaluate and demonstrate understanding (among others)--skills artists have employed for centuries.
The irony is that a fundamental aspect of our humanity, contained in the 1% of our DNA that distinguishes us from chimps, is our very artistic capability to imagine what isn’t, create what wasn’t, and transmit the essence of ourselves to others of our species who exist only in the future. This is tied to the seminal means by which we communicate with each other through the transmission of narrative, proficiency with which is more and more imperative in our hyper-connected world.
The charge then is to significantly re-calibrate how we teach the arts. Common Core gives us that opportunity. Because CCSS will require a different mind set in regard to teaching and learning; one that can be developed through the arts in ways that are not arts dependent. The challenge for education’s policy makers is to develop assessment tools that measure students’ ability to employ those “action” terms cited above; such as analyze, evaluate, delineate, develop, or demonstrate, which are replete throughout the Common Core State Standards and Cognitive Strategies.”
*sourced from www.nysata.org
The Museum Education Act (MEA) would provide museums and other eligible institutions grant funding to conduct curriculum based educational programs. It has been gaining popularity in the NYS Legislature and will be taken to a vote before this year’s session ends on June 21.
If passed, the MEA would allow the State Department of Education to administer a competitive grant program for qualifying recipients to receive funding for student transportation, curricula, staff development, continuing education and much more!
For more information visit: www.manyonline.org
-collected from manyonline.org
FAQs
How does Arts in Education contribute to the State Education Department's mission to raise standards for all students?
Arts in Education infused into the curriculum Pre-K - 12 helps students achieve at higher levels and enables them to become well-rounded students more able to succeed.
What expenditures are eligible for BOCES Aid?
Eligible expenditures include the cost of BOCES coordination, contracts with artists/arts groups (or admission tickets to arts activities), staff development for teachers, development of an arts-in-education curriculum and student and teacher materials.
What types of artists may provide services?
The criteria/guidelines for the BOCES arts-in-education service reference the following arts areas from which school districts may select: Music, Writing, Drama, Dance, and Visual and Media Arts.
How can an artist participate in Arts in Education?
There are many ways to become involved and a number of organizations that can help you get started. Visit the Association for Teaching Artists on the web, contact your local BOCES AIE Program, contact New York State Council on the Arts - AIE, Partners for Arts Education, or your local arts council.
For more information, visit the NYS Education webpage at www.p12.nysed.gov
WSWHE BOCES - Enrichment Resource Center
Email: cvantassel@wswheboces.org
Website: www.wswheboces.org
Location: 27 Gick Road, Saratoga Springs, NY, United States
Phone: 518-581-3585
Facebook: facebook.com/enrichmentresourcecenter