PRE-SUMMIT SESSIONS for XIII
Pre-Summit Registration will start at 9:00am with the Pre-Summit Sessions starting at 10am on Thursday, Jun 7.
- Innovative Works of Art: Connecting with Math, Science, ELA and Social Studies presented by Joan Finn and Samantha Melvin
Creating a rich and engaging art curriculum that spans from Pre-K through High School is a challenge! Join Joan Finn, High School art educator and Samantha Melvin, Elementary art educator, as they unpack the multiple ways to connect art, science, math, social studies and language arts in interdisciplinary and culturally-rich lessons that are vertically aligned and standards-based. See how lessons build on each other to promote critical and creative thinking, problem solving and reflection, while students create innovative works of art that demonstrate what they know, how they think and what they feel.
Joan Finn
Joan Finn is the Fine Arts Liaison for La Marque ISD, the Fine Arts Department Chair & Visual Art Instructor at La Marque High School. She was a 2011 Co-Chair for the TAEA 50th Conference in Galveston, Texas. Ms. Finn has taught for 20 years in the public, private, and DODDS school systems. She has operated her own business, Freelance Inc., since the age of 15, working as a freelance artist in Philadelphia, PA, Alaska, Germany, and since 1990, in Texas. A 1995 graduate of The University of Houston, she has a BS in Secondary Education, with dual certification in Art, & History. She is on the Board of The Galveston Art Center. She is a Print and Ceramic Artist. She lives in Galveston with her husband and two children.
Samantha Melvin
Samantha Melvin teaches Art at RJ Richey Elementary in Burnet CISD. She serves as the Elementary Division Chair and as Youth Art Month-VP, elect of the Texas Art Education Association. Active in local, regional, state and national art education initiatives, Samantha also served as Western Region Elementary Division Representative for the National Art Education Association for two years, and currently sits on the Purposes, Principles and Standards for School Art Programs Revision Committee and the NAEA Visual Arts as Core (Platform Writing) Committee. In 2009, Samantha received the Power of Art Award from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and the Lab School of Washington and was named TAEA Elementary Art Educator of the Year. A recipient of the PBS Teachers Innovation Award in 2010, she serves as a member of the advisory council for PBS Teachers. In March 2011, Samantha was named Western Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year. She serves as Visual Arts Cadre member for CEDFA, and has presented at CEDFA Summits in 2009, 2010 and 2011. This spring, she was part of the curriculum writing team for TEA's Project Share Initiative, integrating Visual Arts with Math and Science. You can follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/smelvin or email her at artteaches@hotmail.com - VSA Playwright Discovery :Learn the process and the submission guidelines. presented by VSA of Texas
The VSA Playwright Discovery Program invites middle and high school students to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability affects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of playwriting. A distinguished jury of theater professionals selects scripts from up to five students as recipients of the Annual VSA Playwright Discovery Award. Award recipients receive a $1000 cash award and a trip to Washington, D.C. over Labor Day weekend to participate in workshops with theater professionals and peers, and participate in the development and presentation of a professional reading of their work on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with the possibility that the reading will be broadcast live via the internet and then archived for future viewing. This workshop will introduce the VSA playwriting process and the submission guidelines for the VSA Playwright Discovery national student competition hosted by the Kennedy Center every year.
Celia Hughes
Celia Hughes is the Executive Director of VSA Texas, the state organization on arts and disability. She has over 30 years experience working in the arts as teacher, producer, artist and administrator and has worked alongside people with diverse disabilities for over 25 years. Through her tenure, she has developed diverse arts programs including All Kids Can, artist residencies in special education classrooms; ArtWorks: Creative Industries, professional development opportunities for emerging artists with disabilities; Actual Lives Austin, theater written and performed by people with disabilities; and Accessible Arts in Schools, expressive arts therapist residencies and teacher trainings. In 2009, VSA Texas opened Access Gallery to showcase the work of professional and emerging artists. In 2000,Ms. Hughes wrote Stop the Violence, Break the Silence, an abuse prevention manual for professionals who serve people with disabilities (published by SafePlace, Austin); and in 2001, she produced "The Art of Audio Description", a video training resource. In 2011, Ms. Hughes participated with the beta testing of an online graduate course by Lesley College in Cambridge, MA on Curriculum Design for Arts Teaching and Learning, promoting the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). She has developed and conducted training workshops for fine arts and general education teachers in Texas for over 13 years, and has worked with CEDFA since 2006 to offer workshops focused on integrating arts in special education and inclusive classrooms.Ms. Hughes is co-founder of the Audio Description Coalition, an international group of individuals dedicated to the professional advancement of audio description in the areas of recreation, employment and culture, and serves on the VSA Affiliate Council at the Kennedy Center. Ms. Hughes holds a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin and a BA, Speech Pathology from SUNY College at Plattsburgh. - STEAM Power Your Student's Careers: The Artist's Way presented by Dr. Jessica Rose Hooker
Policy makers are beginning to view art and design as drivers for innovation in STEM fields. Fine arts educators are therefore encouraged to inspire, motivate, and assess creative expression/performance in ways that promote arts education as a path toward any future career. This collaborative hands-on professional development "playshop" combines sociological theories of learning and creativity with wisdom from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and real-life success stories by STEAM professionals (in fields such as video games, film/TV, and publishing) to help teachers of art, dance, music, and theater develop a powerful assessment strategy for creative expression/performance. Enjoy fun activities that can be replicated in your classroom, and receive clear suggestions for helping students develop the kind of portfolio that will help them achieve career success. Suitable for all grade levels.
Jessica Rose Hooker
Dr. Jessica Rose Hooker is a social psychologist who combines scientific principles with creative techniques to help individuals and organizations achieve greater clarity, integrity, well-being, and effectiveness. She earned her Ph.D. in sociology at The Ohio State University in 2002, and has 14 years experience teaching at Ohio State, Ohio University, Antioch College, and Huston-Tillotson University. - Movement Activities to Empower Students' Learning in a Holistic Learning Community presented by Gladys Keeton
Strategies and activities to develop an individual's awareness and confidence in their movement potential to empower academic success will be presented. An individual must become fully aware of the body, its parts and how they relate and move through space for a more efficient and effective feeling of control and self-worth in relationship with others. Emphasis will be on the development of the kinesthetic ability of sensing body position, movement or tension through breath, alignment, centering, action/reaction, and physical laws. Strategies presented will assist students in developing a stronger collaborative ability allowing them to participate as holistic community participants. In this type of environment, students are guided by inquiring and by processing their own thinking and decision making skills. The activities presented will promote divergent thinking and problem solving, actively responding, critiquing and reflecting. A holistic approach of connecting the mind and body, with a positive attitude in an environment that is alive and challenging so students produce the kind of work that validates who they are and builds self-esteem will definitely contribute to academic success.
Gladys Keeton
Professor of Dance, at Texas Woman's University, joined the faculty in 1969 after teaching at Memphis State University and the University of Tennessee-Martin. Her degrees were earned at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. She is Director of the Dance Education Major program, has been Director of the TWU Modern Dance Company that toured in the states as well as in Brazil in 1977 and is also founder, artistic director, and performer with the TWU International Dance Company that performs throughout Texas and at National Conventions. Contributions to dance education are made through leadership in state, regional, and national organizations including President of the Dance Divisions of the Texas AHPERD and the Southern District AHPERD as well as being selected as a charter member of the Texas Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts Cadre and the Texas Education Agency Fine Arts Advisory Panel. She conducts Arts Integration workshops for teachers and students in Texas schools through the Artist-In-Education program, Texas Commission for the Arts and her recognition includes the TAHPERD and the Southern District AAHPERD Outstanding University Dance Educator and Honor Awards and the Texas Dance Educator's Association Hall of Fame Award in addition to University and community Awards. Gladys is currently President of the National Dance Association. - Technology Boot Camp presented by Jonathan Schmid
We hear again and again that technology is crucial to being a 21st century teacher. But are you prepared? Do you know tools are worth your attention? "Technology Boot Camp" will help you learn just how to use emerging technology to help your students thrive. Come join us and learn how to learn from others by building a Personal Learning Network (PLN). We'll cut through the glitz of technology to get to the tools that will transform your teaching. Most practically, we will discuss technology tools to amplify your efforts, such as Twitter, Google Reader, YouTube, Dropbox, Prezi, Evernote, Simplenote, Instapaper, and Posterous. Finally, we'll talk about using mobile technology, like iPads and smartphones in the classroom. Bring your laptop or iPad, smartphone, or other tech and get ready for technology success through this to-the-point, applicable session. Are you up for the task?
Jonathan Schmid
Jonathan Schmid is the Director of Innovation & Technology at The Meadowbrook School of Weston, Massachusetts . He has worked at schools in the United States and Europe, and has presented at numerous conferences. Having taught students ages 1-12 from over 50 nationalities, he has seen the difference technology can make in the lives of students. A blogger and avid twitterer, Jonathan loves assisting teachers as they become more effective through the use of technology. He has a Masters in Instructional Technology, is a Google Certified Instructor and an advocate for purposeful technology. - Mixing Approaches to Performance: Digital Storytelling and Theatre Practice presented by Dr. Megan Alrutz
Rapid globalization and advances in media and technology continue to change the ways that students engage with and understand the world around us. Moreover, as digital technologies become more accessible and central to every day life, theatre educators face new challenges around bridging classroom expectations with students’ lived experiences. These shifts, and the challenges they present, require us to develop new approaches to theatre education and performance. This interactive session introduces a practical approach to digital storytelling and embodied theatre practices for the classroom. Through a devising process that includes personal narrative, digital photography, and performance techniques, we will explore how the process and products of digital storytelling tap into students’ personal identity and respond to their experience and wisdom. The session will close with reflections on the role of digital media in theatre education today. Teachers are encouraged, but not required, to bring a digital camera or cell phone with photo capabilities and to dress comfortably.
Megan Alrutz
Megan Alrutz recently joined the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches courses in applied theatre, theatre for social change, and digital storytelling. Previously, she was on the faculty of the University of Central Florida where she led the MFA program in Theatre for Young Audiences for five years. Her creative and scholarly interests focus on applied theatre and theatre for young audiences - including school-based, arts-integration; applied performance in non-traditional sites; devising and directing theatre and digital storytelling to explore issues of voice and identity; and developing new work that challenges and inspires dialogue. Megan works nationally as a facilitator for professional development in arts education and drama-based pedagogy, and was the founding director of ArtsBridge/UCF and Digital U, two Orlando-based applied arts/media programs for youth. Megan earned her Ph.D. from Arizona State University where she focused on drama-based pedagogy for middle school science education. - Art and Media Communications 1 presented by Judy Jennings
Participants in this session will explore the pilot year of a new innovative course, Art and Media Communications. Designed by the Texas Cultural Trust to teach at risk 9th grade students 21st century workforce skills in the creative media arts, media literacy and cultural studies, the course is based on rigorous explorations into the contemporary visual art and media design fields. Presenters will share the lessons learned and future directions for the course. Participants will leave with information on how to bring the course to their campuses, how to adopt some of the strategies for student engagement embedded in the course, how to bridge the technology gap with traditionally underserved students, and where to find resources for extending arts learning to teach media and digital literacy skills.
Judy JenningsDr. Jennings specializes in interpretation of assessment data, analysis of student-level data, organization of curriculum development projects, and school accountability models. Her current projects include inter-rater reliability analysis and evaluator training for the New Mexico Three-Tiered Licensure program. In addition, she is co-manager of the Rider 42-E Fine Arts Integration Training and Support and the Texas Cultural Trust's Art and Media Communications curriculum development projects. She serves as project manager for RFL's work with Regional Education Service Center XIII on the Texas Performance Standards Project. Dr. Jennings also creates and presents professional development in assessment-related topics for the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) conference.
Before coming to RFL, Dr. Jennings was a manager in the Division of Performance-Based Monitoring for the Texas Education Agency. There she assisted in the publication of district-level performance monitoring reports, developed performance indicators, and analyzed and interpreted data. Prior to working at TEA, Dr. Jennings was project manager for Evaluation Software Publishing where she managed web-based access to accountability data for teachers and administrators in school districts. She has also been a researcher at the University of Texas Measurement and Evaluation Center where she assisted with data analysis using SAS and SPSS software.
Dr. Jennings earned a PhD in educational psychology in the area of psychometrics and statistics at the University of Texas at Austin in May 2006. Her expertise includes assessment strategies, statistical techniques, and standard setting.
- Music & Media Communications: A New Innovative Course Connecting Music and Digital Literacy presented by Charles Aguillon
Music and Media Communications is an innovative course that is part of a series of free Fine Arts and Digital Literacy curricula designed by Resources for Learning and the Texas Cultural Trust. The course targets students who may or may not have previously studied music and is designed to provide foundational music instruction as well as an introduction to a full spectrum of 21st century skills. Presenters will introduce the course, which will be piloted in the 2012-2013 school year. Participants will learn how to bring the course to their campuses, how to bridge the technology gap with traditionally underserved students, and where to find resources for extending music learning to teach media and digital literacy skills.
Charles AguillonCharles Aguillon is the Associate Principal for Teaching and Learning at Georgetown East View High School. During his 16 years in Georgetown, Mr. Aguillon has also held the positions of middle school band director, assistant high school band director, Director of Bands for Georgetown High School, and Director of Fine Arts for the Georgetown ISD. Prior to coming to Georgetown, Mr. Aguillon was a band director for San Marcos CISD. Ensembles under his direction have appeared at the Texas State Marching Band Contest and the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mr. Aguillon is active in the field of teaching and learning and collaborates frequently with many organizations such as the Texas Education Agency, Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA), Resources for Learning, Texas Cultural Trust, Texas Association for Secondary School Principals, and the Texas Association of School Administrators to present staff developments and innovative curriculum projects for students.
As a community organizer, Mr. Aguillon has served as Chair for the City of Georgetown Arts and Culture Board, President of the Georgetown Symphony Society, and board member for Georgetown Art Works. He is presently on the Georgetown Library Advisory Board and on the board for the University of Texas Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. Mr. Aguillon was proud to have served as President for Region 18 and Region 26 of the Texas Music Educators Association.
Mr. Aguillon holds the Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education from Texas State University-San Marcos as well as a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix where he is completing his doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Also see our new Post Summit Sessions!
