Winter 2016
PAEA banner
January 2016    
PAEA's 60th Conference is coming to Philadelphia


October 6th - 9th, 2016
Moore College of Art 
and Design

New Look for PAEA

 
PAEA's new color logo stems from our Strategic Vision.  Under the "Organizational Vibrancy" goal, we have looked at ways to be more visual and to unify our branding through color.   Art educators know the importance of color and much discussion took place to select the color palette. Going forward, the color logo will serve as a core element as we continue to refine our branding.

Check out our new website! 

 

Student Opportunities,

Professional Development,

Resources,

and more...

 

paea.org

NAEA honors 
PAEA members.

"There is no greater testament of their exemplary
contributions to the field of visual arts education than being chosen for this prestigious award. Their
colleagues throughout the United States and abroad join the NAEA Board of Directors in applauding their
leadership, commitment and service to the 
profession."

Congratulations to Beth Burkhauser
chosen by the 
National Art
Education Association
to receive the National Emeritus (Retired) Art Educator Award.


Congratulations to Dr. Lisa Kay
chosen by the 
National Art
Education Association
to receive the National Special Needs Art Educator Award.


Congratulations to Dr. Heather Fountain
chosen by the 
National Art
Education Association
to receive the National Higher Education Art Educator Award.

Congratulations to Adrienne D. Hunter
chosen by
the NAEA Council for Exceptional Children to receive the 
Beverly Levitt Gerber Special Needs Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016.
Bristol Township School District recognized for it's commitment to the arts.
Helen Cini and Melanie Gehrens accept the Art Education School Board Leadership Award from Ron Cowell of the Education Policy and Leadership Center. 

Several years ago, Bristol Township school board members began working with District teachers to develop a fundraising and grant-giving non-profit called CREATE (Connecting Resources, Enriching Arts Through Education). School board member Earl Bruck and former board member Kathy Bachman were instrumental in developing the CREATE non-profit.

Congratulations!
PAEA/PATA 
pARTners Program


PAEA and the Philadelphia Art Teachers Alliance have teamed together to connect area National Art Honor Society chapters with art programs in Philadelphia Title 1 schools for a donation drive to support schools with much needed art supplies.  President-elect, Robin Brewer and PATA representative, Leslie Grace have matched up thirteen NAHS chapters with 13 schools in Philadelphia.  The PAEA art educators from the thirteen schools in Philadelphia have submitted a wishlist of items they need the most.  The NAHS chapters are collecting supplies and will be delivering the supplies early in the new year.  We hope that this program can serve as a pilot for other cities like Pittsburgh and Harrisburg during the 2016-2107 school year.
Old Songs New Opportunities

PAEA member, Kelly Armor, Director of Folk Arts and Education at the Erie Art Museum, speaking at 
TEDx Erie.

Inspiring.
  
Old Songs New Opportunities
 
One of her greatest successes is the Old Songs New Opportunities, a collaboration between the Museum and many local agencies to provide early childhood
program training to local refugees and encourage the incorporation of traditional songs while on the job.
Think 3D printing is just about toys for the boys?

It's arguable that the 3D printing industry is more democratic than most. If you have an interest in design or computer modeling, then additive manufacturing technology is readily accessible in fablabs, schools, and libraries to help make your vision a reality. 
This openness, it turns out is working. The excellent website, Women in 3Dprinting  is a great place to get inspired.
Do you have a Makerspace? Are your students tinkering?

Learning by Design is  looking for lessons that use recycled, altered, non-traditional, or re-purposed materials. 

Retiring?

Let me know!  


 Contact Retired 

Division Director
Kris Fontes
kfontes2@gmail.com
Blick
Crystal Art

Crystal Art Website 

Join us on Facebook 
and Twitter @PaArtEd
twitter  
The Pennsylvania Art Education Association is committed to supporting the work of art educators across the state. We serve to support the work you do with students in the classroom, by providing ongoing recent curricular resources, and professional development opportunities year-round across the state. Check back often to see what is coming up in your region at:  http://www.paeablog.org/
Happy New Year. . .
Diane Wilkin - PAEA president
I don't know about you, but my holidays are often not as restful as I had imagined - but certainly full of good karma and busy with friends and family.  It's 4 AM and I just finished the nighttime shift with our one-month old granddaughter.  Will travel home soon. I anticipate a nap, coffee, and back to planning the art classes for 2016.

It's been a year (2015) of budget stress, STEM and STEAM debates, and cultural shifts in Art Education.  I received a Paint & Sip party invite and was struggling with my response to the event when I found this article in the Art of Education by Melissa Purtee. Paint & Sip article.  The article resonated with me - I don't provide that ONE Exemplar for my students but they still often exhibit hesitation and fear - a fear of the 'unknown' - Culturally, we have trained them to answer questions with 'the right answer'.  We must be vigilant in providing open-ended questions and explorations in art education.  Together we can grow creative thinkers!
  • ADVOCATE/EXHIBIT - Join PAEA members and exhibit your work in the Youth Art Month show at PDE in Harrisburg. Youth Art Month PA (work is due February 12th, Reception is March 12th)
  • GROW - Look for professional growth opportunities - PAEA regions are active and open to suggestions too! PAEA Region events. A new Google Classroom introductory online course is being offered Monday, January 25th and Monday February 1st at 7:30. Register online.
  • BUILD - The future of PAEA - Bring a Friend and build our art education network. JOIN

Have a question? Contact PAEA. We are here to serve the professional art educators in PA. www.paea.org  

 

Want to know who you legislator is? - Here's a link:
Looking for more points to share anytime?
www.americansforthearts.org Search their site for "facts and figures".  
Reflection on Conference 2015: The Feel and Flow of Art Education  Paul Nagle  Conference Co-chair 
The 2015 conference accomplished two goals. Goal number one was to bring relevant issues regarding education to attendees of the conference.  Dr. James Haywood Rolling Jr.'s insightful keynote described the nature of creativity and creativity in nature.  Grounded in behavioral and social sciences, and the biological sciences those in attendance left with the idea that a creative impulse resides in all beings.  Swarm intelligence calls for a collective action to lead, re-imagine, recreate and evolve.  His speech perfectly positioned the theme of the conference and delivered a message that should long resonate with art educators.  
While swarm intelligence might be the collective conscious of art educators the need  to find ground for practice in the classroom is the ego. The second goal addressed the needs of art teachers who constantly look for best practice in the classroom. Defined by Olivia Gude's Bricollage themed keynote, to lead students to think is a task done best through the practice of project based learning. Gude demonstrated socially conscious themes, and student choice in lesson plans, and "skeptical" assessment rubrics from her Spiral Workshop. 
While post-modern principles, and possibilities of a Bricollage curriculum have been what is happening in art education, there is nothing better than looking at artists talk about their work. Joe Fusaro's presentation ended the keynote series on Sunday.  He shared his insights of what he has learned from contemporary artists featured in the magnificent PBS series, Art21. Joe's talk ended the conference theme with an optimistic outlook on the future of art education and contemporary culture. 
Every conference has workshops dedicated to improve and lead the field. Conference workshops addressed a broad spectrum of issues over three days. Some conference workshops echoed ideas of the keynotes, post-modern principles, choice based classrooms, community conscious projects, or invited attendees to explore technology, or design education.  Although they seem to go hand in hand, teachers who share and test their insights among peers lead the way. While new leaders emerged, PAEA honored Clyde McGeary's legacy by documenting his oral history in Pennsylvania art education. Award ceremonies and recognition for PAEA Art Educators of the Year may be more inspiring than keynote speeches and workshops. And such ceremonies affirm the purpose of gathering for a conference.
New innovations came out of the Harrisburg conference:  An online student art show, inclusion of student films, use of social media and technology at the Saturday night dinner, and production of keynote videos for PAEA online. Great conference moments are too many to mention, the 2015 PAEA Conference held at the Harrisburg Hilton met and exceeded expectations by bringing national level art educators to Pennsylvania.  This is not new to PAEA for we swarm to intelligent art education.
Message from the President - elect. . .
Robin Brewer

Serving in the role of President-elect is a great learning opportunity. My overarching goal as I began my term of office in 2014 was to help PAEA "be visual." Many have helped to create a more vibrant and professional visual presence for the print and web materials that represent our organization. For example, members of the board worked together to finalize our Strategic Vision and publish a one page visual guide to our visioning goals. We have updated our logo with new color branding and our website is full of new content and images. 

In 2016, I will be stepping up to take a greater role in leading our face to face board meetings. I will be setting the agenda for our summer leadership retreat. Finally, I am looking forward to serving as a voting delegate at the National Art Education conference in Chicago in March of 2016. Diane Wilkin and I will be representing PAEA and voting on current issues and position statements. We will also represent PAEA at the summer NAEA leadership conference in the new NAEA headquarters in Alexandria, VA. 

PAEA Honored by the National Art Education Association 
 

Congratulations to the Pennsylvania Art Education Association for being selected to receive the 2016 NAEA Presidential Citation Award, which recognizes a State Association that has made superior achievements contributing to the improvement of art education.
Celebrating Youth Art Month
Suzanne Collins - YAM Committee Chair

Youth Art Month encourages support for quality school art programs.  Art shows, special exhibits, fundraisers, and school and community activities take place annually, traditionally during March, to celebrate visual art education for grades k-12.  The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers the program at the national level and provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences unlike any other curriculum subjects, including: Problem solving, Creativity, Observation and Communication.
 
YAM Student Exhibit
You can participate in Youth Art Month is by sending in student artwork for the annual PAEA YAM exhibit held at the Pennsylvania Department of Education in March.  There will be a casual reception for artists and their families as well as an awards ceremony for winning submissions.  Information for submitting student work can be found on the PAEA website. 
 
Getting the Community Involved
In addition to planning exhibits and displaying Youth Art Month posters, various local groups can undertake activities such as those suggested below. Try to get as many segments of your community as possible to participate. Plan a joint concert and art exhibit. March is also "Music in Our Schools" Month.
 
Libraries can:
* Invite illustrators to speak
* Feature books on children's art
 
Museums and Art Centers can:
* Feature special exhibits of children's art
* Arrange tours for children
 
PTA's and civic groups can cooperate by:
* Featuring a special art "class" for members
* Scheduling a talk and/or a demonstration by an artist
 
Business and commercial enterprises:
* Restaurants can feature Youth Art Month on menus 
* Department stores can hold a student fashion show (for inspiration go to http://project-innovate.net)
 
As art teachers, we are responsible for advocating why students and school districts will benefit from art education. By celebrating Youth Art Month and being an advocate for art education, school districts and communities will view art as an essential component of a well rounded education. It is our hope that art teachers can unite to celebrate Youth Art Month and that school leaders and the community will see the importance and relevance of art, both in school and in students' individual lives. 
The International Interdependence Hexagon Project 2016
Beth Burkhauser -PAEA retired art educator 
    
Would you like your students to creatively and visually respond to overarching themes that are relevant to their lives?  Would you like your students to develop empathy for others and feel connected?  

 Then please join this International Local & Global Project: 
The International Interdependence Hexagon Project 2016 
a visual arts and social justice art opportunity for school students ages 3 to 18,  and communities, ages birth to 90+ worldwide.
 
This international project asks young people and communities to create art within the infinitely inter-locking shape of a hexagon - a metaphor for our interconnectedness.
The art is exhibited each year in home schools and communities and then shipped to Scranton, Pennsylvania for the International Exhibition. Many students and communities from Northeastern Pennsylvania are involved along with a fascinating blend of community and school expressions from across the United States, Canada, Haiti, Africa, Nepal, Egypt, Greece and Japan (2015). To date about 7000 hexagons have been created and exhibited. 2016 marks the 10th year of the Hexagon Project (www.hexagonproject.org) and the 14th year of the Interdependence Movement (www.interdependencemovement.org) Our goal in 2016 is to reach 10,000 hexagons!and exhibited. 
 
10th Year Special Theme 2016:  
WE DO - ACTING Interdependently:  
We ask schools and communities to respond to this optional theme by making hexagons that demonstrate how the consciousness of being connected  - realizing ones rights and responsibilities - has been played out in one's personal and community and global life on this planet - OR , using the hexagons, mapping out a plan of action.
  1. How have you joined with others (WE) to make a change (ACTING INTERDEPENDENTLY) For the benefit of others (DO!) 
  2. In what ways have you.as an individual or a community, practiced interdependent thought or action?
  3. What SOLUTIONS to problems of environmental issues, local and global government and democracy, children's' rights, women's rights, gender identity, religious freedom, racial, gender and ethnic equality, free spaces for expression of diversity, the beneficial use of technology have you discovered or participated among your family, neighborhood, school, church, political or world communities?
  4. SHOW us and TELL us what you have done,or what you imagine you could do, in your hexagonal art work and in your text! Map a PLAN!
     
Deadline for the 2016 Project:  June 30, 2016 (with some exceptions for Community groups in other countries)

OUR BELIEFS:
  • We believe that young people throughout the world should have opportunities to explore real-world themes, issues and ideas within schools and communities.
  • We believe the arts are powerful vehicles for this exploration.
  • We believe through creative thinking, research  and taking a stand on one's beliefs and understandings, changes of attitudes, belief systems and awareness are stimulated.
  • We believe subsequently, action can occur.
  • We believe it is critical for young people and communities of all kinds to confront, question and reconsider attitudes and beliefs as part of their responsibilities as citizens, as well as one's own personal growth and formation of self.
  • We believe it is especially important for all of us, young or old, to explore one's connections, rights and responsibilities to others in an increasingly interdependent world.
We call this Art AS Action, Art INTO Action, ACTIVIST ART.
If the STEAM article below is truncated and you are using GMAIL, please go to the bottom of this newsletter, and in the lower left, click on VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE. You will be able to read the STEAM article and the Spotlight on art educator, Leslie Grace.
Trying to convince your district to incorporate STEAM?

Here's what you need. 
NAEA Position Statement on STEAM Education
[Adopted April 2014]

STEAM education refers to teaching and learning in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The STEAM approach is the infusion of art and design principles, concepts, and techniques into STEM instruction and learning. This is achieved through the use of STEAM curricula, collaboration of non-arts educators with certified/licensed art educators, teaching artists, and community-based arts organizations. It includes educational activities across all grade levels in both classrooms and in community-based settings.
STEAM approaches support the inclusion and involvement of professionals and resources from the community to support STEAM programs. Artists and designers experienced with STEAM are integral to driving workforce innovation in a variety of fields.

Visual arts content and artistic ways of thinking are fundamental and valuable components of high-quality STEAM education. NAEA believes that:
  • STEAM education values all STEAM disciplines equally
  • STEAM education is implemented through a wide variety of approaches
  • STEAM education encourages creativity and innovation
  • STEAM education acknowledges the rigor found in visual art
NAEA believes that to be successful in STEM related career fields, students must be proficient in visual thinking and creative problem-solving facilitated by a strong visual art education.

STEAM resources for members:
The Committee that prepared this Position Statement has also compiled resources that are posted on the NAEA website under the draft Position Statement.
Spotlight on PAEA member, Leslie Grace
Art teacher at George Nebinger School in South Philadelphia
Over the last year alone, Grace has raised more than $9,000 via DonorsChoose.org and other fundraising to fund her new art education program at George Nebinger School in South Philadelphia, which hasn't had an art teacher for 15 years. In addition to her role in the classroom, she's also been working with Moore College of Art and Design to build up an Art Teacher Network. The group was started to help support Philadelphia art teachers through monthly meetings where they share lesson plans, student art work and general classroom management strategies.
Her New Year's Resolution: To advocate for art education for school district of Philadelphia (and beyond!) children as well as to continue to raise funds for my classroom which has a $0 dollar budget and to educate other local art teachers on ways of fundraising and bringing art resources to their room through my group Philadelphia Art Teacher Alliance.

Orso, A. (2015, March 15). Who's Next: 16 young teachers and leaders shaping education in Philly. Retrieved December 29, 2015, from https://billypenn.com/2015/03/26/whos-next-16-young-teachers-and-leaders-shaping-education-in-philly/