Regional workshops and regular webinars are continuing throughout the state as more arts teachers are trained to make assessment in arts education an integral part of the work they do to deepen student learning.
The work is part of the ongoing Maine Arts Education Assessment Initiative.
A number of webinars have taken place since September, with one more scheduled for March 14: “An Elementary Discussion: How in the World Can I Possibly Do This?” The session will address the unique needs of elementary visual and performing arts teachers.
All Arts Assessment Initiative webinars have been archived online so teachers and administrators can use them at the local level. The webinars are available at http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/assessment.html.
Past webinar topics include:
- “Why Arts Assessment? The Maine Arts Education Assessment Initiative Overview”
- “Building an Online Arts Education Community with You”
- “Standards Based Assessment in the Arts”
- “Leadership and the Arts”
Eighteen teacher leaders of the assessment initiative have been offering regional workshops throughout the state. These workshops will continue until the end of the 2011-12 school year. The schedule is available at: http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/assessment.html.
The teacher leaders also facilitated 27 workshops at the statewide arts education conference in October 2011 at the University of Southern Maine.
Some 225 educators attended that conference.
Resources and more information
- Argy Nestor, Visual and Performing Arts Specialist
Maine Department of Education
207-624-6825
argy.nestor@maine.gov - Arts Assessment Initiative Web Page at the Maine DOE
- Maine Arts Assessment Wiki
- Doing arts assessment right, by Etna-Dixmont music teacher Jennifer Nash
- Arts educators focus on assessment
- meartsed blog