Heather White started teaching at the Vinalhaven School in 2002. For the first nine years, she was the third-grade teacher, bringing art into the curriculum as much as possible. In 2011, she made the big leap to teaching k-12 visual arts and hasn’t looked back. It was exciting for her to go back to school to finish up her remaining classes to become a certified art teacher, she absolutely loves what she does, and it shows.

Maine Department of Education’s Katherine Warren visited the May, 7^th K-12 art show and spoke to Heather about her successful teaching strategies. Heather focuses on process over product and mistakes just come with the territory. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly where she believes the learning is. A sign in the art room reads, “Fail a lot! Failing is really just practice.”

This is the message that Heather works to convey to her students each day. She told Katherine, “I know the message is getting through when a project comes out of the kiln broken, which happens once in a while, and a student simply says something like, ‘that’s OK . . .I bet I know what happened, I bet there was still some moisture in the clay, I’ll just make another one.”

Another one of Heather’s recipes for success in the art room is “do the work.” She conveys to students, on a daily basis, the importance of showing up and doing the work. It’s the only way to move forward no matter what the task. Students from kindergarten all the way up to twelfth grade know that when they come to the art room, they’re there to work. No matter what the outcome, they always feel knowing they did their best; this philosophy results in more learning opportunities, and more artistic growth.

These teaching strategies really work for Heather and the proof is in the painting. This past winter Heather displayed second and third grade artwork on the Story Trail at Vinalhaven Land Trust’s Granite Island Preserve. It was an art show in the woods and families were encouraged to plan a winter hike to take in the scenery and the stunning artwork. These art pieces were juxtaposed against Vinalhaven’s real winter forest. It is difficult to say which trees were more beautiful, those imagined by Heather’s students, or the real things. Either way, she has done an exceptional job connecting her students and their artistic work to the environment from which it was inspired.

As with the “Winter Birches,” Heather is always looking for opportunities to try something new or unexpected. Another successful collaboration she worked on this year was with the k-12 music teacher Bill Trevaskis. Together they worked with students to produce stop. Motion short films. Heather said, “I was already doing stop motion films, and Bill was already doing a sound design unit. It was the perfect integrated unit, so why not just go for it!”

The results were thoughtful, beautiful, and downright funny ranging from a peeling out sports car to the sinking of The Titanic. Students were certainly proud of their work, as was their teacher.

K-12 students at Vinalhaven are fortunate to have such dedicated teachers. These alternative and collaborative methods for art and music instruction are exciting examples of the many amazing things Maine teachers and students do on a daily basis to improve education across the State.

This story was written by Maine DOE Intern Simon Handleman in collaboration with Vinalhaven Art Teacher Heather White and Maine DOE Staff Katherine Warren. If you have a story idea or would like to submit a written story for the Maine DOE Newsroom, email Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Pictured (Left to Right) – Front row: Robb Cotiaux, Brittany Taylor, Bridges Class teacher Windham Middle School, Connor McNeill, Bridges Class teacher Windham High School. Middle row: Austin Rice, AJ Mains and TJ McAllister. Third row: Jack Hedrich, James Tucker, Eric Loftin, Cameron Malone, Sue Hedrich, Bridges Class Ed Tech.

Story submitted by Susan Hedrich, Educational Technician with the Bridges Program in RSU14.

The Bridges classes at both Windham High & Middle Schools recently went on their first community fishing trip as part of their educational programming. An integrated life skills course, the Bridges program serves students from middle school through independence at the Windham Raymond School District.

Students were greeted at The Pond at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester by registered Maine Guide, Robb Cotiaux, and RSU14 central office staff volunteer, Jack Hedrich, who provided instruction about the mechanics of using a fishing pole with worms for bait.  Despite heavy rain that day, the students enjoyed the fishing lesson immensely and caught three fish.

The Bridges teachers would like to include fishing as part of the students’ community engagement experience in the future and determined that they had a need for their own equipment this spring.  The Trout Unlimited Sebago chapter was contacted about this need and the Conservation Chairman, Mr. Cotiaux presented to the Board a request for a grant for $250 to purchase new fishing gear for the Bridges students.  That grant was awarded this month and will finance the purchase of enough sets of gear for each student on their future trips.

After their fishing lesson was over the students had lunch in the Pineland Café and were treated to complimentary ice cream cones courtesy of the Café Manager, Dore Campbell.

For the fourth year in a row, fourth graders at Carrie Ricker Elementary School in Litchfield assemble around one-hundred homemade parade floats. Such a quantity of floats can fit inside the school cafeteria because each one is little bigger than a shoebox. All spring long these students have been studying Maine culture and history leading up to the Maine Shoebox Parade as the culmination of their learning. This month long project begins in early May when each teacher on the Fourth Grade Team (Beth Pfeffer, Chuck Beganny, Jody Raio, Judy Davidson, and Sarah Radasch) provides their classes with nearly 40 Maine-related topics from which to choose. With each class at around 20 students, the choices are abundant.

For many students at Carrie Ricker this was their first formal experience with research. By introducing students to research-based learning in fourth grade, these students will have abundant background and foundational knowledge for what is to come.

Some of the students who covered local businesses even reached out to the proprietors. One student who researched Fielder’s Choice Ice Cream had the opportunity to interview that business’ owner.  In addition to research and construction, students must write a short informative paragraph about their topic. Either the student (if they choose to read themselves) or their teacher will read their words in front of the assembled fourth grade classes at the parade. A combination of research, writing, creative construction, and public speaking skills make the Maine Shoebox Parade a festival about social studies learning, creativity, and presentation as well as State celebration.  Fourth grade teacher Judy Davidson explained this is why parents, teachers, and students alike get so excited about the project each year.

This year three judges presided over the festivities.  Principal Christine Lajoie-Cameron, Administrative Assistant Keli Terry, and Maine Department of Education Social Studies Specialist, Joe Schmidt were tasked with choosing the best of the floats. One crowd favorite was the Litchfield Diving Horses, a local attraction from the early 20^th Century. Still other projects were made more powerful considering personal student or teacher connections to the topic. The student whose project featured Moody’s Diner was related to the patron family. However, Maxx Crowley took home the Student Choice Award for his lighthouse float.

All judges, teachers, parents, and DOE observers agreed the parade was a display of excellent student behavior and work. The student contenders were respectful and friendly. They demonstrated an appreciation for the hard work of their peers. Each year, following the parade, fourth graders bring their floats through the third grade wing. This reprise of the parade gives younger students a glimpse of life next year, as well as something about which to get excited. After the presentation we walked down a hallway and saw the abundant art on display. It is evident the people at Carrie Ricker value student art and creativity, a tool they use to motivate students and strengthen school community. Ms. Terry, Administrative Assistant, commented how special it was to see students and their work, out from behind the front office desk. All those present look forward to the next annual Maine Shoebox parade, and whatever else the students at Carrie Ricker create.

4th grade teacher Sarah Radasch and student

Student’s Shoebox Parade float about apples

This story was written by Maine DOE Intern Simon Handleman in collaboration with Carrie Ricker School. If you have a story idea or would like to submit a written story for the Maine DOE Newsroom, email Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov.