Alabama Black Belt Arts Education Initiative

ALJ Enjoys the Arts!!!

2008-02-16T20:57:00.006-06:00

Amelia L. Johnson High School has been enjoying our art performances. We started off with the Alabama Blues Project coming to town and just recently saw Math in Motion. Everyone got involved and had such a great time. Just look at our photos!!!

National Teacher of the Year

2007-11-27T08:21:00.000-06:00

Here is a 5-minute video clip of Margaret Spelling interviewing Andrea Peterson, the 2007 National Teacher of the Year. Ms. Peterson is a music teacher. For more information on her, click here.

Here is another 5-minute clip which shows Ms. Peterson in action.

Arts' Workshop at ALJ

2007-11-11T19:25:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Donna, Mary, and Sharon for bringing some art into our world...

On October 22nd, the Alabama Arts Alliance for Education came to Amelia Love Johnson High School in Thomaston, Al. and brought a little movement and creativity to our teachers. We had such a good time...just look at our pictures....

How to Start Posting

2007-11-09T07:21:00.000-06:00

If you are reading this post, you have taken the first step towards telling the story of the arts program in your school and being able to read about creative friends in other schools are doing. When we first started this blog, I composed a post with instructions. You can click here to see all of that.

Please know if there is anything I can do to help you along this journey in making the arts a key component in your school, I am only a phone call or e-mail away!

2007-10-15T16:24:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since we have had a post here, so I will jump in...

Last spring, the Music Educator's National Conference started something a little new bu inviting various musical groups from around the country to post videos to YouTube. One elementary school began their presentation with a narration that I found particularly inspiring, so I wrote and asked the music teacher for a copy of it. The narration, and its author, are here:

There is a distinct need to express feelings about music education. We take pride in every music educator, because quite frankly, they are doing more than simply teaching music, they are the ones inspiring young lives to gain a sense of who or what they are. We must continue to focus education on the whole child. We cannot allow our vision of education to narrow. We must continue to provide opportunities for the creative mind to grow and flourish. Music allows the human spirit to take risks without fear of being wrong. Music permeates everything we do. Music is everywhere we are. The wondrous threads of music weave through the tapestry of our lives. Without it, the tapestry becomes a rag, without value, easily discarded.It is human nature to seek for that which is beautiful. But if left uneducated, human nature will find artistic forms at the base levels. Not because it seeks for art there, but because it doesn't know where else to find it. Good music raises us up to higher levels. It allows us to find beauty in life. It strenghthens us to stand firm against the winds of adversity and rise to more than we dreamed we could ever be.

Thanks to:
Sherryl Cazier
Centerville 402-6100
Choral Director

Let's Hear It for Louisiana!

2007-05-31T08:53:00.000-05:00

Improve education, says Michael Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, by supporting Louisiana’s state senator Sharon Weston Broome’s Senate Bill 299. If passed, every public school in Louisiana would have music and arts programs.

Studies have found that students provided with the opportunity to participate in music and arts programs are less likely to dropout, score higher on standardized tests, have better behavior, and are more tolerant. Research by the Americans for the Arts finds that students participating in arts programs are:

Four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement;
Four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair;
Three times more likely to hold a class office; and
Three times more likely to win an award for school attendance.

The full article is here.

"My Bridge to Terabithia"

2007-05-17T21:50:00.000-05:00

Students in grades 7-12 at Amelia Love Johnson High School in Thomaston created their own Bridge to Terabithia. After reading this story in play form and watching the DVD, students were asked to create their own magical place to escape from the everyday world. Students wrote a short story describing this place, then drew a picture of it and finished their project with watercolors. We put all of their work in the halls. They really loved having them up for everyone to see.

Demopolis High School's Spring Musical

2007-05-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

The DHS theatre department will present School House Rock, Jr. this week. All pilot school faculty are invited! If you would like to come to Demopolis for this event, please send me an email at lgibbs@demopoliscityschools.org. Please see attachments for a photo of the cast and details about the performances.

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JUNIOR
A part of THE BROADWAY JUNIOR COLLECTION (MTI Shows)

Demopolis High School’s Drama Club will present SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JUNIOR for the general public May 10th and 11th in the DHS auditorium. Curtain is at 7PM. Tickets are $5.00. Tickets are available at Demopolis High School and may also be purchased the evening of the performance. For more information call 334- 289-0294.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JUNIOR is a musical about Tom, a young teacher, who is at home nervously preparing for his very first day on the job. To relax, he watches television and is surprised to see Schoolhouse Rock, a 1970s educational animated series. Five people suddenly appear in Tom’s house. Manifestations of the different sides of Tom’s personality, they have gathered to give him the confidence he needs and to show him how to win his students over with imagination and music. By the time the show is over, Tom is ready to face his first day of school.
The DHS Drama Club’s production is made possible by a grant from the Demopolis City Schools Foundation. Mrs. Jody White, DHS drama teacher, wrote the grant in hopes of giving students the opportunity to work with theater professionals in their area. Mrs. White and Mr. John Brown, director of choral music at the University of West Alabama, have been working with the students for several weeks in preparation for this week’s performances. Several of the cast members have been offered UWA choral scholarships as a result. Mrs. White and John Brown chose SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR. because they loved watching their popular favorites ( “Conjunction Junction”, ‘I’m Just a Bill”, and “Interjections” ) when they were kids and believe the songs still hold great educational value today. Mrs. White has often used the Schoolhouse Rock videos to teach the parts of speech to her English classes. Also, 345 students from U.S. Jones Elementary School will attend a special matinee performance because of its educational value.
The DHS drama department continues to expand. In addition to the introduction to theater class a new class, play production, will be available to students in the fall. This year DHS was awarded a Black Belt Arts Initiative grant by the Alabama State Department of Education. The grant, almost $60,000 over a five year period, will allow DHS teachers and students a chance to integrate arts into all areas of the curriculum and partner with the Demopolis community to continue to focus on the arts as a learning tool. A new organization called the TIGER ARTS GUILD (TAG) is being formed at DHS. TAG will be comprised of students involved in all arts disciplines: visual arts, music, and drama. The Demopolis Athena Club is the first benefactor generously donating $200.00 to support the arts at DHS. TAG is grateful for the interest and support the Athena club has shown them. Proceeds from SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR. will be donated to the Demopolis City Schools Foundation, TAG, and the DHS Drama Club. Others interested in contributing to TAG may contact Mrs. Jody White at 334-289-0294.

2007-04-09T17:49:00.001-05:00

In early March, comic book artist and illustrator Jerry DeCaire travelled from Michigan to share his work with students at South Highlands Middle School in Union Springs and Lowndes Middle School in Fort Deposit. Mr. DeCaire has drawn for such popular comics as "X-Men" and "Wolverine." He talked about the importance of proportion and perspective when drawing the human form, and used algebra and geometry to demonstrate his techniques. Mr. DeCaire's visits were sponsored by the Auburn University Center for the Arts & Humanities. Thanks to Mrs. Kathy Capps (South Highlands) and Mrs. Peggy Grant (Lowndes) for coordinating Mr. DeCaire's workshops at their schools.

The photos were taken in Ms. Haynes' 7th-grade math class at South Highlands, where students created a wall of art to welcome Mr. DeCaire.

More Information for 2nd Community Audit

2007-04-06T09:03:00.001-05:00

Community Audit – Second Meeting

There are several things that are necessary for this meeting to be successful:

1) All committee members should bring the Scoring Guides they filled out during the first meeting. If a synopsis of the findings of each break-out group was written, that would be helpful, too. The committee will need as much documentation as possible about what happened at the first meeting.

2) If there are any members of the committee who will be joining the group for the first time, they should have a copy of the full “Community Audit for Arts Education” document, not just the Scoring Guide. They should read at least the first part. It would be helpful if someone could explain it to them in person.

This second meeting will be a time of fleshing out the items on the Scoring Guide that need more detailed attention, with the three breakout groups working independently. Near the end of the meeting, the entire committee will meet again and report any progress made, as well as any "Next Steps and Future Priorities" that have been identified.

Before they leave the meeting, the committee should identify several items that could be completed within the next 6 weeks, without spending any money. In addition, they should identify several items that will be more long-range projects, might require additional funding, but some aspects could be started now.

When the items are identified, the group should decide who will accomplish each task and by what date. After the meeting, someone should type up this list and send a copy to all committee members.

This will give the committee members something to work on after they leave the meeting. A project as massive as this can become an exercise in frustration unless there are interim goals and objectives to keep the committee focused.

2nd Community Audit

2007-04-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The messge below is from Donna Russell about the Community Audit

Good afternoon. I have enjoyed being in your schools conducting the Community Audit for Arts Education.

If you haven’t scheduled your second meeting – now is the time to do so! This second meeting takes about 3 hours and it usually very productive. I have attached the information you will need.

Review the document from your first meeting – get with your committee and complete the Summary if Next Steps and Future Priorities toward the back of the document package. This will help make the second meeting run very smoothly.

The following are the dates that are available:

May 10
May 15
May 22
May 24
June 5
June 12
June 27
June 28
July 17
July 24

I have been to a couple of 2nd meetings and they have been great. A lot has been accomplished.
Call or e mail me as soon as possible.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Donna Russell

Children's Literature Related to the Arts

2007-04-04T16:06:00.000-05:00

When Graham Elementary (the school where I was principal) was named an Arts Pilot Project, one of easily doable things we did was to search for books related to the arts and purchase them for our library. This link will take you to a couple of documents which you can download. One is a list of the actual titles we purchased. The other is a listing I had come across somewhere. I hope these are helpful. When you click on the documents, if you are asked for a password, simply click "Cancel." you do not need a password to simply download from this site.

Grants for Teachers Who Integrate the Arts

2007-03-28T16:20:00.001-05:00

Up to $7,500 for outstanding arts-oriented educators
Grant Title: P. Buckley Moss Foundation 2007 National Teachers' Awards
Organization: P. Buckley Moss Foundation
Eligibility: Educators
Value: Three awards ranging from $1,000-$2,500
Deadline: May 15, 2007

Complete information is here.

The P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education and Moss Society give awards to recognize outstanding teachers who consistently integrate the arts into their teaching of children, especially those with learning disabilities and other special needs. The teacher awards are to recognize the creative, innovative and original work prepared by the nominee(s). These awards are to show awareness and appreciation of outstanding work of teachers who are helping their students be successful.

Focus on Arts Integration: Integrated Curriculum Design Workshop

2007-03-26T09:16:00.001-05:00

Please consider participating in this workshop. AIEA is providing a wonderful opportunity for you to become truly grounded with arts integration. The space is limited, so please sign up asap. Thanks. Sara

Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts
Focus on Arts Integration:
Integrated Curriculum Design Workshop
July 9 -12, 2007
Saint James School, Leu Elementary Building

This workshop will provide a practical starting point for elementary and middle school teachers who are interested in exploring the theory and practice of arts integration. The goals of the workshop are to
Introduce key principals of arts integration practice
Use authentic connections among the arts and the other content areas to teach common concepts
Demonstrate that integration is an effective strategy for teaching
Model a collaborative process for planning, teaching, and reflecting

Curriculum topics and concepts will be grounded in National and Alabama state standards. Teachers will receive the new Arts Course of Study: Arts Education and the National Standards for Arts Education. Instruction will be student centered and exploratory in nature.

WHO should attend: This four day workshop is designed for the specialist who wants to begin working with the classroom teachers AND for the generalist who wants to begin integrating the arts throughout the curriculum. Generalists should have attended AIEA, other arts professional development sessions, or have a general knowledge of the art form chosen. Schools should send teams of 2-4 teachers, each of whom will focus on a different art form. This is Step 1 of a two-year training cycle. Teachers will leave with a variety of integrated lessons developed during the week.

AIEA staff will provide site visits during the fall to observe an integrated lesson being taught. Participants will return to Montgomery in February 2008 for 3 follow-up days of training, and be expected to implement an integrated unit in spring 2008. Master teachers comfortable with arts integration design will serve as mentors to the teachers entering the training program. Participating teachers will have access to on-line support and to a data base of exceptional integrated lessons and resources.

COST: FREE
Focus on Arts Integration training is made possible through support from the Alabama State Department of Education, Department of Federal Programs, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

HOUSING: Housing at Huntingdon College is provided.

Please complete the attached application and return as soon as possible. ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS.

Hope you can join us! Please contact me if you need more information or have questions.

Martha Lockett
334-396-2432 voice
334-271-5392 fax
mlockett@artseducation.org

Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts
Focus on Arts Integration:
Integrated Curriculum Design Workshop
July 9-12, 2007
Saint James School, Leu Elementary Building

Thank you for your interest in the Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts.
Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with enrollment limited to 25.

AIEA will confirm your registration by E-MAIL as soon as received. Participants will receive a packet of workshop information SENT TO THEIR HOMES by the first of July. Please make sure that emails and home phone numbers will be accessible during the summer if we need to contact you and your teachers.

Mail registration to:
Martha Lockett, Executive Director
One Festival Drive
Montgomery, AL 36117

Phone: 334-396-2432
mlockett@artseducation.org

Principal ________________________________________________________________

School ________________________________________
Grade Levels _____________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City, State Zip ______________________________________________________________

Phone _____________________ Fax _____________________
E-mail _____________

School District _________________________County________________________

Principal's Signature __________________________________________________________

PLEASE LIST SCHOOL TEAM MEMBERS ON THE FOLLOWING SHEET. Keep copies of all registration forms for your records.

This project was funded in part by Federal Grants under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) [P.L. 107-110, Title II, Part A/Subpart 3] administered by thhe Alabama Commission on Higher Education and the Alabama State Department of Education.. $190,000 (49%) of this project was financed with federal funds. $ 197,383 (51%) was provided with non-federal funds. Material(s) in this activity were funded in part by a grant of Title II and Title V funds for State-Level Activities as described in No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, through the Alabama State Department of Education.

Opinions and findings exressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Education, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, or the State Department of Education and no official endorsement by either of these agencies should be inferred.

Additional funding was made possible through grants from the Alabama State council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and private foundations and corporations. AIEA is greatly appreciative of the support of these organizations

Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts
Focus on Arts Integration:
Integrated Curriculum Design Workshop
July 9-12, 2007
Huntingdon College

School Team Information

Name of School ________________________________________________

Participant’s Name ______________________________________
Home Address ______________________________________
Home Phone ______________________________________
E-mail ______________________________________

Participant’s Name ______________________________________
Home Address ______________________________________
Home Phone ______________________________________
E-mail ______________________________________

Participant’s Name ______________________________________
Home Address ______________________________________
Home Phone ______________________________________
Email ______________________________________

Participant’s Name ______________________________________
Home Address ______________________________________
Home Phone ______________________________________
E-mail ______________________________________

***** If you are registering as an individual, just fill in the information*****

Keep a copy of this application for your files

Focus on Arts Integration: Integrated Curriculum Design Workshop

2007-03-26T09:16:00.000-05:00

Arts Education on Our Schools Month

2007-03-26T08:12:00.000-05:00

Traditionally, the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) has sponsored the "World's Largest Concert" during the month of March. This year, they have departed from that activity. (It's not gone for good; they are re-evaluating to see what course to take for the future.)

I saw this link this morning. I do not know if the showcase discussed in the link will be repeated next year, but it's an opportunity well worth keeping in mind. The link with all of the information someone would need to have if they wanted to submit a video is here. Checking back periodically starting in the fall and you should see information about the program for the coming year.

While the voting is over, you can still see the videos (each one submitted to YouTube) for each of the various schools. If you only watch one, be sure to watch Lake Highland Preparatory School.

Demopolis High School Update

2007-02-26T12:58:00.000-06:00

Demopolis High School students have been hard at work. Posted above are photos from our annual talent show held on Feb 1, 2007, during which students entertained a sold-out audience. Winners will perform at our spring community audit on April 3, 2007. Congratulations to all performers! The level of talent gets higher each year. Our drama department is now preparing for its spring musical, School House Rock. We will publish those performance dates soon.

Music on Our Schools Month/Youth Art Month

2007-02-26T11:34:00.000-06:00

March is both "Music in Our Schools Month" and "Youth Art Month." There is no better time to promote your programs to the media (not to mention post your activities here!).

CSAT Participates in Black History Programs

2007-02-21T19:05:00.000-06:00

The Camden School of Arts and Technology's student Magnificient Melodies Choir, Inspirational dance team and guest performer, Ms. Rose Vivian Powe traveled to Monroeville, Alabama to the Monroe County Heritage Museum to participate on its Annual Black History Program sponsored by Ms. Denise Ware, a teacher at Beatrice Elementary School. The choir performed "I am Free" and "This Little Light of Mine" and the dance group did an African dance. Ms. Powe performed a tribute to the late Mahalia Jackson with a biography with songs. These same perfomances were done at the school's own program days earlier.

CSAT--334-682-4514

Mrs. Shernita Andrews, Art Education Teacher

Mr. Andre' Saulsberry, Principal

Ms. Lashonda Dear, Asst. Principal

Dr. Rosie Shamburger, Superintendent

CSAT Students Artwork at Black Belt Treasures

2007-02-21T18:40:00.000-06:00

Camden School of Arts & Technology's art students have works displayed at local business, "Black Belt Treasures" in Camden, Alabama. Black Belt Treasures features artists from the Black Belt area's products and artworks. Many include: Charlie Lucas, Gees Bend quilters, literary authors: Mary Ward Brown, Hank Sanders and many, many more. The student's works are on display until February 28th, then they will travel to local businesses for display and finally to the school for permanent display.

CSAT Quilts on Display in Auburn

2007-02-21T14:49:00.000-06:00

Two of three student-made quilts will be on display in the Auburn University Museum in Auburn, Alabama. The quilts were inspired by the Gees Bend quilters who are from the area of the students in Mrs. Shernita Andrews' class. The students hand-sewed the blocks using scrap materials from school and at home. This quilt and the one that was on display at ASF will be there for about two weeks beginning the weekend of February 25th. The students are excited once again to share with the rest of the world, their own unique designs using a familiar technique.

Camden School of Arts & Technology

334-682-4514

Mrs. Shernita Andrews, Art Education Teacher

Mr. Andre' Saulsberry, Principal

Ms. Lashonda Dear, Asst. Principal

Dr. Rosie Shamburger, Superintendent

CSAT Quilt on Display at ASF

2007-02-21T14:36:00.000-06:00

The first of three student-made quilts was on display at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, Alabama. The quilt was one of several student quilts displayed in the lobby during the production of the "Gees Bend" play. All of the blocks were designed, cut and sewn by Mrs. Shernita Andrews' students at Camden School of Arts and Technology in Wilcox, Alabama under the direction of Gees Bend former resident, Mrs. Marlene Bennett-Jones during a artist-in-residency project.

Camden School of Art & Technology

334-682-4515

Mrs. Shernita Andrews, Art Education Teacher

Mr. Andre' Saulsberry, Principal

Ms. Lashonda Dear, Asst. Principal

Dr. Rosie Shamburger, Superintendent

CSAT Quilting Project

2007-02-21T13:56:00.000-06:00

CSAT Students Quilting Project

The students of Camden School of Arts and Technology’s recently created quilts, under the direction of art education teacher Mrs. Andrews and artist-in-resident, Mrs. Marlene Bennett-Jones. The result is the first ever student-made quilts from Camden. The idea for this project was inspired by a workshop sponsored by the Alabama Humanities Foundation under the direction of Tom Bryant and Professor Nancy Anderson at Auburn University of Montgomery entitled: Prisms of Place that was attended by Mrs. Shernita Andrews, Art Education teacher and other teachers from across the state of Alabama last summer. This workshop taught and enlightened the teachers on taking pride and becoming aware of the Black Belt area along with its rich history and resources. Creating quilts by the students was a way for them to not only gain a sense of pride in the skill that the women of Gees Bend did, but to also learn the skill that was passed down from generation to generation. Marlene Bennett-Jones was raised in Gees Bend and learned how to quilt from her mother, Agatha Bennett. She picked the trade back up after coming home from Atlanta, Georgia to take care of her ailing mother. As a result, she has rekindled a love for quilting that she shared with the art students during a two week stay. The students learned how to thread needles, pin material, stitch pieces of fabrics and clothing from home, into the blocks that are seen in the quilts. They even “Stitched in a ditch” on a wooden horse to get the full affect of putting all the components of a top, batting and backing together to make a quilt. This process keeps the quilt together with the many hand-sewn stitching. The over 100 students enjoyed this project along with Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Jones and parent volunteer, Mrs. Audrey Pettway.
The quilt was created for viewing by everyone to see the skills of the students in expressing their talents. Mrs. Andrews is very proud of the students’ efforts and the outcome is EXCELLENT! She gives thanks to Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Pettway for their time and energy to help this project to become a success. The students have now experienced not only learning a part of their heritage in quilting, but get to share in the gratification of showing it to the rest of the world.

CAMDEN SCHOOL OF ARTS & TECHNOLOGY
334-682-4514 phone
334-682-5934 fax
Superintendent: Dr. Rosie Shamburger
Principal: Mr. Andre’ Saulsberry
Art Teacher: Mrs. Shernita Andrews
Quilting Artist: Mrs. Marlene Bennett-Jones

Reader's Theatre Scripts and Plays

2007-02-19T15:24:00.000-06:00

This link will take you to a set of Reader's Theatre Scripts and Plays. Each is a free download. The dialogue in the plays helps build reading fluency and helps place emphasis on giving meaning to the spoken words instead of simply calling words. Some of the links appear to be dead, but on the whole, teachers will find useable material, and it's all free.

2007-02-16T15:44:00.000-06:00

The Guntersville High School production of “Annie” is February 22, 23 and 24 at 7:00 PM at the GHS auditorium.

This is an all student driven production – students do lighting, sound, play in the orchestra, assist with costuming, make-up, set design, stage crew, t- shirt design, program, publicity, choreography, etc. Grades 6 through 12 are represented in this production.

If any schools are interested in seeing the production, back stage tour, or meeting with the choir teacher (Christi Painter) and myself (Val Jones) - we would be more than happy to go over the local grant funding, our scheduling and what and how this is put together. Please contact me
in advance. [ mailto:vjones1211@charter.net ]vjones1211@charter.net or call 256-582-2046 pr cell phone 256-293-0991.

******** WE ARE ALSO PERFORMANCE FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON FEB. 22 AT
8:00 AM

Request for Site Visit Date

2007-02-13T12:41:00.001-06:00

Arts coordinators,
I am in the process of organizing my site visit calendar. The purpose of my visit will be to review your arts pilot plan, including professional development opportunities, and review your budget. If time permits, I would like to have an opportunity to randomly visit with some of the teachers.

Please send me the dates that WILL NOT work for you to meet with me, including your spring break and testing dates.
Also, if you have not held your Community Audit, please contact Donna Russell (334-269-1435) to set a time for her to come to your school.

I look forward to hearing from you with this information. As always, feel free to contact me with your questions and concerns.

Have a nice day,

Sara Wright
334-242-8059
swright@alsde.edu

Request for Site Visit Date

2007-02-13T12:41:00.000-06:00

New Blogger account

2007-02-12T10:31:00.000-06:00

For those who are posting to this blog, you will see something a little new the next time you go to post.

The blog has been moved over to what Blogger calls the "New Blogger." You will be asked to establish a Google account. You will fill in your e-mail address and create a password. From then on, when you log in, it will be with the e-mail password instead of your present username and password.

Lula Elzy dancers perform at Auburn University

2007-02-02T11:34:00.000-06:00

On January 22, 2007, four schools from the Black Belt Arts Education Initiative attended a dance concert and master class sponsored by the Auburn University Department of Theatre. About 120 students, led by teachers Beth Taylor, Byrd Elementary, Selma; Jody White, Demopolis High, Demopolis; Kathy Capps, South Highlands Middle, Bullock County; and Adrian Cambridge, Uniontown Elementary, Perry County, were among the 300 students who traveled to Auburn for the performance by the Lula Elzy New Orleans Dance Theatre. Elzy, an award-winning choreographer and dancer, and her troupe have been described as "a company that strives to present multicultural interpretations of dance and music."

above: Kevin Gaudin dances to the spiritual "I Got a Robe."

below: Dancer Kevin Gaudin leads student participants.

bottom: The Lula Elzy Dance Theatre ensemble onstage at Auburn University.

photos: Melissa Humble, Auburn University Photographic Services

What if can't find a music teacher…

2007-02-01T09:56:00.000-06:00

That's exactly the question I was asking myself in the summer of 1999. When my music teacher resigned with less than a month to go before the first day of school, I found out very quickly that every possible candidate had already been hired. We were looking at the very real possibility of a year with no music teacher. We were determined that it would not be a year with no music. The good news is that we did find a music teacher, one who is still at that school today. Thank goodness we did not have to resort to "Plan B," but the thought process that went into "Plan B" may be helpful to those who do not have a music teacher now.

Education Week had run a short piece some years prior that listed 26 songs that everyone should know. As we tried to piece together something that would be doable within the classroom, establishing a common repertoire of songs was not a bad start. That list of 26 songs was part of an initiative called "Get America Singing…Again." The materials for the project are still available, and all of the information can be found here.

At $16.95 for the teacher's guide and $3.95 for a student book ($34.95 for a pack of 10 student books), this may be something that would you want to examine.

Demopolis High School Talent Show

2007-01-26T13:25:00.000-06:00

Demopolis High School will hold its 4th annual talent show on Thursday, February 1, at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. 12 student acts will perform, ranging from guitar solos to singing to interpretative dance. Solid Revolution, a local band composed of a DHS teacher and 3 students, will entertain the audience during breaks. We want to invite representatives from the BBAI advisory committee as well as all the pilot schools and state Board of Education members. Please email me at lgibbs@demopoliscityschools.org if you would like to come so that we can admit you free of charge and recognize you at the show. Our talent show winners will perform at our next community audit in March.

Arts Pilot and Advisory Committee Workshop, Feb. 3, 2007

2007-01-22T12:35:00.001-06:00

Please make sure that your pilot school has representation at this workshop. You may use your grant funds to pay the registration and travel. The workshop will be at Byrd Elementary School in Selma. This location was selected because it is fairly central to the majority of pilot schools. The intent was to make travel as easy as possible for the group. As of today, only 5 out of 12 of the pilot schools have registered.

Advisory committee members are encouraged to participate. Martha has space for 20 more participants. You may send a team of teachers--any grade level/subject.

Please move this request to your priority list and contact Martha Lockett ASAP at
334-396-2432.

Sara Wright

Arts Pilot and Advisory Committee Workshop, Feb. 3, 2007

2007-01-22T12:35:00.000-06:00

WHAT: SuperSaturday workshop

2007-01-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

The Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts
invites you to come explore

DRAMA: THE MISSING LINK TO LITERACY

WHAT: SuperSaturday workshop
WHO: Karen Erickson is a master teaching artist working with schools in arts assessment, curriculum development, drama/theater education, integration, long range and partnership planning. Recently, she completed a term as president of the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education and currently serves as Chair of the National Governing Board of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network. The author of 5 books on drama education, she has also co-authored curriculum, assessment, and fine arts resources for the Illinois State Board of Education. (www.creativedirections.org)
WHEN: Saturday, February 3, 2006
Registration 8:30-9:00
Workshop 9:00-2:30

COST: $25 per teacher—PO or check due at registration

WHERE: Byrd School Cafeteria, 625 Lapsley Street, Selma, AL (Call if you need directions)

WHY: Discover how to build vocabulary skills, improve reading comprehension, and expand writing techniques through drama integration. Participants explore ways to transform language arts lessons into active, student-centered explorations of story elements, word choice, fluency, comprehension, writing, and characterization through drama strategies such as expressive movement and character development. Participants learn about activities that develop teamwork and creative problem solving skills in students through activities that help improve grammar, predicting, adding detail to writing assignments. Karen Erickson builds upon her years of teaching reading, writing, speaking, and listening to share activities that can be adapted to any grade, 1st-12th.

DETAILS: Lunch is furnished.
Receive resources for your classroom.
Dress comfortably—you’re going to be moving

Enrollment is limited to 4 participants per school. If space remains after Dec. 15, schools will be invited to register additional participants first come, first served.

The attached reservation form must be returned NO LATER THAN December 15, 2006. Please FAX your registration as soon as possible to 1-334-271-5392. Call if you need info-1-334-396-2432. Hope to see you on the 4thth!
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NAME:______________________________________________________________

SCHOOL: __________________________________________________________

SCHOOL PHONE: ________________________ FAX_____________________
YOUR EMAIL: _______________________________

Childrens Literature Related to the Art

2007-01-22T12:03:00.000-06:00

I came across this list from our days as an an Arts Pilot Site. We looked for children's literature which featured the arts. All of these titles were purchased from Amazon.com. It has been several years now, so prices may have changed.

Meet the Orchestra Ann Hayes, Karmen Thompson (Illustrator); $6.00

Clara Schumann : Piano Virtuoso Susanna Reich; $12.60 - Quantity

Our Marching Band Lloyd Moss, Diana Cain Bluthenthal (Illustrator); $12.79

Ludwig Van Beethoven (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia; $9.75

Johann Sebastian Bach (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia; $6.95

Peter Tchaikovsky (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia; $9.75

George Handel (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia; $6.95

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia (Illustrator); $9.75

Zin! Zin! Zin! : A Violin (Caldecott Honor Book, 1996, No 2) Lloyd Moss, Marjorie Pricema(Illustrator); $12.80

Summertime : From Porgy and Bess George Gershwin, et al; $13.56

The Sea King's Daughter : A Russian Legend Aaron Shepard, Gennady Spirin (Illustrator); $13.60

The Remarkable Farkle McBride John Lithgow, C. F. Payne (Illustrator); $12.80

Berlioz the Bear Jan Brett; $6.99

How to Take Your Grandmother to the Museum Lois Wyse, et al; $10.36

Degas and the Little Dancer : A Story About Edgar Degas Laurence Anholt; $11.96

The Farewell Symphony Anna Harwell Celenza, et al; $19.95

The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera Shahrukh Husain, et al; $13.97

A synopsis of many of the books related to music can be found in the October 2001 issue of the Music Educators Journal, pages 70-71.

Workshop follow-up

2007-01-11T11:15:00.000-06:00

Good teachers know to have their students practice a new concept immediately. So, while you are reading this, please take a moment to make a comment. Just click the link that says "Comments" at the bottom of this post. Let us something about this two-day experience--an idea you took home, something you saw or heard that touched you, or whatever else you may be inclined write about.

As you select the people back home that would you feel would be good to post, just e-mail me (buck@talladega-cs.net) their name(s), and most importantly the e-mail address. If for some reason you e-mail me and it bounces back to you, I apologize up front. I have come home to find we are having some connectivity problems somewhere between our server and BellSouth, so e-mail has been up and down. If you get a bounce-back, give it another try, or you can call me with the info and just give me the information over the phone. My direct number is (256) 315-5617.

Sara--Thanks for bringing us all together, for structuring this superb two-day event, and for the leadership in making this arts initiative a reality.

Musical Resources for Black History Month

2006-12-28T08:09:00.000-06:00

This morning's mail included information on a website that you may find helpful as you plan activities for Black History Month.

Dear Dr. Buck,

I am a retired administrative law judge and also have a background in Civil Rights. My mission in retirement is a nonprofit educational website on Black composers and musicians, http://www.AfriClassical.com

The African American composer William Levi Dawson (1899-1990) was born in Anniston, Alabama. He attended Tuskegee Institute and in 1931 he joined the faculty as a Professor of Music. During his 25 years in the Music Department he led the Tuskegee Institute choir to greatness.

Dawson is well known for his many arrangements of spirituals, and he combined three spirituals in his Negro Folk Symphony, which has been recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on Chandos 9226 (1993). Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, former Director of the Center for Black Music Research, www.cbmr.org, has made generously his research on William Levi Dawson available to this website.

Here are some other highlights of the website:
Audio: More than 100 sound samples, from spirituals to symphonies
Biographies: 52 Composers and Musicians of African Descent
Black History Quiz: 52 questions, organized on three levels of difficulty
Recent Endorsements: WDET-FM Detroit - Dec. 28, 2005; Teaching Tolerance Magazine - Spring 2006

An E-mail flyer on AfriClassical.com is available on request. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this resource for Black History Month.

Sincerely,
William J. Zick
Webmaster
http://www.AfriClassical.com
Ann Arbor, MI

Arts Initiative Planning Meeting

2006-12-26T10:56:00.000-06:00

Graham School (Talladega) was one of the original six Arts Pilot Project schools. Serving as principal at that time in the life of the school was a extraordinary experience. I hope that our journey has left "footprints" that will be helpful to others schools who are beginning a commitment to providing an education that includes the arts as an important piece.

Sing patriotic songs during morning announcements. Try piping the music through your intercom system. (4th grade Alabama history book comes with CD-ROM of songs)
During every assembly, sing something together as a student body.
Start a talent show
Dialog builds reading fluency and helps kids move from "calling words" to adding emotion and meaning.
Participate in Music in Our Schools Month, the National Anthem Project, the World's Largest Concert, and Youth Art Month. You can download a printed copy of the Nation Anthem or a recording.
Your community is unique. You either have wonderful resources from which to pull or a wonderful opportunity to fill a void.

Also, please use this blog as a way to let others know about your progress, your ideas, your successes, and your challenges.

Welcome!

2006-12-23T06:39:00.000-06:00

The purpose of this blog is to:

Provide your school with a way to publicize the arts activities in your school.
Provide a way for you to see activities being done in the other arts initiative schools.
Provide a very simple way to document our activities.

How can you participate in this blog?

Send an e-mail to Dr. Frank Buck requesting an invitation to become a member of this blog.
You will receive an invitation in your e-mail. You will click on a link to accept the invitation.
You will be asked to establish a Blogger account. You will choose a user name and password. Write this information down, because you will need it each time you post.
You will have an opportunity to create your own blog. While you are certainly welcome to do that, that is not the purpose of the invitation.
You will be taken to a window allowing you to compose a post, so go ahead and have something prepared to say. Your first post might simply be an introduction of who you are, a little about your school, why you wanted to become involved in the arts education initiative, etc. Use your imagination.
Anytime you want to post, you will go to http://www.blogger.com
Anytime you want to view the blog, you will go to http://AlabamaArts.blogspot.com
Only members can create a post. Anyone can view the log. Anyone can post comments, so encourage students, parents, and community members to visit this site often.