Exceptional Art in the College of Education

On  Tuesday, September 18th, Ricky Trione, Vicky Cook, and students from The Exceptional Foundation of the Gulf Coast shared their talents with USA College of Education students and faculty!

EDU301 students joined participants from the Exceptional Foundation and learned about perseverance, character and art education while engaging in a collaborative finger-painting activity with Ricky Trione, blind artist. 

Ricky Trione, Vicky Cook, and students from The Exceptional Foundation of the Gulf Coast share their talents with COE students and faculty!

Pictures on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151064509191872.433857.592091871&type=1&l=705212ef6a

More about Ricky...

http://media.bcbe.org/play.php?vid=372#middle

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/studio10/happening_here/studio10-ricky-trione-shares-his-art

Fall Semester Eve 2012: Overwhelming Opportunities

On the eve of the first day of the fall 2012 semester, the anticipation of an overwhelming yet exciting semester looms. 

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition aspired, and success achieved" 
--Helen Keller

I'm preparing for a 4-course semester with an overload (5 classes now) including two night classes (I will teach one EDU 301 section on our USA Baldwin County campus this semester) and I'll then add some Honor, Ed.S., and Ph.D. student thesis/dissertation advising to the mix.

In addition to developing instruction in a new course management system (Sakai) this semester, I am filling up an electronic faculty portfolio system (Digital Measures) with documentation to provide evidence of my worthiness for tenure and promotion. And in an effort to reflect on teaching, research, and service and express my strengths and weaknesses, I have found some interesting and relevant perceptions others have shared about our  profession.

The Multiple Roles of the College Professor

By Michael Theall, Youngstown State University and 

Raoul A. Arreola, University of Tennessee Health Science Center 

The Professor and the Would-Be Monk

By David Evans

As overwhelming as the job may seem, each semester brings exciting opportunities. 

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." --Winston Churchill

Each semester I enjoy scheduling field experiences which always include a visit to the Mobile Museum of Art, facilitated by Kim Wood, the museum's education curator. I'm also excited about Ricky Trione (blind artist), Vicky Cook, and the participants of the Exceptional Foundation of the Gulf Coast visiting our campus and sharing art experiences facilitated by Ricky.

Just last week, I was contacted by the director of the Student Teaching Center from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a request to supervise one of their art student teachers who will be fulfilling these requirements in Baldwin County. Only because I am already teaching in Baldwin County this semester, I considered the request.  Now that I am committed, and have received more information, I am thrilled to see the beautiful art created by this student who has chosen to pursue art education and share his passion with K-12 students. I look forward to working with Ronald Thomson. Check out his work at http://ronthomson.net/

As a member and the higher education rep of the Alabama Art Education Association (AAEA), I will be attending and presenting at the AAEA Fall Conference at Orange Beach, AL in October with some of the best artists and art educators in our state. 

At the national level, I was thrilled to discover that a conference presentation proposal (which I forgot I submitted from Shanghai, China) was accepted for the Spring 2013 National Art Education Association Convention in Fort Worth Texas (NAEA). I am looking forward to sharing Connecting Communities with Chopsticks: Celebrating Chinese Culture through the Arts with Teachers and Students with art educators across the United States in March.

Last but certainly not least, my sweet colleague and friend initiated the dream of presenting our art and social studies education research and practice as a work shop at the Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE). After much planning and working toward writing and revising a college international travel grant, we are thrilled to have Developing the “Other” Literacy: How Visual Arts Have the Potential to Deepen Student Understanding accepted for presentation, grant awarded, flights and rooms booked. 

In addition to attending and presenting at the IICE conference we have arranged to visit St. Patrick’s College, which houses The National Induction Programme for Teachers, specializing in primary teacher education. We will meet with Dr. Fionnuala Waldron, Dean of Education, St. Patrick’s College to discuss teacher education and future collaborations. We will also be visiting two museums: the National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History Museum, and the National Gallery of Ireland.

As demonstrated by blogging through China in May (Paige and Peggy’s Excellent Chinese Adventure: http://paigeandpeggy.blogspot.com/) where over 5000 views have been logged of our 80+ blog posts, sharing an international experience through photography, prose, and poetry can have wide appeal and educate virtually. Through the use of cameras and iPads, the "All things Irish" Blog will soon be created and we will post daily to share our journey with anyone interested. Students in our graduate and undergraduate social studies, and arts education classes as well as EDM 310 students will follow and respond. 

"All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual." --Albert Einstein

NAEA Proposal Accepted: Connecting Communities with Chopsticks

I am looking forward to sharing my "excellent Chinese adventure" at the National Art Education Association conference in the Spring.

http://paigeandpeggy.blogspot.com/2012/08/connecting-communities-with-chopsticks.html

Photo by Paige Vitulli

The Quality Instinct

A FABULOUS book for art educators, advocates, and enthusiasts!
"Seeing Art Through a Museum Director's Eye"

Paige and Peggy's Excellent Chinese Adventure

Photo by Paige Vitulli

My latest blogging is everything Chinese after a 10-day adventure. Check out our 80 + posts at...  http://paigeandpeggy.blogspot.com/

EDU 301 Birds inspired by John James Audubon

The Mobile Museum of Art has a beautiful exhibit featuring the birds of John James Audubon this semester, October 14, 2011 – January 8, 2012: 

"John James Audubon (1785–1851) was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, hunter and painter whose name is synonymous with the study and preservation of American wildlife. His masterpiece, The Birds of Americafolio, and his lifetime of written journals stand as an unsurpassed contribution to the world of fine art, natural science and American history and literature."

As a follow-up to the Mobile Museum of Art field trip our future elementary teachers took, they each produced a bird of their choice using only white drawing paper and traditional crayons. We wanted to create vibrant images for a display with impact using materials all elementary teachers could realistically possess, even under budget cuts and lack of support for the arts. We also wanted to connect with the natural sciences as a springboard for ornithology.

Students were given the following directions for the crayon bird drawing activity:

• Study Audubon's work and other images of birds. 
• Choose a bird and environment you wish to create. 
• Complete the Bird Nature Study Observation Worksheet.
• Sketch the bird on 9 X 12 white drawing paper. 
• Use only crayons to create your art.
• Emphasize the main subject through SIZE, PLACEMENT, and CONTRAST.
• Overlap to show FOREGROUND, MIDDLEGROUND, and BACKGROUND.
• With a light color crayon or pencil, sketch lightly to block-in your composition. 
• Do not draw details until you begin using actual colors. 
• All colors must be SATURATED - bear down hard on the crayon so that all the drawing surface is covered with color that stands out. 
• Leave no lightly colored areas. Leave no white spots.
• Blend colors, tints, shades.
• You may use a paper clip or other tool to scratch through colors to make lines, textures, patterns. 

Internet Resources: John James Audubon's Birds
"A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children." ~John James Audubon 

Birds of America - Check out the list of State Birds with images of Audubon's art! http://web4.audubon.org/bird/boa/boa_index.html

National Audubon Society http://web4.audubon.org/john-james-audubon/

Pondering MOTIVATION: Incentives? Cash Rewards for Learning?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 
Should we expect desire to learn to be intrinsic, ALWAYS, across all disciplines?
Should age of the learner be a factor?
Short-term effects? Long-term effects?

Elements of Art

Puppetry in the Elementary School

Puppetry
"Inanimate objects brought to life through manipulation to convey a story."

We explored the multiple types of puppets including: rod, hand, marionette, and shadow. 

As a preservice teacher and student in EDU 301 you are required to:

• Decide on a puppet you will create and how you will use it to teach a concept or tell a story
• Identify a resource such as a book, site, or become your own playwright
• Construct your puppet and any backdrops, scenery, and/or props
• Work individually or with a group to create a puppet show incorporating music, theatre, and visual arts to teach and/or entertain
• You will be required to video the 2-to-3 minute performance in class on an assigned date; be sure you are prepared BEFORE you attend class to video record:
  • All puppets should be created prior to this date
  • All background scenery and staging should be created
  • The performance should be rehearsed; this is NOT improvisation (know your script, articulate and enunciate the dialogue; practice the gesturing of your puppets)
  • ALCOS standards from Theatre and Visual Arts should be identified
    CHECK BACK for VIDEOS of PUPPET PRODUCTIONS!
    Shadow Puppetry resources: http://theteachingpalette.com/2013/03/29/guest-post-shadow-puppet/

29 Ways to Stay Creative

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

For me, #4 is the toughest, you do NOT want to hear my #7, I do #8 all day, and want to do more of #17!