Finding the Fine Arts in the Generalist Teaching World

I would like to advertise the Jr. High Arts Festival in Calgary, but apparently they have already sold out! They are not starting up a waiting list for schools and students still interested. For more info, please click:  http://www.pvacentral.ca/junior-high-arts-festival/

Thank you to everyone who attended the ATA Calgary and Regional Fine Arts Mini-Conference! It was a new experience to have our annual conference at a smaller venue. This year was more intimate and included excellent presenters, leaving our delegates wanting more. The morning was welcomed with HOJA singing their hearts out down the halls of the Foundations for the Fine Arts School in the South. I was able to attend a couple of sessions throughout the day. In the morning I attended Ms. McCleer's session on Art Integration Across the Curriculum . Our presenter wove a tapestry of creative ideas, projects flowing from Spanish class, to Math, to Social Studies, to Science, and all incorporating the beauty and tactile joy of visual arts. We were sent away with a ton of ideas and resources, my favorite being the website The Art Educator's Definitive Guide to OK Go: theartofed.com . I also walked away with jewelry designed from binary code! What awesome ideas! Also in the...

What a day! Thank you to the Fine Arts enthusiasts who organized this amazing day at Central Memorial. The FIRST EVER Fine Arts Ed Camp!! The PD Day was kicked off with a blessing from jingle dress dancer Stephanie . She encouraged connecting with Indigenous fine arts in our province, most importantly by getting to the land: get out to Blackfoot Crossing Museum, go to Okotoks, the Rock, the Nosehill Site. Learn about the history Amanda Foot at the Glenbow Museum and Moonstone Creation in Inglewood are great resources. I have further contacted Stephanie, and when I get more contact info for Indigenous performers and artists, I will share :) Keynote speaker Bruce Barton, discussed with us "Striking an Effective Balance in Interdisciplinary Arts Education". From the School of Creative and Performing Arts at UofC, Bruce passionately talked about the evolution of fine arts integration to defining what is truly interdisciplinary work in our day and age. Their fine arts pro...