IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for September 26, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday to the IEA listserv and archived here on the IEA blog.

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REPORTS
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CREATIVE ECONOMY CONFERENCE REPORT NOW AVAILABLE
Vermont Council on Rural Development
Posted to the Americans for the Arts Cultural Policy Listserv
”The Vermont Council on Rural Development's summer conference, Advancing Vermont's Creative Economy, drew over 250 participants from across the state. They were eager to share their stories, strategies and questions about growing a vibrant economy rooted in creativity, entrepreneurship and Vermont values. The State House event celebrated successes to date. It also provided a framework that allowed attendees to focus on current challenges and recommend specific policies to advance this work in Vermont. Eight working groups looked at different aspects of this emerging sector, covering topics such as agricultural innovation, incubating creative new businesses, using the web as a creative tool, and developing downtown activity. The conference report, including priority recommendations, notes from each working group, a summary of the panel discussion and texts of key speakers is now available."
View the report>>

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ARTS EDUCATION
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STUDY: SCHOOLS HAVE IMPROVED ACCESS TO ARTS PROGRAMS
Michael Rispoli, Gannett State Bureau/Home News Tribune Online, 9/19/07
”Nearly 20 years after arts education in New Jersey barely earned a passing grade, a report released Tuesday shows schools have improved access to programs, but most fail to meet state requirements for instruction and still depend on outside sources for funding. [T]he New Jersey Arts Education Census Project surveyed over 98 percent of the state's public schools on their arts education programs. The report found 94 percent of schools have access to at least some arts education, but over 75,000 students still have none. Almost all -- 95 percent -- of arts teachers are certified arts specialists. Schools mostly offer classes in music and visual arts, with dance and theater significantly behind, the report found.”
Read more>>


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LEGISLATION
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ARTS EDUCATION WORKING GROUP RELEASES LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Submitted by Americans for the Arts to the Cultural Policy Listserv
”The reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) provides an opportunity for arts education advocates to inform their elected officials in Congress about the academic and social value of arts education for all students, and why it is so important to support arts education in the reauthorization of the law. On Wednesday, September 12, 2007, the Arts Education Working Group, a coalition of national arts and arts education advocacy organizations, released their legislative recommendations for the reauthorizations of NCLB, because research has shown that arts education has suffered as a result of the focus on mathematics and reading in NCLB. The Working Group continues to work with House and Senate committee staff to incorporate these recommendations into the reauthorization drafts. These recommendations fall in positive alignment with much of the … working draft of NCLB … [which] maintains arts education as a core academic subject and reauthorizes the Arts in Education programs at the USDE. The working group's four recommendations are to retain the arts in the definition of core academic subjects of learning, require annual state reports on student access to core academic subjects, improve national data collection and research in arts education, and reauthorize the Arts in Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education.
Download the recommendations>>
Learn more>>

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CREATIVITY AND THE FAMILY
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PBS Parents Guide to Creativity: Appreciate - or Make - a Quilt
Pbs.org
With elementary students, “explore geometric patterns and discuss the art of quilting. Arrange circles in a geometric pattern.”
Learn more>>

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DEVELOPING CREATIVE NEIGHBORHOODS
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GIVING ARTISTS SPACE TO CREATE
Eileen Rivers, Washington Post, 9/15/2007
” A battered two-story warehouse in Northeast [D.C.] will soon undergo a conversion that could have come from the imagination of one of the artists who will live there. Small windows will be replaced with larger ones to give painters plenty of natural light. Offices occupied by a furniture restorer, an engraver and a maintenance company will make way for airy loft-style condos to be filled with easels, studios and rehearsal space. The outside will look different, too: A parking lot will sit where there is now mostly debris. A third story will be added to the warehouse's main structure. Though the property is far from what architect Alexis Smith of Manna, the nonprofit development company that is handling the building's conversion, wants it to be by 2009, about two dozen painters, sculptors and performers applied last month to be among the 41 chosen by the Cultural Development Corporation to buy one of the future industrial work-live units. It's one of a number of projects in the area aimed at making homeownership a reality for low-income artists. By converting rundown property into condominium units, Manna and the Cultural Development Corporation, a District nonprofit group, are pulling artists into a market that several years ago many could not have afforded.
Read more>>

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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CONTEST
Deadline: 11/15/07
The Association for Career and Technical Education “is searching for budding filmmakers and is looking to the career and technical education (CTE) community to find them! Students will create a 30-second public service announcement to promote CTE Month in February 2008, which has the theme, “Discovering Skills for a Competitive Workforce.” Secondary and postsecondary students in CTE-related film, video, and production classes are eligible to enter.
Learn more>>

LEADERS IN LEARNING AWARDS
Deadline: 1/16/08
“Cable in the Classroom’s Leaders in Learning Awards outstanding educators, administrators, policymakers and other community leaders at the forefront of innovation in education. This prestigious awards program, in its 4th year of operation, is administered by the cable industry and its national education foundation, Cable in the Classroom.
Learn more>>

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IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for September 19, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday to the Institute's listserv and is archived here on the IEA blog.

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MUSIC EDUCATION
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NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL BANDS STRUTTING ONCE MORE
Lesli A. Maxwell, Education Week, 9/10/07
”It was a sweltering August evening—exactly two years after Hurricane Katrina—in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. A crowd had gathered outside Tipitina’s, a storied music club, to witness a promising sign that New Orleans' long tradition of marching bands and music education would survive the tumult that the storm brought to the city’s schools … Tipitina’s Foundation, already a patron of music education in the schools, has raised close to $1 million since the storm to outfit hundreds of school musicians with new instruments. The St. Augustine and O. Perry Walker bands had to come to play outside Tipitina’s in a special event arranged to show off their new instruments. ‘We would have had nothing to play without their help,’ said Wilbert J. Rawlins, the band director for O. Perry Walker, a former district-run public school that reopened as a charter after the storm. ‘Without music in our schools here, it wouldn’t be New Orleans, and the city wouldn’t have its next generation of musicians.’
Read more>>

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SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS
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ARTISTS ARE OUR MOST USEFUL AMBASSADORS
Charmaine Picard, Art Newspaper, 9/12/07
”The non-profit foundation Art Matters has re-emerged after a ten-year hiatus, in response to what the organisation says is a growing need for financial support for artists. Founded in New York in 1985 by art patron Laura Donnelley, the group has recently given 23 grants to US-based artists to work in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Europe. ‘We don’t want the US to only be known for exporting guns, military force and American consumer products,’ says founding board member Philip Yenawine. ‘We want to bring attention to a range of experimental contributions by US artists.’ During the late 1980s and 90s, Art Matters provided funding to several artists whose work dealt with issues such as Aids and censorship. Some, such as David Wojnarowicz, Andres Serrano and Karen Findley, were supported by the organisation when their federal funding was revoked. Today Art Matters is sponsoring projects that promote international cooperation, providing financial support for US artists who are working abroad. ‘Artists are our most useful ambassadors,’ says Ms Donnelley. Suheir Hammad, Sharon Hayes, Sanford Biggers, Kori Newkirk and Clifford Owens, among others, have received 2007 fellowships. A second round of grants will be awarded later this year.”
Read more>>

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ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY
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CITY COUNCIL OKs CULTURAL DISTRICT
Marsha L. Melnichak, Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, AR), 9/8/07
“The Fayetteville City Council has approved a A Cultural Arts District of about 100 city blocks. What happens inside that area and what it means for the individuals and businesses there is not yet clear. ‘Fayetteville long has been home for a lot of artists and creative folks; but, we’ve never really tried to enhance the environment for the arts,’ said Mayor Dan Coody Friday. ‘This Cultural Arts District is a strong step in the right direction.’”
Read more>>

MAYOR FENTY KICKS-OFF ‘CREATIVE ECONOMY’ INITIATIVE
Terry Wu, Epoch Times (Washington, DC), 9/10/07
“Mayor Adrian Fenty launched a summit September 5 at the Shakespeare Company's Lansburgh Theatre on 7th Street, NW, to launch the "creative economy" initiative. This meeting begins six to seven months of comprehensive research before the city determines several initiatives in which to invest. According to Deputy Mayor Neil Albert, the city government doesn't have a range of investment amounts in mind, but will research 10 neighborhoods and then determine projects and corresponding investments based on the research results … When asked about the city's initiatives in arts, Tony Gittens, Executive Director of the D.C. Commission of the Arts and Humanities, said that the city was going to initiate between seven to 10 projects. The range of these projects is not yet clear. However, strengthening arts education in public schools will definitely be one of the focuses. Washington has strong creative assets. Carol Coletta, President and CEO of CEOs for Cities, said that there were 180,000 creative workers in Washington metro area. Washington ranks first in the nation in the number of reporters, public relations specialists, writers and editors. It ranks second in the nation on the number of jobs in arts, design, entertainment, sports and media. She also offered a comprehensive definition of creative industries that Washington could capitalize on: arts, publishing, architecture, advertising & design, performance, and museums.”
Learn more>>

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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
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The Heart of Learning: The Value of Cultivating Emotional Intelligence
Ken Ellis, Edutopia
“[Michael Pritchard] paces slowly in front of the Castlemont High School auditorium stage, sizing up the audience. Tough crowd. Young men hunker down under sweatshirt hoods and baseball caps. Young women, overdressed for this sunny spring day, guard against the chilly atmosphere inside. They lean deep into their seats. No one is smiling. Pritchard begins his presentation with barbs. “Ever hear something like this? 'You're ugly!'" he squeals suddenly, à la Porky Pig. "'You look like you fell out of an ugly tree and hit every limb on the way down.'" Giggles. "'Nice jacket. I used to have one like that. Then my dad got a job.'" Appreciative groans. This is a man who knows how to work a crowd. At ease with young people, Pritchard has raised two sons and a daughter with his wife of 29 years, and has taken in, he estimates, "about a hundred or so" youths who have spent various periods of their lives growing up in his ever expanding extended family. "Well, I'll tell you why I'm here," Pritchard shoots back. "Because I have two African-American youngsters that grew up with me and my family, and I love them and I'm worried about their lives. You don't know that. You don't know anything about me. I'm just a big, fat guy up here telling jokes. But, listen, we care about you." Pritchard is a healer, and a pioneer in the field of social-emotional learning (SEL), the often-neglected missing piece in a well-rounded education. For the past two decades, he has been touring the country, talking and listening to students, teachers, and parents. He has written two books and produced a series of award-winning videos that focus on the critical issues of character and emotional intelligence for middle and high school students. "What I try to teach kids is that we have to be more real about our emotions," explains Pritchard. "Shakespeare said, 'Always give sorrow words. Grief that does not speak whispers to the over-fraught heart and bids it to break.'”
Read more>>

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS
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CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO CULTURAL-CREATIVE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
4/28 – 5/1/08, Ottawa
Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities
Proposal deadline: 9/30/07
”The Creative Construct: Building for Culture and Creativity symposium brings together participants from around the world to exchange the latest ideas and practices on the development of cultural and creative spaces; planning and investment strategies for cultural infrastructure and cultural districts; and collaborative approaches to enhancing the cultural vitality, creative potential, and competitiveness of cities and communities. The international symposium includes keynote speakers, presentations, lectures, and various styles of workshops to examine the role and importance of cultural infrastructure in furthering culture and creativity in cities and communities. The symposium will bring together diverse resources and expertise, and foster an exchange of knowledge and experience extending from grassroots opportunities to international issues.”
Learn more>>

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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS
Prudential Financial
Deadline: 10/31/07
“The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in middle level and high school grades for outstanding volunteer service to their communities. Created in 1995 by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the awards constitute the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteering. Over the past 12 years, the program has honored more than 75,000 young volunteers at the local, state, and national level.”
Learn more>>

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IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for September 12, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday to the IEA listserv and is archived here on the IEA blog.

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REPORT
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LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN THE CONTENT AREAS:
GETTING TO THE CORE OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Alliance for Excellence in Education, 6/07
“Today, more than six million of the nation’s secondary school students fall well short of grade-level expectations in reading and writing. Recognizing the urgency of this literacy crisis among middle and high school students, policymakers in all parts of the country have begun to implement a wide range of new programs and services designed to help struggling adolescent readers catch up in essential literacy skills, particularly reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. However—and as this report argues—if students are to be truly prepared for the sophisticated intellectual demands of college, work, and citizenship, then these reforms will not be enough. Even as their schools help them to catch up in the basics, students also must be taught the advanced literacy skills that will enable them to succeed in the academic content areas—particularly the core content areas of math, science, English, and history.”
Download the report>>


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ART AND MEDICINE
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ART COURSE FINE-TUNES MEDICAL STUDENTS’ OBSERVATION SKILLS, TALENTS
Mary Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/31/07
”Seven students, completing their first year of medical school at the University of Pittsburgh, clustered around two objects in a small room and listened intently to an instructor's comments. Then they were asked to share their own observations about the subject of the discussion. The instructor was Louise Lippincott, Carnegie Museum of Art chief curator and curator of fine arts. And the objects were paintings – ‘Sailing’ and ‘Cape Cod Afternoon’ by American artist Edward Hopper -- in the museum's collection. The students, four women and three men, were attending a new mini-elective, ‘Art and Medicine,’ offered jointly by the School of Medicine, the Carnegie and The Andy Warhol Museum … Its intent is to challenge and to expand the students' notions about, and acuity of, visual perception by developing a heightened sensitivity toward looking. That includes not only sharpening observation skills but also expanding awareness of how individual life experiences shape and constrain what one sees.
Read more>>

THEATER TRAINING HELPS DOCTORS ENHANCE PATIENT CARE WITH CLINICAL EMPATHY SKILLS
Virginia Commonweath University, via Newswise, 8/21/07
“Doctors taught empathy techniques by theater professors show improved bedside manner, according to a pilot study by a Virginia Commonwealth University research team. The findings may help in the development of medical curriculum for clinical empathy training … Patients often identify empathy skills, such as understanding, listening and honesty, as important traits in their primary care physicians. Results of the VCU study … indicate a significant improvement in the clinical empathy skills of internal medicine residents at the VCU Medical Center following six hours of instruction with professors of theater … ‘We think it’s important that this study showed that there are measurable clinical empathy skills and that those skills can be taught to residents,’ said study co-author Alan Dow, M.D., associate director of residency training and assistant professor of internal medicine at the VCU Medical Center. ‘Improved empathy skills for doctors will mean that patients have better interactions with their doctors and are more satisfied with their care.’ According to Aaron Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor of theater at VCU and a study co-author, clinical encounters are similar to the interactions that actors experience during performance … ‘We were not teaching doctors to be actors,’ Anderson said. ‘But there are some elements of theater training that can be applied to medical training and can be useful for doctors trying to connect with patients.’
Learn more>>


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ARTS IN SCHOOLS
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MEET H. GENE JONES:
ACCELERATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY INTEGRATING ART IN THE CURRICULUM
Awarded a $100,000 Purpose Prize for Americans Leading With Experience
H. Gene Jones has been awarded a Purpose Prize for his incorporation of the arts into the core curriculum. “Gene Jones, a decorated World War II bomber pilot, built his post-war career by turning failing businesses into profitable corporations. In 1999, at the age of 84, he turned his attention to the next generation. Combining his business savvy and love of music with his passion for education, Jones created Opening Minds through the Arts. Based on scientific brain research, the K-8 program integrates the arts into core curricula as a way to boost individual academic achievement and improve at-risk children's chance for future success. For example, creative movement specialists help instill critical thinking and problem-solving skills in second graders, and third graders develop compositional skills by learning to play a recorder, read music and write original tunes. Independent research shows that the program has raised students' scores on third grade standardized tests, increased attendance, reduced discipline problems, and boosted parental involvement. Project Zero researchers at Harvard have selected the program for inclusion in an upcoming report, Excellence in Arts Education and How to Achieve It. Started in three schools, Opening Minds through the Arts now operates in 36 schools, involving 17,000 students and 650 teachers in Tucson's largest public school district-the second largest in Arizona. Over the last year, many districts throughout the state have consulted with Opening Minds about bringing the program to their schools.”
Learn more about Gene Jones>>
Learn more about the Purpose Prize>>

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BRINGING DIVERSITY TO CLASSICAL MUSIC
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BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER:
THE SPHINX ORGANIZATION AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
Aaron Dworkin’s lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, 8/15/07
MacArthur “Genius” Grant Winner Aaron Dworkin, who founded and is President of the Sphinx Organization, presented a lecture entitled “Breaking the Sound Barrier: The Sphinx Organization and Classical Music.” In it, “Aaron discussed his experiences that led to the founding of Sphinx, the current state of diversity in classical music, and Sphinx’s programs. The enthusiastic audience of over 1,000 received the lecture with a rousing standing ovation and raised many great questions during the question and answer period at the conclusion of the lecture.”
Watch the lecture online>>
Hear his podcasted interview on Chautauqua Radio>>

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THE "REAL" SHAKESPEARE
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WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS?
Frontline, PBS
This Web site has teacher resources to assist high schoolers explore this age-old question.
Learn more>>


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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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2008 HARRIS WOFFORD AWARDS
Youth Service America/State Farm Companies Foundation
“Established in 2002, the prestigious Harris Wofford Awards were created to honor former Senator Harris Wofford - one of our nation’s greatest public servants. The Awards recognize extraordinary achievements in three categories: Youth, Organization, and Media for actively contributing towards, ‘making service and service-learning the common expectation and common experience of every young person in America.’”
Learn more>>

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IEA Listserv for Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for September 5, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday and is archived on the IEA blog at http://edartsinstitute.blogspot.com .

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REPORTS
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TEACHING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS
“Americans recognize the importance of technology in reforming the nation’s schools and making them relevant for the 21st century, a new survey suggests—but they disagree on how schools should impart key 21st century skills to their students. Zogby International conducted the survey of more than 7,000 Americans in May 2007. The report, titled Education Attitudes 2007, was released on July 26 by Cisco System, Inc.”
Read a summary of the survey results>>
View a video of the July 25 video discussion>>

NEW GLOBAL STUDY FROM MTV, NICKELODEON AND MICROSOFT CHALLENGES ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KIDS, YOUTH & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
PRNewswire, 7/24/07
“The average Chinese young person has 37 online friends he or she has never met, Indian youth are most likely to see mobile phones as a status symbol, while one in three UK and US teenagers say they can't live without their games console. Globally, the average young person connected to digital technology has 94 phone numbers in his or her mobile phone, 78 people on a messenger buddy list and 86 people in his or her social networking community. Yet despite their technological immersion, digi-kids are not geeks -- 59% of 8-14 year-old kids still prefer their TV to their PCs and only 20% of 14-24 year-old young people globally admitted to being "interested" in technology. They are, however, expert multi-taskers and able to filter different channels of information. These are just some of the findings from the largest-ever global study undertaken by MTV and Nickelodeon, in association with Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, into how kids and young people interact with digital technology. The Circuits of Cool/Digital Playground technology and lifestyle study challenges traditional assumptions about their relationships with digital technology, and examines the impact of culture, age and gender on technology use.”
Read a summary of the survey results>>

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SURVEYING ARTISTS IN THE BERKSHIRES
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SURVEY AIMS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC STRUCTURES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS
Jen Thomas, iBerkshires.com, 8/17/07
“Thanks to a unique collaboration of local creative institutions, Berkshire County artists from all disciplines and backgrounds can now participate in shaping the economic future of the region. This month, the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center in North Adams, Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts unveiled a survey that they hope will shed some light on the needs of working artists. ‘What we’re collaborating on is a project where we really look at what artists need to succeed professionally,’ said Megan Whilden, the director of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development. ‘We want to chart the landscape for what artists need.’ Defined as people who derive 10 percent or more of their total income from their art, working artists are an integral part of the Berkshires’ growing creative economy. In understanding the financial situation, housing preferences and professional development needs of local artists, the partners expect to better encourage the artists community, mostly in the economic sector.”
Read more>>

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A VOCABULARY SUPERHERO FOR KIDS
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A NEW HEROINE’S FIGHTING WORDS
Elizabeth Jensen, New York Times, 9/2/07
“THERE’S a new superhero on the block this fall, and she might just have the strength (or as she would most likely say, the ‘fortitude’) to render a big vocabulary cool among schoolchildren. The weapon of choice for PBS’s new ‘WordGirl’ is words: the more expressive, the better. When the fifth-grader Becky Botsford dons her red cape and spits out mouthfuls like ‘preposterous’ and ‘bicker’ and ‘cumbersome,’ her enemies — from the often-tongue-tied Chuck the Evil Sandwich-Making Guy (whose name is a chance for WordGirl to define ‘absurd’) to the Butcher, who mangles words while hoarding meat — capitulate. The half-hour program started last season as a series of shorts within PBS’s bilingual cartoon “Maya & Miguel,” and is designed for children aged 4 to 9. It will be shown in a preview at 4:30 p.m. Monday in PBS’s children’s block before moving to its regular slot, beginning Sept. 7.”
Read the New York Times article about WordGirl>>
View PBS Lesson Plans based on WordGirl>>
See Jim Lehrer’s interview of WordGirl on YouTube>>

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CELEBRATING TEACHERS
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CELEBRATE THE WEEK OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHER & WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
“The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) recognizes how important teachers are for children around the world, and celebrates their hard work and dedication to inspire excellence in the classroom … Since 1995, ACEI has annually recognized the dedication and professionalism of classroom teachers. In 2005, ACEI joined over 100 countries in commemorating the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) signing of the Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teacher by recognizing World Teachers' Day on October 5. ACEI annually designates the first full week of October as Week of the Classroom Teacher. ACEI encourages parents, principals, child care center directors, early childhood program directors, librarians, teacher associations, church groups, PTA and PTO associations, ACEI branches (student, local, and state/province/country), and all who are dedicated to the inherent rights, education, and well-being of all children to offer sincere thanks and appreciation for teachers' contributions in education and society. Start planning early to make your celebration a community event!"
Learn more and download planning resources here>>

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HELPING VISUALLY-IMPAIRED STUDENTS TO SEE
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LIGHTING THE WAY:
PICTURES HELP PEOPLE SEE FROM ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW
Alexei Bien, Edutopia, 6/14/07
“What would children who are blind show us about the world if they learned to take pictures? The question first occurred to photographer Tony Deifell in 1991 … A year later, he sought an answer by setting up an experimental photography program, called Sound Shadows, at Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina … Sound Shadows was based there for five years, from 1992 to 1997, during which Deifell cotaught thirty-six students ages 12-19 with visual impairments. The kids not only learned how to point and shoot, they also were taught how to use a camera to re-create dreams and express personal vision. In April 2007, Chronicle Books published Seeing Beyond Sight, Deifell's richly illustrated record of his experience at the school. The book features about 150 images from the Sound Shadows program, accompanied by the words of their creators as well as updates on many of the student photographers … Deifell concedes that in 1992, taking Sound Shadows from concept to curriculum was no easy task. He had the examples of many visually impaired artists to inspire him, but it was still unheard of to actually teach photography, the least tactile of the arts, to blind students.”
Read more and view students’ photos>>

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ON THE AIR
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VISIONES: LATINO ART AND CULTURE: EPISODE ONE
PBS, 9/9/07 (check local listings)
Grade Range: 9-12
”The first episode features the Latino Mural Movement of the 1960s, Nuyorican spoken word and editorial cartoonist Lalo Lopez. Created in New York, the Nuyorican spoken word is a form of artistic expression that emerged from the tumultuous 1960s and continues to influence and inspire the American Puerto Rican community. The episode includes interviews with Nuyorican poets Pedro Pietri, Piri Thomas and Caridad (La Bruja).”

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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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LEARNING & LEADERSHIP GRANTS
NEA Foundation
Deadline: 10/15/07The NEA Foundation grants “support public school teachers, public education support
professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research. Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment.:
Learn more>>

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