From your Fine Arts Council...

FINE ARTS COUNCIL

of the

Alberta Teachers' Association

It is NOT TOO LATE to
Register for the
FAC Mini Sessions
October 19, 2019

The Saturday, October 19 mini sessions are coming up, but you can still register! Come and Harvest your Inner Artist in Edmonton and Calgary with sessions in art, dance, drama, general arts, and music. Click on the links below to see what on offer at both of our locations!

REGISTER for Edmonton
***October 19 is Open House day at the U of A - parking (from 8am to 5pm) is free, HOWEVER, plan to get there a bit early as the area around the university will be busy***

SOUTHERN ALBERTA TEACHERS
SAVE THE DATE

The SARFAC AGM will take place on Saturday, October 19 at 2:00 pm. Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (SAPDC) meeting room. All positions are up for re-election; come join us! Refreshments will be provided, bring a friend!

There's a Spot for YOU on the Fine Arts Council!

Are you interested in getting involved with the FAC? You can help plan valuable professional development for Alberta arts educators and get exposed to talented artists and educators from Western Canada!

We will be electing fine arts teachers to fill the following positions on October 19, 2019 at our fall mini-sessions:

Drama Representative
Music Representative
Treasurer

To learn more about the positions themselves, visit our website. Download a nomination form here. For more information, contact Dawn Marshall, President, FAC.

New Online Resource at ATA

The ATA Library is excited to be launching a new online resource! The Library Guides page captures much of the content of the old 2Learn site as well as the former web resources pages. So many links to great resources!

The following pages might of most interest to the FAC:

Tips from Drama Rep, Glenn Taylor

Engagement

How do we as drama teachers plan and evaluate our own programs and learning experiences? Do we rely on technical measurement in the form of rubrics and aesthetic product? As experienced teachers, what are personal criteria for success at the end of a lesson, unit or production? Of course, a major variable is the context whether it be process work, play building and age group. The point is, whatever our criteria, we had a plan to get there. Wouldn’t you love to share your best ideas with like-minded teachers and benefit from theirs?

At the beginning of the year, drama teachers across Alberta have planned for engagement in their drama classrooms. I’ve been asked great questions about where to start with JH at beginning teachers’ conferences and Haseman and O’toole’s Dramawise Reimagined: Learning to Manage the Elements of Drama is a great place to start. With a shared vocabulary, teachers and students can describe and implement what works or what could be more. Also, short scripted sketches/scenes are abundant in collections available online. For many reasons short, accessible texts are an excellent drama teaching tool.

Finally, at a recent arts council meeting student delegates were asked “what do you think should be considered when collaborating in the arts?”. A simply profound response was: “Why before Wow” (Central Memorial High Delegate to CBE FAC). For me, engagement and success in drama work really hinges on clarity of purpose from the outset and reflection throughout on why the work is important. Inspiration makes the perspiration more enjoyable.

Here is a great paper which studies how a few teachers from New Zealand plan for transformative experience in drama within their specific curriculum demands. How might these ideas apply in our context?

Please keep me updated on your upcoming productions. Reach out if you have questions or you have great ideas to share. Come say hello at our Calgary mini conference!!!

Sincerely,
Glenn Taylor
Your Drama Rep. FAC
gitaylor@cbe.ab.ca

Events in Alberta

The following events may be of interest to Alberta fine arts teachers, but are not organized by the Fine Arts Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association.

Journal Submissions Being Accepted

The Arts in Society Journal Collection is now welcoming article submissions for current and future volumes of the following journals:

Indexing and acceptance rates for the Journal Collection can be found here.

The deadline for round four submissions is 15 October 2019.

WP Puppet Bookings for School Programs!

WP Puppet's puppetry based school programs link to specific learning objectives and to 21st century learning skills. Their goal is to support classroom learning, inspire students to be creators, performers and makers, and be a resource for both teachers and students.

Teachers can find more information HERE. Email admin@wppuppet.com for bookings.

EPSB Arts Education Update

Below is a link to the October issue of the Arts Education Update. The Table of Contents is hyperlinked so you can feel free to click on the area(s) that is/are pertinent to you in order to help you navigate the document. Please email Jorgianne Talbot or Tracy Stener for more information.

October 2019 Arts Education Update

U of A Upcoming Arts Courses

Special Music Education (on-line)
EDEL 597 (2 credits or workshop fee)
Dr. Kimberly McCord, Instructor

The course examines current methods and materials for the inclusion of children with disabilities in music classes and ensembles. Participants will have opportunities to explore strategies and techniques that can maximize the potential and develop the musical talents of children with a variety of disabilities and disorders that include, learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, autism, intellectual disabilities and sensory disabilities. The course will consist of synchronous online sessions/discussions through Zoom and eClass from any off-campus location of a student’s choosing and asynchronous work accessed through eClass 24 hours-a-day during the course. Music specialists, classroom teachers, graduate students and all those interested in bringing rich, meaningful active music experiences to children with special needs will benefit from this course. Contact Dr. Kathy Robinson at Kathy.robinson@ualberta.ca for additional information.

Dalcroze Eurhythmics: A Kinesthetic Approach to Music Learning
Dr. R.J. David Frego, Instructor
EDEL 597 (1 credit or workshop fee)

This course will approach the elements of music through kinesthetic awareness. Participants will be actively engaged in music making through movement—connecting the brain to the body. Activities will incorporate purposeful movement, rhythmic solfège, and music improvisation as teaching approaches. These skills will then be applied in the general, choral and instrumental music settings. Transfers will also be made for special needs populations, and teaching areas with space constraints. A reflection paper with references to the Dalcroze approach will be submitted two weeks following the weekend course. Please come wearing loose, comfortable clothing, soft-soled shoes, and be ready to feel the joy of music. Limited to 25 students. Registration for one day - Friday, April 17 - of the National Orff Conference is also required. See http://www.orffvision2020.ca Conference registration and fees are the responsibility of the student. Contact Dr. Kathy Robinson at Kathy.robinson@ualberta.ca for additional information.

Courses registration is available now for current U of A students! Students not currently enrolled in a program at the University of Alberta will need to apply for admission as an Open Studies student in order to register for courses. An Open Studies application can be opened now and can take more than 10 days for processing, so please plan to apply at your earliest convenience. All students must be registered in these courses by December 1, 2019. Registration information and links available at https://www.ualberta.ca/elementary-education/music-academy/registration.