To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org, smhollow-AT-pipeline.com
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] follow up to A question to the list about teaching
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 20:21:50 -0600 (CST)
From: owlglass-AT-avalon.net
Cc: 


        We've been active in the Iowa Arts Council's Artists in the Schools and 
Communities Program since its inception in 1976.  During the 80's and 
early 90's , we also did AIE work in Wyoming.  Iowa's programs have 
changed over the years.  In the 70's, 80's, and most of the 90's, the 
program was very active, sponsoring mostly 5-10 day residencies.  Iowa 
is a very rural state with over 900 small towns, and the 5 day format 
worked very well, since most small districts could never afford to have 
long term residencies.  A whole generation of artists, many of whom are 
still working artists, cut their teeth (and honed their work) on this program 
(many of us did 15-20 one week residencies a year during the heyday!) 
and many towns formed their first arts councils to administer the 
residencies.  The program had an unbelievable ripple effect, and we 
could do pretty much what we pleased as long as the kids were happy, 
busy, and learning something.
        Nowadays, it seems fewer and fewer schools are able to incorporate 
this type of residency.  Along with No Child Left Behind (ha!), many 
schools can afford neither the time nor the money.  The trend has been 
towards (a) shorter residencies 1-3 days) and (b) so-called "Arts 
Partnerships", in which an artist partners with a school, going in from time 
to time and working on specific curriculum related arts projects.  We've 
adapted by finding and elaborating on curriculum connections for every 
show and workshop we do.  The days of "art for art's sake" are 
(tempoarily, I hope...) over, and we have to be able to quantify how our 
work improves student achievement.  We're staying ahead of 'em, though, 
and working as much as ever!   Good luck!  
Monica
Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre
http://www.puppetspuppets.com



Quoting smhollow-AT-pipeline.com:

> I want to thank everyone that has responded so far to my question about
> teaching artists, and I do mean Professional artists that take some of
> their time to go into the schools and share their skills with
> students.
> 
> To expand on the original question..
> 
> What would you say is the current state of the teaching artist
> profession.
> Are we being used effectivly? 
> The out look for work
> the acceptance by the schools, teachers and administrators.
> Why did you get into the field.
> Other comments are welcome.
> 
> As a teaching artist for more than 20 years and a performer for nearly
> 30 years I have a lot of my own stories, views and experiences, but my
> hope is to provide as wide a range of views and experiences to this
> gathering of New Jersey teaching artists as I can. Our goal is to
> improve the profession and to improve the work we do with students.
> 
> Thank you again for all your help. 
> 
> Steven Hollow
> 
> 
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> 
> 



Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre
http://www.puppetspuppets.com
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