Virginia art education conference -2019

Just got back from the Virginia State Conference for art educators and I am feeing super pumped. So pumped that now I want to attend the National Art Educator conference in March of 20202. You can find more of my tweets and instagrams under @cutelisart on Twitter and @Igettorun in IG. 




The parking lot was filled with arts advocacy stickers... very exciting. The minute I got home I ordered one of these stickers for my car. 

One of the first classes I took was a circular weaving class. I am obsessed now. 

Just look at all this yarn....yummy!!

I also took an altered book class in which I used the image below to crate the altered box below it. 









Went to a throwing pottery wheel class. How did I ever think I could do this on my own baffles me....I am feeling so lucky to get all this. 




Next, Author Julie Chen spoke about her process in designing books and this was absolutely fascinating. "A book that is not made is not a book. "


Then there was a vendor's fair and tons of handmade stuff. just so much creativity under one roof. 


The awards ceremony was super inspiring.... heroes among us. 























Last, I attended a printmaking class. Lots of fresh ideas on how to use printmaking in the classroom. 


Now I really want to go to the National conference. Applying for a scholarship. wish me luck. 

The drive back home was gorgeous. Surrounded by cows and mountains. 

vaea conference 2017

The Importance of Art Education in a 21st Century Education

Below are the 8 habits of mind I use in my art studio. As an art teacher and a teacher of 15 years I deeply believe that the arts help prepare our children for 21st Century learning, thinking and work-related skills. It's one thing to teach a child concepts, vocabulary, and historical facts, but it's quite another form of learning to teach a child to think, work with their mistakes, persist, envision, express, observe, reflect, explore and understand. In teaching with the habits of mind as the 'umbrella' that guides all lessons and units we ensure that children will always embrace all situations with these helpful habits of thinking. In the art room, I don't teach the kids to be 'artists', I teach them to be independent thinkers and explorers of answers by following their own questions.

I have often been asked why I don't have kids make Picasso-like work, or Matisse-like work. While we still look at these artists and their work, we rarely waste time trying to merely emulate them or their style. In emulating another artist's work we dispossess the children of their own innovative abilities to find their own unique style. Instead, we discover what inspired these artists to do what they did and similarly look for our own inspirations in our own lives. In following our own inspirations we place value in our own ideas, our own stories, our own unique capabilities. When all else in school is simply telling kids what they should know, in the art studio kids learn to value their own voice and to verbalize, through art, their own expression of this world. The idea that you can only be exceptional at what you love is huge in the art studio. To simply create a Picasso-like face, we might make a pretty picture to take home, but kids will never walk away truly feeling like creators or innovators of their own ideas or concepts.

The arts, in fact, give children an enormous advantage in the future, when they hit the job market. Children who can follow these habits of mind (see below) can take everyday obstacles, in any field, and turn them into opportunities. When I hear people downplay the importance of my role as an art teacher in education, I immediately know they've never had a hands-on studio art experience. When I hear about art and music being cut from budgets to only be replaced with more seemingly academically-focused courses, I am saddened for those children, for they will only be further crippled by this lack of arts education in their lives. I am not creating artists, I am teaching an essential 'language' of seeing, creating and expressing that will undoubtedly enhance all forms of human interactions. Art is a life-changing experience.....and no education should be without it....

Studio Thinking Framework Eight Habits of Mind
	Develop Craft Learning to use and care for tools (e.g., viewfinders, brushes), materials (e.g., charcoal, paint). Learning artistic conventions (e.g., perspective, color mixing).
	Engage & Persist Learning to embrace problems of relevance within the art world and/or of personal importance, to develop focus and other mental states conducive to working and persevering at art tasks.
	Envision Learning to picture mentally what cannot be directly observed and imagine possible next steps in making a piece.
	Express Learning to create works that convey an idea, a feeling, or a personal meaning.
	Observe Learning to attend to visual contexts more closely than ordinary "looking" requires, and thereby to see things that otherwise might not be seen.
	Reflect Question & Explain: Learning to think and talk with others about an aspect of one’s work or working process. Evaluate: Learning to judge one’s own work and working process and the work of others in relation to standards of the: field.
	Stretch & Explore Learning to reach beyond one's capacities, to explore playfully without a preconceived plan, and to embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes and accidents.
	Understand Art World Domain: Learning about art history and current practice. Communities: Learning to interact as an artist with other artists (i.e., in classrooms, in local arts organizations, and across the art field) and within the broader society.

Arts Opportunities for Murch Families

Shereth Gilson, the kindergarten assistant (above) in Mr. Brady's class is a professional singer with The Washington Revels. She will perform at Lisner Auditorium Dec.3-4 and 9-11, Matinees and evening shows. The website to purchase tickets, which go on sale on Oct.3rd, is www.revelsdc.org or 800-595-4849. Group discounts: 301-587-3835. She is a classically trained singer. She'd love to know if anyone from Murch is coming so she can arrange to see them during the performance. They include the audience in many of the numbers!! Ms. Gilson says It is an awesome experience. This year the program is Andalucian Treasures, Arabic, Jewish and Muslim music from the 7th thru 15th century and some traditional Christmas music. If you have questions for Ms. Gilson just e-mail me and I'd gladly forward your email to her.

Getting ready for summer and a few last words

Hello wonderful families,

I am getting my classroom ready for summer and packing all my supplies Monday. If for any reason your child did not get back a work from the art show, please come by Monday. I do not throw work out and will keep all items secure during the summer and for the coming months, so please do remember to come by and pick up work. I tried my best to send all work home, but in the bustle of the last few days, that might have not happened.

I have ordered various art education related books for my summer reading, so please check back here often for thoughts and ideas I will be posting all summer long, based on my readings and own experiments here at home with my two little ones.

Don't hesitate to send me JPGs of your own child's summertime art adventures. I will gladly post them as a way to keep us all connected wherever we are. In my own personal art journey I am working hard at getting my finished works out there in the public eye. I just finished a series of pieces about the relationship between nature and nurture; an issue that occupies a lot of my time and energy. You can see images of these pieces at my online art store on etsy.

I have loads of ideas for next year. One of them involves reaching out into the community and working with local artists. The other involves a more comprehensive and extensive use of technology to create art. Last, and most importantly, I aim to make all units personally relevant and meaningful to each child I come in contact with. Creative and innovative thinking has the potential to change the world by changing the way we see ourselves and the world. With all my reading and research this summer I hope to come in September armed with some new tools to make all these lofty goals possible.

Please keep in touch this summer. See you all soon.

Amazing Discussion with Ms. Stephen's Class

The children has just finished exploring how shapes come together to make new designs. This was the first lessons in our quilting unit and were just about to wrap up for the day.

Usually right before we line up we do a 'gallery walk' and I give them a question to focus on as they look at each other's work. The question this time was to find one person's work that inspired them. A work that had in it an aspect of which they'd like to try out themselves if they were to do this activity again. Children raised their hands and several kids named of others' work and explained their reasons for liking their specific techniques.

I then asked, "Are there here any rights or wrongs?, if someones work did not get mentioned does that mean they did something wrong?". This question opened up a discussion about choice. It followed into a discussion of how in art, just like in music, people have different preferences. It also stemmed into a discussion about how artists and human beings in general, when confronted with others' ideas and works are often inspired to try out others' techniques. Yet, was this copying? We came to an agreement that just because one might try out a specific art technique used by another does not mean the work will at all resemble the original work. In fact, the mere fact that these 2 people are different would ensure the uniqueness of the results.

The kids felt pretty good knowing that inside them was this unique self that would always ensure a unique imprint on all their work no matter what technique they copied. The Arts is not about preparing kids to be artists (as some people who see art as somewhat peripheral might think). The Arts is about creating a learning environment where kids are given the chance to find, search, value and trust their inner voice and genuine personal choices.

To hear an amazing podcast about The Critical Role of the Arts Throughout a Whole Child Education click here.

Murch Afterschool Kindergarten Arts and Craft Series is FULL

Murch Kindergarten Arts and Crafts Series

SORRY, THE CLASS IS FULL.

For the kids who are in the class, please remember to send in a snack with your child. Before they begin art making, they will have their snack.

I have sent the invite and information about this afterschool opportunity to Kindergarten class teachers two days ago. Yet, in case you did not get the information, please keep reading.

This is an arts and crafts program for kids in Kindergarten at Murch led by Ms. Cutelis and Ms.Hettipola We only have 15 spaces remaining for this 10-week class and the time for the class isFridays 3:30-4:30pm starting November 5th, 2010. If your child is in Murch Extended Day or the after school language program please indicate that on the form I will send you once you sign up online. Children who are NOT in Extended day MUST be picked up at 4:30 sharp in the main school building lobby. You can reach me by cell at 516-225-3403 anytime after the class if there will be any delays. The FEE for the class is for supplies only and it's $3/day for 10 weeks, adding up to a one-time fee of $30. The fee is payable in cash or check made out to Miriam Cutelis due on the first day of class. Children who sign up online must turn in the materials fee to Ms. Cutelis OR Ms. Hettipola before starting class. Cash or check are accepted. Make the check out to Miriam Cutelis. All supplies will be ordered through School Specialty Online. If your child will be absent and is signed up for the 10-week class let us by e-mailing me at Miriam.Cutelis@yahoo.com.

Baba Jamal Koram visits Murch

A fantastic storyteller came to Murch today. Here are the pictures of his performance.

http://babajamalkoramvisitsmurchdcps.shutterfly.com/

Images taken by Miriam Cutelis, Event photographer. See my site at

http://mirsmagicmoments.com/