Washington is Weaving Strands of Learning with Oklahoma A+ Schools
Oklahoma A+ is Art Smart!
One of the partners of the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens George Washington Teaching Ambassador Program is Oklahoma A+ Schools. I am fortunate to be one of the A+ Fellows, a cadre of educators and artists dedicated to collaboration and using the arts and multiple intelligences in the classroom. Until recently, I did not know how much I have grown as a teacher because of my A+ involvement. A new teacher at Claremore High School is teaching the subject that I taught to this very student six years ago (pre-A+). I was giving him ideas for his first unit of study and I kept saying, “Remember when I had the students do that experiential hands-on activity?” or “Remember the song and dance we did to remember that concept?” He looked at me quizzically and I realized those creative learning tools were ones I had developed AFTER joining the A+ network—what a few years of quality professional development can make!
All Oklahoma educators will have an opportunity to learn the “A+ way” by attending Oklahoma A+ Schools’ statewide conference on Saturday, September 12, 2009. The conference is entitled, “Integration: Weaving Strands of Learning.” Both on-site and online opportunities are included in the registration fee.
On-site sessions will be held at Moore Norman Technology Conference Center. Participants will choose a morning or afternoon half-day conference experience. Among the day’s presenters is Larry Earl, Executive Director of the Houston Museum of African American Culture and consultant with George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Mr. Earl will be presenting, “Songs and Stories of Slavery.” Larry Earl has been a faculty member for The George Washington Teachers Institute since 1999. He has served as a consultant for George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, the New York Historical Society, the National Park Service, and the National Portrait Gallery. He was the moderator of Slavery at Mount Vernon, a live national broadcast created by the Fairfax Network. Past associations include the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Manager of African American Initiatives and of the Historic Area Division) and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit (Director of Education).
The second part of the A+ conference is an ONLINE portion which is open to participants at ANYTIME where lnternet is available. Online, educators will experience armchair conversations with creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson, Oklahoma Creativity Ambassador and Olympian Bart Conner, and accomplished jazz artist and educator Howard Hanger. This web 2.0 environment will provide many opportunities to connect with other educators. Links to creative resources and professional development sessions will also be available.
Registration costs $60 for non-network members and $50 for OK A+ School network members, which includes SEVEN hours of professional development and access to both on-site and online conference components. Registration is through 5:00 PM on Sept. 10, 2009
For more information, or to register online, go to www.aplusok.org, or call OK A+ Schools at (405) 974-3779.
