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Think 360 Arts is Hiring
Think 360 Arts for Learning is seeking a Program Assistant. The Program Assistant is responsible for supporting the successful implementation of Think 360 Arts educational and professional development programs. This position reports to the Program Director and works closely with the Executive Director and all of the Think 360 Arts support staff.
Visit the full job description page for all the details.
Think 360 Arts for Learning Announces Jennifer Olson as Executive Director
Think 360 Arts for Learning Announces Jennifer Olson as Executive Director
Olson, previously with the Pasadena Unified School District, will begin her new role on June 11
DENVER (May 3, 2018) – Beginning on June 11, Jennifer Olson, previously the arts education coordinator at Pasadena Unified School District, will take over as the executive director of Think 360 Arts for Learning (Think 360 Arts).
Think 360 Arts to Celebrate 55th Anniversary
Think 360 Arts to Celebrate 55th Anniversary: Celebrating 55 Years of Arts Education in Colorado
DENVER, CO, March 21, 2018 – This year Think 360 Arts for Learning will celebrate its 55th anniversary of providing arts educational services to Colorado communities.
YA Announces National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week, March 25–April 7, 2018
YOUNG AUDIENCES ARTS FOR LEARNING PRESS RELEASE:
New York, NY – February 15, 2018 – Young Audiences Arts for Learning (YA) is proud to announce that its annual advocacy and awareness campaign, Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week (YA Week), will take place March 25 – April 7, 2018.
Arts Integration: A Historical Perspective
By Think 360 Artist, Andrea Pakieser
700 years ago, the culture of Renaissance humanism flourished, inspiring new educational approaches that diverged from the dogmatic utilitarianism of Medieval Europe. Guided by the belief that education could improve society, Renaissance-era teachers trained their students in poetry, mathematics, music, astronomy…a novel combination of traditional academic subjects and the arts. We still use the expression “Renaissance man/woman” today to refer to someone whose talents span a wide variety of fields.
The Cost of Arts Education
By Kristi Jones
The arts have always been in my life, and I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to say that. However, I didn’t have super artistic parents; in fact, art wasn’t really even a hobby for my parents. My dad is a pilot and was always more math and science-minded, and my mom had a varied career history, including accounting, marketing and flight attendant, but the arts were never involved in their professional lives, and besides my mom playing the piano now and then, not in their personal lives either. However, they always encouraged both my involvement in and appreciation of the arts. I started taking dance classes when I was three, and my parents started taking me to the theatre productions when I was around six years old. There were museums, piano lessons and choir concerts throughout my life. I also had the typical arts classes in school, stayed involved in choir, theatre and dance through my teenage years, went on to major in theatre in college and moved on to have a career in the non-profit arts world. Why? I was encouraged to participate in the arts, where I ended up finding my niche and passion, and I was given the support and tools I needed to do just that.
The Impact of Common Core Standards on Arts Education
Written by Jennifer M. DiBella, Director of Education at Roundabout Theatre Company
(This essay was adapted from an article originally featured in TCG’s Special Report on Education 2012: Arts Education at the Core (PDF). That report shares findings from the over 100 theatres that participated in the TCG Education Survey 2012, along with essays from leading theatre education directors on the impact of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) on arts education, and CCSS resources from the past year.)
Created by state education leaders and governors from 48 states, the Common Core is the largest effort in the United States to develop a set of unified standards intended to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in college and careers. A popular refrain from Common Core advocates is “fewer, higher, deeper” — in essence the main shift from previous standards is to offer a reduced number of more rigorous standards. The Core has been met with mixed reactions from educators around the nation. Some are excited about the emphasis on deep critical thinking and others find the new mandates and benchmarks to be cumbersome and confusing. When it comes to the connection between Common Core and the arts, there is a lot to be explored.
10,000 Hours
By Barbara Hamilton, a perspective poem after completing Think 360 Arts for Learning’s Institute for Creative Teaching
10,000 hours of practice is what a famous man says will make ME an expert
At playing the viola, or at playing golf, or sculpting.
He says, razor sharp focus and meticulous planning will achieve my goals.
Now that would be 41.6 days if I never slept, ate, or saw my children or husband
If I worked at being an expert for just 5 hours a day, every day, that would be 2,000 days.
It’s also 285.7 weeks of practicing the viola or 5.5 years,
WITH NO DAYS OFF.