MyICA EdYOUcation Mini Conference Speakers
Writeups by Sarah Damiano, Photographs taken by Alexandra Arocho, Video taken by Kristin Stabin
Lauren Roszak, Emily Blumenthal, David Sloan, Sarah McCann, Karen Summerville, Clare Grizzard, Greg English
Breaking the Walls of the Classroom Panelists
The Walters Art Museum
Emily Blumenthal
Interview by: Holly Cloer
Manager of Family Programs
Emily began working at the Walters in 2003. She is originally from Miami. She came to the Walters out of an interest in art history and working in exhibitions. She finds that working with the public and families makes her position at the Walters most worthwhile. She particularly enjoys audiences ages 0-5 years old, and the impact art can have on their learning process.
One of the biggest challenges she faces is the changing perception of the museum environment as an institution. She stressed that the Walters is publicly funded, and that family and children programs have to seek funding like the other arts organizations here today. The family programs at the Walters hope is to change the perception of museums from adult institutions to family friendly places of active and experimental learning.
Emily began working at the Walters in 2003. She is originally from Miami. She came to the Walters out of an interest in art history and working in exhibitions. She finds that working with the public and families makes her position at the Walters most worthwhile. She particularly enjoys audiences ages 0-5 years old, and the impact art can have on their learning process.
One of the biggest challenges she faces is the changing perception of the museum environment as an institution. She stressed that the Walters is publicly funded, and that family and children programs have to seek funding like the other arts organizations here today. The family programs at the Walters hope is to change the perception of museums from adult institutions to family friendly places of active and experimental learning.
Lauren Roszak
Interview by: Hannah Cohen
Coordinator of the Family Programs
Lauren Roszak is the Manager of Children and Family Programs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD. Before working at the Walters Lauren worked at the Glencoe Museum in Virgina where she started children and family programs. In 2006 she began working at the Walters.
Lauren states that the most rewarding aspect of her job is the time she gets to spend with the children, and the way they connect with the artwork in the museum. “The children have their own way of forming abstract thoughts that are relevant to their own lives,” says Lauren. There are, however, also challenges. According to Lauren the biggest challenge she faces working in the museum is simply getting people in the door. According to Lauren people often feel intimidated by the museum, how big it is, and how much history it holds. She believes that their mascot Waltee helps to make the museum less intimidating, and more inviting.
Lauren Roszak is the Manager of Children and Family Programs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD. Before working at the Walters Lauren worked at the Glencoe Museum in Virgina where she started children and family programs. In 2006 she began working at the Walters.
Lauren states that the most rewarding aspect of her job is the time she gets to spend with the children, and the way they connect with the artwork in the museum. “The children have their own way of forming abstract thoughts that are relevant to their own lives,” says Lauren. There are, however, also challenges. According to Lauren the biggest challenge she faces working in the museum is simply getting people in the door. According to Lauren people often feel intimidated by the museum, how big it is, and how much history it holds. She believes that their mascot Waltee helps to make the museum less intimidating, and more inviting.
Emily Blumenthal and Lauren Roszak speak about Children and Family Programs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD
Creative Alliance
Karen Summerville
Education Coordinator
Karen is originally from Washington, DC. Later on she relocated to Baltimore to attend school at Morgan State. As Education Coordinator for the Creative Alliance Karen is responsible for assisting the director, teacher training, teacher and student support, and data collection. She started as a part time instructor two years prior to her Education Coordinator position. The best part of her job is seeing the students getting excited about the work they are making, and watching them explore.
Karen’s role at the Creative Alliance brings the community together by making them aware of Creative Alliance, art, and art making. Some challenges she faces are getting people to try something new, and providing something familiar in order to make people feel comfortable.
Karen Summerville speaks about Education at the Creative Alliance
Wide Angle Youth Media
David Sloan Interview by Alexandra Arocho
Technical Instructor and lead facilitator for Mentoring Video Project
David Sloan is originally from South Carolina, but moved to Baltimore seven years ago where he studied sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art. In 2008 he received his Masters of Arts in Community Arts from the same institution. Currently David is the technical advisor and lead facilitator for Mentoring Video Project at Wide Angel Youth Media.
David really enjoys the fact that after some initial teacher based instruction the youth lead the class. He gets the children out of the usual work space by taking them on field trips, having guests artists come in, peer teaching, internships, and occasionally longer trips to other states. At the end of the year they get into a festival where they show off what they have been working on.
Wide Angel Youth Media has also been contracted to work with programs at schools such as Northeast Middle School where they work with the summer school program. This program is slightly different in the sense that attendance to the program is mandatory. Here they build teamwork through projects based around learning.
A big project for Wide Angle was when the students of Western High School were commissioned to advertise for Baltimore City. Some of the students put together a documentary titled "Textaholic" for this project. With this documentary they traveled to film festivals in and out of state.
Sarah McCann
Interview by: Amanda Stohl Hendershot
Festival Coordinator
Sarah McCann originated from Huntington, NY close to downtown on Long Island. Currently she is the Coordinator for the Wide Angle film festival. She has been working at Wide Angle Youth Media since this past September. She works with high school students, and helps them plan their projects. Before becoming festival coordinator she worked at Seton Academy through Clay Works, and ran Clay Club.
Sarah loves education, and asks the question to herself, “How do we put emphasis on learning?” She also enjoys connecting classes and challenging stereotypes by working with students, and members of the community. Sarah worries where they are going to continue to find funding to keep this program running.
Sarah McCann originated from Huntington, NY close to downtown on Long Island. Currently she is the Coordinator for the Wide Angle film festival. She has been working at Wide Angle Youth Media since this past September. She works with high school students, and helps them plan their projects. Before becoming festival coordinator she worked at Seton Academy through Clay Works, and ran Clay Club.
Sarah loves education, and asks the question to herself, “How do we put emphasis on learning?” She also enjoys connecting classes and challenging stereotypes by working with students, and members of the community. Sarah worries where they are going to continue to find funding to keep this program running.
To view "Textaholic" and other exciting student films student films check out their vimeo account.
David Sloan and Sarah McCann speak about Wide Angle Youth Media
Clare O'Malley Grizzard
Interview by Marlena Murtagh
Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Arts Integration Coordinator and Fine Arts Teacher
Claire took a non-traditional path to becoming an art educator. During undergrad she studied fine art and became interested in graphic design. Later on she worked as a museum educator at the National Gallery and the Walters Art Museum. She also established a small art school with one hundred students, and raised four children.
Currently she works at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School as the Arts Integration Coordinator and Fine Arts Instructor. Some of the ways that she incorporates art integration is threw professional development, partnerships with MICA education interns, teaching artists and residencies, and parent education. She believes that art should be part of an environment, not in isolation. During her presentation Claire Grizzard stated, “It is a great time to be an art educator. Nuero and cognitive research and general education are looking at us to lead them in the 21st century. 'Innovation' 'creativity' and 'communication' are trendy buzz words for new policies in education. For us who teach and work in the arts they are nothing new. They are our standard modis operandi.”
Claire took a non-traditional path to becoming an art educator. During undergrad she studied fine art and became interested in graphic design. Later on she worked as a museum educator at the National Gallery and the Walters Art Museum. She also established a small art school with one hundred students, and raised four children.
Currently she works at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School as the Arts Integration Coordinator and Fine Arts Instructor. Some of the ways that she incorporates art integration is threw professional development, partnerships with MICA education interns, teaching artists and residencies, and parent education. She believes that art should be part of an environment, not in isolation. During her presentation Claire Grizzard stated, “It is a great time to be an art educator. Nuero and cognitive research and general education are looking at us to lead them in the 21st century. 'Innovation' 'creativity' and 'communication' are trendy buzz words for new policies in education. For us who teach and work in the arts they are nothing new. They are our standard modis operandi.”
Clare O'Malley Grizzard speaks about art integration and the fine arts program at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City
New Technology in the Classroom Panelists
Here is a digital clip of Emily's presentation.
Emily Black
Interview by: Sarah Damiano
Emily is currently employed at the Nelson Atkins Museum. She has been working there for about two years now. During Graduate School she studied New Media Theory. There she learned now to connect new media to the classroom and museum.
At Nelson Atkins Emily helps organize an online interactive gallery in which visitors can log on and view objects from the museum virtually. Here they are also able to learn important information regarding the works, as well as, see their relations to other works in the collection.
She often has to introduce new technology and train the staff. One challenging aspect of her job is getting people to try the new technology, and dismissing the idea that the new technology limits physical interaction with the objects. This, however, is not the case. The website is not meant to take away from the physical interaction with the objects, but instead meant to supplement it.
One of the large benefits of the online museum guide is that the visitors can revisit the pieces digitally whenever they like. It also allows for visitors from all over to have access to images of the collection if they are not able to make it to the museum itself.
Emily Black talks about the digital media program at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Missouri
EMILY BLACK PART 2 video
EMILY BLACK PART 2 video
Greg English
Interview by: Julia McTighel
High school fine arts teacher and the department chair at Reservoir High School in Howard County, MD
Greg English originates from Howard County, MD. In college he studied architecture for two years until his high school art teacher inspired him to become an art educator. As an artist he dabbles in different media, and enjoys drawing and painting.
Currently he is the department chair at Reservoir High School. He oversees four art teachers, organizes shows, maintains the budget, orders supplies, and acts as the school representative during conferences. He has been working at Reservoir High School for five years now.
Greg enjoys the uniqueness of everyday and the relationships he is building with his students. He asks his classes to keep a sketchbook. Sometimes Greg gives prompts, but he also highly encourages independent work.
Greg believes that he influences the community by helping others to understand the validity of art and art education. He also finds this to be a challenging task at times. Greg attempts to break the boundaries of narrow mindedness about art in general both in and out of the classroom. His advice to pre-service teachers is to observe, and get into the classrooms as much as possible. Getting ideas from teachers (whether you like or dislike the ideas) helps determine what type of teacher you would like to be.
Greg English originates from Howard County, MD. In college he studied architecture for two years until his high school art teacher inspired him to become an art educator. As an artist he dabbles in different media, and enjoys drawing and painting.
Currently he is the department chair at Reservoir High School. He oversees four art teachers, organizes shows, maintains the budget, orders supplies, and acts as the school representative during conferences. He has been working at Reservoir High School for five years now.
Greg enjoys the uniqueness of everyday and the relationships he is building with his students. He asks his classes to keep a sketchbook. Sometimes Greg gives prompts, but he also highly encourages independent work.
Greg believes that he influences the community by helping others to understand the validity of art and art education. He also finds this to be a challenging task at times. Greg attempts to break the boundaries of narrow mindedness about art in general both in and out of the classroom. His advice to pre-service teachers is to observe, and get into the classrooms as much as possible. Getting ideas from teachers (whether you like or dislike the ideas) helps determine what type of teacher you would like to be.
Greg English talks about the fine arts department at Reservoir High School in Howard County
GREG ENGLISH PART 2 video
GREG ENGLISH PART 2 video
Photographs taken by Alexandra Arocho, Video taken by Kristin Stabin