2016 Series Recaps

3 Min Read  •  Holidays

It’s almost here!  Winter break is just around the corner and teachers and students alike are about to have some much needed time to rest and rejuvenate.  Ironically, even when given time to relax, teachers still have their classrooms and students on their minds, so I thought this would be a good time to series recaps my Monday articles from this year so they are all in one place and easy to find in case you need some reading materials for your holiday travels.

This year I tested out more of a series approach, by offering bundles of articles that build upon each other. Below are the Introduction and the Series Recaps.  If you are interested in the full series, after reading the introduction article, then just click on the Series Recaps article and you will be able to access the entire series.

I started the year with the STEAM-ER Series.  This series laid out practical applications for the frequent “this needs more rigor” comment.  With the foundation of higher-level thinking, engagement, deep inquiry, demonstration, and quality over quantity this series offered concrete examples of how to infuse  Engagement through Rigor in STEAM!  The STEAMER series went through all five of the above areas of rigor in conjunction with all five areas of STEAM.

Introduction to the STEAM-ER Series
STEAM-ER Series: Recap

Next, we went through the Art of Curriculum Design.  This 6-month series covered the why and how of designing a full curriculum, then used these strategies to create a full arts appreciation course at the secondary level.  At the end of this series, not only do you have a full curriculum, but you also have a step-by-step guide to designing your own.  There is even an interview with a Theatre teacher who tested out our Arts Appreciation course curriculum.  This is a great series if you are considering a new course proposal, or rejuvenating a course already in action.

Introduction to The Art of Curriculum Design
The Art of Curriculum Design: Series Recap
A Reflection on Curriculum Design

As we rounded out the summer, we moved into The Teacher Locker Series.  This series aimed to create the perfect combination for the start of a new school year.  We discussed curriculum, buzzwords, secrets & lies, back to school, grading, and the inevitable phases of teaching.  It is a great series for the start of the year but is also very helpful as we move into the second semester of a school year since a new semester gives us a mini reset button.  Links to all of the series articles can be found in the introduction below.

The Teacher Locker Series

We also took a look at social justice in the arts and reviewed some controversial new books.

Social Justice & The Arts
For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… Book Review
Pushout: Book review
Learning to Choose, Choosing to Learn: Book Review

Finally, we ended the year with a research journey highlighting the alignment of our Arts Education philosophies with our practice.

Arts Education: Philosophy vs Practice
Assessing Your Practice

You can also access all of my articles here @ Posts by Typhani.

It has been quite a busy year! As we move into the holiday season, I wish the best for you and your families, and I look forward to sharing more educational journeys with you in the new year.  See you in 2017!