Reinforcing Critical Links Planning Summit

April 28, 2003 at UMass Amherst Conte Polymer Science Building
May 15, 2003 from 4-6:00 p.m. at the Meline Kasparian Professional Development Center, 60 Alton St. in Springfield

This professional development forum--sponsored by The Western Massachusetts Arts Alliance, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education, the UMass Amherst School of Education and the Springfield Public Schools--was designed for educators, arts advocates, and representatives from arts organizations to highlight significant findings from the research compendium Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development released by the Arts Education Partnership. The forum featured discussion of practical strategies for using the research and of implications for: Advocacy, Research, Teacher preparation, Assessment, Curriculum development, Transfer of Learning. Prior to attending each forum, participants were asked to read the following sections noted below of Critical Links. Critical Links can be downloaded in its entirety or by sections: http://www.aep-arts.org/cllinkspage.htm:

• Richard Deasy's Introduction: Themes and Variations: Future Directions for Arts Education Research and Practice p.iii
• The Final Overview Essay: The Arts and the Transfer of Learning p. 151
• And the summary and selected studies of interest in your discipline

In the coming weeks, we will be posting notes from the two workshop sessions at this site.

FACILITATORS:

• Vera Baker, Director of Fine Arts, Springfield Public Schools
  
• Diane Daily, Education Department, Massachusetts Cultural Council (May 15th session)
  
• Lisa Donovan, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education and Western Massachusetts Arts Alliance Steering Committee Member
  
• Craig Dreeszen, Arts Consultant and Western Massachusetts Arts Alliance Steering Committee Member (April 28th session)
  
• Priscilla Kane Hellweg, Artistic Director, Enchanted Circle Theater and Western Massachusetts Arts Alliance Steering Committee Member
  
• Linda Honan, Manager of K-12 Outreach, School of Education UMass Amherst
  
• David Marshall, Program Director of Education Department, Massachusetts Cultural Council (April 28th session)