WELCOME to the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Wiki!

Maine: A Grass-Roots Approach to Assessment in the Arts

"Creating an environment in Maine where quality assessment in arts education is an integral part of the work all arts educators do

to deepen student learning in the Arts"

Teacher Leaders & Leadership Team members, Maine Arts Assessment Initiative Institute, June 2013

Something unique is happening in Maine. Arts educators are leading the way to strategic transformation in Maine's schools, and they're doing it from the ground up. A standards-based/students-centered approach is the premise of the work.

In 2011 Phase I, eighteen teacher leaders in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts were identified and invited to a 4-day Arts Assessment Institute held at Maine College of Art (MECA) in Portland. They participated in professional development focusing on Assessment, Technology and Leadership. The Teacher Leaders created workshops for a statewide conference held in October of 2011 that was attended by over 230 arts educators from all over Maine. During the school year the Teacher Leaders offered workshops across the state, as they represented all Maine regions. A year-long series of seven webinars each attracted an average of 50 active participants. Lively discussions took place as part of these webinars, which are archived and accessible to the general public. Finally, graduate level courses were offered around the state of Maine in Visual Art and Music Assessment practices -- further expanding opportunities for arts educators to deepen their understanding of arts assessment.

In 2012 Phase II, twenty arts teachers were selected as Teacher Leaders to attend the 4-day summer institute at MECA, July 30 to August 2. They participated in professional development focusing on Assessment, Technology, Leadership, and Creativity. They created workshops that they facilitated throughout the state during the 2012-13 school year. You can learn more about the initiative below or go Maine Department of Education arts education pages at http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/vpa/ or go to the Maine Arts Education blog at http://meartsed.wordpress.com/.

In 2013 Phase III, fourteen arts teachers were selected as Teacher Leaders to attend the 3-day summer institute at MECA, June 25, 26, and 27. They participated in professional development that focused on Standards and Proficiency to help prepare them for LD 1422 and the 2018 high school graduation. Two other topics were Outreach and Advocacy. They are creating workshops that will be presented at the Statewide conference at UMaine, Orono, Collins Center for the Arts. Arts Education: Leading the Way will be held on Thursday, October 24. Tickets can be purchased at https://tickets.collinscenterforthearts.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=116. Detailed information with the schedule, workshops, and much more is located at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Media-and-Performing/Conference-Education.

Maine is undergoing transformational change at the state level at the same time. A strategic plan Evolving Education: Maine's Plan for Putting Learners First was unveiled last year by the Commissioner of Education, Steve Bowen - which requires schools to be standards-based, and is predicated on the idea of Mass Customized Learning. Students truly will be at the center of 21st century learning. The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative will connect its work to this effort through building a Community of Practice where arts educators are sharing their open-ended resources and materials using electronic means. The arts are leading the way in Maine - through this unique model.

We invite you to explore this wiki that is filled with a plethora of MAAI INFORMATION and RESOURCES.

If you have questions please email Argy Nestor, the director of arts education at the Maine Arts Commission, Maine Department of Education at argy.nestor@maine.gov. 

In an interview for the meartsed blog, Commissioner of Education Steve Bowen, when  asked: How do you imagine we can foster creativity in communities and the Maine economy, responded:                                                                           “… Daniel Pink, he sees the economy moving forward as being one that places a high value on creativity. That means we need to think about arts education in the context of innovation. We need arts education to inform that creative aspect, but we also need a business climate that encourages innovation and risk-taking. We want a vibrant, entrepreneurial climate that makes it easy to take creative new ideas and get them out there into the marketplace. If we play our cards right, there is no reason why Maine can’t become a center for innovation and entrepreneurship with a strong focus on the arts."