Opening Schedule

Start

Cabrillo High School Gymnasium

8:00

Registration packets, Vendors & Continental breakfast

8:45

Conference seating begins

9:00

Program begins

BEST Arts Keynote Presentation

“Have We Tumbled Over
The Edge?”

by Bev Bos

Creative & Inspiring Teacher…
Author…Recording Artist

Have we gone too far past remembering what childhood is about? In her keynote address, Bev Bos will focus on how we must learn to recognize and celebrate the idiosyncrasies and stages of growth in children and how we can establish environments that respect childhood.

"Preschool children, before they are fluent in language are powerfully affected by music, visual arts and dance. Preschoolers can paint, color, mold clay, sing songs and dance in order to convey feelings and ideas. These activities encourage young children to express themselves through the use of nonverbal symbols."

—Coming Up Taller,
Arts and Humanities Program for Children and Youth at Risk

"New standards are being set for Head Start centers recognizing that we can best get our children ready for school by developing their creative self-expression through activities in art, music, movement and dialogue"

—First Lady Hillary Clinton,
Recognizing the Power of Arts in Education, September 17, 1998

"Play is the work of young children, and the arts are a natural vehicle for young children's play"

—Young Children in the Arts:
Making Creative Connections (Goldhawk et al., 1998)

BEST Arts Conference Workshops

Select 3 Workshops plus 5 Alternatives

1

Dance & Movement—A Door to So Much More

Batista: Professional Dancer/Educator/Workshop Leader

Using multi-cultural concepts relevant to California history, Batista will share simple techniques that promote literacy, language development and mathematics. You’ll become reacquainted with your inherent ability to use movement and dance as a door to communicate, reinforce curriculum, and promote self esteem and social skills for all children. Wear comfortable clothes and be prepared to “Open Doors.”

2

Dance for All

Zina Bethune: Artistic/Executive Director and Heather Lipson, Senior Instructor, Bethune Theatredanse and Infinite Dreams

You will learn how to make dance accessible for every child PLUS the different approaches needed in the arts for students with special needs. This workshop will also explore various methods to maximize each child’s individual creativity and how to apply what is learned to all classroom strands.

3

Creative Art, Music & Language

Bev Bos: Educator/Author/Recording Artist

Bev discusses what it means to be creative and how the environment we provide either encourages or discourages a child’s natural inclination to explore and create. Suggestions will be offered for practical activities using songs and chants, hands-on art, literacy and the story writing process. Resource materials will be recommended for both teachers and parents.

4

Arts & the Preschool Mind

Mark Bunner: School Teacher/Painter-Print Maker/Published Author on Arts & Culture

Mark demonstrates how early childhood art is a doorway for all later reading, writing and drawing skills and why art is not a special treat , but rather a core skill that should be used to better serve students in all academic needs. Each participant will create a “make-take” project.

5

Jumpin’ Numbers & Shakin’ Shapes

Heidi Butkus, Kindergarten Teacher/Owner

Discover fun songs and movements that will help your students learn to identify the numbers 0-10, the seven basic shapes and to count to 20. The workshop includes a component similar to Zoo Phonics for numbers and shapes. If time permits, songs for color recognition will be included. Participants will receive words to the songs and tunes.

6

Just Bears & No Squares

Mary Drobny, Art Historian/Educator

This hands-on Bear drawing project teaches your students about the basic shapes, the color wheel, basic principles of drawing and also helps develop their visual observation skills. The project can be adapted from extremely elemental to more complex levels and can serve the needs of all students.

7

Musical Activities to Use Throughout Your Day

Janice Freman, Preschool Teacher/Mentor/Workshop Presenter

Janice’s friendly, interactive, fun filled workshop includes tried and true examples of “Opening Cognitive Activities”, “Creative Movement”, “Language Group Times”, “Transition Songs and Finger Plays” that can be adapted for all students starting Monday morning. Complete handouts.

8

Using Music & Movement to Teach Social Skills

Patriciat Glavin, Educator/Director/Creator of MY PLAY Approach

Using the arts is an ideal method to address and model such social skills as sharing, cooperating, working together, taking turns, etc. You will learn activities that create the opportunity to instill social skills as well as lifetime values. These music and movement activities promote interaction and offer “teachable moments for all our students”

9

Art with the Brain in Mind

Eilene Green, Conejo Valley Adult Education Parenting Department Coordinator/Teacher

With her dynamic, new power point presentation, Eileen describes how, as children learn to use tools to explore and represent their world in a visual manner, it is important for adults to understand the child’s physical and mental development. The brain is the major component in how a child sees and recreates what he sees.

10

Music to Support the Language Arts

Andrew Grueschow, Professional Percussionist/Teaching Artist

In this hands-on workshop, Andrew focuses on standard based music activities that can be used to support students’ language arts development. You’ll experiment with various percussion instruments, body percussion and vocal recitation plus you’ll have the opportunity to combine these language building tools in a fun-filled culminating workshop activity.

11

Awakening the Musician: Is the Musician Really Asleep?

Sally Guerrero, Early Childhood Music Specialist

Enjoy making music in meaningful ways that will engage, nurture and acknowledge the musician within each child. Experience being empowered as a teacher and as a musical person. Learn songs and activities you can teach in your classroom that will enhance your understanding of your own musicality and your confidence in teaching music to young children

12

Create a Traditional Art Form from Japan & China

Peggy Hasegawa, Professional Artist/Educator

Introduce your students to samples of Asian art when you learn from Peggy how to make a colorful cloth or paper carp banner used to celebrate Children's Day in Japan. You will also create a decorative paper kite featuring a dragon motif. In China, the dragon symbolizes power, luck and prosperity. Both projects can be made inexpensively and are suitable for young children as either a group or individual project.

13

Mining Town, Your Town, Our Town

Johnny Hawkins, Actor/ Singer/Teaching Artist Bethune Danse Theatre and Infinite Dreams

Johnny shows you how to use musical, visual and theatre arts to help recognize and build on students’ individual strengths and interests. You’ll learn how to support students of all needs and their different learning styles by using a sequential curriculum of building and improvisation exercises. “Mining Town” also explores broader ideas such as interdependence, collaboration and respect for both self and others.

14

Classroom Management through Story Telling

Peter Kors, Theatre Teaching Artist/Professional Actor

Using child centered storytelling techniques; Peter shares unique strategies in classroom management. Each child is engaged using his or her individual learning strengths in an atmosphere of team spirit and mutual respect. Transitions, calming down activities and indoor play become almost effortless when approached as a creative game that is part of an unfolding story.

15

Learning about Disabilities through Watercolor Resist Paintings

Mary Jeanette Martz, Art Education & Disability Consultant

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn about disabilities and how to adapt art lessons and activities for a variety of disabilities. Participants will create their own work of art through the artistic process of watercolor resist paintings and will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to have a disability.

16

Increase Physical Activity & Explore Cultural Diversity with Latin Rhythms & Movement

Norma Pedregon, Early Childhood Educator/Multicultural Dance Instructor/Performer

Learn new techniques for teaching rhythmic activities and movements emphasizing various tempos and styles of Latin dance. The dance movements will enable students to explore their creativity and engage in healthy physical activity while they learn the “joys of dance”. A Latin routine will be taught. Handout available. Comfortable attire and water recommended.

17

Art & Science for the Young Child

Anna Reyner, Art Therapist/Training Director

Find out how to set-up and implement a hands-on science center in your own classroom. You’ll learn dozens of ideas for open ended science where children can play and discover and learn science principles on their own. The workshop includes small group activities and written handouts.

18

Connecting Music & Literature

Lynda S. Roberts, Professor of Child Development, Rene’ Roberts, Elementary School Teacher, Matthew Roberts, Musician

Presenters will demonstrate how to combine Music and Literature and how to use it across the curriculum. They will also incorporate lots of “singable” books in their presentation. And since the three presenters (Lynda, her daughter and son) work with three different student populations, they will have something for everyone attending (including a sample handout).

19

Baggie Books^© Full

Sue Ann Robinson, Visual Artist/Educator/Museum Curator

Baggie Books^© can be created as a class project, a teacher’s resource, or, for each student to use as his/her own personal book. The books can be made to change to teach a variety of subjects such as the alphabet, counting, science, etc. Participants will also learn how to make a new type of book cover.

20

Tuning into Music

Juliana Rocha, Board Certified Musical Therapist

In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to implement musical strategies in the classroom that will help all your students in their social and emotional development. Singing songs, playing specific rhythms, learning how to incorporate or modify musical stories in a classroom setting and using music to help with transitions are some of the strategies to be emphasized.

21

Making & Presenting Felt Board Stories

Nora Sanchez, Educator/Artist/Presenter

Discover various FUN ways to “make” and “present” felt board stories in your curriculum. Learn how much students enjoy and perceive by listening, singing and participating with these stories. A “Make & Take” activity as well as great song handouts are part of this workshop.

22

Puppets Pop for Everybody

Ellen Schultze, Professional Puppeteer/Storyteller/Educator

Here’s a great way to “POP” your curriculum for all your students. You’ll learn various puppet projects that enhance reading readiness and explore shapes, color and creativity. You’ll construct a fun, moving-mouth puppet that will be perfect for story-telling and countless other classroom activities. Puppet ideas for “special needs students” will be shared. Remember, Puppets POP for Everybody!

23

Music & Movement Activities to Teach Math, Language Arts & More

Chris Shima, Music Educator

Here are easy to learn songs and movement activities that can be used to teach pre-k students important academic concepts in math, language arts and social studies. If you missed seeing Chris last year, this is your opportunity to learn favorites from that workshop along with many more new and different activities.

24

The Art of Conflict Resolution—Using Interactive Theatre Methods

Najeeba Syeed-Miller, Executive Director Western Justice Center Foundation

For young children, play is an important part of understanding different roles and learning to deal peacefully with conflict. To help 3 to 5 year-olds comprehend and embrace basic conflict resolution skills, Najeeba emphasizes tools that include theatre techniques focused on voice, emotion and interaction between students. Come ready to play and learn!

25

Learning Made Fun Using Felt Board Puppets

Judy Woodworth, Educator/Author/Entrepreneur

This engaging, interactive workshop featuring literacy building rhymes, stories, songs and books combined with felt board finger and hand puppets is designed to raise the level of understanding for all your students. Whatever your skills with felt boarding, this workshop will take you to a higher level. Includes an 18 page full-color handout.