“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” This Japanese proverb has been running through my mind for the past two months as I have had the pleasure to work with a group of truly great educators!

WMA hosted an online professional development course entitled, “Art is Everywhere” that focused on arts integration across the curriculum. The class consisted of teachers from Hidden Lake Primary school, one of Dothan City Schools A+ Art Schools. In just four short modules, these gifted students/educators exhibited not only a deep understanding of their content areas but a real talent for arts integration lessons. I was consistently impressed and delighted by the quality of their work. Rather than write about, I want to share some of their creations with you!

Our first module assignment was a multimedia “neighborhood” collage and they set the bar high for the rest of the course!

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The second module assignment was a sound wave portrait, a fun STEAM infused activity.

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The third module assignment was a crazy quilt: a way to explore history and the world around us through art.

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Lastly, the group created their own arts integration lesson plans. I’m so impressed with their creativity and attention to detail!

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I think we’ve learned a lot in 2020 but one thing this year has reinforced in my mind is that educators are made of some pretty strong stuff. They have taken every change, cancellation, and redirection with stride and made opportunities out of every challenge they faced. Dothan students are so lucky to learn from these incredible educators. As we head into the holidays, make sure to take time to thank an educator in your life! 

Warmest of holiday wishes, my friends. We’ll see you in the new year!