2022 Regional Common In-Service Day Success
Last October, Erie Arts & Culture collaborated with the Erie Art Museum and the Erie Philharmonic to host the 2022 Regional Common In-Service (RCIS) day for art and music educators. RCIS is an opportunity for educators across Erie County to take a day off from their teaching duties and engage in professional development activities for which they receive Act 48 (state-required continuing education) credits. This year’s event was the first EAC has co-presented since the pandemic, and offered five Act 48 hours to educators at no charge. Revitalizing the event is part of EAC’s larger mission of building the capacity of arts educators in its service region.
The event provided an opportunity for art and music educators to network, socialize, and develop and reinforce skills to expand their teaching toolbox. Art educators began the morning at the Erie Art Museum, where they participated in a workshop on Social Emotional Learning and the Arts, led by EAC teaching artist and behavioral health technician, Niecey Nicole, alongside John Kathman, a shift leader at Sarah Reed Children’s Center. “It was a good reminder that students come from many emotionally trying environments and art can be very helpful to talk them through it,” one educator recounted. Other workshops included Visual Thinking Strategies led by Mercyhurst University’s Dr. Mary Elizabeth Meier, and Thinking Through Making, led by McDowell High School’s Jessica Alesso. Art teachers then headed to Grounded Printshop, where they engaged in paper-making and printmaking workshops led by EAC teaching artists Doug Eberhardt and Ashley Pastore (also Grounded’s founding director). “I have all of the supplies for this in my classroom,” one teacher realized, “but I didn't know how to use them. Now I do and I can integrate this into a lesson this spring!”
The sessions at the Erie Art Museum and Grounded resounded well with educators, many of whom addressed the need for such a program. “It was nice to be able to engage with other adults in our field of education. I also liked making art and having a stress free day,” one teacher recounted, while another exclaimed, “I love being at the Erie Art Museum surrounded by art and artists–it really recharges my batteries.”
Meanwhile, a few blocks up State Street at the Erie Philharmonic, regional music teachers engaged in their own professional development workshops. Their day began with sessions on Social Emotional Learning and Music, led by EAC teaching artist David Tamulonis and Sarah Reed art therapist Erin McCall, and continued with a group discussion focused on adapting curricula to the specific needs of Erie County students led by the Erie Phil’s Community Programs Manager, Julia Grandinetti. Music teachers then explored America’s Black Music traditions through discussion of strategies for teaching Blues and Jazz, led by EAC teaching artist Mikel Prester. The session saw over thirty music teachers create an impromptu big band and improvise together around a blues piece the group composed on the spot. The day closed with a tour of the newly-renovated Warner Theatre, led by the Warner's operations manager, Barry Copple.
Like the art teachers, music educators appreciated–as one participant put it–“the opportunity to engage with colleagues from our region and discuss commonalities and differences amongst music programs in different districts.” Another proclaimed, “I really liked our morning discussion session with other music teachers in the area, and liked that feeling of camaraderie.”
EAC and its collaborators are excited to build on the success of the program, using participants’ insights to expand on the program next Fall. The region is fortunate to have such committed arts and music educators, as well as their partners in spaces like the Erie Art Museum, the Erie Philharmonic, and Grounded Printshop who are so enthusiastic about building educators’ capacity and sharing resources to benefit students across the county.
By the numbers: some relevant stats!
- Contracted presenters (teaching artists, art educators, art therapists): 9
Sessions (topics/practices discussed): 9
Collaborating institutions: 4 (Grounded, Art Museum, Erie Phil, Warren)
Participating educators: 45 art teachers; 43 music teachers (88 total)
Photography by David Tamulonis and Ashley Pastore.
