 Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism - Arts Division One Constitution Plaza Second Floor Hartford, CT 06103 860-256-2800 860-256-2811 (fax) {Haitian Relief} {Join Us on Facebook} |
"The Art of Higher Order Thinking" Program Directors Amy Goldbas Simsbury, CT Arts in Education Program Manager and Co-Director of the Arts Division’s Higher Order Thinking Schools Program. Amy joined the Commission in February, 2005 after serving as a consultant since 1996. She holds a BA in Child Development and a Masters in Arts Education. Prior to joining the Commission, Amy worked in Museum Education at the Boston Children’s Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art designing and providing Museum Education programs for individuals with challenges and families with severely disabled children. Amy served as an Exhibition Assistant and Museum Liaison for Jim Henson and The Muppets. She was Director of The Community School of the Arts at The Albany Institute of History and Art for ten years. Her work with the HOT (Higher Order Thinking) Schools Program has included working collaboratively with participating schools and nationally recognized consultants in the area of arts in education to craft the direction of a whole school reform initiative through the arts; program design and implementation and professional development for teachers, teaching artists, parents and administrators. Bonnie Koba Durham, CT Arts in Education Program Associate and Co-Director of the Arts Division’s Higher Order Thinking Schools Program. Bonnie joined the Commission in February, 2005. Bonnie began her tenure with HOT (Higher Order Thinking Schools) in 1994, when she took a key role in writing her school’s application to become a HOT School. Bonnie was an active member of her school community both as a staff member and as a parent, serving on several advisory boards, community boards, and chairing or co-chairing a number of related committees, events and initiatives. She was employed as an observational evaluator by ArtsMarket, the HOT School program’s assessment firm in 1997, and joined the HOT staff as a consultant in 1998. Her work with the HOT Schools Program includes working collaboratively with participating schools and nationally recognized consultants in the area of arts in education to craft the direction of a whole school reform initiative through the arts and democratic practice; program design and implementation, and professional development for teachers, teaching artists, parents and administrators. Bonnie is also a board member and former Executive Director of Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind. Keynote & Plenary Speakers High Falls, NY Keynote Speaker Educator, actor, businessman, and writer. Eric is currently on the faculty of Juilliard where he started the Art and Education program and now leads Juilliard’s Mentor Program. Eric is also on staff at The Kennedy Center and has taught at Stanford University, NYU, and Lincoln Center Institute. Eric is a Board Member and Former Director of the Teacher Center of the Leonard Bernstein Center, former Faculty Chair of the Empire State Partnership program, and has held one of six chairs on The College Board’s Arts Advisory Committee. As an actor, Eric performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway and around the country, directing and producing in New York, and winning acting awards on both coasts. Eric is a writer and Founding Editor of Teaching Artist Journal. Eric has written four books, dozens of magazine articles, and is a regular contributor to Chamber Music magazine. His most recent publication, The Everyday Work of Art won three awards and was a Book of the Month Club selection. Eric teaches, presents, and consults around the world. He recently delivered the closing keynote at the first-ever UNESCO worldwide arts education conference. Eric is widely respected as an authority and expert in arts learning and is a past presenter for HOT Schools. Christopher Eaves Brooklyn, NY Plenary Speaker Associate Artistic Director and Master Artist for Artsgenesis, Inc., actor, playwright, director, graphic designer, sound engineer, visual and movement artist, and a mime who studied with Marcel Marceau. Chris was named “2004 Honored Alumnus” by Towson University in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the performing arts. A contributing writer to Kathleen Gaffney’s Chrysalis: Professional Development for Artists in Education, Christopher has also trained hundreds of teaching artists in the New York Metropolitan Area and nationally. His innovative approaches to curriculum design combine national education standards, customized classroom prescriptions, and the arts to create exciting and challenging educational experiences for students. As artistic director of eavesdrop®, Christopher creates theatrical works in which corporeal mime, text, sound and video converge. His plays include Three named “Best New Work at the 1989 Mid-Atlantic Movement Theatre Festival, Surrender which played to sold-out houses during the 2000 New York International Fringe Festival, TrueMyth chosen 2001 “Stage Best” of the Year by The Advocate. Christopher has been a member of the HOT SI Faculty since 1999. Kathleen Gaffney Buffalo, NY Plenary Speaker Artistic Director of Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, NY, co founder of Artsgenesis, Inc. Kathleen is a playwright, an author, artistic director, arts-in-education specialist, and actress who has appeared in more than 250 plays from Off-Broadway to regional theatres to Broadway national tours. Among Kathleen’s awards and acknowledgements are the U.S. Department of Education’s "Education Heroes Award," the “Distinguished Alumni,” Buffalo State, “Distinguished Achievement in Theatre,” Wayne State University, and "New Jersey Arts Person of the Year.” A nationally known motivational keynote speaker and award-winning playwright, Kathleen has been noted by Harvard’s Dr. Howard Gardner as a foremost presenter on the subject of Multiple Intelligences. Her work in Multiple Intelligences and Arts Accelerated Learning is recognized nationwide. In the fall of 2005, Kathleen was the keynote speaker for “Synergies Between Arts and Education,” UNESCO’s European and North American Conference held in Lithuania. Kathleen has been a member of the HOT Faculty since 1997. Judith Hill Boston, MA Plenary Speaker A soprano, active performer of opera, operetta, chamber, and choral music. In addition to performing, Judith is involved in many educational pursuits. She holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a MM from the New England Conservatory of Music. Her teaching experience includes work with the New York Philharmonic, the Choristers of St. Bartholomew’s Church, the New York Festival of Song, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Cantata Singers of Boston, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild, as well as consulting for other arts and educational institutions. She was a teaching artist for the Lincoln Center Institute for nearly ten years, and is finishing a PhD in Urban Education at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Judith currently works as a free-lance consultant and teaching artist. Storrs, CT Plenary Speaker Professor and Department Head of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut where she serves as Principal Investigator of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. A former classroom teacher and administrator, Sally has authored and co-authored numerous articles, books, book chapters, monographs and technical reports, and served on a research team that has generated over 35 million dollars in grants in the last 15 years. Sally is co-author of The Schoolwide Enrichment Model, The Secondary Triad Model, Dilemmas in Talent Development in the Middle Years, and Work Left Undone: Choices and Compromises of Talented Females. She has won several professional awards including the National Association for Gifted Children’s “Distinguished Service Award,” and most recently Sally was named the “Distinguished Scholar” by the National Association for Gifted Children, for her scholarly contributions to the field. 2006 Faculty
Sharon Durham, CT Track & Workshop Presenter Educator, singer, writer, songwriter, and teacher of a Grade 1 and 2 multi-age classroom at John Lyman School in Middlefield, CT. Sharon has presented and conducted workshops on the local and national level. She has been instrumental in the development and growth of HOT Readers, an early literacy intervention program. Sharon has been a member of the HOT SI Faculty since 2000. Doe Boyle Madison, CT Workshop Presenter Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist frequently found in Connecticut classrooms. An editor of adult nonfiction with special interests in cultural and natural history, outdoor recreation, travel, and memoir, Doe has authored eleven children's picture books and has written several travel guides including Fun with the Family in Connecticut and A Guide to the Connecticut Shore. Doe is currently at work on an historical novel for young adults. Doe strives to empower young writers to develop courageous works of art that reflect their unique perspectives on the world. Deborah Track & Workshop Presenter Arts in Education specialist and consultant in the areas of school reform, curriculum design, assessment and professional development. Deborah, nationally recognized presenter and consultant, has written numerous publications including: A Framework for College Board Initiatives in the Arts, Model Standards for Licensing Classroom Teachers and Specialists in the Arts, Envisioning Arts Assessment: A Process Guide for Assessing Arts Education in School Districts and States. She is a School Design Coach with the Gates Foundation Small Schools Project. This is Deb’s second year as a member of the HOT SI Faculty. Victoria Christgau Litchfield, CT Workshop Presenter Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist and Director of Peace is Possible, an intergenerational chorus. Vocalist and peace educator, Victoria has been performing in theatrical and musical ensembles since childhood. As founder of Soundbody Workshop and Production Company, she creates performances and programs celebrating diversity and creativity. Her teaching includes extensive work in peace/arts residencies. Gail Freeman Middletown, CT Track & Workshop Presenter Grade 3 and 4 multi-age classroom teacher at John Lyman School in Middlefield, CT. Gail has taught in integrated classrooms for 33 years. Her education interests include brain research, multiple intelligences and learning styles, differentiating instruction and personal growth. Gail leads professional development workshops and applies ideas daily with her students. She brings a strong art background to her teaching and a timid, yet developing, inclusion of music. Her guiding belief is that every student is gifted and it’s the privilege and work of the teacher to draw out those gifts, creating confident learners eager to take on responsibility for their own growth. Aaron Wethersfield, CT Workshop Presenter Founder of Zen Yoga, a peaceful blend of breathing, flowing movement and stretching. Aaron has spent over twenty years studying Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga and other Eastern fitness and healing arts. He is the author of Perfecting Ourselves ~ Coordinating Body, Mind and Spirit, Breathe Smart~ The Secret to Happiness, Health and Long Life. Robert Hugh
West Hartford, CT Workshop Presenter Vocal music teacher at Wolcott Elementary School. Rob was selected as West Hartford's 1993 “Teacher of the Year.” Rob received a Masters in music education/composition from the Hartt College of Music and a B.M. Ed. from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He was selected to participate in the Fulbright-Hayes Group Projects Abroad program where he studied music with Kenyan composers. His choral music is published by Boosey & Hawkes, Colla Voce and Hal Leonard. Rob received an “Artist Fellowship” award in composition from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. He has arranged and recorded over 200 original songs composed by children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Eileen Dulen-Jennings
Bolton, CT Workshop Presenter Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist who serves on the faculty of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science, Trinity College, and the Center for Creative Youth. Eileen uses the arts and theater techniques to deepen understanding and transform learning. Her interdisciplinary approach to curriculum development inspires young writers, scientists and mathematicians. Eileen leads professional development workshops for educators and artist educators while continuing to work with hundreds of students annually as a Teaching Artist in schools. Leslie Johnson Workshop Presenter Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist and widely published author whose fiction has been broadcast on National Public Radio, selected for Norton’s Best of the West anthology, and noted as a “distinguished story” in the Best American Short Stories series. Leslie uses interactive story-building techniques that inspire student writers of all ages. She conducts professional development writing and discovery workshops for teachers and artist educators, and has provided in-depth residency work in nearly every HOT School. Through the richness of stories and poetry, students explore identity, diversity and the human connection. Leslie has taught writing and literature courses at the college level for over twenty years. Mike Stratford, CT Workshop Presenter 1996 Connecticut State Troubadour, Mike plays guitar, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, and English concertina. Mike is a Teaching Artist and performance artist for both CT Commission on Culture & Tourism and Young Audiences of CT. He has conducted song writing workshops around the country for musicians and non-musicians alike, and is in high demand to conduct workshops in Connecticut schools. Among other song writing projects in the works, Mike is currently interpreting paintings from the New Britain Museum of American Art. Ann Daly Hackensack, NJ Track & Workshop Presenter A vocal music teacher, Ann has taught in the Teaneck, New Jersey Public Schools for 25 years. As a turnkey trainer in the Thoughtful Education model for the past six years, Ann’s responsibilities include training new staff and ongoing monitoring and support. Ann is an instructor in the Northern New Jersey Consortium for Alternate Route Staff, with emphasis on instructional strategies and tools for arts integration. Ann has presented for HOT Schools since 2002. Victor Kline Hackensack, NJ Track & Workshop Presenter Teacher and administrator for over 35 years. Vic is a primary instructor for the Northern NJ Consortium for Alternate Route Certification. His expertise includes developing assessment driven curriculum, mentoring practices, coaching and interdisciplinary programming. Vic has presented for HOT Schools since 2002. Reggie Marra New Milford, CT Workshop Presenter Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist, and award winning poet and author. Reggie specializes in writing without fear, and writing as self-discovery. Reggie is a certified educator experienced in teaching second grade through post-doctoral candidates, integrating the craft of writing with the craft of living a conscious life. Reggie has conducted numerous workshops and residencies. He has been working with HOT Schools since 2001. Celeste Atlanta, GA Track & Workshop Presenter Dance artist, performer and educator, Celeste returns to HOT Schools this year as a member of our core faculty. Celeste tours nationally as both a performer and arts-in-education teaching specialist. She is the founding artist of “Curriculum in Motion,” a unique approach to arts integration. Ms. Miller is currently in residence at Jacobs Pillow and is active in other venues nationally. Celeste joined the HOT SI Faculty in 2004. Mark New London, CT Workshop Presenter An accomplished artist who works in a wide range of media and whose work is displayed in the Washington, D.C. office of Senator Lieberman. Mark is a Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist who has conducted workshops for educators highlighting best practices in teaching artist residencies, and numerous residencies in CT Schools. Mark received his BFA from Purchase College, is a Fellow of the Urban Artists Initiative. He has been awarded residencies in Vermont Studio Center, I-Park Artists’ Enclave, and is invited to a Residency at the Sharon House, Bulgaria, sponsored by the Griffis & Orpheus Foundations. Mark instructs painting on the beach at Mitchell College and is the visiting artist for the summer 2006 ArtVenture Camp at Florence Griswold Museum. Suzanne Petersen Littleton, CO Track & Workshop Presenter Faculty supervisor of student teachers for Regis University and a teacher in Gifted Education. For over forty years Suzanne taught elementary to university students in English, Math, French, Computer, and Science. Suzanne worked with Todd Siler for six years teaching Artscience to teachers of all levels from the Denver area. Suzanne returns to the HOT SI Faculty this year after having presented for us with Todd Siler in 2003. Robin Ruff Washington, CT Workshop Presenter Arts Coordinator and Drama Teacher at the Devereux Glenholme School in Washington, CT. Robin launched the 1998 Arts Integration Initiative and established a comprehensive Arts Program for special needs students ages 5-18 with average to high intelligence. Robin instituted The Summer Arts Adventure as a community outreach program for young artists of Litchfield County. She founded both Safari School, a middle school with an Arts and Natural Science curriculum and Young Actors Workshop in Berkeley California. Robin served as Acting Director and Project Coordinator for Safe Spaces, an interactive video curriculum and staff development program for special needs children in NYC. Elizabeth Thomas Columbia, CT Workshop Presenter & Open-Mic Emcee Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Teaching Artist, Connecticut National Youth Slam Team coach, and organizer for the internationally renowned National Youth Poetry Festival, Brave New Voices. Elizabeth designs and teaches writing programs and workshops for schools and organizations throughout the U.S. that promote literacy and the power of the written and spoken word. Elizabeth is the founder of UpWords Poetry, an organization dedicated to creative arts programming, particularly for young writers. She is a past member of three Connecticut adult slam teams including one that represented the U.S. at an international slam in Sweden in 1998. Chris Tariffville, CT Workshop Presenter K-6 music specialist and teacher of the First Steps in Music early childhood music and movement classes in Simsbury, Connecticut. Previous studies include an MMEd from The Hartt School with emphasis in early childhood and Kodály Pedagogy, and a BME from Baldwin-Wallace College, Conservatory of Music. Chris has presented on topics relating to music in early childhood throughout the Tri-State area as well as at the Music Educators Conferences in New Jersey, Ohio, and Connecticut. Chris is currently researching improvisation in the elementary years and working on the future improvisation publication, The Book of Arioso, with John Feierabend. Performances “Maverick cellist” is the phrase most often assigned to Grammy nominated artist David Darling, but it hardly captures the richness, diversity, breadth and sense of humor of a man who literally redefines the way the cello is played and the way music is taught. His prolific collection of recordings and innovative performance style represent an eclectic variety of musical genres. His playful and unconventional teaching methods have helped open the world of music and improvisation to thousands of individuals. Darling is a classically trained cellist who began his career as an elementary and secondary school teacher and conductor of band and orchestra. He later taught music and served as orchestra conductor and faculty cellist at Western Kentucky University. David is a former soloist with the PAUL WINTER CONSORT. He has performed at major festivals and in concert venues, and collaborated with musicians, artists, writers, performers, educators and film makers around the world. Ginga This dynamic, colorful ensemble presents the Brazilian art and dance forms of Capoeira, an exciting Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of self-defense, gymnastics, dance and music; Maculele, a dynamic stick dance form created on the Brazilian sugar cane plantations; and Samba, the colorful dance of the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro. A newly formed group of musicians, teachers, staff spouses, parents, visiting artists, and school administrators, from East Lyme’s Flanders Elementary School community have banded together with enthusiasm, to delight you with an evening of rockin’ music, exuberant dance numbers, and spit shined acting skills. This presentation was originally created by a community, for a community, as a fund raising event for the Tommy Fund for children’s cancer. The magical connection of this one purpose, and these people, has ignited a performance you won’t want to miss. Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble Time In The Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble presents excerpts from a piece performed at York Correctional Institution as part of a collaborative endeavor bringing JDPE and a capella gospel singers Women of the Cross, with the women inmates at York. Together they will weave a multi-arts tapestry about the women's perceptions of time combining the women's writing, songs and theater/dance elements. This performance piece is being developed for the general public which will be performed at Charter Oak Cultural Center, November 2-4, 2006. A group of highly trained voices, performing short programs of literature, lyrics, children’s chants, prose and philosophy woven into a single theme. This highly disciplined group of young people, directed by Harriet Worrell, celebrates the power of language with vital, original performances of the spoken word using a collective spirit not often heard. Steppin’ Out Selected “Best Band” by Connecticut Magazine, this six-piece veteran show band has performed together for the last 14 years throughout the northeast including New York and New Jersey. The party dance band plays all music types, from classics of the 40’s and 50’s, rock and roll, motown, and progressive contemporary… Dance Music. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Contact Us Directions CT.Gov Calendar Staff Login© Copyright , Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. All Rights Reserved. |