Arts Integration Workshop: I See A Feeling—Examining SEL through Illustrations

The Kennedy Center Partners in Education Mansfield Team, comprised of the Renaissance Performing Arts Association, the Mansfield Art Center, and Mansfield City Schools, will host a virtual professional development workshop on arts integration for elementary and intermediate educators, and administrators on Thursday, December 9, 2021. The workshop is an asynchronous session, combined with Zoom as a platform, and led by Ms. Rick; thus allowing those registered to participate from any location using their own laptop or other device.

This workshop is most valuable for teachers of grades K-8.

Focus 5 and Kennedy Center teaching artist Melanie Rick will lead her workshop entitled, “I See a Feeling: Examining SEL through Illustrations,” for teachers serving students in grades K-8. Children’s literature is filled with characters who wrestle with various emotions while striving to overcome obstacles. The illustrations in these books often capture complex thoughts, feelings and actions and provide the catalyst for rich conversations and powerful lessons focused on social-emotional learning. During this session, participants learn how to look, think, and talk about detailed aspects of illustrations to help students make personal connections and gain a deeper understanding of their own feelings as well as others' feelings around them.

About Our Teaching Artist

Melanie Rick is a National Board Certified Teacher, certified reading specialist, and co-owner and senior arts-integration consultant for Focus 5, Inc. She designs and leads workshops, in-depth courses, and summer institutes focused on aligning arts integration, best instructional practices, and current research in the fields of arts and education. Melanie works in art museums, schools, and art centers across the country, helping teachers develop their students’ visual literacy and critical thinking skills through the integration of visual art and poetry throughout the curriculum. Melanie is currently a course leader and instructional arts coach for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art’s Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) program in Washington, D.C. She also served as the CETA program consultant for five years, working with teaching artists to develop and evaluate workshops presented at the Kennedy Center. Melanie holds an MA in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech and a BA in Elementary and Special Education from Clemson University. She has 20 years of experience integrating the arts with general education, special education, and English Language Learners. She has been a classroom teacher in 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th grades as well as an arts integration specialist in a Title I arts magnet school.

Attending this workshop provides 2 contact hours towards CEU credit. For more information, email [email protected].

This event is free thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Charles P. Hahn, CFP and the Ohio Arts Council.