From July 17- 21, 2005, ESP held its 9th annual Summer Seminar at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. The 350+ participants spent the week investigating core beliefs, participating in Peer to Peer discussion groups, creating a collaborative book, planning as partnership teams, attending workshops, consulting with ESP faculty and networking with their arts-in-education colleagues.

Investigating Our Core Beliefs

During Summer Seminar '05, individuals and ESP teams were encouraged to explore, to reflect and to articulate their core beliefs related to arts-in-education. This investigation was composed of several processes, including workshops, discussion groups, a team activity, and prompting questions. To read the prospectus, the team activity sheet, the lexicon or the prompting questions that guided and informed the participants' learning experience, please visit our Resources page.

During morning gatherings, several individuals and teams shared the "artful expression" of their core beliefs with the rest of the participants.
Floyd Rumohr, an ESP Fellow and the President/CEO of Stages of Learning, presents his core belief of "Gesture is intention."		Dancing to "Rock-a My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham," the Western New York Regional Leadership Network offer an artful expression of their core beliefs: collaboration, sustainability, evolution.
The team from Marquis Studios and PS 37R collaboratively develop an artful expression of their team's core belief.		Dr. Warren Simmons, from the Annenberg Institute of School reform, speaks about building school reform from within, and taking reform to scale during his keynote address. To view the power point of Dr. Simmon's address, please visit The Annenberg Institute for School Reform website.
back to top Peer to Peer Sharing Groups ESP Fellow and Peer to Peer facilitator Laura Reeder "passionately" documents the discussion in her group. Lee Pezzimenti (standing), from Young Audiences of Western New York, takes her Peer to Peer group through a hands-on learning experience that mirrors student learning. Anne Rhodes (standing, left), ESP Faculty member and Peer to Peer facilitator, and Cass Clarke (standing, right), Education Director of Just Buffalo Literary Center, gather feedback on student writing. Nan Westervelt, a member of the ESP Faculty, documents the proceedings of some Peer to Peer sessions, as part of an action research project about the benefits of this unique discussion format. Back to top Art Making Book maker and ESP Faculty Nancy Callahan provided several workshops on creating artist books. All Seminar participants were invited to design a page that reflected their core beliefs, with all pages ultimately being collected into a collaborative book. Mike Kaye and Hawley Hussey, from the Rotunda Gallery/ IS 49 partnership in Brooklyn, once again are found working side by side. Jill Rafferty, the Education Director of Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, clearly finds the creative work rewarding. Nancy Callahan provides clear instructions on using the different materials. Danica Ankele, program director from Mill St. Loft in Kingston, has no problem focusing on her work. Megan Halpern (middle) and Andrea Seigel (right), both from Stages of Learning, share a laugh while creating their core belief pages. The completed book: “Reflections From Our Core” Back to top Other highlights of Summer Seminar ‘05 Team Time afforded teams regularly scheduled blocks of time for collaborative planning. Here, the Working Playground team considers their approach for the school year ahead. This year Peer to Peer groups enjoyed the airy and spacious Tilles Center Atrium. The Share Fair allowed ESP teams to exhibit student work and distribute materials created in their partnerships. The Salvadori Center/ Renaissance Charter School partnership, for example, displayed a model of an urban community designed by students. The colorful tent provided a centrally-located, informal gathering spot on the CW Post campus. Student Art Work at Summer Seminar Click here to see more. Associate of Teaching Artists Summer Seminar '05 BLOG: Georgia Popoff, a board member of the Association for Teaching Artists, kept a blog about her experience as a teaching artist at Summer Seminar. To read her blog, click here. (Because the blog is chronological, please scroll down to the bottom to find the first entry.) Back to top Summer Seminar '05 Memories Maybe you'll see someone you know smiling, listening, laughing, learning . . .