artistsintheclassroom8 - Tumblr blog

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no (wo)man could have dreamed would have come his/her way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.

William Hutchinson Murray

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback from an SFUSD 3rd Grade Teacher (May 2017)

"....You continue to inspire me and I truly believe you are doing incredibly important work for our students! I have tremendous respect for you as well!  I am wishing you an incredible summer and the best of luck on wherever your journey takes you next year! Peace and action...." - 3rd Grade SFUSD Teacher (May 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (6) (March 2017)

Re: Wisdom 2.0 2017 Unconference | Google | Artists In Institutions (Possibilities?)

"Dear Jakey, Thank you as always for your passion, persistence and authenticity......I'd..like to talk to you about "making learning visible" and the May PD at the Asian for Elementary Arts Coordinators. Thank you for sharing your work. I am so grateful for all that you bring to your school communities and this district / institution / system as a whole. With gratitude," - SFUSD VAPA Administrator (March 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (5) (January 2017)

Re: Luna Dance Institute Profile #2

"Congratulations, Jakey.  This is a well deserved recognition. Thank you for being such a strong ambassador for quality arts education not only through your role as an itinerant dance teacher for the Visual & Performing Arts Department of the SFUSD, but also through your active and reflective practice on line and in the community. With much appreciation," - SFUSD VAPA Administrator (Jan. 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (4) (June 2017)

"Thank you for all your work on assuring the voice of the VAPA itinerant teachers is heard..." - SFUSD VAPA Administrator (June 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD Retired Principal (May 2017)

Re:

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: John Muir & Argonne Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Longfellow & Cesar Chavez Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Our Experience In Photographs, Mosaic Style :)

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Some Of My Favorite Pieces

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Collected Letters by Liu Jianhua

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

"I've been watching the videos you sent me.  You are amazingly creative and natural with all your moves!  Keep up the wonderful work you do with the kids and with developing your own dances." - SFUSD Retired Principal (May 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From The Arizona Department of Corrections (August 2017)

Re:

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: John Muir & Argonne Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Longfellow & Cesar Chavez Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Our Experience In Photographs, Mosaic Style :)

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Some Of My Favorite Pieces

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Collected Letters by Liu Jianhua

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

"Jakey!! I just had opportunity to view the embedded links. You are an outstanding human being. How wonderfully blessed your students were / are to have you in their lives. Do not under estimate the ripple effect resultant from the moment in time you spent with these children; the positive impact you made will endure through the entirety of their lives. Your the teacher I wished I had as a student and parents hope their children to have. You make a difference. Your presence in these young lives I truly believe changes the world for the good - one child at a time. Thank you for sharing your work, your words and your wisdom. Such a treat and inspiration..." - Operations Director, Arizona Department of Corrections (August 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From Our Artistic Director, Emeritus | SFUSD (Jan. 2017)

Re: Luna Dance Institute Profile #2

"This is just wonderful, and so well deserved! I am, among so many others, so very proud of you and the brilliant work you continue to do as an artist who teaches in our schools! With greatest admiration," - Artistic Director, Emeritus | SFUSD (Jan. 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (3) (May 2017)

Re:

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: John Muir & Argonne Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Longfellow & Cesar Chavez Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Our Experience In Photographs, Mosaic Style :)

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Some Of My Favorite Pieces

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Collected Letters by Liu Jianhua

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

"Fantastic...... Beautiful work Jakey. Great pictures and video." - SFUSD VAPA Administrator (May 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (2) (Jan. 2017)

Re: Luna Dance Institute Profile #2

"...Congrats on the article by Luna Dance Institute….. What wonderful recognition for all the great work you do. We are so lucky to have you in our VAPA family of teachers." - SFUSD VAPA Administrator (Jan. 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From An SFUSD VAPA Administrator (1) (Jan. 2017)

Re: Luna Dance Institute Profile #2

"You bad!!!!!!" – SFUSD VAPA Administrator (Jan. 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From Luna Dance Institute (May 2017)

Re:

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: John Muir & Argonne Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Longfellow & Cesar Chavez Performances

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Our Experience In Photographs, Mosaic Style :)

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Some Of My Favorite Pieces

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: Collected Letters by Liu Jianhua

SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

"Thank you for doing such great work in SFUSD!" - Luna Dance Institute, Founder (May 2017)

*My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Exchange With A Fellow Arts Educator.... (May / June 2017)

Below is an excerpt from an exchange with a fellow arts educator in May / June of this year. I decided to post it because it seems like such a spot on summation of what I'm struggling with at the moment. As well as being beautifully, eloquently put. 

*Thank you. My gratitude for permission to post.

------------------------------------------

May 25th, 2017

Hi Jakey - I want to thank you for our conversation this afternoon.  I have great admiration for your enthusiasm and intellect around social justice and the teaching profession.  Your engagement and compassion is compelling and I'm sure that your students have had personal growth and discovery in your classes.  Good luck in your years endeavors in San Diego and I hope your contemplations will lead you back to what we face in San Francisco.

Yes, It can often feel like bucketing out the ocean in our quest for sequential arts education, however, this is where the work needs to be done.  At this stage of my career, I am rewarded by adult students regularly coming back to me and expressing their gratitude for what happened years ago.  

I think it is important to remember that education alone cannot cure all the ills of society- structural racism and class discrimination has been a feature of many societies worldwide  for generations.  I would recommend to you the 1995 book Primal Love by Psychologist Douglass Gillette as a seminal work examining the parallels between human culture and those of our nearest relatives, the primates.  We, the naked apes, exhibit many of the same characteristics, yet somehow think our intellect is governing our behavior.... I'm not so sure after years of observation.

..... I applaud your decision to take care of yourself and your parents at this stage and think it is important for us all to not go too far in our efforts, which is where trade unionism comes in- a fair days work for a fair days pay.  Our work is very challenging and we must come to it with the highest degree of attention for success, yet, acknowledgement and accolades are probably not in our future- just the appreciation of those whom we help find out something new and wonderful about themselves...

Sincerely,

_____________

------------------------------------------

June 29th, 2017

Hi ________,

Great to hear from you too, and yes indeed! Next year I'm on a year's leave, and treating it like a personal sabbatical.

It's fortuitous timing, as my Mom's been in & out of the hospital for the past month, and my parents seem to be in the midst of some major life transitions.

I'm behind on all correspondence, and have just now had the opportunity to read the email you sent on May 25th.

Thanks so much for that. I value your perspective enormously, and am grateful for the kind & insightful words of encouragement; After a while, operating in large systems can become discouraging (at least that's been my experience), so surrounding oneself with optimistic, knowledgeable, professional, driven individuals is a must; Thanks you for being such a wonderful example.

I've put Primal Love on my to-read list ......

..... With best wishes for a great rest of the Summer :)

namaste

jakey

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From SF Public School Mom (May 2017)

Re: SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

Thank you! 

My gratitude for permission to post. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

SFUSD EdTech Thanks You For Your Contributions (May 2017)

You’re welcome.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

A Few Special SFUSD Thank Yous

It was an unusual end of the school year for me; From May until August, I was either away, in transit, or between San Francisco and San Diego, tending to family health issues. My annual closing out of the year, on my blog & otherwise, is still in progress. 

While I give myself the space & time to figure out what’s next - if anything different - below are some special thank yous accrued toward the end of the year, from grades PK - 5th.

Thank you so much for the lovey cards & gifts. I appreciate them :)

Related Links: 

Cesar Chavez Elementary: 3rd Grade Class & Festival Thank Yous (May 2017)

Longfellow Elementary: 4th Grade Thank Yous (May 2017)

Argonne Elementary: 3rd Grade Thank Yous (May 2017)

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Positive Feedback From Hera Hub (May 2017)

Re: SFUSD Arts Festival 2017: A Personal Reflection

"What beautiful experiences and reflections to share! ..... I really loved your phrase about "holding the elevator door open." And letting kids, and humans, just be who they are. I hope your last few weeks of school are fulfilling and that the time away is rejuvenating..." - Director of Learning & Engagement, Hera Hub

*My gratitude for permission to post.