Teaching Artists needed for Chautauqua County Schools

This Fall, I'm excited to be included as a potential Teaching Artist in Residence with the Arts Council for Chautauqua County's "Arts in Education". This manual lists local artists that are available for teaching residences within daytime school opportunities and after school care programs. This partnership between local schools is to provide opportunity for students to become involved with art, writing, music and theater beginning at an early age and throughout their education experience.

The Arts in Education Program is made possible in part by a grant from The New York State Council on the Arts and in cooperation with Erie2 - Chautauqua - Cattaragus BOCES.

Below is the listing of classes and projects that I will be offering to the program as well as my biography. If you have any interest in these activities or would like to book a workshop in any of these areas, feel free to contact me at eastman_tara@yahoo.com.

Arts Council Seeks Teaching Artists
The Arts Council For Chautauqua County is seeking teaching artists for the 2008-2009 school year. A variety of school-day and after school teaching opportunities are available in Jamestown Public Schools as well as other locations in Chautauqua County. The facilitated programs include, but are not limited to:

Acting, Songwriting, Music, Visual Arts, Crafts, Painting, Pottery, Dance, Movement, Poetry and Creative Writing.
For more information on the Teaching Artists in Residence Program click on this link for The Arts Council for Chautauqua County.

TARA L. EASTMAN – Visual Arts and student asset development,
Storytelling with song, and exploratory writing discovery.

Mixed Media Arts, writing and music to foster creativity and esteem development – All Ages

Students will learn how they can tap and develop their creative abilities as they discover characteristics about self and develop skills in working with others.

Treasure Boxes - Students will use a variety of art mediums (collage, drawing, and design) to complete a portable paper treasure box project that allows for student to focus on positive characteristics of self and establish opportunity for processing needs and setting personal goals.

Literature discovery in community (multiple projects) – Community building though various books that encourage students to recognize the beauty of diversity. Including a group reading of age appropriate books, creative drawing and journal projects that help students develop and internalize the message of respect, understanding and working as a community. (Book examples: Stellaluna, Horton Hears a Who, The Sneetches, Walk Two Moons, and Freedom Writers Diary.) Book selection and activities will be determined for individual classroom, age group and curriculum needs.

Collaborative theme songwriting – Students have the opportunity to brainstorm, write and perform a group project song based upon and supportive of existing themes and courses of study in classroom. This project allows for team skill development and the opportunity for students to tap musical potential.

Singer/Songwriter Performer – Available for events and occasions to share original music based on themes of creativity, storytelling, community building and group development.

The Artist:
B.A. in Writing, Literature and Counseling – 15 years experience in youth and social work. Visual Artist: Sign maker and commercial design for Wegmans, abstract painter and paper-craft. Founder of Artists Share of Chautauqua County. Performer – Vocalist, guitarist and former lead singer for The Bubble Gum Machine, Tree House Tea Party and current project Tara Lamont Music. Published Poet and avid blogger since 1996. For more information on her original music visit: http://www.myspace.com/taralamontmusic

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Uphill idealist

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