Hello friends,
Here is a link to a podcast I was interviewed for recently about the importance of arts integration in schools. 

http://5044.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-06T20_41_00-07_00

An award for service in the arts was recently named in my father's honor - the Eric Oddleifson Arts and Learning Award.

The Eric Oddleifson Arts and Learning Award

This year's recipient, Aaron Dworkin sounds like a wonderful man.
about Aaron Dworkin 

Check out this 5 min video clip of a child summarizing a story using her mobile map!

A student talking through her mobile map story structure

 "Creativity is not an option, it is a necessity" - Sir Ken Robinson.  I completely agree that life is not an entirely linear experience, yet schools treat it as if it is...

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/01/sir-ken-robinson-fostering-creativity-in-education-is-not-an-option/

From my Mentor, Elliot Eisner: "What I think many of us want is not only a form of educational practice whose features,  so to speak, "design us, " but a form of educational practice that enables students learn how to design themselves.  Thus it might be said that at its best education is a process of learning how to become the architect of our own education." from "What Can Education Learn From the Arts About the Practice of Education?"

I was introduced to some new terms recently that I just love - "eduvators"and "solutionaries"  to describe innovative educators!  Pass them along!

Hello Wholemindesign friends,
We have been talking to you about our class, Educators as Designers, and are excited about the response.  We are also excited about our new space, Wholemindesign Studio for Teaching and Learning. Take a look at the course offerings tab on the site to learn more about what is happening at the Studio this summer.  Hope to see you there!

Katie and Diane