Expired 2018 Bethel Multicultural Arts Institute

Event Phone: 907-322-6669

Bethel Multicultural Arts Institute

Bethel Regional High School •  July 30 – August 3, 2018 • 3 credits available

2018 Bethel Multicultural Arts Institute Flyer (215 downloads )

Multicultural education is an educational philosophy that focuses on recognizing diversity and uniqueness and the importance of incorporating techniques and materials that make the classroom a more aware and welcoming learning environment.  During this 5-day event, participants will use the arts as a venue through which to recognize and understand our own culture first and throughout the week consider and apply ways that we can transform classrooms in positive ways.

Each day will start with a multicultural education based plenary session and be followed by arts sessions that will reinforce concepts.  There will also be cultural sessions featuring local Bethel culture representatives.

Plan on arriving on Sunday as there will be a welcome dinner on Sunday, 29th.

Intended Audience:  Any educators

Registration and fees:  All participants should register through the link below.  When registering please pay either the entire cost or a $50 deposit to hold your space.  (If not attending please advise 1 month in advance or forfeit deposit.  Thank you.)

• Member District Teachers                 $249
• Non-member District Teachers         $350

Teacher-leaders for this Institute are:

• Helen Mongan-Rallis, PhD.  Multicultural Education   Helen Mongan-Rallis is an Associate Professor in the Education Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) and a University of Minnesota Distinguished Teaching Professor.  She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State University, and her Masters in Geography from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. She completed her undergraduate degree in geography and physical education at Rhodes University in South Africa. Originally from South Africa, Dr. Mongan-Rallis has lived in the USA for 33 years, 29 of these in Duluth teaching at UMD. Her experiences in education under the apartheid system in South Africa led her to develop a lifelong passion for seeking ways in which education could empower and help all students learn. As a result, she has become increasingly engaged both in intercultural pedagogy and educational technology,  seeing each field as central to teaching our increasingly diverse student population.
• Jan Abramowitz, PhD.  Movement   Jan Abramowitz is an Assistant Professor in the Education Department at Portland State University.  Among his many courses he currently teaches Arts Integration Methods for the Inclusive Elementary Educator Program, is a consultant and provides professional development for the Portland Public School Motor Development Team (a SPED program), has presented recently on Culturally Relevant Teaching and has worked for the Alaska Arts Education Consortium many time.
• Nathan Shafer, MFA.  Media Arts.  Nathan’s stated goal is:  To research, design and implement curriculum and partnerships in the humanities for students of all ages, abilities, identities and backgrounds in Alaska through direct instruction, policy and collaboration. To also work expanding the role digital humanities play in Alaska by partnering with communities, schools and people.  Nathan has a strong background in art, special education and media arts.  He has worked for AAEC twice in the past year.

Housing at  is provided for LKSD teachers and available at a nominal fee for out-of-district attendees.  More information coming.

This institute is supported by the Alaska Arts Education Consortium and Lower Kuskokwim School District and partially supported by an Alaska Humanities Forum planning grant.

If you have questions about the Institute, please leave a message in the comments section below or email barbshort@gmail.com