Educators and kids across Alaska gathered to celebrate International Dot Day for the first Art Byte of the 2023-2024 school year!
“International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration, began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot on September 15, 2009. The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe. Each year on International Dot Day – with the help of people just like you – the inspiration continues. What started as a story in the pages of a book is transforming teaching and learning around the world as people of all ages re-discover the power and potential of creativity in all they do.” (International Dot Day website)
After reading The Dot and discussing different techniques, mediums, and strategies for creating Dots, teachers “made their mark” and designed their very own dots.
Art Bytes are one hour online professional development workshops that aim to give Alaska’s teachers hands-on experiences in visual arts, media arts, cultural arts, dance/movement, music, and drama that they can take directly into their classrooms. They are free for teachers from Member Districts, and only $5 for teachers from non-Member Districts.
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