MARCH 10TH 2016
ARTICLE BY: ARTS INTEGRATION MENOMONIE
During second semester, A.I.M. expanded its P.A.I.N.T. program (Program for Arts Integration for New Teachers) by adding new programming, new community partners and new interns. Matching local community organizations with UW Stout students to offer authentic arts teaching experiences, the program was originally open to UW Stout Art Education students and paired 6 interns at 5 different community partners. In the spring of 2016, internships were opened up to UW Early Childhood Education students as well as Art Education students and the numbers increased to 10 interns and 9 community partners.
“The first semester of P.A.I.N.T. was so successful that for spring, we extended the application process allowing pre-service teachers in two programs (Art Education and Early Childhood Education) to teach collaboratively through the arts, each sharing their strengths in order to grow as teachers,” explains Tami Weiss, Executive Director for AIM and Program Director for Art Education at UW-Stout.
P.A.I.N.T. teaching opportunities offered through AIM are based around the needs of participating community partners and the talent and skills of accepted applicants. New P.A.I.N.T. classes added this semester included sculpture, creative fashion, watercolor painting, mural painting and creative technology.
While most P.A.I.N.T. teaching internships involve working with youth, two new adult-based community partners paired with AIM in the spring of 2016. Watercolor painting is being taught to inmates as a form of art therapy at the County Jail. Creative Technology through the SDMA Community Ed & Recreational Services is being taught at the Menomonie High School in the new Library Lecture Hall. P.A.I.N.T. interns at the High School are responsible for teaching adults skills such as blogging, electronic portfolios, photo manipulation and social media.
Weiss says, “Most of my students here at Stout hold jobs while in college. Rather than working at jobs that have no relation to what they’ll be doing in their future, students who participate in P.A.I.N.T. are gaining real-life teaching experiences while being paid a decent wage.” She adds, “Let’s empower students early to become more competent and more confident teachers by the time they start their teaching careers."
Interns for the program are selected through an application process Upon completion of 40 hours of teaching, interns are rewarded with a $500 stipend.
Spring 2016 UW-Stout internships include:
Dunn County Jail:
Becca Handy, Erin Porosky, Sarah Kehoe, Sierra Thomforhda (Watercolor Painting/Art Therapy)
Boys and Girls Club:
Jonnise Hazuka, Karli Jopp (Creative Movement)
Olivia Revolinski, Sierra Thomforhda (Sculpture)
Stephanie Libby (Creative Fashion)
Jumpstart afterschool program:
Megan Becker (Arts and Crafts)
Thursday Thrill Seekers, classes for adults with disabilities:
Megan Becker, Sami LaClair, Stephanie Libby, Hannah Saphner (Arts and Crafts)
Rocky’s K-2 after school program:
Stephanie Libby and Kayla Derousseau (Arts and Crafts)
Abby Naumann (Creative Movement)
S.D.M.A. Community Education and Recreational Services
Anna Koehne (Creative Technology)
Wakanda Mosaic Mural
Stephanie Libby (Mural Painting)
Downsville Sustainability Mural
Grace Rogers, Abby Henderson
Photo caption: UW-Stout P.A.I.N.T. interns Kayla Derousseau (l) and Stephanie Libby (r) teaching Arts and Crafts at Rocky’s K-2 after school program.