Thursday, September 30, 2004

Letter from Director

To all of Georgia's dedicated educators:

I begin my leadership of Georgia Public Broadcasting Education with a clear vision of our role as an essential component of the Department of Education's mission to integrate technology into the classroom and the resolve to take the necessary steps to ensure our success in that role. As we move into the new school year, GPB Education is in close conversation with Dr. Mike Hall, DOE Deputy Superintendent of Information Technology, and his staff to determine the ways in which we can best support DOE in its efforts to bring Georgia classrooms to the forefront of teaching and learning through educational technology. To this end, we offer not only our technology infrastructure in terms of Internet and satellite delivery systems, but will also pledge to align our strategic directions with those of the DOE and of the Georgia learning community as a whole.

It is my firm belief, and that of my colleagues at GPB, that to develop the best technology solutions for education, one must focus on the nature of the business and needs of teachers and learners rather than on the technology itself. The most sophisticated technology available today is worth nothing if it does not effectively integrate into the classroom in a way that is convenient and that truly enhances of the educational experience. Online training, for example, has proven to be an excellent resource for classroom teachers by giving them access to professional development anytime, anywhere and maximizing the use of their time. That is why GPB is investing much of our efforts in further developing online training modules for Georgia educators to supplement the face-to-face trainings that we provide across the state.

We at GPB know that to be a good partner in education, we must listen to the teachers and students we serve. Knowing that no one is better positioned to guide us in our development of educational and technology resources than those of you who will be using those resources, we welcome your comments and suggestions on how we might best meet your needs. Increased input from educators around the state will lead to the development of resources tailored to integrate seamlessly into classroom instruction. You have the opportunity to help shape the direction of the work we will do in the coming years; be part of this important effort by sharing your thoughts with us at peachstar@gpb.org.

I look forward to the coming school year and the opportunities it will bring all of us - GPB, the Department of Education, and each of you - to work together to positively impact our classrooms through the integration of educational technology.

Sincerely,

Mike Nixon,
Director

Friday, September 24, 2004

Georgia Commission on the Holocaust Brings Internationally Acclaimed Anne Frank Exhibit to Kennesaw State University

Anne Frank. The very name is recognized around the world as an emblem of courage and resolve in the face of hatred and intolerance. The Diary of Anne Frank, the personal chronicle of the German-Jewish teenager whose family spent more than two years in hiding during World War II, is one of the most widely read books in the world, second only to the Bible.

In an effort to share Anne Frank's story, Kennesaw State University and the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust are hosting "Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945" a multimedia exhibit that uses 8,000 words and 600 pictures to recount compelling events in Anne's short life. This educational exhibit, located in Kennesaw, twelve miles north of I-285 on I-75, is one of only three in existence.

To reach the main exhibit at the KSU Center, visitors walk through a replica of a cattle car door - modeled after the cattle cars in which millions of Holocaust victims were sent to prison and death. Visitors then enter through a bookcase, a visible reminder that Anne Frank and her family lived in a hidden annex above Otto Frank's office. Photographs of Anne and her family in happier times are shown alongside a historical account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power. After more than two years in hiding in Amsterdam, the Frank family was betrayed to the Nazis and sent to concentration camps. Only Otto Frank survived.

At the end of the exhibit, a "Scroll Room" contains more than 400 tiny holes with various quotes from Anne's diary inscribed on small scrolls of parchment paper. Visitors are encouraged to take the scrolls with them as a memento.

In addition to the hundreds of rare photographs and historical text, a newly produced 28-minute video presentation, "The Short Life of Anne Frank," chronicles the existence of the teenager and her family. British actor Jeremy Irons narrates the documentary, produced by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Teaching visitors acceptance and promoting diversity are the primary goals of the exhibit, which also depicts other acts of inhumanity in the world today.

"We are certainly honored to offer the Anne Frank exhibit to the city, the state, and the world," said Betty Siegel, president, Kennesaw State University. "We have through Anne Frank the voice of a generation and a timeless teacher of tolerance. The effort to bring the exhibit to Kennesaw State was well worth the dedication of so many committed people."

"Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945" was granted to Kennesaw State University by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, which in turn was awarded it by the Anne Frank Center of New York and the Anne Frank House of Amsterdam. The exhibit will be displayed for at least the next three years at the KSU Center. "Anne Frank in the World" is open to the public seven days a week and is free of charge. For more information on the exhibit, please visit www.kennesaw.edu/annefrank/index.htm or call (678) 797-2083.

Wednesday, September 8, 2004

GPB Showcases the State of the Arts in Georgia

GPB Education is not the only part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting organization that is invested in promoting the arts. GPB Television and Education recently collaborated on an important new arts initiative called State of the Arts. As part of that effort, GPB Television recently launched a brand new original series entitled State of the Arts, a magazine-format program featuring a variety of art forms and artists across Georgia.

While the Georgia Department of Education's curriculum standards call for courses in dance, music, theater arts, and visual arts, the funding these areas continues to diminish. State of the Arts examines art in each of its manifestations, thereby supporting a comprehensive Fine Arts curriculum for students and teachers as well as adding value to instruction by highlighting Georgia artists, performing arts groups, and cultural institutions.

The first episode of the quarterly series took viewers through Georgia's rich arts community to learn more about the Telfair Museum of Art, the oldest museum in the South; The Mark of the Potter, Georgia's oldest craft gallery; the artwork of Former First Lady Betty Foy Sanders; Peachtree Battle, the longest running theater production in Atlanta history; the creation of the G-8 Conference table; and the fascinating Chihuly exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Future episodes will include The Atlanta Ballet, the oldest ballet company in the nation; the Morris Museum, the South's only museum dedicated to art and artists from the South; West African drumming performed by Georgia drummers; a sneak peak at the upcoming GPB Television series The Fabulous Fox; and more. Once each episode of State of the Arts airs on GPB Television, it will be available for encore viewing online at www.gpb.org as well as via the education satellite.

In addition to creating this ground-breaking video series, Georgia Public Broadcasting has partnered with the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) to develop a dynamic companion website that offers visitors the chance to view the program online, learn more about the program and its production staff, and link to additional resources about each of the pieces, places, and artists explored in the show. The State of the Arts website is also equipped with a calendar of arts-related events scheduled all around Georgia. Sponsored by the GCA, this interactive calendar allows users to search for events by category, region, city, and even zip code. GPB Education staff are working diligently to develop educational resources for classroom use to be integrated into the website as well.

Tune in to the second installment of State of the Arts on GPB Television in mid-October. If you missed the broadcast premiere of the show in June or simply want more information, go to www.gpb.org to view State of the Arts online, research one of the show's segments, or find arts events planned in your area.

GPB Showcases the State of the Arts in Georgia

GPB Education is not the only part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting organization that is invested in promoting the arts. GPB Television and Education recently collaborated on an important new arts initiative called State of the Arts. As part of that effort, GPB Television recently launched a brand new original series entitled State of the Arts, a magazine-format program featuring a variety of art forms and artists across Georgia.

While the Georgia Department of Education's curriculum standards call for courses in dance, music, theater arts, and visual arts, the funding these areas continues to diminish. State of the Arts examines art in each of its manifestations, thereby supporting a comprehensive Fine Arts curriculum for students and teachers as well as adding value to instruction by highlighting Georgia artists, performing arts groups, and cultural institutions.

The first episode of the quarterly series took viewers through Georgia's rich arts community to learn more about the Telfair Museum of Art, the oldest museum in the South; The Mark of the Potter, Georgia's oldest craft gallery; the artwork of Former First Lady Betty Foy Sanders; Peachtree Battle, the longest running theater production in Atlanta history; the creation of the G-8 Conference table; and the fascinating Chihuly exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Future episodes will include The Atlanta Ballet, the oldest ballet company in the nation; the Morris Museum, the South's only museum dedicated to art and artists from the South; West African drumming performed by Georgia drummers; a sneak peak at the upcoming GPB Television series The Fabulous Fox; and more. Once each episode of State of the Arts airs on GPB Television, it will be available for encore viewing online at www.gpb.org as well as via the education satellite.

In addition to creating this ground-breaking video series, Georgia Public Broadcasting has partnered with the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) to develop a dynamic companion website that offers visitors the chance to view the program online, learn more about the program and its production staff, and link to additional resources about each of the pieces, places, and artists explored in the show. The State of the Arts website is also equipped with a calendar of arts-related events scheduled all around Georgia. Sponsored by the GCA, this interactive calendar allows users to search for events by category, region, city, and even zip code. GPB Education staff are working diligently to develop educational resources for classroom use to be integrated into the website as well.

Tune in to the second installment of State of the Arts on GPB Television in mid-October. If you missed the broadcast premiere of the show in June or simply want more information, go to www.gpb.org to view State of the Arts online, research one of the show's segments, or find arts events planned in your area.

Tuesday, September 7, 2004

GPB Education Focuses on Arts

Georgia Public Broadcasting Education recently held special focus groups on Arts in Every Classroom: A Video Library, K-5 and Arts in Every Classroom: A Workshop for Elementary School Teachers, two of the Annenberg/CPB professional development courses we offer to Georgia educators at no cost. The purpose of the focus groups was to develop educational strategies derived from the two series; the strategies generated will eventually be developed into arts education professional development trainings to be offered by GPB Education to educators statewide.

Nearly 30 educators responded to the call to participate in these work groups, representing membership in The Georgia Theatre Conference; Dance Educators of Georgia (DEGA); Georgia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (GAHPERD); Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA); and Georgia Association of Arts Educators (GAEA). Teaching experience in the groups ranged from Elementary through Middle, High School and University levels. In addition to those local to Atlanta, educators drove from all parts of the state to participate- Camden County, Rabun Gap, Richmond County, Gwinnett County, and Gainesville. We were pleased to have an independent dance consultant and performer along with representatives from the Atlanta Ballet and the Gainesville Ballet in addition to the dance educators and university professors.

Educators were arranged according to specialty into the dance, theater arts, music, or visual arts group. They then spent the day viewing selected episodes of the Arts in Every Classroom programs to identify essential questions, key concepts, and vocabulary. Lively discussions led to the identification of instructional strategies and best practices in arts and education along with questions about how these series could benefit professional development and student achievement in Georgia.

Now the work of the focus groups has been completed, GPB Education staff will review and organize the four groups' suggestions around the themes of advocacy, content, professional development, and instructional strategies. Each of the educators who participated in the focus groups will receive a summary of his or her work along with a contact sheet for the other group members so that they can continue the encouragement and professional peer dialog established here at GPB throughout the coming school year.

For more information on this project or to arrange for arts professional development for teachers, administrators, staff and parents, contact Barbara O'Brien @ bobrien@gpb.org or 404-685-2545.

Monday, September 6, 2004

Two New Faces Join PBS Kidson GPB Television

Georgia Public Broadcasting Television is proud to announce a new addition to its daily kids' lineup. Maya & Miguel, a 64 episode series that documents the escapades of 10-year-old twins Maya and Miguel Santos, is designed to show that learning about foreign culture and language is "fun, relevant, and rewarding for all children." Underlying the comic twists and turns in each episode is the notion that "shared happiness is more important than personal gain." Interactions between the twins, their family, and the other people in the neighborhood stress values such as friendship and family, presented in the context of the Latino family, language, and cultures.

The show, which premieres on GPB Television on October 11 at INSERT TIME, is supported by a companion website designed to support language acquisition. The site, located at www.pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel, features interactive content in both Spanish and English. Share the love of language and culture with your students; tune in to Maya & Miguel each day on GPB Television.

Don't forget the PBS Kids shows you have already come to know and love. The following great programs continue to air each day on GPB Television:

Arthur:
This program, aimed at viewers between the ages of four and eight, is designed to help foster an interest in reading and writing, and to encourage positive social skills.

Barney and Friends:
A long-time favorite of kids everywhere, this program for pre-schoolers addresses the four key areas of childhood development - cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.

The Berenstain Bears: Based on the best-selling book series, this program celebrates traditional family values.

Big Comfy Couch: This award-winning series invites pre-schoolers to exercise their hearts, minds, and bodies while building academic and behavioral skills.

Between the Lions:
This program is designed to foster the literacy skills of its viewers, while playfully demonstrating the joys of reading.

Boobah:
This program by the creator of the Teletubbies offers children the opportunity to build skills in five different learning areas: movement, mathematics, problem solving/science, language, and imagination.

Caillou:
Each five-minute episode of this program spotlights a different issue in a child's emotional, social and physical development between the ages one to four.

Clifford:
This program, aimed at viewers between three and seven years old, emphasizes good citizenship and the importance of community.

Cyberchase:
This Emmy-award winning show teaches kids aged 8-12 math concepts in a fun way they can understand.

Dragon Tales:
This program, aimed at pre-schoolers, is designed to nurture young children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

Sagwa:
The Chinese Siamese Cat: This program, designed for children aged 5-8, encourages children to discover the similarities and differences they share with others sparks children's interest and appreciation of a wider world.

Sesame Street: This program for pre-schoolers reaches young children in powerful and responsible ways with a view that learning and fun are equally crucial elements of any young child's education.

Teletubbies: This series introduces children from ages one to three to the wonders and magic of high-tech in a safe and friendly way.

Zoom:
This daily interactive television series challenges five- to eleven-year-olds to "turn off the TV and do it!"