Reflections Program

2009-2010 Reflections Winners

The MA State PTA Reflections Program winners have been selcected. Above are some of the winning artwork this year. To view the full PowerPoint presentation of the work please click here.

What is the Reflections Program?

National PTA's Reflections Program is designed to enhance, rather than replace, quality arts education for grades K-12. In its 30-year history, the Reflections Program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to explore their artistic talents. More than 600,000 students participate in the Reflections Program through their local PTAs each year. The program helps parents encourage the creativity and lifelong learning of their children. It provides opportunities for children's creative self-expression, and recognition for their artistic endeavors. Parents, teachers, and community members all play a critical role in fostering a positive learning environment for children. Supporting the Reflections Program is one way you can promote the arts in your home, school, and community.

Categories

• Photography
• Visual Arts
• Literature
• Musical Composition
• Dance Choreography
• Film/Video Production

Important notes:

• Please do not send original visual arts or photography artwork.
  • Do send a CD with pictures of visual arts and photography entries.
  • Attach a 8 ½ X 11 printed copy of the entry.
  • This format makes it very simple for moving the materials to and from the judges.
• Complete the bottom of the student entry form with your local PTA information.
  • Since everything is separated for judging, I need to know what PTA it came from.
  • Failure to complete this very simple section will result in your children’s work not being judged.
• The deadline for entries is January 8, 2010.
  • Do not ask for an extension.
  • I will be getting it to judges on January 10, so there will be no extended deadlines
• Please contact Tiffany Bartholomew with any questions or suggestions to make the process easier.   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Good luck,
Tiffany

Forms

If I am a student and want to submit an entry, what forms do I need?

1. Student Entry Form received from your Local Unit Reflections Chair
2. Student created entry per the rules
3. You should read and follow the General Student Participation Rules.

If I am a local unit Arts Chair, what do I do?

1. Be familiar with the Arts Area Rules, Massachusetts PTA Checklist, the Local PTA Participation Form, and the deadline to Massachusetts PTA (postmarked by January 4, received no later than January 8th).
2. Set a deadline for local entries and have entries judged. Keep in mind the State deadline for submission (January 8, 2010).
3. Copy and distribute Arts Area Rules and Student Entry Form to students in your school and/or community. Type or print your name, address, phone number, and email address on each sheet before copying for distribution. There are many occasions where communication is necessary and this information becomes vital.
4. Send three (3) entries per category, the original Student Entry form signed by the students, the Massachusetts PTA Requirements Checklist, and the Local Participation Form to the Massachusetts PTA Reflections Chair postmarked on or before the deadline January 8th. All submissions MUST be received by January 8th to be considered for judging.
5. National PTA has created a black and white flyer for any school that would like to use it for promotional items - PTA Reflections Unleashes Your Artistic Talents

Linking the Arts to Student Achievement

A growing body of studies presents compelling evidence connecting student learning in the arts to a wide spectrum of academic and social benefits. Research has shown that what students learn in the arts may help them to master other subjects, such as reading, math, or social studies. Students who participate in arts learning experiences often improve their achievement in other realms of learning and life.

There are six major types of benefits associated with study of the arts and student achievement:

• Reading and language skills
• Mathematics skills
• Thinking skills
• Social skills
• Motivation to learn
• Positive school environment

One convenient way to sum up how study of the arts benefits student achievement is the recognition that learning in the arts is academic, basic, and comprehensive. It is as simple as A-B-C.

Learning in the Arts is Academic. Learning experiences in the arts contribute to the development of academic skills, including the areas of reading and language development, and mathematics. Certain forms of arts instruction enhance and complement basic reading skills, language development and writing skills. Certain types of music instruction help develop the capacity for spatial-temporal reasoning, which refers to the ability to understand the relationship of ideas and objects in space and time.

Learning in the Arts is Basic. Arts learning experiences contribute to the development of certain thinking, social, and motivational skills that are considered basic for success in school, work, and life. Reasoning ability, intuition, perception, imagination, inventiveness, creativity, problem-solving skills and expression are among the thought processes associated with study of the arts.

Learning in the Arts is Comprehensive. Integration of the arts as a critical component of the school curriculum affords students a complete and well-rounded education. The benefits associated with study of the arts are inclusive of all students. An arts-rich learning environment can have far-reaching effects that extend to the entire school and surrounding community.

The evidence is clear: study of the arts contributes to student achievement and success. Its multiple benefits are academic, basic, and comprehensive. Despite convincing research and strong public support, the arts remain on the margins of education, often the last to be added and the first to be dropped in times of strained budgets and shifting priorities.

More about parent involvement in promoting arts education.