Scandinavian Folk Arts in the K-12 Classroom

A collection of traditional Norwegian knives made by Jon Roisen.
Photo by Johanna Weissing. (Left)

The Toivola Volunteer Fire Department and UW-Madison students build the kokko
(bonfire) for the Juhannus Midsummer Festival in Toivola, Michigan.
Photo by John Prusynski. (Right)

Scandinavian Folk Arts in the K-12 Classroom

When: May 3, 2019, 9am-4pm

Where: Monona Terrace Convention Center, Madison, WI

Cost: $75 security deposit

Application: Click here to print and complete the application form. Registration is limited for this year’s workshop. Deadline is March 15, 2019.

“How are traditions passed on?” Artists, scholars, and K-12 educators from across the Upper Midwest and Scandinavia will explore this question together during this day-long workshop. Hosted in conjunction with the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest Symposium, WTLC will welcome ten K-12 educators to join in conversation with thirteen master artists as they demonstrate their Scandinavian handcrafts and reflect on their experiences as makers, teachers, and apprentices. Participants will explore ways handcrafts can be integrated into K-12 curriculum through guided conversations with three highly-skilled Scandinavian-American traditional artists, who will offer insights on the cultural life of their communities, and provide tools for identifying and integrating local culture resources into their curricula.

Organized by Wisconsin Teachers of Local Culture and the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest Project, funding for participants will cover the costs of substitute teachers, food, lodging, and transportation.

Why Participate?

To learn interviewing techniques that you can teach to your students
To discover content and curricular connections that you can use in your own classroom or organization
To gather resources for evolving your curriculum and teaching practice
To benefit personally from meeting and learning directly from people deeply immersed in their culture
To engage with like-minded educators from around the state, becoming part of a vital network that values students’ lives and local community assets as content sources

Who’s Invited to Participate?

All K-12 Educators
Museum Educators who work with K-12 populations
Educators from other organizations that work locally to nurture and sustain their community’s culture

How Many Professional Development Hours?

You can earn 7.5 hours of professional development if you choose to be a part of the programming on Friday, May 3rd.
You can earn up to 12 hours of professional development if you attend two panel presentations with folk artists on Saturday, May 4th. Saturday’s programming begins at 10:30am and ends at 3pm and will focus on topics relating to folk arts and education.

How can I share information with other educators?

Download and share a flyer about this opportunity here!

Who should I contact with questions?

Kaitlyn Berle, Wisconsin Arts Board, (608) 266-8106 or kaitlyn.berle@wisconsin.gov