Fox Cities News

The ArtsCore program at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (UWO) has been influencing educational practices for a decade, focusing on arts integration in classrooms. The program's annual ArtsCore Arts Integration Symposium took place this week at Reeve Memorial Union, offering pre-service and early career teachers practical experience in incorporating the arts into their teaching methods.

"This symposium is about supporting teachers in developing best practices and giving them a network to rely on," said Donna Nelson, director of ArtsCore. "When teachers have this kind of foundation, they’re more likely to stay in the profession long term. It’s all about recruitment and retention, making sure educators feel supported not just in their early years but throughout their careers."

The program aims to equip educators with confidence and skills to teach through the arts. It is a collaborative effort between UW Oshkosh, the Paine Art Center and Gardens, and regional school districts. This year, 94 UWO students and 27 teachers from Appleton and Oshkosh attended the symposium. Participants engaged in 27 round-table discussions where experienced teachers shared insights through interactive activities.

Taylor Brzezinski, a UWO alumna who graduated in 2023 with a degree in fine arts emphasizing education, was among those presenting at the symposium. Now an art teacher at Carl Traeger Middle School and Oshkosh North High School, she reflected on her experiences: "The symposium gave me a real look at what being a teacher actually looks like," Brzezinski said.

Brzezinski received a renewable scholarship from ArtsCore during her studies at UW–Oshkosh. She served as a board member for three years and was president of the ArtsCore student organization for two years. Her presentation this year involved symbolism cast pendants—a project that tied literacy to art by having students create metal-cast pendants representing personal symbols.

"One of my students saw herself as lucky, so she designed a horseshoe pendant," she shared. She recalled using a blowtorch during the project: "I got to bring out a blowtorch and my students thought that was the coolest thing in the world."

For attendees like Caitlin Huber and Spencer Skivington, the symposium offered valuable insights into arts integration. Huber is pursuing special education; she found inspiration from experienced educators at the event: "Getting to experience it hands-on and hearing directly from teachers about what works in their classrooms gave me ideas I can use in the future," she said.

Skivington participated after his involvement with an ArtsCore-funded internship pairing pre-service teachers with refugee students: "Art is such a powerful way to connect with students," he stated.

As ArtsCore marks its tenth anniversary, Director Nelson expressed hopes for securing additional funding to sustain its impact beyond current grant support: "Our research shows that arts integration increases student engagement and reduces behavioral issues," Nelson noted.