Hello, I am Cheryl Skaggs Schellenberg. I am a passionate art specialist who believes the arts are an essential part of education, literacy and a key for developing 21^st century skills as well as global responsibility. My students not only create art, but strive to be the art, and make the world better one brush stroke at a time. I developed a website, Wonder Time Arts, where we share our artistic discoveries, love for nature and literacy with our families and the world. www.wondertimearts.com  The website also serves as a resource for fellow art educators and the teachers at my school (I’m a literacy lead, reading specialist and writing coordinator as well as the visual and performing arts school coordinator at Edison Bethune Charter Academy, Tk-6th)

I love collaborating with teachers to create cross -curricular instruction. Even more than double chocolate cake, I love when we work together to create units that builds children’s understanding of how the arts connect to all areas of life.  All 570 students visit me for 40 minutes a week. My room is called “The Artist’s Café” where love and imagination is served daily and examples of nature’s gifts abound. I made a Café menu for each grade level using the California Visual Art Standards and the new National Art Standards. This makes a great resource for parents who want to be involved with our classroom learning as well as a place to show case our lessons.    The feeling of being in a Parisian Café, discussing art and writing our thoughts while soft music plays, has definitely brought out our inner- bohemians and  has been so much fun!  They look on the menu board for their daily objectives!  Oo La La`

• C    Creating with the arts Creative Expression
• A    Articulating about the arts using the language of arts  Artistic Perception
• F    Finding connections and understanding historical and cultural diversity of the arts as well

     as ways the arts connect to other subjects and the other art forms.

, Historical & Cultural Context, Connections, Relationships and Applications

• E   Engaging with the arts- Evaluating the arts, learning to write art criticisms, use rubrics, and

    make informed judgments. Aesthetic  Valuing

As an art specialist I value the other forms of art as well, i.e., theater, dance, music. I try to incorporate them into my lessons. I regularly use tableau with art images, mini skits for students to show they understand, and lots of music and singing.  The classroom teachers, music teacher and I are working together to create special performing events and festivals.  We showcase our art on art-hop nights at our school site in our “Museum of the Hallway,” in art galleries, and at the Fresno Art Museum and at events hosted by the Fresno Youth Philharmonic. We have been asked 4 years in a row to create major art pieces and exhibit them during Fresno County’s Regional Summit for the Arts.  This really makes my students visible, empowers their voice and gives them a real reason to do their best. This has become a real source of pride in our West Side Community.

                                Sincerely,  Cheryl

,