New Art Teacher, Mrs. Woodlief Joins Alimacani

Greetings from new Alimacani Elementary Art Teacher, Terry Woodlief. I am thrilled to join the Alimacani Family to serve as Art Teacher and honored to continue the good work of my friend and retired colleague, Michell Corely.  

I have many fun and artful projects planned for Alimacani students with lessons aligned with Florida Sunshine State Standards for visual arts as well as cross-curricular connections.  I invite you to visit this blog often as I will post the latest happenings in the art room along with lots of images of exciting art making by the students of Alimacani Elementary School in Duval County, Florida.

Here is a little about me:
I am a veteran art teacher with vast experiences in visual art and museum education.  I have written visual arts curriculum for DCPS, mentored beginning art teachers and presented professional development workshops at the local and state level.  

What does art teaching mean to me?  It means I get to be a rock star every day.  You will find me in my art classroom donning an artistic apron and paint splattered shoes as we sing and dance - learning about the magic of mixing paint, the science of forming sculpture and imagining the lives of artists around the world.  I perform with my puppet who helps me tell tales of art history and faraway places. This rock star career in art education has a pretty amazing job description!  The best part is knowing these experiences are making lasting memories for my students.

As an arts educator, I am responsible for encouraging the development of visual-spatial abilities, reflection, and experimentation.  What would Leonardo da Vinci say?  He was planning cities and inventing flying machines between painting such great works as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper.  

Arts education teaches and nurtures creativity, judgment, and discipline.  It’s in my art class that I’m preparing students for future success in a global economy.  I am committed to lead my art students, give their right brains a workout and help them become the creative thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.

If you are interested in seeing more about my work, please visit my classroom blog at: https://cresarteducator.blogspot.com/2019/