Ovations Offstage and the Maine Parameters for Essential Instruction  

Ovations Offstage events and activities are designed to support the Maine Department of Education’s Learning Results. The knowledge and skills described in the Maine Department of Education Regulation 132 support Maine students in achieving the goals established in the Guiding Principles. These guiding principles are compatible with Portland Ovations’ mission to contribute to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our community by presenting an array of high quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment and arts enrichment to patrons of all ages.

Portland Ovations supports the goals of The Maine Department of Education to create a love of life-long learning and an appreciation of the arts.

The guiding principles for the Maine Learning Results grades pre-Kindergarten through diploma:

  1. A clear and effective communicator who:
    1. Demonstrates organized and purposeful communication in English and at least one other language;
    2. Uses evidence and logic appropriately in communication;
    3. Adjusts communication based on the audience; and
    4. Uses a variety of modes of expression (spoken, written, and visual and performing including the use of technology to create and share the expressions);
  2. A self-directed and lifelong learner who:
    1. Recognizes the need for information and locates and evaluates resources;
    2. Applies knowledge to set goals and make informed decisions;
    3. Applies knowledge in new contexts;
    4. Demonstrates initiative and independence;
    5. Demonstrates flexibility including the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn;
    6. Demonstrates reliability and concern for quality; and
    7. Uses interpersonal skills to learn and work with individuals from diverse backgrounds;
  3. A creative and practical problem solver who:
    1. Observes and evaluates situations to define problems;
    2. Frames questions, makes predictions, and designs data/information collection and analysis strategies;
    3. Identifies patterns, trends, and relationships that apply to solutions;
    4. Generates a variety of solutions, builds a case for a best response and critically evaluates the effectiveness of the response;
    5. Sees opportunities, finds resources, and seeks results;
    6. Uses information and technology to solve problems; and
    7. Perseveres in challenging situations;
  4. A responsible and involved citizen who:
    1. Participates positively in the community and designs creative solutions to meet human needs and wants;
    2. Accepts responsibility for personal decisions and actions;
    3. Demonstrates ethical behavior and the moral courage to sustain it;
    4. Understands and respects diversity;
    5. Displays global awareness and economic and civic literacy; and
    6. Demonstrates awareness of personal and community health and wellness
  5. An integrative and informed thinker who:
    1. Gains and applies knowledge across disciplines and learning contexts and to real life situations with and without technology;
    2. Evaluates and synthesizes information from multiple sources;
    3. Applies ideas across disciplines; and
    4. Applies systems thinking to understand the interaction and influence of related parts on each other and on outcomes

From Chapter 132: Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction, Maine Department of Education 8/14/07 pp. 1–3.

Each season, several performers and performing groups offer teachers’ guides to accompany their performances or workshops. These guides are developed with national or other states’ education standards. Ovations Offstage has added information at the end of each study guide to assist educators in connecting it with Maine’s Learning Results. An overview of MLR and Portland Ovations' 2009-10 season cross curriculum activities can be connected through this season's two broad themes: Maine and its Ties to Africa and Traverser la Frontière Specific core content curriculum links with our performances can be found below:

English Language Arts
 
Family Series—Stellaluna;  Mermaid Theatre’s Good Night Moon & Runaway Bunny (grades pre-K through 2)
Cirque Mechanic’s Birdhouse Factory
Ed Asner’s FDR
La Bohème
An Evening with Garrison Keillor
 
Career and Education Development:  skills-based (contact Portland Ovations Director of Education & Community Outreach for more information)
Job shadow Portland Ovations staff
Volunteer opportunities: i.e. face-painting at Family Series
Meet the Artists through a variety of activities: Pilobolus, Brooklyn Rider, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Philip Hamilton’s Voices, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (subject to change)

Health & Physical Education
Cirque Mechanic’s Birdhouse Factory
Yamato
Pilobolus
Dayton Contemporary Dance Theater
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Arlo Guthrie
 
Social Studies
Cirque Mechanic’s Birdhouse Factory
Yamato
Ed Asner’s FDR
Philip Hamilton’s Voices
100 Years of Broadway
Porgy & Bess
Maria de Barros
Brooklyn Rider
Soweto Gospel Choir
Math, Science, or Technology
Cirque Mechanic’s Birdhouse Factory
Scrap Arts Music
Yamato
 
Visual & Performing Arts (skills-based)
Dance/Movement
Dance master classes:  Pilobolus, Dayton Contemporary Dance Theater, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Music
Music master class with  Philip Hamilton and Voices
St. Lawrence String Quartet, Brooklyn Rider, Chris Thile’s Punch Brothers
From the Top
Theatre
Cirque Mechanics
Visual Art
Cirque Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory

Programs/Performances subject to change