Sweet Tree Arts and School

Sweet Tree Arts is a community arts organization based in rural Hope, Maine, USA

Creative thinking is at the heart of Sweet Tree Arts / School The business model and development of this small, rural, community arts center and arts integrated school in Maine has succeeded through adaptability, flexibility and perseverance. These lessons and values are practiced and modeled through experiences in the arts and creativity.

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Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated October 2024

Web presence

2013

Established

1K 2024

6

Countries

Students basic

Target group

Creativity and Imagination provides a safe place to cultivate and value new ideas. The vision of Sweet Tree is to nurture authentic, inspiring, effective leaders of tomorrow. Through progressive educational practices, applying the arts and shared meaningful experiences we build the capacity to interface in innovative ways as compassionate stewards in our changing world.

About the innovation

Building creative community

What we do?

Sweet Tree Arts offers community arts programming, through weekend, after school, summer classes and community events. Sweetland School is a flexible, arts integrated, learner centered elementary school for children K-8.

Mission Statement of Sweet Tree Arts

Sweet Tree Arts, in Hope, Maine offers a variety of creative arts opportunities to the local and broader community. Our credo of ‘Roots in the Community, Branches to the Wider world’ Inspires us to create local and global opportunities in the arts for our members and projects.

The purpose of Sweet Tree Arts is to provide community arts programming and alternative education opportunities through the arts. Sweet Tree Arts is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes.

Objectives:

* Community programming in the Arts

*. Implement Community arts projects

* Education - offering alternative educational options through the arts.

* Advocacy of the arts including public performances, published literature, articles and public artwork.

* Partner with supporting organizations.

Why we do it?

We believe:

* The arts has thecapacity to bring the community together.

*The creative process allows us to practice authentic, relevant learning opportunities.

* When we focus our attention with fine tools and lovely materials we find pause,calm and build confidence.

* Real life situations provide purpose and passion and allow us to feel connected and engaged in the worldaround us.

*Big Ideas happen with space,time, freedom and choice.

*Collaboration expandsthe potential of the individual.When we shift our mindset from winning and losing we create opportunities for us all to be seen for who we are.

* Integrity is found inthe integration of all subjects.

* We should be valued as capable learners from the moment we enter the world.

* When we trust our own ideaswe begin to trust others andthe world around us.

* Play, both guided and free, keepsthe human spirit alive,happy and activelyengaged.

* Change is inevitableand essential.

* Assuming the role of expert,we get in the way of connection.

How we do it?

Small classes and groups allow us to build deep connections.

Trusting the process and following the questions of learners, we move forward.

Focusing on our stories, we find common themes, practice empathy and support one another.

Reaching out to local partners and individuals we share resources, ideas and grow as a community.

Media

Link

Creativity and Imagination - Arts Education Partnership

https://www.aep-arts.org/creativity-and-imagination/

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Episode 057: Sweetland School Interview with Lindsay Pinchbeck and learners

episode 57 Shift your ParadigmLindsay Pinchbeck and learners of Sweetland School share thoughts on learner centered education.

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Building a school together

Sweetland School / Sweet Tree Arts staff raise a greenhouse and keep moving forward. From left to right Cameron Pinchbeck, Marlee Luehman, Nina Devenney, Hannah Wells, Paul Carwright, Will Foote and Amy Gertner, Lindsay Pinchbeck and Chris Pinchbeck . Missing from photo Argy Nestor, Angela Nelson, Mariel Dowling and Elsie Pinchbeck. It starts with an idea. A conversation. A napkin with sketches. Doors open February 2013, with our first ever story slam, a school is born in 2014. Today an art center full of color, joy, laughter, song, creative thinking, collaboration.Entering our 7th year as a community arts center I reflect with gratitude around our growth and the community support over the years. Now a non profit, offering programming to all ages and collaborating with other local, national and global organizations we are a small art center in a rural community learning the importance of connection and collaboration. Over the years Sweet Tree Arts has been practicing how to cultivate an environment that honors freedom, choice and encourages voice by creating a safe space for the community to ask questions, play and get messy with ideas and materials. I thank you all along this journey, for your patience and support as we continue to learn how to thrive and flourish. https://knox.villagesoup.com/p/building-community-around-art-in-hope/902079https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/sweet-tree-arts-host-sustainability-festival/117302https://waldo.villagesoup.com/p/art-in-education-triangle/1795807

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Annual Story Slam

Storytelling events bring our community together. Elevating locals as heroes and putting aside our differences we laugh, we cry, we gather together.

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Sewing - Maine to Malawi

Argy Nestor sewing in Mpamila Malawi.When Lindsay Pinchbeck and Argy Nestor returned from Malawi in July 2016 they brainstormed ideas on how to continue to support the teachers and learners of Mpamila Village. Learning about the program ‘Dress a Girl Around the World’ planted the seeds to begin sewing dresses and pants for the children in the village. With the help of strangers, friends and family and a monthly sewing gathering at Sweet Tree Arts about 150 dresses and pants have been created and sent with teachers who have gone to Malawi to continue with the arts integration workshops for the Malawian educators. Lindsay and Argy’s goal is to complete another 200 by June 2020 when they will return with dresses and pants that have shirts, beanie babies and underwear in the pockets. All the learners in Mpamila Village will have received clothing thanks to sewers gathering at Sweet Tree Arts Center. The arts integration workshops with teachers will continue and teaching the community members and young learners to sew their own dresses and pants will be a focus as well. Sewing is part of their school curriculum.https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/18-for-2018/

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Teaching and Learning in Malawi Argy Nestor & Lindsay Pinchbeck Waterville Maine Pecha Kucha Vol 23

Pecha Kucha - Malawi Argy Nestor and Lindsay Pinchbeck

Link

PechaKucha 20x20 - Sweet Tree Arts

Lindsay Pinchbeck Pecha KuchaCreator of Sweet Tree Arts a community arts organization in Hope Maine. Celebrating creativity and community through workshops, and community happenings.

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Community connections

Since the inception of Sweet Tree Arts adults with development disabilities have been a part of our learning community through classes, workshops and collaborative art shows in our community. The program, run by Nina Devenney now collaborates with learners at Sweetland School. Building connections, breaking down walls and supporting inclusion is at the heart of our work at Sweet Tree.

Link

Magic is Happening - Trusting the Process

by Lindsay Pinchbeck, HundrED blog, 30.4.2019 https://hundred.org/en/articles/magic-is-happening-trusting-the-process

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Sweetland School: A Conversation with Lindsay Pinchbeck - Education Reimagined

Sweetland School: A Conversation with Lindsay Pinchbeck - Education Reimagined https://education-reimagined.org/conversation-lindsay-pinchbeck/

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How Can The Arts Encourage Us To Take Risks & Trust The Learning Process? - Lindsay Pinchbeck | HundrED WEBday

By Lindsay Pinchbeck, HundrED WEBday 25.3.2019 https://hundred.org/en/articles/how-can-the-arts-encourage-us-to-take-risks-trust-the-learning-process-lindsay-pinchbeck-hundred

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Greenhouse

Connecting to the environment and community through active connection to greens and plants.

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STEAM

Integrating subjects and connecting to artists and experts in the field.

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STEAM

Integrating subjects and connecting to artists and experts in the field.

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Arts Integration in Malawi

https://meartsed.wordpress.com/tag/gomalawi/In 2016 Argy Nestor and Lindsay Pinchbeck were invited by 'Go Malawi!' to offer professional development to teachers in Mpamila, Malawi. Since then active support through annual workshops offered by other Maine teachers and the sharing of ideas and resources have allowed for a rich dialogue in arts integration and learner centered opportunities. The results - increased test scores, higher engagement for both teachers and learners, a lower drop out rate for learners and more learners (and an increase of girls) going on to secondary school. http://maineartsjournal.com/water-is-life-and-knowledge-is-power-by-krisanne-baker/

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Create a safe space

Creating a safe space for all ages and all abilities to gather and explore creative thinking and the creative process.

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Sweetland School mind map

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Outdoor connection

Connecting to the outdoors our learning is full of opportunities to share beauty and wonder.

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Community focused

Connecting to the community is key to our success and survival. Partnerships with local organizations and the town of Hope allow our school to thrive. https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/hope-invites-sunshine/127353

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Experiences lead to authenticity

The arts give us permission and a safe space to practice new skills, build connections, slow down and observe the world around us. Through experiences we share and learn authentically.

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Documentation and Reflection

Weekly reflections. Collecting photography and the words of the learners we know where to go next in our emerging curriculum. The self reflective process by learners allows each child to take charge of their learning.

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Sweetland School

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPP386vqKAk&feature=youtu.be

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Sweet Tree Arts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbxt565iW8

Implementation steps

1.Listen to your community

Learn to listen, this means really slowing down and paying attention, collecting words, and images, and reflecting frequently on the collected documentation. Students and teachers engage in this process.

2. Be curious

Center curiosity over anxiety

3. Share your observations

3. Share your observations with the children, families, other facilitators and the community.
Build on what you know. Start from where you are, your practice will develop

4. Ask Questions

Do not have all the answers - questions lead to more questions.

5. Focus on the positive

Based on the work of Martin Seligman on positive psychology (2011) when we elevate our weaknesses with our strengths we flourish.

6. Trust the process

When you don’t know what to do, don’t give up - trust the process, it’s okay if it’s messy, that is growth. The mess is part of the process and you can always reassess, reflect and tidy up later. Creative learning is messy on many levels.

7. Recognize vulnerability and discomfort

Extend yourself out of your comfort zone, accept the unknown. When we are vulnerable we are human, don’t be afraid to be human.

8. Create awe, wonder and magic

The arts have an important place in magic making. The use of beautiful materials, song, and movement allow us to exercise the imagination, find awe and wonder and digest our observations and surroundings. The arts give us glimpses into our inner worlds and allow us to share in the wonder and excitement of the learning at hand.

9. Let the curriculum emerge

Let the curriculum emerge, authentic learning crosses and mixes all disciplines given the opportunity.

10. Start from where you are

Be compassionate with yourself and others, take small steps and live in the present moment. “Living creatively is not about creating a product, but living a life fully present and open to things as they are. Living creatively is also filled with the thrill of possibility and the gratitude of this miracle of being alive. As the self emerges in these new ways with integration, being generous and kind is a natural outcome, towards others and with ourselves” Dan Siegel, 2012