In this unit, students create a mythical creature by researching, writing, and drawing, and choosing at least three characteristics of three living creatures. The students then transform their ideas into a 3D version. Materials Visual Aids of Living creatures Sketchbook Pencil Colored Pencils Paper Newspaper Paper tubes Masking tape Glue Tissue paper Inspiration
Roberto Benavidez 1973 “The greatest influence on my recent work is the piñata,” explains multidisciplinary artist Roberto Benavidez. His papier-mâché and crêpe paper versions of beasts and demons plucked from Hieronymus Bosch ’s The Garden of Earthly Delights (c. 1450) have become something of a viral sensation. Piñatas are usually considered a throw-away amusement, designed to be hung from a tree and smashed up by kids at a birthday party, but Benavidez treats the form seriously. His Bosch-inspired sculptures—faithful 3-D reproductions of the painting’s strange characters—are elegant, funny, and a little frightening. The larger piñatas in the series are the size of small children, with delicate layers of crêpe paper covering their bodies like fur or feathers. Benavidez, who identifies as mixed-race, feels a cultural connection to piñatas as a sculptural form that has been a part of Mexican Catholic traditions since the 16th century. “By drawing from Western art imagery and incorporating Italian crêpe paper in my work, I’m touching upon the craft’s history, as well as highlighting its parallel to my own identity,” he explains.
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There are so many concepts packed into this project. I love teaching expressionism, music, and color theory which is incorporated throughout the unit. On the first day the class is introduced to Mr. Kandinsky and expressionism. Students are also introduced and learn about his contemporary Sergei Prokofiev and his symphony Peter and the Wolf. We read a story of Peter and the Wolf illustrated in an expressionist style and listen to the Introduction to the symphony hear the different instruments represented by different animals. While we do sketchbook practice I demonstrate line variations, children brainstorm a list. During the first class we paint up to 4 line paintings in black tempera, while listening to the symphony giving the students "inspiration". The second day of class we talk about expressionism and color we talk about Warm colors vs. Cool colors. We talk about which those colors might represent. Students are given a limited analogous palette of warm colors, and cool so their paintings do not mix. They fill in the line paintings with the color tempera. On the third day students paint in the line with Rainbow. We discuss the order in which the color spectrum occurs. They emulate the rainbow in watercolor on their line painting. The results are really neat, with so much variety. There is so much depth and learning going in this lesson unit that I can see many variations in the future. Materials Peter and the Wolf, Illustrated Book Peter and the Wolf Symphony, Prokofiev, Andre Previn Sketchbook Paper Tempera paint Watercolor Brushes Water cup Inspiration
Wassily Kandinsky 1866-1944 Kandinsky was a Russian born artist who made his name working in Germany in an art style called Expressionism. Expressionists wanted to use art to express their feelings and emotions, usually through bold use of line and color. Kandinsky studied law and economics in school, and was very successful in his career, but he also loved art, and eventually decided to do art full time, even becoming an art teacher. As a child he was also interested in music, learning to play both the piano and the cello, and this was an interest that inspired a lot of his art. In fact, many of his paintings were titled as if they were songs or musical works, like "Composition" and "Improvisation." Kandinsky was inspired by was COLOR. He felt that color could convey emotion even without showing any particular object or figure. Color on its own could tell the story of his art. Kandinsky was one of the first artists who painted purely ABSTRACT works of art, meaning he abandoned any reference to recognizable reality in his work. Growing up on a farm in rural Wisconsin involved numerous means to be ingenious, from agriculture, machinery, animals, or mischievous problems calling for critical thinking and problem solving. I have always been a maker, creative, innovator, includer which was naturally borne out of these conditions. I value visual art and its experiences from viewing, contemplating, and sharing technique. I feel it is important to connect the historical and innovative nature of the work, finding a context in which to place it, even if it belongs outside the box. I want to share my passion in a way that it encourages others to see and think about the visual arts from their unique perspective. When I started my college career at UW-Milwaukee in the fall of 1995, I considered a focus in Art Education. As I began my freshman studies, I decided that I would concentrate on a discipline before teaching. I chose fiber arts and minored in art history. My discipline, fiber arts in the area of surface design, allowed me to focus on many aspects of the creative process. With a sensitivity to, and knowledge of art history, I was able to find a reference point in much of my work. In 2001, I returned to school as a candidate for post baccalaureate certification for Art Education. In 2004, studying in Milwaukee, expecting my first child, I ended my schooling for certification. At the same time Milwaukee Public Schools were aggressively cutting art programs from their schools and the future of art educators looked bleak. I continued on my art education journey with an unconventional route. I was invited into the public schools for artist’s residencies, art education internships for underserved youth, and teaching fiber arts through the recreation department. I also was a member and served on the board of the Riverwest Artists Association, where I became president and a huge advocate for educational programming in our gallery’s common space. In 2016, I moved to Menomonie. I transitioned my family of six and my husband took a principal position at a parochial school. I was involved at the school and volunteered to teach art lessons, hosted a basket making workshop for the 7th and 8th graders, and presented a color theory presentation to the Women of St Paul’s. In 2018 I was asked to create an art curriculum for K-8th grade of the school. In 2019 I was hired to teach K-8th grade art. I have a diverse background from urban to rural teaching experiences, I studied abroad in England in my undergraduate studies, I have taught visual art making for almost two decades to all age groups, young and wise. I teach to inform students of the historical foundation in which they may reference for the work they are to consider creating. I encourage them by taking the next step and carefully observing progress and investigation with a keen sense of correcting moments. My goal as an art educator is to foster a creative, critical thinking, learning environment where the skills students learn can encourage ingenuity in all areas of their lives.
When I say that I am an Art teacher, it means that I teach visual culture in the arts. Placing responsibility into the hands of students to discover an idea “worth investigating” requires the art teacher, me, to have the knowledge and ability to lead discussions and engage students in a meaningful investigation. “They (the teachers) must also have enough knowledge of art history and contemporary art to present meaningful examples of artists who have dealt with similar issues in a variety of ways.” (Herrmann, 2005.) I also need to empower students with a more meaningful approach to the contemporary art world. Teachers should not divorce oneself completely from fine art studies (technical acquisition, art history, formalism), recognizing again that “works” of fine art play their principal role. “They belong in the art education curriculum, not to give us aesthetic experiences, though they do that well, but to remind us of our human potential.” (Efland, 2005.) Acknowledgment of the changes that occur in our world and the art world is extremely important, it would seem evermore important for a contemporary and future art educator to be well versed in art history. Duncum does not warn but informs readers that, “it is crucial for art education to acknowledge that while visual communication survives, it has changed its form. Imagery is now infinitely more plentiful, pervasive, immediate, and ephemeral, than ever before. And proponents of the information highway promise a high level of interactivity.” (Duncum, 1997.) Visual culture's primary goal in art education is to encourage critical thinking, while creating a structure in which creative learning can occur. In my instruction I embrace flexibility, willingness, and openness and search to find balance in theories that all seem to have some validity. We need to acknowledge the interrupting nature of visual/ mass media/ information highway noise and find a place for it in the education of art, but in balance with the foundation of art history, manipulation of materials, and critical thinking skills. Visual culture, in a lesson, would include a discussion and/or critique, referencing the history or contemporary culture, asking enduring and understanding questions, while using visual art vocabulary to clarify what the students are experiencing. An art project might involve construction of a robot, using paper (2D) or recycling (3D). A discussion in visual culture of this project would reference “pop” culture, design, advertising, or cartoons such as Big Hero 6 or the Jetsons and asking enduring questions that promote thinking of design, what the robot might do, while manipulating the materials. When I say that I am an Art teacher, it means that I teach Service Learning and Social Justice. Life is more enriching when one is not centered on self. As an art educator I need to find that center, the context in which I come from, yet I need to propel my purpose out of self, not disconnected from who I am but refining what I can evolve into, however there is no destination; I will constantly be changing and hopefully refining myself into a better human. I recognize a fluid process to planning Service Learning or Social Justice in art education. The needs of the student or the educator may shift, it is necessary for a touchstone, foundation or criteria to keep us on course with social justice and service learning. Teachers need to be empowered as “leaders capable of contributing to a social change and justice both inside and outside of schools provides a basis for belief in the possibility of social justice.” (Garber, 2004.) Students will have experiences that they can take beyond the classroom. “The importance of teachers seeing themselves as intellectuals- that is, as professionals able to conceptualize, design, and implement ideas and experiences in educating students- rather than as technicians implementing prepackaged content and instructional procedures… Teachers are able to determine content that validates their student’s bases of understanding and experiences.” (Garber, 2004.) This is only possible if the educator is in tune with their personal enrichment and flexible in their own life experiences and response to the world that surrounds them and the students they educate. Taylor reinforces the ever-changing shifts and response that is necessary in social justice and service minded theory by stating that the keystone to service-learning pedagogy is reflection. “Service-learning students, teachers, and community participants are actively involved in the constant production and reproduction of the service project through reflective discourse, writing, exhibition, and critique”. Through this vital reevaluation, “service-learning theory and language are also constantly reflected upon, reconsidered and altered.” (Taylor, 2002.) To reaffirm this, Taylor defines that a service-learning project must be a continually evolving process to be considered a postmodern work of art, and that even when the course or semester is over, the service -learning project is never completed, re affirming that like our own theories we must continue to evolve and refine our response to the world around us and the way we educate. In the case of social justice and service-learning, I have often been surrounded by strong points of view, taught in urban, inner city, or underprivileged-at-risk students, while our family qualified for “underprivileged” assistance programs. I have people in my life that are a contrast to my thinking. There is a necessity in acceptance, willingness to learn from the differences, but looking for the similarities. If we focus on what is different or wrong, we will never meet on the common ground. As an art educator I must own the standards I choose to teach, I must define my role and the direction of my classroom. As much as that gives me freedom it comes with responsibility. I will need to continually inform myself when social justice becomes part of the curriculum. Service-learning is vital to a wholesome human experience, it can only enhance the lives we touch and educate. Social justice and service learning are inherent to the human experience. It would not be a specific lesson compartmentalized, but a thread throughout the learning, thus something students will carry beyond the classroom. Community based service learning can enhance the community while allowing some expression from learners. One particular service-learning project I remember being involved in was painting trash barrels for a city park. There was a common theme, Wisconsin Habitats. Students collaborated, planned, and worked together painting the barrels. It contributed to the community and we the students shared the common experience. When I say that I am an Art teacher, it means that I teach Multiculturalism. Multiculturalism inclusion in education is extremely important. In the 21st century with almost all knowledge at the tips of our fingers, educating our students in factual, discretionary, curriculum has a greater importance now more than ever. Through social media the naive may perceive something gone viral as fact, this could cross into reaffirming stereotypes, and fostering ignorance. It is necessary to teach tradition and foundations in arts education and include multicultural diversity in other cultures. This inclusive view of diversity adds to the depth of education in the arts, therefore making the arts wholesome experience. “I want to show them that it is possible to like one thing more than another while loving both.” (Best, 2002.) Though formalist in the foundation of Best’s educational approach, his multicultural desire to inform has the components of the Multicultural and Social Reconstructionist approach to arts education. “The reconstructionist’s approach educates students to become critical thinkers capable of examining their life experiences and the social divisions that keep them and their group from fully enjoying the social and economic rewards of the United States” (Stuhr, Grant & Sleeter, 1993.) Best also defines four principles in reconstructive teaching that brings students to fuller aesthetic, spiritual, and intellectual learning. Defining one’s centeredness (much like service-learning), knowing widely and evaluating accordingly, the difference between intrinsic worth and relative value, and differences in kind make room for the allowance of differences in a quality among kinds (aesthetics, and the means by which we categorize our experiences). A response to art may differ, however I need to allow for differences within context, media, culture, etc., and aesthetics is a tool in which I can “measure” our response and understanding of our experience. Multiculturalism in a lesson should remain true to the culture in which it is referenced and based upon fact. The sensitivity to the culture that is represented will speak volumes to the students and that knowledge will transcend the classroom. A multicultural lesson may look to street culture, such as break dancing. Students may observe examples of the art, think about the music, and make connections like color and movement. The focus of the lesson may be understanding body and movement and emphasizing vibrant color, making the concept universal, through individual interpretation. I feel that multiculturalism and the issue of race are related but do deserve a closer look together and as well as separate. The foundation of my art education journey began in Milwaukee. I did a practicum in inner city schools and was a resident teaching artist in the urban environment. I’ve become complacent, in northern Wisconsin. The potential to turn ourselves into the all caring patriarchal role which separates us from the students. White teachers often fight battle fronts they don't understand in a black world, in the study Constructing an Image of a White Teacher, particularly, student teachers. “They failed to realize that no amount of caring-if it is not linked to some possibility of change, is going to dismantle the foundations of racism that hold our schools intact. The participants' paternalism, along with some of the teaching they observed, mutes the critical discussion of racism and teaching.” (McIntyre, 1997.) Often we find ourselves in situations that “no matter how much or how little they had already acknowledged the role race played in their lives and the lives of others, there had still been too little acknowledgement of it and too much silence about it.”( McIntyre, 1997.) Only in a classroom and actively teaching/observing in that environment, can one learn the most about the subtle variations or glaringly obvious differences in our whiteness and culture vs. the inner city or urban environment. This is an area of teaching that has “too much silence” about it. Race is not necessarily lesson worthy, but rather a sensitive topic that any educator should be mindful of and practice acceptance of differences, finding the similarities and capitalizing on them will create a positive learning environment. When I say that I am an Art teacher, it means that I teach Arts Advocacy. Arts advocacy should come from promotion of arts in education rather than justification of its existence. Justification always takes on a defensive tone, which can be perceived as negative. Promotion of the arts in education can be related to academic achievements. Success in academics may or may not have been attributed to the art programs however, when arts were included in the curriculum test scores were higher. In my current teaching position, at a private parochial school, art was only added to the curriculum offered recently. Since that inclusion, with sights set on increasing enrollment, art has been used in marketing to a wider audience to increase enrollment. Right now, advocacy for my art program is showing the work; taking the time to display, post online, write articles about art projects and units, sharing with parents, congregation of the church, ministry board, the board of education, and students. Students are the receivers of what I teach and take what they learn beyond the classroom and apply that learning and knowledge in their life. A lesson I taught this school year, Picasso cardboard collage guitars, was remembered by a first-grade student while on break from the COVID-19 break. In his home, he recreated the project, and entertained his parents with a cardboard guitar concert. Often the result of a theory in Art Education is not the basis of a lesson, but a result of the teaching of the lesson and the outcome and evidence of the lesson. “We do the arts no service when we try to make their case by touting their contributions to other fields. When such contributions become priorities, the arts become handmaidens to ends that are not distinctly artistic and, in the process, undermine the value of art’s unique contributions to the education of the young”. (Eisner 1998) Art as a subject in its uniqueness, and can only attribute to the characteristics of strong character; motivation and engagement, persistence, focused attention, and intellectual risk taking; habits of mind including problem solving, critical and creative thinking, dealing with ambiguity and complexity, integration of multiple skill sets, and working with others; including collaboration and teamwork skills, social tolerance, and self-confidence. Repeated over and over, these values and moral fiber, can be connected to art integration in schools. The spiritual/moral, brain building, and self-image aspects of a person’s life can be encouraged by flexing those attributes. Only through doing and evidence can art educators advocate the validity of the program they teach. When I say that I am an Art teacher, it means that I teach Aesthetics. When teaching awareness or the inclusion of aesthetics in art education, a philosophical approach is introduced into the art experience. Philosophy in art education should cause both educator and student to “think and express oneself clearly, carefully analyzing problems and issues considering alternatives, drawing connections and crafting strong arguments and sound decisions through the application of reason” (Anderson/Mcrorie, 1997.) There are two perspectives on which to view art’s existence, universalism/formalism and pluralism/contextualism. Universalism/formalism is the ideal that form is a universal language and the principles of art and design are the foundation. In pluralism/contextualism art has a purpose beyond decoration or form, but rather functions as a means of communication. Both of these perspectives are important considerations in which to categorize a larger view of educator’s approach in their class specific curriculum. High art formalist deals colliding with the immediacy of street art, conceptual art ideas, and art of the people, created a dynamic climate in art movements as a whole, and in art education. Art educators in my own experiences taught technical formalism, in my elementary school, where we focused on materials and how they were used. Contextualism was introduced in high school, where it was expected to create original work that would communicate an idea or inform my audience. In college the focus was on discipline, technical ability, and craftsmanship, however once a foundation of skill had been attained the contextualism had a huge role. Enduring questions were asked, why do you do what you do? Why do you create? Why are you an artist? What makes YOU an artist? In reflection of my path to where I have been and arrived, I can see connections to the formal and contextual approach to arts in education for the 21st century. The combination of formalism and contextualism allows for an infinite range of imagination, collaboration, the integration of skills and techniques and enables students to effectively communicate their ideas in visual form. Adjustments must be made to the audience. Balancing technique, materials, form, with critical thinking, and using art history examples to encourage students to communicate in their own voice is the basis of integrating aesthetics. The response can be entirely different from urban to rural environments. Understanding that the outcome may not be as one defined outcome, being flexible, adhering to theories and standards as a guideline, educators will know the student’s unique experience is vital. The “success” of learning through a curriculum mindful of aesthetics, equips the student with critical thinking and creates “a cohesive and comprehensive account of meaning and purpose of art and its methodologies for making, understanding, and appreciating art” (Lankford, 1992.) Art is universal in its ability to communicate through its aesthetics, what it communicates is also unique to the climate in which it is presented. As I consider my role as an art teacher, I realize that first and foremost, I teach children. The various ways of approaching the subject of art will affect how my students absorb what I want to communicate to them. I want the lessons to go beyond the classroom and I understand that every child may not experience art in the same way. I mentioned earlier that I am an includer. In third grade my best friend hated art, going to class gave her so much anxiety that it made her stomach hurt. I just didn’t understand how someone could not enjoy art class. I would try my best to encourage her. As an adult instructor as well as elementary educator, I find myself encouraging and including just as I did with my best friend. I often scan my room, looking for the child that may be despondent, excluded, or in need. Content, curriculum, and achieved skill sets are important, also is the human experience in a safe learning space. It is vital that the choices I make are intrinsic, filled with knowledge, teach a valuable skill, and add to the moral character to those I serve as an art educator. Anderson, Tom, McRorie, Sally. (1997). A role for aesthetics in centering the k-12 art curriculum, Art Education, Vol. 50, No.3, pp.6-14 Danto, A. (1992) Beyond the Brillo Box: The visual arts in post-historical perspective. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux. Lankford, Louis E. (1992) Aesthetics, issues, and inquiry. Reston, VA:NAEA, pp.1-29. http://www.naea-reston.org/publications-list.html Garber, Elizabeth. (2004) Social justice and art education. Visual arts research, Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 4-22. Herrmann, Rebekka. (2005). The disconnect between theory in a visual art culture approach to art education. Art Education, Vol. 58 No.6, pp. 41-46 Duncum, Paul. (1997). Art education for new times. Studies in Art Education, Vol. 38, No.2, pp. 69-79. Efland, Arthur D. (2005). Problems confronting visual culture. Art Education, Vol. 58, No.6, pp. 35-40. Mcintyre, Alice. (1997). Constructing an image of a white teacher. Teachers College Record, Vol.98, NO.4, pp.655-681 Best, Harold M. (2002). Lemonade or merlot? Authentic multiculturalism and high culture. Arts Education Policy Review, Vol.104, No. 1, pp. 3-10. Stuhr, Patricia L. (1994). Multicultural art education and social reconstruction. Studies in Art Education, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 171-178. Eisner, Elliot W. (1998) Does experience in the arts boost academic achievement? Art Education, p. 1-14. President’s Committee on the Arts. (2011). Online. www.pcah.gov. Winner, Ellen, Hetland, Lois. (2007). Art for our sake school art classes matter more than ever but not for the reasons you think. The Boston Globe, Vol. 109, No.5, p. 29-31. Gee, Constance Bumgarner. (2006). Valuing the arts on their own terms? (Ceci n’est pas une pipe.). Vanderbilt University. NASAD Annual Meeting. Taylor, Pamela G. (2002). Service learning as postmodern art and pedagogy. Studies in Art Education, Vol. 43, No.2, p. 124- 140. As spring was just starting to begin this year, a clay unit was rolling around too. I currently have access to air dry clay and no kiln. I want my students to be able to experience clay even if it cannot be fired. Since most of the students never worked with clay we began with a pinch pot. In the spring one of the first birds we see in Wisconsin is the robin, so students were told to include a bird and eggs in their pinch pot. The nests they created could come for nature, or their imaginations. Students learned about scoring and how to connect clay to itself. Once dry, students painted with acrylic, and the kindergarteners use tempera paints. A coat of clear acrylic seal was sprayed over the paint and clay, that helped the tempera become more vibrant. Materials Pictures of birds and nests Air dry clay Clay tools Water dish Newspaper Paint acrylic/tempera Brushes Acrylic sealant Tacky glue for repairs Inspiration
Cana Rose, Kindergarten “Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time” Georgia O'Keefe. Depending on the ages of the students this project is a matter of observation or magnification. For younger students we observe a picture of the of the flower. The flower is drawn in pencil and colored pencil and water color is used to fill in the color. For older students we use a view finder and isolate part of the flower to magnify. The flower is drawn in colored pencil and/or painted with watercolor. Sean, 2nd Grade Materials Pencil Colored Pencils Watercolors Brushes Watercolor paper Inspiration
Georgia O'Keefe (1887-1986) Was an American abstract painter born in Wisconsin. She attended the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Student’s League in New York, and Colombia Teacher’s College in New York. She was an art teacher before she became a full time artist. She was a leader in the development of the American Modernism Movement. O’Keeffe painted still lifes, massive flowers, the New York at Night series, southwestern landscapes and stark bones found in the desert. In 1939, she was selected as one of the twelve most outstanding women of the past fifty years by the New York World’s Fair Committee. Her painting, Sunset-Long Island, was chosen to represent New York in an exhibition of the art of the United States at the World’s Fair. In 1985, O’Keeffe was granted the Medal of Arts by President Ronald Reagan. As we look at surrealism we are reminded of the nonsensical nature and concepts within a surrealist composition; termed dreamlike, or other worldly. Often the images are not related which makes creating these compositions a playful exercise. In Mr. Dali's painting of Persistence of Memory, the composition is dreamlike with multiple objects in a space. When you create your collage you can choose to create a space as in the painting or you may choose to collage like the example. Add some drawing to the picture, with pencil, colored pencil, draw at least one object to give your composition variety. The Possibilities are endless! Levi Buss, 5th Grade Materials Magazines Glue stick Plain paper Scissors Colored pencils Pencil Inspiration Salvador Dali 1904-1989 Dalí's artistic repertoire included painting, graphic arts, film, sculpture, design and photography, at times in collaboration with other artists. He also wrote fiction, poetry, autobiography, essays and criticism. Major themes in his work include dreams, the subconscious, His best-known work, The Persistence of Memory, was completed in August 1931, and is one of the most famous Surrealist paintings. Vocabulary
Composition- the artistic arrangement of the parts of a picture. Surrealism- the principles, ideals, or practice of producing fantastic or dreamlike imagery in art, juxtaposed combinations. Circles within a circle and color and colors! Kandinsky's collection of circles is a really fun and inspiring piece of expressionist art work. It has color and shape and the variety of the use of both art elements is endless. When you combine painting with weaving there are many different choices in color, texture, and design. ![]() Materials Paint, Tempera/Acrylic Brushes Chinet Paper plate Yarn Scissors Inspiration Kandinsky was a Russian born artist who made his name working in Germany in an art style called Expressionism. Expressionists wanted to use art to express their feelings and emotions, usually through bold use of line and color. Kandinsky studied law and economics in school, and was very successful in his career, but he also loved art, and eventually decided to do art full time, even becoming an art teacher. As a child he was also interested in music, learning to play both the piano and the cello, and this was an interest that inspired a lot of his art. In fact, many of his paintings were titled as if they were songs or musical works, like "Composition" and "Improvisation." Kandinsky was inspired by was COLOR. He felt that color could convey emotion even without showing any particular object or figure. Color on its own could tell the story of his art. Kandinsky was one of the first artists who painted purely ABSTRACT works of art, meaning he abandoned any reference to recognizable reality in his work. Vocabulary
Expressionist-, artistic style in which the artist seeks to depict not objective reality but rather the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse within a person, often through color choices. Weaving- The craft or action of forming fabric structure by interlacing threads/yarn. Arwynne, 15 I asked my daughter, a freshman, what art project would you like to do? What can I help you learn? Again, I am gifted with these people in my home during this quarantine, that are willing to learn from me. She expressed that she wanted to work with colored pencils and learn more about how to create a drawing in that medium. So in stark realization, I froze. For years I had been teaching art to little people. I have gone back to school myself and taken drawing to learn how to talk about drawing, how to critique peers or students, but I realized I have not practiced the skills. I think that my desire and ability to teach older and to teach very young has just evolved over the years. Fresh out of my undergrad fine art degree the pull was to that middle group, the high schoolers, the college students. Don't get me wrong I feel I could easily teach fibers to high schoolers or the studio art classes in college in the discipline of fibers. But to teach the other skills like drawing and painting, both are inherent to me, like color knowledge it a skill I haven't been practicing or using. I am extremely thankful my daughter(s) 15 & 14, are willing to go through the technical steps of me talking. They are patient with me as I navigate these uncharted waters. Here is the results of our lesson, in Marble drawing in colored pencil. I haven't attempted but I think teaching them excited me so much I want to give it a go. Here is a link to the original idea. https://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/how-to-draw-a-realistic-marble-with-colored-pencils Adeline, 14
Arwynne, 15 Professional development is an ongoing process. Personal growth can shift and change. Sometime the focus might need to be place upon classroom management, or things related directly to the procedures of the room, how the learning is executed. Sometimes the focus may be on personal creative development, as putting together an exhibit of personal studio work, creating for a fine art sale, or creating for community benefit. The importance of professional development is vital to the growth of an art educator. Being flexible and open to the idea to stretch comfort zones, learn new techniques, or new ways of thinking, can only enhance learning for the students. What is learned is brought to the table for them to feast on, make it positive, creative, and fresh. In a few extreme cases and situations of classroom behaviors, defiance or disruptive, I found myself starting the lesson, stopping to wait for a self correcting. In the course of four months only two occasions was one student at a time removed from the room. It is my mission, as an art educator, to work with students and to keep them in the classroom. Often art is considered a reward, but in reality it is just another means of communication and reflection. To remove that outlet, creative or or technical in approach, does no service to the child. Through these extremely challenging situations, I have observed and responded to the best of my ability, in a concerned, caring, and contemplative way. In my other classrooms behaviors were quickly corrected by reminding of the tasks and redirecting conversations. On reflection of this past school year, I have a lot to learn and I am willing and open to suggestions and possibilities of tools such as mindfulness and forming solid procedures putting them into place and practice.
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AuthorI have a passion for the visual arts and love sharing it with others. I have enjoyed teaching all ages and love to incorporate art history and traditional disciplines as well as innovative ideas. Art is vital to who I am as a creator and educator. Archives
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