Art 1- wire sculpture

This week I am going to try to get images up that show what is going on in our classroom. We have a lot of projects in the works. Art one is currently working on a free form wire sculpture.

Priorities

Yesterday morning I was lying in bed thinking about my priorities, for the day, the week, the rest of the month. As kids, we have a schedule we follow. Life is pretty simple, breakfast, school, practice, homework, bed, repeat. But after we graduate and get jobs, it is a whole new ballgame. We begin to find ourselves juggling, our husbands and wives, work, our kids, our friends, our hobbies, and our rest. There are times when I simply feel overwhelmed and I look at other people and wonder if they are in the same boat as I am. As a teacher, there is one more struggle that presents itself and that is how to not let our work overlap in to our personal lives. And that is a tough one. We worry. We worry about our lesson plans, our observations, getting through to students, about that one student who doesn't seem to care, or the student who came to class crying the day before, or the student who has suddenly stopped coming to class at all. I laugh sometimes because I will ask my husband how his day was at work and he will say, the same as everyday. And I think about that and realize how very lucky I am. Everyday at work is different for me. Each day provides me with new knowledge, new approaches, new empathy, and a new love of what I do. If being overwhelmed every once in a while and adjusting my priorities from time to time are the only downfalls in my life, it must not be so bad at all. So the worry comes naturally and I am slowly learning how all of these small parts impact my life and make me the person I am and I don't think that I want to change a single one.

Second Semester

OK, so apparently high school students are crawling out of the woodwork and into art! Yeah us! We have four new classes this semester so that makes a total of four Art 1 style classes. My mental count for the year, makes over 100 new students taking an art class for the first time...how exciting is that. Not bad for a high school with around 600 students. That isn't even counting my repeats in the advanced classes and specialty classes. I am so proud of where our art program is going and the levels of achievement taking place. For a small school we are doing our best to create new and exciting coursework. I believe that one of our strongest features is offering individualized classes rather than grouping Art 1, Art 2, Art 3, etc. Instead our curriculum consists of classes such as Painting and Drawing, Photography and Graphic Design, Sculpture and Ceramics, Hand Arts, Advanced Art, Art Survey, and Art 1. I hope we can maintain these numbers for the years to come.

SO, who READS these days anyway?

Well, for one I do. Try to stick my head full of facts and figures, yuck, but give me something that fills my imagination full of images and gives me the feeling that I can't put down a book. That is what reading is all about. The new discussion as of late is getting our students to read again. To engage them in creative and imaginative thinking. I must confess, I am NOT a supporter of AR in the schools. When my daughter was little, she loved being read to and couldn't wait to start reading. She love all types of stories and wouldn't go to bed without at least three stories under her belt. I could see that I was going to have a reader on my hands. Once she started school, she started accelerated reader program which is required in our district. From that point on, it was downhill. Getting Ali to read was like pulling teeth. In her 5 years of school, she has maybe read 2 books that she absolutely enjoyed reading. The rest of the books were ok or horrible, chosen from a list because that was considered her "reading level." Although she read the books, she didn't enjoy them, because of what came afterward. The dreaded AR test. Questions based off the book that unless you picked up and remembered every detail from the book, you may or may not pass. Now I don't know about you, but I have read several books in my past that I have thought were ok or enjoyed, but did I remember the details after I was done, heck no.

This year, however reading is changing for her. Her teacher, Mrs. Wright has made it her passion to engage students in what they read and to assess from there. Ali is now reading and enjoying it again. She is making projects, powerpoints, even timelines using what she has read. Instead of being strictly tested by true/ false and multiple choice questions, she is getting to demonstrate through creativity and imagination those things SHE found interesting in the book. And to Mrs. Wright I am indeed greatful for instilling that love back in to my daughter.

My Dad was a sixth grade teacher for 37 years. I always thought he was a great teacher, because he actively engaged his students. He found ways to get the students into the stories they read. For instance, my favorite was reading Treasure Island and at the end, they had a treasure hunt with clues from the story to find the chest. Engaging activities that encourage paying attention to the details while making it fun and relevant.

At the high school level, our focus is now getting our students to read again. With all they are active in, how do we find the time to incorperate reading into our specific curriculum. For instance is it possible to get students to read 16 books a year? There are a lot mixed reviews on this one. Yes students are busy and yes, there comes the question of, if we require them to read will they really enjoy it. Tough call. Here is what I know. Lately I have had to ask or even beg some of students to put down their books for class, because they were reading the Twilight series and apparently it is one of those sets, you simply can't put down.

Yes we are all busy as teachers, but really, how hard is it to be a little creative, take a little time out of our personal curriculum goals, and get kids to start using their imagination and sharing their creativity. I know I am as guilty as the rest when I think that if I don't finish my semester at a certain point in my intended curriculum, that I did not succeed. But who sets my standards on where I have to finish...I do. So if I want, I can be brave, get out of my comfort zone and assign my students to read. Read a book about at artist, read a book about a time period where art came to a great turn, or simply a book that is non-fiction or fiction that falls within a specific decade. Does it have to be something that pertains to what I teach, it would be great, but no. I can make anything relevant to what I teach by picking something about the book and working it into my curriculum. I think if I am encouraging reading time, talking to them about it, and then we create something that is meaningful to them to help them remember and enjoy, then it is all worth it! A piece of art, do a photography project, create a group project that works with the story...those kids will remember that and enjoy it. Do I expect them to remember the details of what color dress someone was wearing, no. Do I want them to gain a new interest or remember an old love in reading...yes. As much as kids having going on, they still need reading in their lives. It gives them a time out from the real world and let's them use their imaginations and be kids again.

Controlled Chaos

This week, Mr. Doughan's creative writing classes are up in the artroom 1st, 3rd, and 7th hours. They are creating art for their Poetry Books. What these students are coming up with is so creative. Most people that would walk into the room at any point during these hours would think it was absolutely crazy with two classes combined, kids working on the floor and at the tables. I think it is amazing to see these kids so focused and enjoying themselves, being creative and having fun! I encourage any teachers or administrators who get the chance, to stop by and see these kids in action! They are great. I having a great time and I think Mr. Doughan is too. Talk about bringing him out of his comfort zone and into a whole new world...but I am finding that he is getting kinda used to it!

***pictures are coming soon!

three things

So today, the day before vacation, I must admit I feel that my students are more productive than me. Honesty sometimes hurts. My students are working so hard right now in groups on recycled art projects. I hear them talking about everything under the sun and working. Who knew they would multi-task the day before a holiday. I, on the other hand, have three things on my mind: An amazing concert that I attended (listening to the artist now- my students are listening to the radio), shopping for a pair of fabulous boots this afternoon, and going blonde tomorrow. I guess the first thing to do is admit it, and now perhaps, I will move on and keep on task like my students!

Lightroom

Today Mr. Russell has been in speaking to my photo students on the use of Lightroom in photography. If you have never looked into this program, it will change the way you work with images. I am crossing my fingers that at some point my students will have the ability to work in this program as much as photoshop.