We bought a zoo!

As an artist I see drawing as one of the most vital parts of my artistic process. Drawing also seems to be the hardest and most rewarding part of what I teach. For this reason I am always looking for ways to keep my students excited about it. To me, the art room seems like a pretty sterile environment when it comes to visual stimulation. The great outdoors, the clutter of a home, or new places seem like more ideal settings for discovering objects of interest for drawing. I do know, however, that children adore animals. For this reason I have invested in a set of realistic animal figurines. They still encourage the student to draw from a 3D object, but especially for the younger ones it stirs their imagination to create wonderful, inventive drawings. 

Way to go, 6th grade boys!

Congratulations to the fourth semester 6th grade boys who successfully completed their 3D town sculpture! The work paid off for them when they were able to share it with the student body at the end of the year art show!

100 Color Challenge

I don't like to use up much time in class explaining things. I just don't. I would rather a mad frenzy than a bunch of yawns. I find it tricky to gets kids warmed up to the art classroom at the beginning of the year. At the grand opening of the Painting Center this year, we began work on a 100 Color Challenge. My hope is that by working with a partner in this color exploration my students will discover new ways to create colors and use these in their paintings throughout the year. So far they are having a blast!

Share Station

This is one of the new additions to my classroom this year. After continuing to refine and enhance my choice based classroom and reading up a lot more on the TAB resources, I have but together an area in the classroom for the purpose of encouraging students to share their classroom experience.

The "Share Station"

This station contains charts with lists that correspond to all the classes I teach. There is also a file that contains stickers that correspond to the centers. Students mark their progress from week to week, allowing us both to see a rough picture of their interests and work in the centers. 

There are also artist statements for students to fill out once they have completed a work. These are then attached to their piece and submitted to the teacher to be photographed and placed in the "W.O.W Student Art Gallery."

The Start of the 2013-2014 School Year: Centers Get a Makeover!

As an teacher I see the importance of arranging spaces in a way that make materials appealing and accessible. For this reason I try and make sure that I have rearranged my classroom in such a way that students can start start fresh and new. I am also a minimalist when it comes to visual in the classroom. I want my students to have as much seeing and breathing room as possible.