Hello everyone,
Fall season is finally here! Not to worry, weather will change and sneak up on us sooner or later. A couple of weeks back that I mentioned about learning how to add succulent plants on top of the pumpkins in sizes, big and small. Well, it turned out busy but successful and yet very rewarding. After that, I have been called to be a substitute instructional assistant at school district (I can't name name due to school policy). I was so excited to get some experiences working with children and learn many different teaching methods from the teachers. Since October came around so fast, teachers have activities for children to make art and crafts for fall season, such as making pumpkins, paint leaves, etc. As much as I wanted to post some pictures and I kept forgetting to take pictures of their work. No worries, children won't be in the picture and I certainly will need their parents permission first! I have to say children are incredible, carefree, not minding how messy it looks, and they did bring my childhood memories back from the past! Don't you all look back or go through your childhood stuffs and wondering how much your arts improved from then and now?
One day, teachers needed my help to teach children to paint leaves with sponges on their tree that they already drew. Well, I explained to them about fall leaves, the changes, the color, and the sample I did so children can get the idea what to do with the paints. Not exactly everything goes to the plan I thought, you know, being precise, perfection, etc. Then it hit me that I cannot control them or their art work, it is about their motor ability and their knowledge of understanding when it comes to art. Again, they were incredible, carefree, and doing what they can do their best. Their smiles, it is so contagious and positive. They were having FUN, painting, and learning as much as they could! Adults, this is what we need to do...be like children. We need to let it go and not be in control. Arts will bring us the imaginations, inspirations, and maybe JOY, HAPPINESS, etc! Why not be inspired by children? I understand that there are ton of artists beyond our experiences in any medium, but don't let their work cloud our judgement in our works. So lets there be light on us, spark some fun ideas and expand our art works!
So far this week, I have done some samples that are for children's activities such as fall season, halloween stuffs, paint with sponges, leaf shapes, hand print that I tried to work with red, orange and yellow, etc. I will try add pictures as soon as I can get upload to work.
Happy Fall to all of you!!
Think beyond what is usually taught in schools. In this part of the world Halloween is not always welcomed in schools and even though everyone holds on the ideal of thanksgiving we know it was not a good thing for Native Nations. Continue to concentrate on changing colors and the seasons.
ReplyDeleteI love how you celebrate their creativity. When you have your own class you will hopefully have a school that has a blanket permission for photographing artwork.
I also love the way you work with pumpkins. In the college of Architecture they are holding a contest for "architecture carvings". I will try to find them and take some images.
Yeah, that is an idea of having my own class to start off asking blanket permission with parents/students. Patience will come and I will earn it!
Delete"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
ReplyDelete- Pablo Picasso
Hallee,
Several weeks ago we had our Open House for parents. It is an informal time to come and meet the teachers of their children and to give an overview of what we do in the classroom. I had that quote posted on the wall and read it aloud before I began each session with the parents. It is something I try to have each of my middle school and high school students remember... the older they get, the more they seem to have already "decided" whether they can "do art" or not.
I have been revamping my whole program this year. In my 7th/8th grade class I have divided them into two sections. One section gets to work on whatever they want (pastel, acrylic painting, watercolor, collage, crafts found on pinterest, etc.). They research and decide what they want to do, either make sketches or start working. While they are working independently, I take the other half and work on teaching hand skills techniques such as shading, hatch/crosshatch, pencil on pencil and learning how to "see". We swap between the groups as they finish the technique portion. Depending on how long it takes them to learn the technique, they go back to the other group. When the group that is learning the techniques are settled in, I walk back to the other group and see what they are up to and if they need any assistance.
The "independent art students" are supposed to document their progress online with photos and write about their art. Their classmates are encouraged to comment on the art posted.
In my HS Art l class I teach a technique (how to use colored pencils), then have them do a color study" before they begin a project (ie: Surrealism). On Fridays they are allowed to work on any project of their own choosing. Because this is a large class and many of them are just taking art for an art credit they are required to stay in assigned seats Monday through Thursday, and talking is generally NOT encouraged as they tend to talk and not concentrate on the art. On Fridays they can sit wherever they want and talk as much as they want.
In my high school Art ll.lll.lV class many of the students work independently and I walk around giving "pointers" as needed. I encourage them to ask their classmates for input. I introduce new art forms to a few students at a time (ie: printmaking or pastels). Students are also required to post online what they are doing and comment on their peers work.
In my Ceramics class we are ALL students (myself included) as we figure out the medium and try new things. I only have a little more experience than my students, so this class is totally experimental. It is a wonderful and exciting class. We all play like children!
Wow, Pamela! Look at you! In your experience, I was hoping to become like that except I am leaning on K-6. Honestly, I can't explain why but there is something going on that attracted to me to be a teacher from K to 6th. Unfortunately, California is so different than Texas. Art Teacher can't start off on their first year teaching after he or she have to have experience teaching single subject or multiple subject. This devastated me as it is another road block in my way from reaching my goal. In Texas, as an art teacher, he or she bounced around from classes to classes but in some school allowed art teacher to have its own class so students can come in during their rotations or something like that.
DeleteAlso, I discovered that there is two or three places I could host a workshop on any day that worked for me and for them...this could help me to work on my teaching experience, confidence, ideas how to express in workshop, and perhaps having some feedback from them at the end of the workshop. This gave me an idea because I met a graduate student who is studied an art therapy and she is long way from home. She also does host a workshop every now and then to earn extra money to help her with art supplies, etc. She told me that having workshop is what she needed to be herself and let it go after her crazy, nonstop work/school schedule. I really wish I have the courage to do this. She inspired me big times but I am so unprepared and I have no idea how to do lesson planning. Research is what I need to start somewhere.