Found this great link to an informative article.https://tesartdepartment.wordpress.com/

from the Artist Workshop:  Art Work To Go Home #1

Students will be bringing home specially created pieces of art to share with families. They are in sleeves for safe travel, keep the art work and return the sleeves please.

These pieces were specifically created to share with you. I would love to hear of any conversations that grew from this sharing experience. You may see something different from what was intended by the artist. Open ended questions are best to start the conversation. When we share at school we use, “I noticed” rather  than “ I like”, and look for shapes, colors, textures.

Becoming skilled at visual art is a process, a personal process, a lengthy process. The skills become refined with experience as well a maturing of fine-motor, and observational skills. Each student is somewhere along that continuum. My responsibility is to find where each is and set them along that path, while allowing each to work where he/she is and to help them along as respectfully as possible. Art is about trying, looking at, and then trying again. When a student says “I messed up/made a mistake”, I have them set it aside and look at it again later. We talk about what the mistake is, why it happened, and if it detracts from the work for any reason.

The Artist Workshop is where mistakes are part of the learning process. I say   “In math, two plus two has to be four, but in (visual) art  choices can be made”.  Runny watercolors sometimes result in thought provoking visual images. Your child will ask you if you like the work; when I answer this, I sometimes first have them tell me what they like. Then I will point out what caught my eye first, and what kept me looking, or what made me ask questions. 

I posted a link about talking  about childrens’ art previously on this blog and will include some ideas on the paper with the art work. Also, I would appreciate feedback through email, and we can schedule a visit  on Tuesdays or Fridays when I am at EKES.

When I explained the AWTGH project to Mr. Tullar, he asked if I’d had any feedback from previous years. I’d love to hear from you. You can  email me or return this page

child’s class  ___________________

Answer any or all of questions, return to school.

1 = least,  5= most

1.    Did you talk about the work with your child? yes / no

2.    Did he/she seem comfortable sharing?  yes /no         1 -5

3.    Did he/she seem excited?                   yes / no         1-5

4.     Were the words used to describe the work art words?  yes /no  _______________

5.    Were you asked if you like the work?   yes/ no

6.    Did you like the work?                       yes/ no     1-5

7.    What did you notice ?  ______________________________________

8.    Was there a sense of wanting to do more?  ___________________

9.    Did you display it?   yes / no

10.                       Was this an informative experience for you ?  yes/ no    1-5

11.                       Other  _________________________________  

msansoucie@sau16.org

from the ARTIST WORKSHOP

I had to acknowledge Monday evening’s celestial event in art Tuesday. Each class started with students sharing their observation of the Super moon. Some were on the way from an after school activity, some were in their yards, and a few were with families on the beach having dinner.

 After sharing, we talked briefly about the science involved, and I showed a few art examples. Then each sketched art including the moon in their sketchbooks. We are working on Art Work To Go Home, so the mixed media paper was cut to 6”X 9”, and they could choose preferred medium. Several chose a pre-cut circle for the moon. Most will be finishing next class, and may select one of these to come home.

the essence of the event

fifth graders

some added details from stories shared

AWTGH DEC 2016

As part of the year’s work students prepare a piece of work to bring home to, at report card time, and they are eager to share this with you. They are proud of the work. I wish I could eaves drop on these conversations.

Getting them to share their art work freely and comfortably and to learn about them in the process is a joy of being the art teacher. It is possible to foster the openness and enthusiasm with which they generally approach their work.

 When I look at a student’s work, before I assume what it is, I have them explain it to me. My comment might start with “I notice you …This open ended start leaves them space to “explain” it to me without feeling judged which encourages them to keep working creatively, from their own imaginations, and realizing that getting it “right” or perfect comes with practice and that sometimes the practices (or mistakes) are thought provoking, “beautiful” expressions in their own right. You may not see what they see, or what they were creating. You may see something else totally.

My teaching strategy may include “If you want someone to see the dog you need to use colors or shapes that bring the viewer to that image. Blue dog can be any color, but he has recognizable DOG traits.

 Does it matter that someone sees what you don’t see?

Sometimes a child is insulted when you don’t see the image he/she worked so hard to create. I share my personal story of a quilt I made with whites and beiges, and milk weed pods. When I have shared it in the past, many people see the beach with shells. Do I have a problem with that? Does it make it less good? How would I “fix” that another time?

Visual art is about self- expression, putting the self into images, lines, shapes, colors while learning about one self and at the same time acquiring the skills and tools for making expressions that are as close as possible to the desired product.

 http://www.phillyartcenter.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-their-art/

November’s arrival brings the preparation for creating small pieces of art work to take home with report cards in December. Since the majority of kids’ work stays at school until June, they are always asking to take something home. They love sharing their work with family.

The first step is to make some plans; seasonally based imagery and sports teams logos have been favorites.  Each student makes at least three drawings. Individual conferencing shapes both the images the students are using and what medium is preferred. 

                     

These planning papers will be included in their portfolios and go home in June. Look for the final pieces with report cards in December; they are in plastic sleeves to get them home safely. The kindies will be taking theirs home in December.Please return the plastic sleeves.