Ms. Engel's Art Room
"Creativity takes courage." - Henri Matisse
Starting in December, the requests for holiday cards and paper snowflakes start pouring in. While, I do love a homemade card, I find that it's not the best match for aligning with State and National Art Standards.
Instead, I prefer to have students create winter themed art. For one, it eliminates any discussion about who celebrates which holiday and secondly, there is SO much (more) you can do and make. I was really into the idea of making snow globes with several grades and love having students paint birch trees in the winter (I don't think that birch trees are more special in winter, I just like how they look!). I also love penguin shapes too - so I combined ideas and had the kindergarteners make penguin snow globes - and btw, they're adorable. Gingerbread houses, cardinals, winter hats, mittens and snowmen are all perfect subjects for creating during the holidays! I wanted to share with you some examples of student winter-themed art! Take a look...
1 Comment
What I find incredibly important - and really fun - is incorporating well-known artists into my lessons and art room. Sometimes it's a tough sell in art class to just talk straight up Art History - because to students, it seems an awful lot like learning in the art room...and the art room is just for making cool stuff, right? <insert Trump-esque voice here <"wrong">>
It's not uncommon for me to hear, "can we just make art now..?" or "okay, we get it - what are we making today?", during my talks about why Frida Kahlo was such an important artist or how Michelangelo actually got all the way up to paint that ceiling.. I recall a quote; which has absolutely nothing to do with art nor is it a famous quote - but when I read it, I loved it - especially considering it's source. And suddenly, I feel like sharing it will make some sort of compelling connection.. Let's see how this goes. "You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk", quoted from a 7-year old. There, I said it. Now let's see if I can tie this all together. The broccoli is Art History, right? And that glass of milk is my class...you still with me? See, I don't try to hide it really - because it's always there and the students can see it and experience it every class. I have Starry Night on the wall, Hokusai's Great Wave hanging up, there's a new "mystery artist" painting each month, a reminder that Banksy's spray cans sound a lot like being told to be quiet :) and our classroom friend Waldo hides in various places around the classroom, discovering new bits of information about art and Art History. I also participate in #artshirtfriday, which entails wearing an art-related shirt on Fridays and posting a picture of it to Instagram - and students ask about what I'm wearing (it's a win-win!). Hmmm...I guess I do sneak it in. Before teaching, I worried that kids would be bored with learning about art and pondered how I could still create fun projects while that learning was going on. So far, I think I've managed to create good balance...mind you, in a classroom everything has a learning curve (for the teacher too!). I constantly try to think of new ways (aka non-boring ways) to sneak in small bits of important information about who artists were and why they made what they did...and sometimes I have to Top Chef mince that broccoli! I'm not necessarily trying to get the students to eat the broccoli.. I just want them to know it's in there and not forget it. Ultimately, I do want them to drink the milk, eat the broccoli and come back for another glass! I really value the use of multimedia in the classroom. The use of music, video, images and interactive games truly benefits the students learning experience - and casts a wider net in terms of connecting with various learning abilities and styles. Here are some of the recent videos my classes have seen: My kindergartners watched this after we talked about how circles, squares and triangles make up other objects around us. They love the 'faster' circle part at the end! I often hear my kindergartners humming this tune in class. I use this video when I'm introducing the primary colors and when we begin making color wheels. This series, Art with Mati & Dada, is one of my favorites! I show specific episodes when we are working on a famous artist or learning a certain technique. This Paul Klee video was shown before my 2nd & 3rd graders began their cat paintings.
This past week included so many colors that a rainbow would be jealous...! The Kindergartens have begun learning about primary colors and the 'magic' that happens when you mix them together. I love telling them that they'll be making magic during the class - and I love seeing their reactions, as they smoosh two pieces of model magic together while awaiting the results. Model magic is indeed magic and it works so well for this color wheel lesson. Mixing paint will happen, but I feel that if a creative mess can be put off a little longer - why not?! Plus, the model magic is great for building those fine-motor skill :) Once they were done mixing their new colors, they had to find the corresponding crayon colors and fill in their color wheel. P.S. I didn't tell the little guy with the color wheel over his face to do so (y'all know about those photo release guidelines...). Instead, this was his unprompted expression after completing all the colors - and thus, made for a great photo op! ______________________ Third graders are working with warm and cool colors, which can be used for so many cool projects (no pun intended!). Last week, they used tissue paper to create a background with half warm and half cool colors - and this week they began adding their lighthouses to them. It's great seeing a whole class get into their creative groove and make their work their own! ______________________
Be there or be SQUARE! Students in other classes are working on Mondrian-esque pictures, painting squares like Paul Klee and creating square patterns for paper mosaics! When deciding to create a blog for my classrooms, I hadn't quite thought ahead to when I'd have the time to post.. :)
While the past week and a half has been pretty busy from a teacher perspective - the students have also been busy having fun and making art! Kindergartners learned that making 'mistakes' in art is okay, after reading Beautiful Oops and making new pictures from ripped up newspaper. Some kindergartners are also learning about primary colors and the first graders are learning about lines. Second graders already learned about a new artist, Paul Klee, and painted a cat portrait! Third, fourth and fifth graders started the year by making goals for themselves and showing how they're reaching for them by tracing their hands and adding designs inside. Here are a few examples of what students have been up to... I'm excited to say that we are officially in "art-making" mode! Today was the first day back at the Brown School and, thanks to some rooms being moved around, the art room has WAY more space (which equals WAY more fun..)!
As much as I want to share my excitement about all of the cool things we will make and experience this year - I also really want to begin this blog by sharing my teaching philosophy. I feel that it's important to know, not only a little more about me and how I teach, but what you and your student can expect from me throughout the year.
[All of the FUN, artsy things will follow this post..promise!] __________ There are two quotes that directly reflect my teaching philosophy; both quotes are independent of each other, however they can be connected through thoughtful art education. “… Development of a Complete Mind: Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses- especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” – Leonardo Da Vinci “Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse I believe there is no better place to learn than in the art room. Art is truly a multidisciplinary subject that encompasses math, science, social studies and literature. Art can be incorporated across curriculum as long as communication is open among teachers, allowing for a comprehensive education that connects what students are exploring in other subjects. Connecting works of art with historical timelines, examining symmetrical patterns in fractals, and using multi-colored tessellations to support math lessons, are all ways to support inter-curricular learning. As an art educator, it is important to me that students not only learn how to think about art and make it, but to understand why it’s made and why it’s important in the world. For me, the importance of teaching art remains in what students gain; self-confidence, cultural awareness, social skills, language development, motor skills, decision-making, and inventiveness. While teaching students the fundamentals of creating art and how to use various media are basic requirements of the job, I believe creativity cannot be taught. Rather, my job is to support and encourage children to access their own unique creativity, as it is up to the students to dig deep for what inspires them. As an art educator, I am someone who fosters students’ personal creative paths and allows for safe exploration of processes and materials. I want my students to succeed and develop a sense of pride in all they do, in and outside of the Art Room. In my classroom, exploration and creativity is key. I believe in letting students make their own “artistic decisions” and encourage them to help their peers in doing the same. I allow students opportunities to try different mediums during projects, I encourage combining techniques and materials, and I support students who want to push their own creative boundaries, while teaching them the foundations of art. I want students to be able to use their artistic knowledge, vocabulary and methods alongside their creative process. The lessons I teach incorporate the fundamentals of art with abundant opportunities for self-expression. For instance, my lesson about Andy Warhol and Pop Art included a theme of donuts and media like fabric, real sprinkles and 3-D paint. Learning about art should be fun, engaging and tangible for all students. My Kindergarten lessons often include visual prompts, books, amusing sounds, and engaging instruction. For the Torn Paper Owl lesson students watched a short cartoon about owls, we talked about using paper to create texture, and even “hooted” like owls. One goal I have for each lesson taught is to reach the broadest audience and to include everyone in the learning and creative process. As an art teacher, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my subject knowledge and pedagogical skills. I set an example by continuing to be a student of art, of teaching, and of learning. I always strive to do the very best I can in the classroom, never forgetting the influence I have on my students daily – and the impact I have for their future. Currently savoring the last moments of summer....and working on putting together some fun, informative blog posts - check back soon!
|
Our friend, Mona Lisa, joins us in every class!Remember that Archives
December 2016
Categories |