This past week being back

So I've only been back for 4 days since my sickness and it's the thanksgiving holidays.  We managed to get quite a bit done thought! I'm going to have to start lining up the next round of instructional videos already! 

(Kindergarten is creating their "Only One You" Cut paper fish to the left)


 My 4th grade's been done their pumpkins where we learned about creating space and form in a picture and using values again to blend.  We are now creating prints using the changing properties of wax.  We observed the natural radial symmetry of snowflakes by looking at photographs of real snowflakes and the geometric shapes of the ice crystals.  They created their own unique snowflake and used cool or warm colors to color in around the white....BUT we colored on sandpaper! After they were finished, they brought their pieces up to me and I let them watch as I used an iron to melt the wax onto a black paper.  We will be pulling several prints, so I hope to take photos of more of the process next week - just wasn't up to it right now!

My first grade students are finally all finished their organic, symmetrical fall tree scenes!!  Got the labels and mats done JUST in time to leave today, so I can hang them next week. We are beginning out painted paper cactus pictures in a few of the classes already.

   Second grade is also doing a radial symmetry project with snowflakes. (Can you tell I had to make stuff for our Winter Wonderland show at Annapolis Mall?!)  We used block printing techniques though using foam printing plates and they are just starting their practice prints now. A few classes will start colored paper prints next week.

A few more of the 5th grade crayons - my poor friday class that's so behind everyone else!  They won't get to put the finishing touch of glaze on for another 2 weeks!!

Oh and this is Turkey-Tron. He apparently, according to my second grade friend, wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Visual Journal moment

As a teacher, one of the most rewarding kinds of experiences are the ones where you realize "Oh my god, they listened...they get it! Wow, it connected with them.."  I had one of those moments Friday.

(I know the video ended up sideways, I'm kicking myself. But I just grabbed my phone to take a clip while it was happening! I hope it shows up)

After reviewing the work my art club has done in the last 2 months, I noticed that the students who had me last year in the 4th grade visual journal club haven't pushed themselves this year. I enjoy their confidence, but they've stopped pushing themselves. I changed the next lesson to focus on the importance of content. They've been very focused on creating beautiful backgrounds and eliminating the infamous "white page."  I expressed how happy I am that they dove straight in to creating great backgrounds, but I asked them to think about why they've done very little on top of them.

In the last 2 sessions, we looked at videos of artists creating journal entries with many layers, flip throughs of 'junk journals,' and discussed how prompts are meant to prompt you into thinking and create something meaningful.  One of my students came in friday to work on her current entry, in which she decided to do quotes that meant something to her. She's been struggling with personal drama and art has been her "safe haven" so to speak. She showed me her work-in-progress and I had one of those moments :) It was hard to show the effect with pictures, so I took that short video.



She made a 4 page entry with windows that I had helped her cut last week.  She repurposed the cut-outs and made quotes. She said she's still thinking on what to add to the color side and some small things to add to that black side.  I am so proud at how well some of them have learned to take their time and carefully consider their work instead of mashing out page after page.

She's been filling in small drawings in her empty spaces this week.  It's been wonderful to see how her thinking has evolved over time.  When she interacts with other students who are struggling or stuck, she's become more confident and thoughtful in her suggestions - often asking a few questions to the person about context and direction before giving the suggestion.  I'm so proud and happy to be able to be a part of their growth over the years. :)

Art Club Visual Journaling

I wanted to share some things about my after school art club.  It got canceled yesterday because I've been sick for a full week. I was disappointed I couldn't give them the next prompt because the next time we meet isn't until after the Thanksgiving holidays.
 

I do have a lot of students who come in independently during their free time to work quietly in the back while I teach other classes. Many of my students don't have access to art materials at home, so while I encourage them to work outside of club on their entries, I make it clear to them they can create parts of them in the art room where they have access to our materials. I show them alternative materials and methods to create art using everyday, recycled items - how to think outside the box.


Currently I have 18 5th grade students in my after school club. We meet once a week for an hour and our focus in on creating visual journals that explore different topics, ways of self-expression, art techniques/materials, and giving constructive feedback to each other.  

I took these pictures while we were having round table discussions about our latest entry "What are your biggest fears?"  I will usually give them 2-3 different prompt options and tell them if one of the prompts inspires them to do something a little different than it's asking, that's fine too. The prompts are supposed to do just that; prompt you to create an entry.

We've done different kinds of critiques. I've given them all a post-it note and asked them to go around and put theirs on the one that caught their attention the most.  We then came back together and examined the 2-3 entries that had the majority of the post-its and I asked them leading questions as to why they think those entries got the most. What made them so successful? Name some components.  

I've also chosen a few at random and just asked for "successes" and "suggestions" for each.  This time (which is what I have been leading up to) I had them discuss without me leading. They went around their table to each person's entry and discussed "successes" and "suggestions." It was great, I loved hearing the specific language they're starting to pick up on.

It also encourages them to push harder, see things from other perspectives, and learn to take constructive criticism as well as to give it.

More completed projects

Been stuck at home most of the last 3 days (and tomorrow will make 4), caught something really bad going around and my whole body is suffering! Got the full thing: body aches, skin hurts, cough, sore throat, congestion, lost voice, fever, migraine....  I hate not being able to do anything though, so I've been compiling some more photos of the last round of projects.

My third grade students completed their paper mache bowls painted with radial symmetry last week!

4th grade created nighttime pumpkin scenes with glue drawing and color sticks. They learned about creating space within a picture and how to create 3D form using value, which they learned about earlier this year when they made their monochromatic self portraits.

One of my early finishers used the modeling clay to create a pumpkin with actual form complete with the ridges we drew on our papers.

We've now begun to create our snowflake sandpaper prints in 4th grade using warm or cool colors and radial symmetry. They looked at photos of real snowflakes up close to inspire geometric designs of their own.  We'll use the heat from an iron to turn the solid wax into a liquid to transfer it to a black paper.  They just started this past week and they are really excited!

5th Grade Crayons

 Check out our new crayon display!!

Our 5th grade classes finally finished their 3D crayon sculptures (except my poor friday class that always gets the short end of the stick!). They first created an armature with super thick toilet paper and quilting rolls, tagboard, and tape.  Next, they used paper mache' gel to cover the surface - I use white paper so we can skip the step where you have to paint the newspaper white before adding color! (seriously, it's white copy paper, cheap, I use it in place of drawing paper a lot for different things like planning sketches and mache like this). They designed own crayon color and a tint of the color for the crayon paper, a label with their company name (or their name) and the name of their color below. They got sooo creative with the names!!!!! I loved it.

First Post! About Me

Hello art-lovers!!  :)  As my first post, I'm going to list a little bit about me and what I want to do with this blog!

Pre-K Lion Masks

I have been committed this past year or so to better documenting what goes on in my classroom, with my projects, and with my new management techniques. I figured I would try blogging about it to put everything in one place! I also flipped my classroom instruction this year and I may decide to share some of the videos here, haven't decided yet!  Kind shy about sharing that stuff....

I have another blog that's been running for years that is connected with my personal artwork and my side business:TheSilverSwann. I post sporadically MOSTLY because my full time job is being a teacher. If any of you art teachers out there are reading this, you know what I'm talking about when I say that there are just periods of time where my personal work takes the backseat.  I like to think I do a pretty good job keeping up with my artwork and exploration, though.

 

In many instances, it inspires me to create units based on things I am currently exploring or learning about myself!  I am a very firm believer that if you're not into the lesson you're teaching, your students won't be either.  You can plan all you want, but if you're not feeling the unit, switch it up!!!

                        

I am a lifelong learner. For the past few years after I finished my masters, I have been a part of a Lapidary Guild and I've taken smithing classes to further my knowledge of one of my main mediums: Metalworking.  I was trained in college and started creating and selling at shows. I like to evolve and learn different techniques! You can find  my work here: www.swanndesigns.com

I am essentially a stepmom to my boyfriend's two amazing girls who help me test out lessons I designed and awaken new ideas as I try to think of different, exciting experiences for them when they come to stay with us.

                   

I also need to give them credit for helping with my instructional videos for my students. They're such hams - love being movie stars.