Every time I write a post a song starts playing in my head. . .
It's been a long time, shouldn't have left you. . .
without a dope beat to step to.
So here it is . . . a dope beat to step to aka an art project that works.
Here's an idea to start next year. This year we had huge Kindergarten classes coming to us at all skill levels. The drawings you see on the left are from October. The first month (when I usually do this project) I had to focus on teaching children how to raise their hand and identify their name during attendance, how to find their seat and use supplies. These October self portraits on the left are actually a result of a lot of hard work. Some students learned to write their name or speak it by this time, how to follow directions and use supplies independently. The self portraits on the right are from a week ago, June. If you are an art teacher you can see the progress, especially in the last self portrait. This was instant (or not so instant!) gratification of growth in the art room at a time when I needed to see this. It was powerful. For next year I will try to have students who come in later do the same self portrait so I can see their progress as well. In one class there was nearly half who didn't have a before picture. Note to self. . . have new students make a self portrait!
Have a wonderful summer and think about starting your year off like this next school year!
It's been a long time, shouldn't have left you. . .
without a dope beat to step to.
So here it is . . . a dope beat to step to aka an art project that works.
Here's an idea to start next year. This year we had huge Kindergarten classes coming to us at all skill levels. The drawings you see on the left are from October. The first month (when I usually do this project) I had to focus on teaching children how to raise their hand and identify their name during attendance, how to find their seat and use supplies. These October self portraits on the left are actually a result of a lot of hard work. Some students learned to write their name or speak it by this time, how to follow directions and use supplies independently. The self portraits on the right are from a week ago, June. If you are an art teacher you can see the progress, especially in the last self portrait. This was instant (or not so instant!) gratification of growth in the art room at a time when I needed to see this. It was powerful. For next year I will try to have students who come in later do the same self portrait so I can see their progress as well. In one class there was nearly half who didn't have a before picture. Note to self. . . have new students make a self portrait!
Have a wonderful summer and think about starting your year off like this next school year!
