Firsts:
Opened Painting to firsts again this week, so we did a mini-review lesson on taking care of our painting materials. They did well. I reminded them that this was their chance to show me that they are responsible with their materials and will take care of them to have the choice to continue to use them. We looked at the counter when we started, and they did a very good job of cleaning up at the end. I still had a couple students who I had individual meetings with and we got that finished up. Even with painting opened again, there were a few students who still chose drawing and collage.
Fifths:
Fifths were a little hectic this week. Many students were working on what they needed to be doing, but there was one student in particular who did not have a plan when he came in, and tried to get in on other people’s projects. I had the feeling that those people didn’t really want him to be helping, but couldn’t find a polite way to tell him that. He was a catalyst all class for disrupting others, until I directly told him he had one minute to find something to do or he would be leaving the studio.
My flag making group was getting a little frustrated because a stripe on their flag accidentally got painted the wrong color. I hope next time I see them, I can talk with them about how those are the juicy bits. Where you can see the artist’s hand. Where there is the human touch. If I wanted a perfect flag, I could just go buy one. The one that is made is much more special.
For our mini lesson, we talked about landscaped and foreground, middle ground and background. I explained how I often see students leaving a large blank space in the middle of their paper, and what should actually happen there- what does that look like? I need to talk with firsts about finishing work and "Artist Statements" which they will dictate to me at first, but ultimately, I'd like to have them be able to write one sentence about their work on their own.
Other: I hope to talk with some of my fifth grade students today about helping me explain choice to the second grade class that I will be beginning choice with next week. I have a few more group lessons planned, but after that, I will gradually be phasing in choice. I have discovered that I need to be keeping track of the younger students’ choices, because they don’t really understand the chart thing. As I start to phase in the other grades, I think I will keep track of K-2, and have 3-6 track their own.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
week ten.
firsts:
Another pretty good class. Still meeting individually with students about their work. The firsts are hilarious. Some of them can just go on and on with the story of what's going on in their work. One student has started drawing characters. He seems to be really into the idea of "cops and robbers," and it's amazing. He's got names and everything for the characters. I'll have to post a pic when I get home- I don't have my USB here right now...
We talked about texture today and I added the texture plates to the drawing materials they are allowed to access. There are some plates that I haven't put out before because they are rubbing plates of famous paintings and I was like, I don't want the kids to just rub them then color them, but one girl was using an "American Gothic" plate and she had moved it around multiple times, and it looked great! I had two kids make books of their rubbings, too.
fifths:
pretty good again. One of the boys in the dragon group was having a hard time focusing today. (Sometimes I wonder if I just had more room if they would naturally spread themselves out more and I could avoid a TON of squabbling...) The boys are still working on their huge flag,and it's coming along nicely..
I have a few girls who just aren't that into it... I have been contemplating making a fibers center for a while. I will need to come in at night or over a weekend to set everything up, but I'm hoping it might catch some of these kiddos. They all are still clamoring for clay.... argh. I guess they just have no idea what a mess it is.... I'm dreading it. But I now they love it, so it will happen.... just have to figure out HOW!
Another pretty good class. Still meeting individually with students about their work. The firsts are hilarious. Some of them can just go on and on with the story of what's going on in their work. One student has started drawing characters. He seems to be really into the idea of "cops and robbers," and it's amazing. He's got names and everything for the characters. I'll have to post a pic when I get home- I don't have my USB here right now...
We talked about texture today and I added the texture plates to the drawing materials they are allowed to access. There are some plates that I haven't put out before because they are rubbing plates of famous paintings and I was like, I don't want the kids to just rub them then color them, but one girl was using an "American Gothic" plate and she had moved it around multiple times, and it looked great! I had two kids make books of their rubbings, too.
fifths:
pretty good again. One of the boys in the dragon group was having a hard time focusing today. (Sometimes I wonder if I just had more room if they would naturally spread themselves out more and I could avoid a TON of squabbling...) The boys are still working on their huge flag,and it's coming along nicely..
I have a few girls who just aren't that into it... I have been contemplating making a fibers center for a while. I will need to come in at night or over a weekend to set everything up, but I'm hoping it might catch some of these kiddos. They all are still clamoring for clay.... argh. I guess they just have no idea what a mess it is.... I'm dreading it. But I now they love it, so it will happen.... just have to figure out HOW!
Monday, November 10, 2008
week nine.
whoops... slacking again on the update.... sorry.
Still meeting individually with all the students in both classes. Got a couple more weeks of this.
Firsts:
Firsts continued to have collage and drawing. I have one student who has been working on the same piece for like 3 weeks. Pretty impressive for a self motivated first grader. Some students began to construct paper hats and other body wear- bracelets, etc. This became ind of an issue because they get really excited about it, and since I haven't "officially" introduced paper construction, some of the kids just get it, and others don't. I think I will hopefully talk more about paper construction next time, and issues may be resolved.
Fifths:
Fifths have been continually late for the past at least 3 weeks. I spoke with their classroom teacher, and she said she gives them ten minutes to get their stuff ready to go home. (They pretty much leave directly from Art). I think this is more than enough time, and it's ridiculous that they've been late so much. I need to arrange to go and speak with them in their room. Aside from the lateness, everything went okay. Not as beautiful as last week, but pretty good- I have the boys still working on their huge dragon (which looks better every time) and the boys working on their huge flag- also doing well.
One student I spoke to individually said how she wants to "learn how to be an artist." I thought that was the cutest thing. I tried to get her to be more specific. I guess her older brother is quite good at drawing, so she looks up to him. I told her that what we do is what artists do, and talked with her about what she wants to learn to draw- she's into the idea of stylized flames (like on cars) and figure drawing.
Overall, I really like this choice thing. I have a few more lessons planned with students in other classes, then I hope to be phasing in choice. I have already talked with most 6th grades about it. They were listening very intently- probably the most quiet and listening they've done in a while... ;)
Still meeting individually with all the students in both classes. Got a couple more weeks of this.
Firsts:
Firsts continued to have collage and drawing. I have one student who has been working on the same piece for like 3 weeks. Pretty impressive for a self motivated first grader. Some students began to construct paper hats and other body wear- bracelets, etc. This became ind of an issue because they get really excited about it, and since I haven't "officially" introduced paper construction, some of the kids just get it, and others don't. I think I will hopefully talk more about paper construction next time, and issues may be resolved.
Fifths:
Fifths have been continually late for the past at least 3 weeks. I spoke with their classroom teacher, and she said she gives them ten minutes to get their stuff ready to go home. (They pretty much leave directly from Art). I think this is more than enough time, and it's ridiculous that they've been late so much. I need to arrange to go and speak with them in their room. Aside from the lateness, everything went okay. Not as beautiful as last week, but pretty good- I have the boys still working on their huge dragon (which looks better every time) and the boys working on their huge flag- also doing well.
One student I spoke to individually said how she wants to "learn how to be an artist." I thought that was the cutest thing. I tried to get her to be more specific. I guess her older brother is quite good at drawing, so she looks up to him. I told her that what we do is what artists do, and talked with her about what she wants to learn to draw- she's into the idea of stylized flames (like on cars) and figure drawing.
Overall, I really like this choice thing. I have a few more lessons planned with students in other classes, then I hope to be phasing in choice. I have already talked with most 6th grades about it. They were listening very intently- probably the most quiet and listening they've done in a while... ;)
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