It's Scissor Time!

Our youngest artists are starting scissor skills in the studio!  Cutting and gluing are art skills that empower children and open up an entire new world of creative possibilities.  Many of our learning explorations build week to week.  All of the children were excited to use scissors on paper and feel the sticky glue.  We start our glue practice using index fingers, that way children truly experience the glue and it's properties.  Mrs. Hagan's EK have their work on display in the front hallway.

The Challenge of Authentic Assessment

Time is flying and students are doing well practicing art studio routines to take care of our materials and space.  As the studio facilitator (or Artist Teacher as I've been called ☺) I have observed the need to take more time to explicitly teach care of materials and space.   I am making an effort to leave time for these habits, knowing that all of the children, their art practice, and the studio environment will be better off for it.  My own studio spaces at home are benefiting from it too.

I am also stretching my assessment strategies to collect data that can be understood by other teaching professionals, measured and quantified, and most importantly used to inform teaching and learning.  Students enjoyed their initial assessment.  I look forward to finishing the scoring so I can see the baseline.   During the winter we will gather more data to see artists' growth and again at the end of the year.

 Two fourth graders were inspired by the paintings they studied during their assessment activity during choice drawing!

Welcome Back to Your Art Studio

The school year unfolds slowly in special area instruction.  It is the third week in and Monday students have finally had special classes for the first time.  In the art studio we begin the school year going over and practicing artist behaviors and routines and making art.  Artists are ready to get to work in their studio, but each year I refine and change our setup and procedures to best serve students.  Changes are made after observations, talking with students, and reading quality studies on art and learning.  This year we will be connecting mindfulness and taking care of our art materials and supplies as part of our artist practice.

We opened the drawing center with "Drawing around the room".  Artists explored drawing materials and reflected on ways they could add to each flag to make it finished.  Then students taped them to a length of yarn they measured and cut.  Ms. Walto's second graders have their flags on display outside of the studio.