Tag Archives: art 2

Sep18

Finally Having a Great Time

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And when I say I am finally having a great time, I mean that I love teaching and I love my job…every period, every day. While I struggle with the stupidity that comes with all the paperwork and administrative stuff, I do it with little complaint because the rest is awesome.

Why is it so good? Because I love teaching ceramics and because of TAB.

My ceramic classes are all working and learning and having fun. The clay is here. And the students want to be there and are eager to work and get messy. Finally all my non-ceramic classes have started working on their artworks for our Man/Machine theme.And I couldn’t be more excited by all the different interpretations and the enthusiasm in my students.

It is like my classroom is a whole new place. My eyes have been opened and I never want to shut them. I don’t watch the clock any more. I don’t surf the web anymore. I talk with my kids…about their art, about their process, about their struggles, about them. I know it’s only been a few weeks and perhaps I am still in the honeymoon phase with TAB, but I foresee us having a long and happy marriage.

Sep9

Brainstorming with Padlet

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If you have never tried Padlet before, I suggest you check it out.  I found out about this wonderful free online program this summer.  I have used it twice in my classroom already.  

The first time it was meh.  Not all my students had computers and they had to shout out what they wanted me to add when we had a brainstorming session.  Many voices weren’t heard because, well, you know that student, the shy one that doesn’t speak up and especially not to the whole class.  

Today we used it again in my Art 2 class.  We had our final brainstorming session about Man/Machine and the relationship, meaning, and interactions.  Almost all of the students had computers so they were able to add as we went.  It was a huge success.  It can be anonymous and helps those who don’t know or don’t want to share their physical voices.

And bonus, I can share the link on their Art 2 webpage so they can reference it.

It really pumped me up as we move to the art making stages of this unit.

Sep9

My TAB Classroom Is a Living Entity and Must Be Treated As Such

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I’ve been at this TAB thing in my classroom for about 2 weeks.  I have implemented it in my Art 1, and my Art 2.  My ceramic classes aren’t quite there yet, but they will be.  I started Art 2 first on the TAB path.  I showed short demos and had them practice using the techniques.  We talked about out main theme of man/machine.  I plan on revisiting tomorrow.  

I feel I made some mistakes in my approach, so after a week of monster pinch pots and bobble heads in Art 1, I had a chance to have a mulligan.  I changed how I had them practice.  And after the first day, I even added a practice exercise that I didn’t do with my Art 2.  

As I go along, I am learning just as much, if not more than my students.  I think that is important in the TAB classroom.  You have to be flexible.  You have to take a step back and re-evaluate.  And, if you are lucky, like I am, you can get a mulligan and try a new way within a few days and not have to wait until the next unit in a few weeks to try something new.  

However, as I watched my Art 2 students finished the final practice before re-visiting our brainstorm session of man/machine, I felt that how I was having them practice just wasn’t right.  I feel they weren’t really having a good go at the different techniques/media.  I plan on finishing up with Art 1 how I completed Art 2, but over the course of the next few weeks, I will come up with some new ideas on how to practice.  Because hey, what worked at one time may not work at another time.  That’s just how the TAB classroom works.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”  -Frederick Douglass

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”  -Winston Churchill

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow.  If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living. ” -Gail Sheehy

Aug28

Jumping in Feet First into Tab

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Today I decided my art 2: painting/drawing was just going to jump in, feet first, into TAB.  Let me tell you, it was nerve wracking.  We started off with a Padlet activity.  I introduced our first theme of man/machine and we brain stormed what they thought of when I said the word “man” and when I said the word “machine”.  This was the most talkative the class was all period.  Next I told them of the facebook art teacher group I am part of and how I asked my fellow teachers what artwork and what artists they thought of when I gave the topic of man/machine the list was so varied.  I showed my students examples from the suggestions.  I wanted them to see that there was no wrong answer.  That everyone has different images when told a theme, and that was okay.  In fact, it was encouraged.

The last thing I did today was a few demos on ways of creating value.  Our first unit based on “Man/Machine” is all about b/w drawing media.  I am excited about the artist dictionary they will be creating over the year from their practice of the demos that I do.  I don’t think I made the right choice in how I went about handing things out and the order of that.  I think next time (and I will have a chance to try again in a week or so with art 1), I will do the demo then hand out the practice sheets because even though I told them not to draw what I was drawing, many of them did.  I really want them to practice something and really try the technique out and not just do the short little “thing” I do.

As I mentioned before the loudest they were was during the brainstorming.  It really was a little freaky how quiet a 9th period class was.  I am really hoping they were just overwhelmed because it wasn’t  “normal” art class and they were trying to take it all in.  I really hope they were not bored.  I hope as we go along and this becomes “routine” they act more comfortable in class.  

I look forward to tomorrow.

May18

Altered Books Revisted

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My Art 2: Painting/Drawing students finally finished their altered books, and let me tell you what… they are fabulous.  (As a side note, I think I have been in Texas too long if I just wrote the phrase “let me tell you what.”)  Anyway, I knew some were going to be a home run, but I wasn’t prepared for almost every book having at least one amazing page.  Normally I get some great books and a few that could have been great, but were never finished.  And, of course there are the ones that should have never been allowed to become artworks.

This year, I had a hard time deciding which page in several books to display.  It makes me feel so good as a teacher to see such exploration.  And, throughout the process, my kids just weren’t learning from me or on their own…they were ASKING OTHER KIDS about what they were doing.  And some of the kids didn’t even like each other.  AWESOME!!!!

I will be doing this again, but much sooner in the year as I think it really opens up the definition of what can be done with art. In fact, perhaps I will introduce the Altered Book to Art 1 towards the end of next year.

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May4

This Book I Read…

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Lately I’ve had several issues on my mind that seem to revolve around the same similar topics:  copying, tracing, originality, etc.  I feel these are in the same vein, if you will, of something that we as artists need to understand what is acceptable and what is not.  I also feel we as art teachers need to teach our students the same things.

Several months ago I “started reading for free” this book by Austin Kleon called Steal Like an Artist.  In other words, Kindle let me read a small amount of the book for free to see if I wanted to buy the book.  I never bought the book for my Kindle.  However, last week I needed something to fill my cart on Amazon so I could get free shipping.  I put this book in because it was 40% off.  I AM SO GLAD I FINALLY PURCHASED THIS BOOK!!!

I thought it would just be just a cute book.  It’s a quick read, but one full of lots of food for thought about these topics that have been on my mind lately. I am sure that not everyone will feel about this book like I do, but it really resonated with me and the ideals I want to teach my kids about making art, or just being creative in general.  I highly recommend it.

Some of my favorite parts include:

“What to copy is a little bit trickier.  Don’t just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style.  You don’t want to look like your heroes, you want to see like your heroes.  ~page 36.

“Imitation is about copying.  Emulation is  when imitation goes one step further, breaking through into your own thing.”  ~page38.

“Remember ‘Garbage in, garbage out’? You’re only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with.” ~page 102

I want my students to read this book.  Not all of my students, but my art 2 and higher students.  I think it will help them to think deeper about what they are creating and HOW they create it.  Or, at the very least, it will give pause when they begin to create that next artwork for class or themselves.

Mar31

Artistic Process Reflections

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Our current project in Art 2 is an altered book.  This is one of my favorite projects every year because it introduces some techniques and ways of art making that students may not have thought of.  It really makes them think and make connections.  They have to plan around a theme.  They have to be creative and interpret.  This year I have many kids that are super excited about this project, which makes me super excited about this project.

And, because of the nature of this project, I figured it was a great opportunity to try out a new way of grading…grading the process instead of the product.  I blogged about this in previous posts–here and here.  We are on our third week of altered books, so that means we have reflected twice.  I typed in the questions that Apex HS graciously shared into Socrative.  I asked my students to answer 2 of the questions based on what they did that week in their book.

I finally got around to reading them (I was a little busy with the art show).  I have learned a lot about my students and how they think.  I was nervous that they would just bullshit their way through the questions, and surprisingly I only got a few responses like that.  For the most part, students were very honest about their work and how they get their ideas, what they learn, how they collaborate, etc.  I have never asked many of them before to talk about their art or their choices.  I know I should.   Most jumped right in.  I am proud of them.

Student Response: “My mother nature drawing symbolizes my depiction of what she’d look like. I wasn’t able to add a masquerade mask like I wished I could have. No mask seemed to fit with the face so I just scrapped it. Mother nature is meant to be mysterious and beautiful. All in one. ”

Student Response: “Well my theme is emotions. I’m trying my best to focus more on the happier emotions rather than the sad ones. Because I am one of those “Negative Nelly’s” and with this project im hoping it’ll bring out the positive side of me in some way.”

Student Response:  “Yeah, I always seem to ask James because he sort of see’s things more imaginative/abstract. I usually see the obvious, but I guess thats because I’m a serious person.”

Student Response: “I wanted to convey an image of chaos through unity of concepts on some pages and an image of peace through random markings and chaotic techniques. I had few issues and this mirrors me because I am both peaceful and chaotic.”

Student Response: “I’ve been trying to step back and analyze my work every time I try to add something new to it. I have been really thinking about how to layout each scene in my book. It’s been a little difficult to work on the backgrounds of each scene without having any real plan on where I’m going to put everything.”

I look forward to reading the responses in the upcoming weeks.

Mar26

Prepping for the art show

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In August I decided I wanted to celebrate National Youth Art Month.  I thought what a better way to celebrate than to put on an art show.  In September I asked my principal if I could and he said Yes!  So, for the next few months it was kind of slow going.  Now that March is here and the show is in a week, things are finally starting to make me anxious.  I am worried that I might not pull it off.  I am worried that I will in fact pull it off.

Things that I had to do for my show:

  • collect student art…check  (this should be done through out the year and by both art teachers)
  • mount student art…check
  • get written up in local paper…check
  • print and “mount” labels for all artwork…check
  • get culinary students to help with refreshments…check (now this was a tough one to figure out how many people to figure for.  I said 100.  I feel that is high, and that makes me a little sad.)
  • send invitations to parents of those students with work in the show…check
  • figure out tables and table coverings…check (I had a ton of burlap, so that’s what I’m going with)
  • figure out how to hang work in a place with no walls that will take tacks…check (I bought a bunch, and probably not enough, sticky tack for the lighter pieces and I plan on hanging the framed pieces around the stairway columns.  Let’s hope it all works.)
  • make a poster and announce the show…check (it’s on the website, in the lunch announcement powerpoint, an all-call is going out to parents on Wednesday evening, and the principal will announce it in the morning announcements)
  • spotlight the Senior artists…check (for this I created a google form that asked the seniors a few short questions.  From there I found a free QR code program and made codes for each student.  I will hang a code by one of the senior’s artworks and guests can scan the code and find out a little artistic tidbit about that artist.  I think this will be a great interactive addition for the show.)
  • set up the show during the day…  not there yet.  Friday is the day.  I took the day “off”, but I will definitely be working.  I plan on pulling students from various classes to help me set up.  I hope it goes smoothly.  Who knows.

I hope I can pull it off.  It all comes down to Friday.  I don’t know who will show up.  I hope at least half of the students with work in the show will come.  Many students have said their parents have expressed an interest in seeing their child’s work.  As I said before, I am nervous that I might not pull it off.  And, I am nervous that I might.  Wish me luck.

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Mar25

Altered Books

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Art 2: Painting and Drawing have started their altered books.  It is a project I have been doing for 5 years and every year is a completely different experience.  Every year I don’t know what to expect.  Every year I say I am not going to do them again next year; and you know what, I don’t listen and I do them again.

Our school library removes books from its circulation every year and they are free for the taking.  So, in the spring time, I load up on books that I think will be good canvases for next year.  I pick the books carefully.  They are always hard covered.  I pick based on size, both width/height and thickness.  I look at titles that might be interesting to the kids.  For, when I choose books to alter for myself, these are the things I base my choice on.

I introduce the project by talking about how the books are being expelled and we are going to recycle and reuse these books.  I talk about how the book will provide many canvases in one place for the artist to work on one theme.  I tell them that many artists work around a single theme on several artworks and that this is good practice for that.  I also mention that it is good practice for those who will be going to AP Art and will have to come up with a concentration.

From there we talk about the book expectations and the prompts.  I expect each book to have a minimum of 6 pages.  I expect each book to have a cover and a table of contents (listing which prompts were used for which artworks.)  I expect the book to have a theme.  I expect each page to have originated from one of the prompts.  Other than that, there are no other “rules”.

I am sure what you are asking is what are these prompts?  Here is the list of prompts.  The prompts are a way to help the students get their juices flowing.  They are a starting point, or a jumping off point.  They are a beginning…but NOT an ending.  I stress this. They are to take a prompt and use it to help them create an artwork around their theme.  They can interpret the prompt any way they want.  There is not a right or wrong answer. (Unless they are wanting to use copyrighted or trademarked images of course.) Prompts include drip paint and make a print, layers, texture, sew page, and many others.  I ask students to use a prompt once and only once as their jumping off point.  I want them to explore different ways of making art…adding materials they may not have thought of or doing things they may have at one point shrugged off.  And again, I stress the prompts are starting points, not ending points.  And this year, I think they are really understanding that.

This year I decided to try something different.  After talking with several teachers about process over product, I decided to have that be the emphasis on this project. Normally I grade each page individually.  And normally, I hate that process.  I could not come up with a better way to grade the book though.  I even told the students that I would be grading the book that way on the first day of the project, a Monday.  On Tuesday I walked in and said I had changed my mind and we were going to concentrate on the process instead.  I said that I would rather them try 10 new things and work really hard and have their book fail, but having learned something over having a fabulous book where they learned nothing new, took no chances, and didn’t grow as an artist.  I told them on Fridays we would have a reflection on what they did that week and how they acted like artists and did what artists did.  They seemed to be okay with that.   You can read about what I set up in the second half of this post.

And, that Friday we had our first reflection.  I have yet to open the document with their responses. I am scared to see what they wrote.  I don’t know why.  I am excited, but nervous.

In any case, I have watched as half of one class is invested in this and becoming excited at the prospects of what they can make. And I have watched the many of my other class bring their book home with them and back the next day or stop in during morning tutorials to work on their book.  I love it that they are excited about it.  It is a great feeling when a student shyly comes to you and asks if it is okay if they do this or try this.  And then to see their face light up when I gladly say yes.

Mar19

Process Over Product?

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A couple of months ago, I joined an art teacher’s forum on facebook.  It was a great find–a great use of social media.  I am in contact with hundreds, if not thousands of art teachers from around the globe.  It has really got me to thinking about how I run my art room, what is important, what isn’t important, what is art, what is craft, should we have more choice, should technique be the main focus, should, should, should.  In short, it has made me think, learn, and grow…3 things that are important to stay a relevant and qualified teacher.

It is through this group that I was introduced to TAB or choice-based art.  It is through this group that I have been introduced to this group of teachers from Apex, NC at Apex High School.  They have been experimenting with choice this year, and recently they have  brought to the front of my mind the question of process over product.

Is the artistic process more important than the product produced?  I don’t know.  Is the process just as important than the product?  I also don’t know. But as I begin to explore this topic and experiment with it in the classroom, I find I might lean more towards them being equals.

As I began to think about stressing the process in art making and really trying to have my students participate more in the process and making decisions regarding their art just like artists do, I began to think about how do I assess this?  Unfortunately, assessment is always towards the front of my brain. (It’s hard not to think about it when you have to have a minimum of “X” grades per marking period without question, complying with district policy, blah, blah, blah.)   I want my assessment to be fair and meaningful.  I want my assessment to be as objective as can be in a very subjective area like art.  I create rubrics for almost everything.  I have to. Otherwise, I feel like I am grading on a whim.

But back to assessment.  How does one grade process?  How does an artist think?  What actions does an artist do?  Fortunately for me, the very nice people of Apex have sort of figured that out and are willingly sharing their work here.  The questions/artistic habits that Melissa Purtee designed are wonderful and so helpful.

This week I participated in a video art chat and the topic of process over product was the topic.  Ian Sands, a teacher at Apex, discussed how he and the teachers at Apex HS are having the students do what they call a “snapshot”.  Bi-weekly the students go into blogs that they have created and they write about their process.  They must pick 3 of the artistic behaviors and add pictures.  It is a really interesting way to be able to assess the process and to see how the kids are working, thinking, and growing as artists.  The teachers are also discussing using the snapshot as their grades and not grading the final product.

This is where I become unsure.  This is where I veer off.

I decided to give this focus on process a try.  On Monday, my Art 2: P/D students started altered books.  For me, this is a project for the students to really focus working around a theme and trying new ways of making art. (They have prompts to jump off from.  Prompts include things like draw with glue, layers, glazes, burn the page, etc.  I want them to think about doing things other than just “traditional” drawing/painting. )  I have always graded the altered book in a way where each page was graded and then the book as a whole was graded.  I had a rubric that I had created for the assignment, but I wasn’t in love with it.

However, the project has always been more about the process of art making.  Why not then assess it more about the process?

I walked in to class today and told the kids we were trying a different approach to grading this time around.  I told them to disregard everything I talked about regarding the rubric and individual page assessments.  I have decided to have the students do a weekly reflection for the duration of this process instead.

I borrowed the artistic habit domains and wrote up the questions in Socrative. (No time to really set up blogs at this point.) They will answer 2 of the domains each week…their choice.  (I do think I will tell them that they can’t always answer the same two.)  Then that will be their grades.

However, I will still give them an overall product grade based on some basic questions that I outlined for them yesterday…more of did you fulfill the requirements of the altered book type things.   I can’t walk away from the product completely.  I think the product is equally as important.  I think it is important to see things through to the end, even if it is not successful.  Then you can reflect back on the artwork to see what worked and what didn’t.  But this is a conversation for another post.

I am excited to see how it goes.  I am excited to see what students will write. Many are already excited about the altered book, and I think this focus on process over product will let them be more free and willing to try new things.

I will update as we continue with this process process.  (See what I did there?)