epgjh winter concert 2013

It is that time of year when the students come together and show their talents with their voices and instruments. Ms. K and I decided it would be also a fine time to show the students' talents in Art.  I think the students did a fabulous job creating the various art pieces that interest them. I know we are pleased with the outcome of the art assignments.

EPGJH Winter Concert 2013

EPGJH Winter Concert 2013

when a song inspires art.....

This past rotation of art at the junior high a student was inspired by a song that a fellow student was singing in class.......Can anyone guess the song?







If you guessed Pontoon by Little Big Town you are right. I love the Christmas lights and the little ladder.

display case at centennial

My student teacher has been working hard to display the work from the students at Centennial in the display case.... come check it out.... it houses amazing and creative pieces of art. We have also included their artist statements.....they talk about their artwork and what inspired them.

Student work on display at Centennial

ms. k introducing metal repousse to the students at jefferson park

Ms. K. helping students with the metal repousse she introduced two weeks ago..... the students are working on the metal and have embossed some areas on the metal and are now coloring them with permanent markers.

Ms. K helping the students at Jefferson Park

Student working on her piece of artwork

painting without a brush

Students are experiementing painting with liquid watercolors at the various school. Ms. K taught them how to use a straw and with their mouths blowing the liquid watercolor around the page. The results are so cool...... and can be used in so many ways.... I see ink monsters, cut up into artist trading cards, etc.....

First the JP student blew the paint around and then folded the paper.... symmetry

JP student blowing the paint

GGS student blowing the paint

 

transitioning the artrooms into a choice based art studios

I have been spending a lot of time transitioning my three classrooms into choice based art studios for the students here at EPG. Here is a look at how at the end of the last school year it looked like at the junior high:

What a mess???? Right???







Well the room has now transformed into drawing, painting, collage, construction, fibers, etc centers. Here are some pics from some of the centers in the various art studios here at EPG:

EPGJH painting center

EPGJH drawing center

JPs Comet Cafe transforms into the Titan Art Studio (at JP we have all the centers on carts because it is easier to get around when you are on a cart)

Centennial's Titan Art Studio construction center

transitioning from a traditional art room to a choice based art studio

This past year, I came across a growing trend in art education called TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) or C.H.O.I.C.E.. I read as much as I could find on the subject, joined the group of art educators on Yahoo and attended in July the Midwest Tab Conference in Chicago. Discussing the possibilities with my administration, I decided to transition our art classrooms from a traditional teacher- directed art room into a student- directed choice based art studio.
 So what does choice based art education mean? What does C.H.O.I.C.E. mean? C.H.O.I.C.E. means Children Having Original, Individualized, Creative Experiences. In a nut shell the students are the artists and the classroom turns into their own art studio. The students are given a choice of centers where they can explore and express themselves through art. They learn how to turn their interest and creativity into  pieces of artworks that they are proud of and want to take home. The students learn how to become independent critical thinkers. They learn from doing and from each other. Through collaboration and practice they become problem solvers through a choice based art education.
How does a day look  like in a choice based art studio? The students will come in and are introduced to a center by the teacher giving a demonstration of a technique or process, materials and / or introduced to artists. After the short introduction they can then choose to participate in that particular center or choose from a center that is already opened. At the end they are then allowed to share their artwork by showing other students, critiques or by hanging their artwork outside the doors on bulletin boards and display cases .  
Now that the we have a few centers open the students' responses have been overwhelming positive. I hear all the time how they absolutely love art now..... but then who wouldn't if you get to choose what you would like to draw, model or create????????