As I look to this coming week of IB art exams - and for
those out there who are also at this point - I hope the
stress does not overwhelm you - I've eaten less M&M's
than usual*L*
This is a warning: I am probably rambling as I gather my
thoughts for this coming week:
We had our reception for the parents and the community on
Friday night. It was a packed gallery - both with student
work - 33 IB exam and certificate students displaying
work - wall to wall art! As well as wall to wall guests.
It was a wonderful night for the kids - so I am sure
their confidence is built up for their exams this week,
but what I really wanted to comment on was how many
times I was told how "talented" my students are.
For those who teach IB - this may be different at your
schools - but our IB kids usually have not had an art
class since 5th grade. Then I get them at 11th grade. It
is really difficult when you know a lot of the IB art
kids come in thinking that art is the easier choice (in
our school, again, since they must pick in 11th grade an
IB elective which may be art, psychology, or physics.)
There are some who come in with "art experience" -
drawing animae or cartoons or just love to doodle. But
the way we are set up - hardly any really come in with a
strong art foundation. So maybe that is why many think
these kids are talented since the art foundation is not
there usually. And how could they accomplish what they
have in less than a year of art?
So what I wanted to say to these parents and guests was
that the talent they saw on the wall came from many hours
of hard work, research, problem solving, cultural/social
awareness, and finding personal answers. So if that is a
definition for talented - then I do have talented
students.
Do any of you come across this reaction from parents,
etc. about students being "talented" when you know the
place where the student started - and talent was not
anywhere in your vocabulary as your students began their
journey in art?
And I know I read a lot of posts tonight - one saying
that art is not like math where 2+2 = 4. I totally agree
- since what I tell my students is that physics is the
easy IB class - they have formulas to help them figure
out the answers. We don't have these exact formulas for
finding answers or solving problem in art. The answers
must come from within - and no one else in class may
respond to the problem with the same answer. And on
Friday night several of the kids were talking and said
that IB art was the hardest of the 3 electives - but they
wouldn't have learned as much in the other classes. Maybe
- maybe not, but I do think they found parts of
themselves in art this year that have made them stronger.
As for their talent - I believe it was their vision of
the world as they researched that brought them to a place
of understanding what it like to be human for all of us.
So I want to leave you with a quote that I got at the
NAEA:
"The arts are our humanity. They are the languages of
civilizations through which we express our fears, our
anxieties, our hungers, our struggles, our hopes. They
are systems of meaning that have real utility. This is
why schools that provide students with the means and
encouragement to explore these realms provide a better
education. This explains, too, why the arts are a mark of
excellence in American Schooling." Charles Fowler,
Publication Educational Leadership (With thanks to Emile
Talarico, Supervisor of Art, Livingston School District /
Assessment Presentation)
It's late - time to go!
Vivian
=====
Increase the Peace ~^~ {^}Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. Robert F. Kennedy
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