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Lesson Plans


Re: How do you deal with failures

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Jerry Vilenski (jvilensk)
Sun, 28 Feb 1999 17:23:18 -0800

Louisa, Uninspired students are always a problem for art educators, for
precisely the reasons you gave in your communication: they are from
general education classes, not art majors. The answer to some of your
problems may lie in that realization: Your job at the elementary level
is not to produce artists, rather it is to introduce students to art
skills and concepts that will serve them later in life. The most
important thing you as a teacher can do, however, is instill a passion
for the creation and love of visual art. If you are a practicing artist
and have your own passions, this task is all the easier, so if you
haven't picked up a brush since college, get back in the saddle! As an
art teacher at the elementary level for 25 years, I have learned that
doing the research necessary to develop developmentally appropriate art
activities is essential to a sucessful program. What works to inspire a
kindergartener does not work with a 5th grader. As kids get older, I
have found that setting up problem-solving activities such as
constructions, paper mache, metal toolings, clay, sculptures is what
inspires students to work for me. Having finished quality made
prototypes is important, after all, it is visual art! Don't get
discouraged, you can't win them all, but you can have most of them with
careful planning.........Jerry

artsednet-digest wrote:
>
> artsednet-digest Sunday, February 28 1999 Volume 02 : Number 1275
>
> This edition includes :
> re: blood from a turnip
> Re:How do you deal with failures
> meaning/size
> Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
> Fwd: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
> More on Turnips
> Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
> Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
> Re: Squeezing Blood out of Turnips
> Need more students in after-school arts school
> classes per day...
> Re: How do you deal with failures
> Fw: classes per day
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 22:29:54 -0600
> From: Teri Sanford <terily>
> Subject: re: blood from a turnip
>
> I guess I have it GREAT this year... Started teaching at a rural school
> that had never had art before. I am teaching 6 periods per day, the
> first 5 are elementary classes at 50 min each, the last period
> alternates days between 9-12 and 6th, which are 75 minutes. This year
> they were very generous in my budgeting, since the program was new.
> They had already bought the kiln and the tables and chairs. They gave
> me $6,000 to start up the program. The art room is in the elementary.
> They have told me that next year I probably will get "only" $1000 for a
> budget for the 500 elementary kids (I won't be doing the MS/HS next
> year, as the new building will be open and I will get to hire a new
> person). I tried to act like I would "make do" with that amount, when
> inside I was jumping for joy. At my previous school, we had over 750
> kids and only got $600 per year in budget. I was the queen of
> fundraising and donations when I was there.
>
> teri
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 00:14:55 EST
> From: LiegeB
> Subject: Re:How do you deal with failures
>
> Hello to all,
> I've been reading this list for several weeks now; this a wonderful group!
> Everyone seems to be quite committed to quality teaching so I'm hoping you'll
> have some input regarding my recent feelings of inadequacies as an art
> educator,
> or educator of any type. I teach K-6, each group meets once per week for
> only 30 minutes. The problem is I feel like I'm functioning more as a
> babysitter than someone providing a valuable resource. There is some pressure
> from administration to produce pretty things for the walls but for the most
> part I am able to put that aside and I teach what I want. I guess I don't
> feel I'm getting the results I would like (not in terms of product because I'm
> much more interested inprocess). How does everyone deal with students who are
> not "art majors"? I realize I can't inspire them all but what to do with
> those that, if life were perfect would be filtered out of the class? This is
> not to say that art is only for the serious student on the contrary I think it
> is an essential to producing a whole person but, like it or not, there are
> always going to be some that are unwilling to move beyond crayons, regardless
> of age. What do you do when you realize you just aren't going to reach them?
> And how do you prevent them from being a disruption?
>
> I am certain this is the right group to consult and will greatly appreciate
> any thoughts, positive or negative.
>
> Hoping you're all enjoying the weekend,
> Louisa
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 03:25:25 -0500
> From: marcia m eaton <marciameaton>
> Subject: meaning/size
>
> Debi's message about the various sizes that artists think in is
> fascinating. I have not idea what size I "see in" but then I'm not an
> artist. Here's a puzzle I that always makes my brain spin: Look at a full
> moon and ask yourself how big it looks to you----like an orange, a
> basketball, a beach ball? I find that I can't answer this question. I'd
> be curious what your students say. If they were going to make a sculpture
> of the moon, how big do they think it should be? Marcia
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 08:37:16 EST
> From: CPKinomi
> Subject: Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
>
> Hi Kate,
> 9 CLASSES!!!!!! That is atrocious! I teach k-5 in Stoughton,MA and I am in 2
> schools. There are six 42-minute classes a day and a 42-minute planning
> period daily. The exception is kindergarten....they have art for 21 minutes a
> week. (Morning and afternoon sessions). The kindergarten classes are
> ridiculous because by the time I finish teaching the lesson and pass out
> supplies (the aides do not come w/ the classes) it is time to go! UGH! Good
> luck Kate. Fight the insanity!!!!!!
> Carolyn ;-)
> CPKInomi
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 08:50:16 EST
> From: RWilk85411
> Subject: Fwd: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
>
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> From: RWilk85411
> Return-path: <RWilk85411>
> To: Spark2arts
> Subject: Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 08:49:25 EST
> Mime-Version: 1.0
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> I teach in Myrtle Beach, SC. I teach at Carolina Forest Education Center High
> School. I would ordinarily teach three hour and a half classes every day with
> an hour and a half planning and 25 minutes for lunch. This year in order to
> accommodate my Art Major students in a more educationally sound situation, I
> voluntarily gave up my planning period. I won't do it again next year. Nine
> classes a day doesn't seem like it would allow enough time to even pretend to
> teach art. I thought Charleston was more advanced than that. It's that kind of
> approach that continues to render our country so culturally illiterate.
> Reatha Wilkins
>
> - --part0_920209817_boundary--
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 09:51:49 EST
> From: Spark2arts
> Subject: More on Turnips
>
> Dear all:
> Thank you for your speedy responses. Let me qualify the situation here in SC.
> You're right, heneborn, Charleston is an amazing place to live with it's 18th
> century history, ocean, and quaintness. Believe me I have worked it out so
> that all this doesn't get to me after school and on weekends. Slowly I'd like
> to be a part of contributing to some positive changes in this rapidly
> burgeoning place in the South. In many ways I am reminded of my teaching-Art-
> in-Africa-days with the Peace Corps. The truth is they need good art teachers
> here... About my schedule, I Teach 8 classes on Mondays, and 7 classes T-F per
> day. There are 9 periods per day, so I have 40 mins for lunch, and 40 minutes
> planning each day with the exception of Mon. But I have only 2 preps on Mon.
> This is all very different from teaching in NYS as I did last year. Yet many
> art teachers have it worse than I. My school is a wonderful, supportive place
> to work in many ways. Class periods are 40 minutes long and their is no
> passing time between classes. When your 40 minutes are up there is another
> class waiting outside the door. There is no specification with the state for
> the amount of classes we, as Art teachers, should teach per day and our
> district arts ed supervisor wants to make some changes. We have no unions
> here, obviously. He feels teaching 8 and 9 classes a day is too much, and is
> going to the state to ask for 7. He feels that asking for 6 classes a day
> would be too much to ask for. I think 7 is too many classes to teach and prep
> for each day. You're right, I do get exhausted, but the warm ocean breezes
> quickly revive me. Out of those of you who have responded so far to my message
> the average class load for each is 6 classes a day, as I suspected, with some
> @ 7. To add fuel to the fire, last year in NYS a full day at the middle school
> was considered five 50 min classes with 5 min in between. Few understand the
> preparation, planning and displays that take time in order to provide a
> quality visual arts program.
>
> I am a new teacher to this area and don't want to make waves until I
> understand the situation completely. For now I'd like to know what I can do to
> get the ball rolling to improve the quality of arts education here in an
> unobtrusive, positive way. Your suggestions are welcome. I thought a survey of
> class load per day would be useful information, please continue sending me
> this info.
>
> Kindest Regards,
>
> Kate Rothra
> Belle Hall Elementary
> Charleston County Schools
> Charleston, SC
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 09:54:16 -0500 (EST)
> From: Stenger - Judith DiSalvo <jstenger>
> Subject: Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
>
> In Montgomery County, Maryland, we teach five out of seven periods. One
> period is for team meetings or Instruction Related Activities, and one is
> for planning/preparation. If you are a department chair, you usually
> teach four.
> This
> is in Middle School. Elementary and Middle schools have different needs.
> Judy
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 22:05:20 -0600
> From: "Debbie Nicholas" <dnick>
> Subject: Re: Squeezing Blood Out of Turnips
>
> I teach 6 forty-five minute classes. The state of Texas requires teachers
> have a 30 minute duty-free
> lunch. Then I have a 45 minute conference.
>
> Debbie Nicholas
> Linden-Kildare Jr. High
> 102 N. Taylor
> Linden, TX 75563
> dnick
>
> "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to
> remain an artist once he grows up."
> - Pablo Picasso
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 10:30:04 -0500
> From: "Glenda" <gjmoore>
> Subject: Re: Squeezing Blood out of Turnips
>
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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> - ------=_NextPart_000_002A_01BE60A9.CF07FFA0
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>
> Kate,
>
> How in the world can you teach 9 classes a day? I teach at a K-5 school =
> in Raeford, NC. Our enrollment, at present, is approximately 750, which =
> constantly changes due to our location close to Fort Bragg Army Base =
> where kids come and go. My principal does my schedule FIRST each year =
> (ahead of Music, PE, Spanish, Library, Computer Lab, etc.) to make sure =
> all my grades are together so I won=92t have to change materials between =
> classes: he then fits the others in. As our school grows he adjusts =
> class time accordingly as not to overload me. It really helps when you =
> have a principal who is considerate and aware of your need for time in =
> planning and preparation. I think our state has a set number of =
> students per resource teacher and I was told just the other day that we =
> slightly exceed that limit (but I=92m not complaining!). Have you =
> checked to see if your state has a similar quota (# of students per =
> resource teacher)? What is your grade level and schedule? My schedule is =
> as follows:
>
> Monday =96 (5) 1st grades=85 30 minutes each
>
> Tuesday =96 (5) 3rd grades=85 45 minutes each
>
> Wednesday =96 (2) K=92s=85 30 minutes each / (4) 5th grades=85 45 =
> minutes each
>
> Thursday =96 (2) K=92s=85 30 minutes each / (5) 4th grades=85 45 minutes =
> each
>
> Friday =96 (1) K=85 30 minutes / (5) 1st grades=85 30 minutes each
>
> Good luck!
>
> Glenda
>
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>
> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
> http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR>
> </HEAD>
> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D4>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Kate,</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>How in the world can you teach 9 classes a day? I =
> teach at a K-5=20
> school in Raeford, NC. Our enrollment, at present, is approximately 750, =
> which=20
> constantly changes due to our location close to Fort Bragg Army Base =
> where kids=20
> come and go. My principal does my schedule FIRST each year (ahead of =
> Music, PE,=20
> Spanish, Library, Computer Lab, etc.) to make sure all my grades are =
> together so=20
> I won&rsquo;t have to change materials between classes: he then fits the =
> others=20
> in. As our school grows he adjusts class time accordingly as not to =
> overload me.=20
> It really helps when you have a principal who is considerate and aware =
> of your=20
> need for time in planning and preparation.&nbsp; I think our state has a =
> set=20
> number of students per resource teacher and I was told just the other =
> day that=20
> we slightly exceed that limit (but I&rsquo;m not complaining!). Have you =
> checked=20
> to see if your state has a similar quota (# of students per resource =
> teacher)?=20
> What is your grade level and schedule? My schedule is as =
> follows:</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Monday &ndash; (5) 1<SUP>st</SUP> grades&hellip; 30 =
> minutes=20
> each</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3></FONT><FONT size=3D3>Tuesday &ndash; (5) =
> 3<SUP>rd</SUP>=20
> grades&hellip; 45 minutes each</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Wednesday &ndash; (2) K&rsquo;s&hellip; 30 minutes =
> each / (4)=20
> 5<SUP>th</SUP> grades&hellip; 45 minutes each</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Thursday &ndash; (2) K&rsquo;s&hellip; 30 minutes each =
> / (5)=20
> 4<SUP>th</SUP> grades&hellip; 45 minutes each</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Friday &ndash; (1) K&hellip; 30 minutes / (5) =
> 1<SUP>st</SUP>=20
> grades&hellip; 30 minutes each</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Good luck!</FONT></P>
> <P><FONT size=3D3>Glenda</FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 16:14:48 -0400
> From: Vanessa Mellom <mellom>
> Subject: Need more students in after-school arts school
>
> Hi you all... I hope you all can help me.
>
> I am from West Haven, CT
> I am a art teacher All For Arts and Gymnastics, a private school that
> specializes in after school enrichment programs. And a exciting summer
> camp.
>
> Through out the whole year, I teach specialized art classes in
> Drawing & Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Arts & Crafts, and Art Studio.
> The classes are capped at no more then 12 students in a class, so
> individualized instruction is paramount. My art materials closet is an
> art teachers dream. And I am well praciticed in the tricks of the trade
> as both a state certified teacher and a professional artsit.
> Classes are open to all ages. Age 2 - adults.
> Students are grouped according to age and ability.
>
> Our summer camp program, for children, incorporates theater, dance,
> gymnastics, music and art classes in the morning and outdoor sports
> activities in the afternoon. Every Friday we do Variety Shows where
> everybody gets to show off what they have done over the past week! In
> art we build sets and we also put on a puppet show.
>
> My problem is this... I have no experiences in sales or administration.
> In order to be a full time employee I have to find more students.
> So the question is this...
> Where and How do I find more students?
>
> Vanessa Mellom
> Mellom
> (203)445-8043
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 09:10:02 -0800 (PST)
> From: bkramer.us (Bunki Kramer)
> Subject: classes per day...
>
> Hi...I teach 6 classes a day...each 43 mins. long...plus a 15 min. homeroom
> situation here in northern California (SF). We have 5 min. passing periods
> (due to a large campus of many portables added), one 43 min. prep period (I
> have 4 preps a day), and lunch. I teach middle school. Lots and LOTS of
> dutytime, though. I head up the Art Department (hee, hee) because I'm the
> only art teacher.
>
> There is not even one elementary art teacher in our district (and our
> district is supposedly a "progressive" one). The "art" is given strictly
> volunteerly by non-art-trained PTA moms at this level through an "Art in
> the Trunk" series. THIS is hit and miss at it's finest. Some years they
> can't even get one mom to volunteer.
>
> High school teachers have only 5 classes per day. There are 3 art teachers
> (2 full-time and one PT) at our feeder high school. Department heads have
> only 4 classes/day.
>
> Toodles.......
>
> Bunki Kramer - Los Cerros Middle School
> 968 Blemer Rd., Danville, California 94526
> bkramer.ca.us...(sch)925-552-5620
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 13:07:31 -0400
> From: Wendy Manning <wmanning>
> Subject: Re: How do you deal with failures
>
> It depends on why they are unwilling.....could be any number of reasons.
> One thing you can do is try to find some lessons that fit your goals and at the
> same time almost guarantee success. If the work looks "cool " and artistic, and
> you make a fuss over it, the self-esteem boost might be enough to encourage them
> to "move beyond crayons" when they get something a little more challenging.I have
> often found this to work with the type of kids you mention. The self-esteem aspect
> seems to play a bigger role in art then some other subjects, at least at
> middle-school level.
> Other kids have responded to my developing-the-right-brain speil, and I tell
> them that even if they don't like art they are making themselves smarter by doing
> it.
> In my experience the biggest factor of all is class size. I have a few smaller
> classes this year (24 as opposed to 33) and I've reached some kids I was
> unsuccessful with last year, simply because I have had more time to spend with
> them and could deal more quickly with disruptions.
> Having said all this , I haven't had the Grade Seven Class From Hell yet, not
> till next term. When they were the Grade Six Class From Hell they weren't willing
> to do anything and I was at a loss at how to motivate them (as were the rest of
> their teachers).
> Wendy
>
> LiegeB wrote:
>
> > Hello to all,
> > I've been reading this list for several weeks now; this a wonderful group!
> > Everyone seems to be quite committed to quality teaching so I'm hoping you'll
> > have some input regarding my recent feelings of inadequacies as an art
> > educator,
> > or educator of any type. I teach K-6, each group meets once per week for
> > only 30 minutes. The problem is I feel like I'm functioning more as a
> > babysitter than someone providing a valuable resource. There is some pressure
> > from administration to produce pretty things for the walls but for the most
> > part I am able to put that aside and I teach what I want. I guess I don't
> > feel I'm getting the results I would like (not in terms of product because I'm
> > much more interested inprocess). How does everyone deal with students who are
> > not "art majors"? I realize I can't inspire them all but what to do with
> > those that, if life were perfect would be filtered out of the class? This is
> > not to say that art is only for the serious student on the contrary I think it
> > is an essential to producing a whole person but, like it or not, there are
> > always going to be some that are unwilling to move beyond crayons, regardless
> > of age. What do you do when you realize you just aren't going to reach them?
> > And how do you prevent them from being a disruption?
> >
> > I am certain this is the right group to consult and will greatly appreciate
> > any thoughts, positive or negative.
> >
> > Hoping you're all enjoying the weekend,
> > Louisa
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 12:31:33 -0500
> From: "Stephanie Ignazio" <smi>
> Subject: Fw: classes per day
>
> - -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephanie Ignazio <smi>
> To: Spark2arts <Spark2arts>
> Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 12:31 PM
> Subject: classes per day
>
> >Hi, I teach usually about 6-7 classes a day. ( Some days these can
> correlate
> >into extra art periods for integration. Others are regularly scheduled
> >classes.) before I came to this school I taught in a community that my
> >position required me to be in 3 buildings, teaching 6 classes a day with
> one
> >travel period to get there on the same day and ONE PREP Period a week. My
> >budget was ok, nothing greast, but I had to share all supplies with two
> >other art teachers. The district had 7 elementary schools. ( So it was kind
> >of first come first served with materials.) Now my budget is about 4.50 per
> >child...when they decide to give out the full amount..which usually never
> >happens. Stephanie
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of artsednet-digest V2 #1275
> ********************************
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