I think sketchbooks are useful and important, so I introduced my students in
grades 3-5 to sketchbooks last year (by the way, it is this list that helped
and inspired me to make it happen, thanks). We make our own at the beginning
of the year using 9x 12 drawing paper and a binding machine. I wanted to
make the sketchbook idea non-threatening and enjoyable so that students
would want to use them. I only grade them twice, once at the beginning of
the year I grade the cover and at the end of the year they will get another
grade, provided they still have the book! If the book is lost, students must
replace it with a purchased sketchbook or a regular notebook. Students are
expected to bring the books to class each week, but if they are forgotten
and we happen to be doing an assignment in them that day, students do the
assignment on regular paper and attach it later. I don't make a big deal.
We split the book into two sections, one for whatever sketching and
journaling they want to do outside of class (this is very popular), and one
section for in class notes and sketches. All assigned sketches somehow
pertain to the assignments we are doing in class. This makes sense to my
students. I hear very little complaining about the whole process. The only
thing I hear a bit of griping about is note taking and reflective writing,
but oh well.
Leah
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeanne Voltura" <jvoltura@ldcm.org>
To: "ArtsEdNet Talk" <artsednet@lists.getty.edu>
Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2004 2:22 PM
Subject: RE: Input on drawing/sketchbooksRe: Middle School Q's: sketchbooks
> I think that the problem with sketchbook assignments for most any level of
> art teaching is that it is about practice and having discipline to follow
> through (this is a painful learning experience-and one that gets
> neglected-how do you teach discipline? by giving requirments like
sketchbook
> assignments)...I think that these are tough concepts for most
anyone...but,
> I just think there are so many valuable things to learn in art and some of
> those are best done inside a sketchbook...
