Great subject
It's sad when an outstanding art student tells me she received D's and F's
in elementary art
It's sad when a child walks into my classroom in the first two weeks
misbehaving and reveals in our conference he is a failure in art, sucks at
it, and is no good. He gives himself a chance to start fresh and ends up
amazing himself (both happened this past semester)
I'm glad to have them in middle school, this might be the last time they
will ever take art
They will be our future leaders who decide the importance/relevance of art
in our culture
High School numbers depend on my kids exiting and loving/celebrating their
creative selves, thinking out of the box, and open to ideas
Is it the behavior that causes them to fail?
Nail the behavior, contracts, calls home, daily progress report (that
generally solves the problem), parent/child/all teachers conference,
detentions, after school, suspension, SST with psychologist observation, I
have even had parents surprise drop in and visit several times to help turn
junior around. I tell my kids it's hard to fail art, you have to work hard
to fail, and when you choose that route - everyone knows about it:
dissapointed parents, all your teachers, assistant principal, principal....
You cannot sit in my class and not work. Quality of work is addressed with
samples, demos, and rubrics, referring back to areas where student showed
quality.
Is it absences that causes them to fail?
I modify, they have to complete one assignment before taking on the next.
Students need to learn how to finish an art project. Art is visual problem
solving, resolving the artwork completely is a hard lesson leading to
increased art esteem. Plus they will want to finish because the kids have
moved onto something soooo way cool...
If the child does not "get it" in technique, in application, in process - I
am 100% there for their success and I ask they are 100% rowing their side of
the boat, come in a.m., after school, lunch. Shovel the positive
reinforcements, every small mark is a great beginning, and I can't wait to
see what they do next, offer alternating 2-D and 3-D work so everyone has a
chance for feel good success, throw something quick and fool proof to
re-engage after something intense and difficult.
Is the lesson too frustrating, meaningless, makes them see themselves as
incapable?
1st lesson is fool proof, easy, complex perhaps in some techniques,
concepts, but any third grader with direction can accomplish it and feel
good about the WOW end result. Then build up from there. Which is why I am
always looking at this terrific site for that wonderful feel good lesson
with depth.
