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Lesson Plans


Re: Fwd: Art Budget and More

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Sue Palfrey (stp7msb)
Mon, 20 Jan 1997 09:26:05 -0500

I taught elementary art for almost 20 years before moving on to middle
school. A couple of thoughts on elementary scheduling, that unfortunately
won't help everyone, but it's a goal to work for. Over the years I was
able to demonstrate the value of the program and managed to get a second
art teacher (along with increasing enrollment...up to about 800 now) We
have been able to negotiate a schedule that sees no more than five classes
in a day. Older grades have a 55 minute class period (once a week). We
also usually just meet with one grade level in a day (sometimes 2), and we
both have art rooms. The room is then set up for that project so that class
time is really used for the lesson and not too much time is spent setting
up and cleaning up. What that means, is that a lot gets accomplished in art
class. It allows, too, for more complex activities (i.e. clay and
glazing, paper making, silk screen). It also means that many days, students
are welcome at lunch time to work on projects - particularly the day that
the room is set up for their lesson anyway. It's not perfect, and the
students still have art only once a week, but I felt like it made the best
of the situation. (I'm now at the middle school in the same district and
see students every other day for an hour and fifteen minutes for a
trimester and really love knowing what each student is doing!)

----------
> From: Ken Rohrer <kenroar>
> To: artsednet
> Subject: Re: Fwd: Art Budget and More
> Date: Monday, January 20, 1997 1:01 AM
>
> Leslie said....
>
> >Interesting post!
> >
> >Your 5 minutes between classes---some times enough!
> >
> >Why can't we figure out a way to treat art and music teachers the same
as
> >all other teachers. I now have two classes worth of clay pots(a la
Maria
> >Martinez) in plastic bags on cafeteria trays in corners of my room(there
is
> >no storage,not even room for classes of more than 16.) They didn't
finish
> > them(15 or 20 more minutes would have done it) and in the 5 minutes
between
> >classes I wasn't ready for the next class that came in. There has to be
a way
> >for the art program to be integrated into units and into the classroom
for
> >things like the native american units. There has to be a way to make
> >schedules more flexible. I'm really sick and tired of of the kids
> >complaining that there's not enough time to finish and then a week later
> >losing interest. That's really not very educational except to me.
> >
> >Do we know anywhere that has a good scheduling for elementary
specialists?
>
>
============================================================================
=
>
> Although this was sent to me personally, I am replying it to the list
> because I feel that there are some that may find it interesting.
>
> You bring up an interesting point about scheduling at the elementary
level.
> Unfortunately, art, music, pe, and library teachers are used to create
> preparation periods for the regular teaching staff. When the scheduling
is
> done, each teacher must get a prep period (for those schools who are
> unionized) of at least a certain period of time. This creates an
inflexible
> situation in scheduling. Because of this, block scheduling- becoming
> popular at the secondary level- probably won't go to the elementary
level.
>
> I believe that your only recourse is to first ask your administrator if
its
> OK if you attempt to bargain with a few of your teachers for altered time
> slots. If you know you need an extra time period ahead of time, ask the
> teacher after your class time if its OK that they switch with someone
else
> either on that day, or a following day. I did this occassionaly and had
an
> easier job because I had a second prep period on one day a week that I
> could switch with someone.
>
> I would be interested myself in knowing if anyone out there has come up
> with an idea that can both accomodate the regular classroom teachers'
prep
> periods and also give art teachers a longer period if they need it.
>
>
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