On Mar 5, 2006, at 8:32 PM, StacieMich@aol.com wrote:
> What project do you start them off with? Do
> you discuss elements and principles or kind of try to throw those
> in as they are
> working on projects?
Sneak those elements and principles of design as they develop in
lessons.
Please, do not start by discussing theory with Middle School students.
Start off with assignments that are fun, simple and can be finished in
one class period. They need success first and later way some art works
better than others. We are given a lot of concepts in college that just
glazes over the eyes of our young students. After they gain your trust
you will be amazed what they can comprehend. Be patient, it takes time.
I remember my own teachers in the 50's trying, without success, to teach
me how to diagram a sentence. Every year they tried and were frustrated
that we had not learned this stuff earlier. Then I took, a foreign
language,
French. Wow, all of a sudden I realized what a verb was for. Only then,
when I saw an application did it start to make sense. Give your students
a context first so they will have something to wrap the theories around.
Woody
Woody, Retired in Albuquerque
mailto:woodyduncan@comcast.net
35 Quality Middle School Art Lessons
in powerpoint format, on one CD $17 (includes shipping)
http://www.taospaint.com/QualityLessons.html
Ordering Address: PO Box 91703
Albuquerque, NM 87199-1703
“The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork
is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction
of your artwork that soars.” from: “Art & Fear”
