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Lesson Plans


Art - Making it grow

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Melissa Enderle (Melissaenderle)
Fri, 21 Mar 97 16:20:41 -0000

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>Hello-
>I am just curious as to what it is that you teach? How many years and at
>what level?
>
>I have taught at all levels K-12 and I am currently a high school teacher. I
>have been teaching for 7 years. I built a dying art program into a
>respectable over flowing DBAE based art department. I am currently the art
>department chair and I have been for 5 years. The biggest problems I face
>is the lack of enthusiam and higher levels of art education among my co-art
>department members. All to often I see them take the easy way out, do not
>teach art history, and or art terms/ vocabulary.
>
>If you have suggestions or other comments it would be appreciated.
>thanks,
>Joy Schultz

I teach elementary art (K4-6th grade) in Milwaukee. This is my third
year teaching - my first at this school. I moved to this district hoping
to ilicit that enthusiasm and eagerness to try new things, something that
I had seen there in my student teaching experiences.
In Antigo, I felt that the district (and art department) had stagnated,
perhaps even gone downhill. Many of the art teachers were "Lifers" and
had not done anything risky or innovative. I decided to make things a
little more exciting and solicited businesses to see if they would like
artwork displayed as part of Youth Art Month. There were many eager
businesses, and so I promptly gathered artwork and displayed it. When I
initially asked the other art teachers if they too would like to display,
only one was interested. She and I began filling the businesses. When
the others saw the beautiful displays and heard the comments we were
getting, they decided to also display.
Tonight I just had my school's first art show. It was held in conjuction
with parent-teacher conferences. I insisted on having the full day to
set up the show. It was a lot of hard work and long hours preparing, but
it was worth it. Students saw their artwork displayed, parents were
proud, and the principal gained a deeper understanding of the arts and
the students' potential. If you don't promote your program in tangible
ways, who will?
I don't know if I was of any help. If you want more specific items,
please let me know. I'm sure you're the more experienced person though.

Melissa Enderle
Melissaenderle

Melissa Enderle
Melissaenderle

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