2. If so, what are the grades (ex. A, B, or E, S,) A,B,C,D,F
3. Do you have a required number of assessments for each nine weeks? No
4. How many times do you see your students? 50 min a week
5. What state do you teach in? KS
Note: I give them all A's. Why is Art weighted so much more heavily than the
other classes? The students have math for 50 minutes a DAY. I see them for
less than 8 hours total each 9 week period, and a good portion of that is
dedicated to finding their seats, quieting down, getting out supplies, &
clean up. There is not a realistic amount of time for me to truely instruct
and for the students to practice their new knowledge. What do you do when a
student is absent? If they miss one class period how on earth can they make
up the time missed? I told my administrator that I didn't believe we should
mess with "good learning" with assessments. He agrees, so I just give the
elementary students A's. In the last 10 years I have had 0 office referrals.
Students are engaged in art while in my classroom. My principal has 2
daughters in my program, one very talented, the other - well, not so much.
Yet it is obvious that they are both learning about art. I love not having
the stress about grading - I do have to give grades at the middle & high
schools, but even those are for the sake of "playing the game". I appreciate
the fact that I am supported in my program. Many of my students go on into
art related careers, so I must be doing something right!
~Michal
3-12 Kansas Art Teacher
HS Digital Communications
Technology Integration Specialist
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids http://www.usd492.org
