ArtsEdNet Mail for October 1999: portfolio ideas and computer lessons

Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.

portfolio ideas and computer lessons

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]Beth Goodwin (bgood)
Sat, 30 Oct 1999 11:39:33 -0400

Next message: Herrmann, Kathy: "RE: portfolio ideas and computer lessons"
Previous message: Woody Duncan: "Re: resource site"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF22CB.6F905A60
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Dear artsednetters;
I'm hoping some of you experienced teachers can give me some direction =
in these two areas. This is my first year, middle school, classes change =
every nine weeks, and there isn't any written curriculum. So... I'm =
trying to see what works, how best to organize, etc. etc . etc. First, =
do you have any ideas about drawings, work, etc. that students can do on =
portfolios. We use them to store some things in progess, but also as =
something to work on when they are finished with a project early or we =
have shortened class period for one reason or another. (And boy are =
there a lot of them, aren't there?) The previous teacher and the other =
current one made a major deal out of this and would make them work =
almost the whole first week on their portfolios. To me, it seems just =
like busywork. I've decided that letting them do what they want is not =
an option this nine weeks as I have had my fill of KORN, 'NSync, Limp =
Bizkit, and I Love Brandon. I've thought about lettering on one =
side(their name, school, grade ?) and dividing the other side into =
sections (maybe 15) and giving each grade a theme and requiring a =
different drawing in that theme in each section. For instance, =
cartoons/animation, trees, holidays. I don't know - I need some advice =
on what will work, be worthwhile, and not just wasted time. I am at the =
same time trying to set up some learning centers for those who are done =
early, but as I'm sure you know takes a lot of time and this would tide =
me over until those are ready. =20
Second request: If you could take students to the computer lab for only =
1 or 2 days each nine weeks, what would you have them do? I haven't =
seen the other teacher do anything like this, but there is no class =
period for computer lab for the students. Although there are a few =
computers in each class room (not art), most do not get to use them. =
I've thought about a virtual museum ??visit. We may be able to get a =
paint/draw program for next year, but for now ??? Any ideas ??? Thanks =
for any help you can give. I am really enjoying reading all your =
correspondence and investigating the web sites you recommend. Beth.

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF22CB.6F905A60
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">

Dear artsednetters;

I'm hoping some of you experienced teachers can give = me some=20 direction in these two areas. This is my first year, middle school, = classes=20 change every nine weeks, and there isn't any written curriculum. = So... I'm=20 trying to see what works, how best to organize, etc. etc . etc. = First, do=20 you have any ideas about drawings, work, etc. that students can do on=20 portfolios. We use them to store some things in progess, but also = as=20 something to work on when they are finished with a project early or we = have=20 shortened class period for one reason or another. (And boy are = there a lot=20 of them, aren't there?) The previous teacher and the other current one = made a=20 major deal out of this and would make them work almost the whole first = week on=20 their portfolios. To me, it seems just like busywork. I've = decided=20 that letting them do what they want is not an option this nine weeks as = I have=20 had my fill of KORN, 'NSync, Limp Bizkit, and I Love Brandon. I've = thought=20 about lettering on one side(their name, school, grade ?) and = dividing the=20 other side into sections (maybe 15) and giving each grade a theme and = requiring=20 a different drawing in that theme in each section. For instance,=20 cartoons/animation, trees, holidays. I don't know - I need some advice = on what=20 will work, be worthwhile, and not just wasted time. I am at the = same time=20 trying to set up some learning centers for those who are done early, but = as I'm=20 sure you know takes a lot of time and this would tide me over until = those are=20 ready.

Second request: If you could take students to = the=20 computer lab for only 1 or 2 days each nine weeks, what would you have = them=20 do? I haven't seen the other teacher do anything like this, but = there is=20 no class period for computer lab for the students. Although there = are a=20 few computers in each class room (not art), most do not get to use = them. =20 I've thought about a virtual museum ??visit. We may be able to get = a=20 paint/draw program for next year, but for now ??? Any ideas ??? = Thanks for=20 any help you can give. I am really enjoying reading all your=20 correspondence and investigating the web sites you = recommend. =20 Beth.