THIS IS HOW I APPROACH THE TEACHING OF ART.
- Everyone can create art. It's true that some people come by it more naturally, but I tell my students that creating art is like playing a sport. The more you practice, the better you get.
- I try to make connections in what I am doing in the art room to what students are experiencing in their life. Art should not be a separate entity, but rather a strong compliment to the world around them.
- I constantly integrate other subjects into my program, and not just topics, but skills. I further believe that using literature to jump start the art process is a great way of building art ideas.
- I teach major concepts, or rather "the big picture". This helps me to stay grounded and not jump from one place to another. For example, in fifth grade students study how important art is in our everyday life. Under that big picture we could explore weaving, pottery, fashion design, portrait painting, etc. The list is endless, yet students are drawn back to the major concept, and are asked again to make connections to their lives.
- In all of this I must meet the standards that are set by New York State, but that's the easy part.
SO YOU THOUGHT TEACHING ART WAS ABOUT CUT, TRACE, AND GLUE.
WELL THINK AGAIN1
