1st full week... done! √
Well, we have completed our first FULL week of school and it's taken me a day or two to recover. (Between extra hours for back-to-school nights and extra time spent adding in grades, I was worn out by Friday night! I am making a very sincere effort to do grading every week of my Daily Sketchbook journals), and, as you can see, we've already completed a few projects. (Do you notice that middle school students are always so eager to see a finished product? I have to seriously remind mine that I want them to SLOW DOWN, enjoy the process, reflect on and edit their work as they go!) With that being said, I am very proud of their enthusiasm.
How do you get to KNOW your students? During the first week of school students are bombarded with rules, expectations, syllabus(es), new teachers, lockers, etc. and I like to give them a way to just relax in the art room by having them just casually write to me. I have my students tell me about their summer as they illustrate a postcard to me. It is enlightening to find out what my students did (or wish they had done) in the previous months. It's also good because I can get a quick assessment of their various levels of drawing abilitiy, writing, and their ability to follow directions. Check 'em out! How much do you love the one that shows the 2017 eclipse? So much creativity!
This week, my 8th grade students worked on graffiti-style name designs and 7th grade worked on Chinese Jianzhi-inspired layered paper cut designs. With the name designs (aside from the need to learn the names of students that I never had before), I like to do this project because it is very 'open' and many students can feel a level of success with it early on in the semester. It takes away any apprehension that they may feel for art since the style in itself encourages diverse approaches. Many of my students have seen graffiti in their neighborhoods or nearby, and were interested to see how this street art evolved. We discuss topics such as vandalism versus public art, fame versus anonymity and identity. We also talk about blending with analogous colors and typography. It's always one of my favorite ways to start off each trimester.
My 7th grade finished up paper cut designs inspired by a traditional Chinese art called Jianzhi. (I find when I do this lesson early on in the semester, they know I am expecting a certain level of maturity from each of them since we are jumping right in and using the "dangerous materials" of exact knives!) Every time I do this lesson, I enjoy it more and more and am continually impressed at their self-control. Set high expectations for students, and they will rise to the occasion!
Now that the week is over and as start planning for next, I am planning ways for myself to decompress after each week. On Saturday I hiked for 11 miles with a friend and even though neither one of us realized the trail was that long, it was still fun to enjoy nature... aside from the 3 snakes I encountered. Eww! Needless to say I was super tired by the end of the day but hiking REALLY helped recharge my batteries this weekend as I get ready for the next.
What are your favorite ways to start off on the right foot with your students? What goals do you set for yourself and for your students?
