Distance Learning Videos to Share!

Here's a sneak peek of my "In the Art Room" videos created for distance learning! 

Please use them to share ideas, adopt a lesson to make it your own, or to show to your own students. You can see all of the videos created so far right here:

My Adventures in Positive Space on YouTube

You have all been so helpful to me, and I want to return the favor.

Teachers are amazing. Especially art teachers! As things are unfolding in the world, we are adjusting to creating ways to connect with our students as we are thrust into the world of distance learning. Social media is now in the forefront as we reach out to each other and share ideas for lessons, advocacy, and communication with each other and our students. Thank you for all of your inspiration!

A few weeks ago here in New Jersey, my colleagues and I were given notice to write lessons to post for online learning, and were given very little time. My first lessons were written instructions, and focused on utilizing the home environment. I needed to make sure that lessons were manageable and that all students would be able to accomplish their projects with a variety of circumstances and art supplies at home.

As time away from my students began to expand, and homeroom teachers branched out to things like Zoom and Flipgrid for meeting with and conducting their classes, I thought about how I could connect with my students. I needed to be able to explain things visually and wanted my students to see and connect with me. I was also warned that every teacher could not schedule classes to meet virtually, so as not to overwhelm the learning from home schedule. So I set to work setting up my studio area to create video lessons.

And, kudos to all of the art teacher rock stars out there who already create videos! It is hard work. I fumbled over my words, smacked my lips, said "ummmm" I don't know how many times. Lighting is hard! Editing is hard! Needless to say I had quite a learning curve, and things aren't perfect, but I am virtually available to my students, and have given them ways to create art with choices for recycled materials or whatever art supplies they have at home. I hope these lessons are helpful to you all. 

Be well and safe!

Reflections on NAEA Convention: Classes

As part of my convention experience, I decided to try two classes for a small fee. Overall I had a good experience. My first choice was a class on Sumi-e Painting. Although it was a challenge to teach this technique in one class, I did learn a lot, and was given lots opportunity to practice. Here are some of my attempts at various subject matter. I know, I know, I need practice! But I do think I would be better equipped to give a lesson to the kids having had this experience.

The second class I chose was Creating with Beautiful Stuff. It was based on a book by the same name. This is something I have already done with my students in various ways and thought I might get a bit more insight by taking the class. I was mistaken, but I did take this class with a friend, and did have a good experience overall. Below you can see some works in progress, my abstract collage, and a beautiful figurine created by my friend and fellow teacher Paula.

Intro Class

I felt ready to take on a bigger challenge and introduce my art lessons to a larger audience, so my daughters were able to each invite two friends for a sample art class. The girls were excited to act as students and assistants as they shared what they learned in helping me prepare for class. Nothing beats a full table of kids chanting, with brushes in hand—"We want art! We want art!" I let them get it out of their system and we then learned about the process of monoprints. Each child created a series and gained confidence with the materials. It's kind of a magical process, peeling away your paper from the painted plate to reveal how your image's color and brushstrokes melded into the final project. Then we painted a sea life scene after listening to a piece of classical music paired with a painting in the book "Can you Hear It?" by Dr. William Lach. I chose these lessons to accommodate all ages and abilities, and because they were fun, allowed for a lot of freedom, and gave satisfying results.

The layout of supplies was taken from an incredible book titled "Doing Art Together" by Muriel Silberstein-Storfer. Muffin tins hold the paints which prevent spills and give them accessibility to multiple students—BRILLIANT! A small dish with a sponge gives a place for children to dry out their brushes after washing them out in the water jars—no waste, like paper towels.

This first class could not have gone better. The kids were all lovely—eager, attentive, and we all enjoyed ourselves as we learned to make art together.