Hello families!

We've begun our second week of school and it has been a wonderful experience in the art room. The students have been busy learning about choice and challenge. I provide students with different challenges for them to complete, and they have a choice on how to accomplish this.

The art room is a TAB-hybrid classroom - in here, we focus on Teaching for Artistic Behavior and the students have a choice on how to accomplish developing those skills through different centers. We currently have drawing for the lower grades (K&1) and drawing + collage for all of the other students. As we gain skills and students show me they're responsible for their materials and learning, the students will have access to painting, textiles, sculpture, and printmaking centers.

While in the art room, we worry less about our product and more about the process of art making. I encourage students to use our resources in the classroom, including art books and each other, to learn how to do more and more artwork. It is a collaborative and exciting process, and I can't wait to see what they do next!

This week, K & 1 are learning about identity and letter art - the students are making artwork and stories inspired by the letters in their name! One student with the initials of "B. A-R." has created a piece where Blue Bunnies are Balancing on a Bike while Riding down Apple Road! We will be trying to integrate science, literature, history, social studies, and math into our classroom. Everything can be a part of art!

2 & 3 have kicked off our artist trading cards at Steele - soon other students will be joining them and we will have a full art trade between grades. The students created small cards filled with their art and donated it to the art trading card bin. Then, they are able to take another student's card. We will be able to build a community of excited artists as we spread more artwork and inspiration between each other. No artist lives in a bubble! We've also been creating our own sketchbooks through book binding and designing covers.

4 & 5 have learned a big art world secret - great artists steal! We've been studying how Pablo Picasso and Jack Kirby have both recommended stealing from other artists to become better artists. We have looked through artwork and begun "stealing" by practicing what these artists have already done. In addition, we've begun studying the artist and dancer Heather Hansen, who has created large-scale charcoal drawings through movement. The students are also creating larger-scale drawings by holding chalk or charcoal in both hands and attempting to make symmetrical movements. The science behind this practice shows us that students should experience a calm, almost meditative state as they focus on these movements. Plus, the artwork is beautiful!

As we move forward, the older grades will begin deciding what they'd like to study and their larger projects. I will also be encouraging the study of specific artists and helping them gain certain skills they can use as lifelong artists. Above all, we're trying to focus on growth mindset and perseverance in the art room so that students see themselves as artists.

It is going to be an exciting year!