One year down!

There are so many things I did not blog about this year. If I get a chance this summer, I might write up some projects, though posting is becoming increasingly difficult from this part of the globe. (Thanks to my dad for finding a way for me to access blogspot!)

If I don't write up some projects, you'll have to hope I repeat it next year and take the time to blog about it on the second go-around.

During the last week of school, my efforts were focused on grading, returning artwork, and goodbyes. Some art classes were cancelled due to special activities. For the other classes, 3rd-5th grade, I had students fill out an exit-survey/year-in-review worksheet.

          The best part of art class is...
          My favorite project this year was...
          The most important thing in art is...
          When I think about next year, I hope we...
          In art class next year, I want to get better at...

I had a professor in college offer some wise words during an informal talk about his teaching experiences. I don't remember the exact quote, but he mentioned that you can't get your identity from your students, your self-worth from their opinion of you. I try to keep everything in perspective as the adult in the relationship, but I still desire to be a burst of light, source of love in their lives.


Reading these worksheets was encouraging, if not tear-worthy. Here are some exerts:


The best part of art class is...

when we are working on a projects (3rd grade)
drawing and making (3rd grade)
teacher is very kind (3rd grade)
painting (3rd grade)
Miss M (3rd grade)
i-pod and self portrait and all of the because I learned from Miss M. (3rd grade)
the teacher is king (3rd grade, ESL student---did she mean kind? she also filled out the talent show audition form saying she would be sining as her talent...)
talking (4th grade)
being with you! (4th grade)
it's fun (4th grade)
free drawing (5th grade)
we get to make lots of sculptures and projects (5th grade)
FUN!! (spending time with friends) (5th grade)
talking and concentrating on the picture (5th grade)
that I can finish quicker (5th grade)
that we don't have to fill out worksheets, we can make something (5th grade)


My favorite project this year was...

All of them (3rd grade)
weavings (3rd grade)
drawing cakes (3rd grade)
painting (3rd grade)
making sculpture (3rd grade)
paper mache bowl (4th grade)
all (4th grade)
painting the peaceful land (4th grade)
making lamps (4th grade)
umm...maybe the wire sculptures (5th grade)
the series thingny (5th grade)
our powerpoint posters (5th grade)
gridding (5th grade)
makign the wire person or the last project in the series with colored pencils (5th grade)


The most important thing I learned in art is...

to have self-control and work quietly (3rd grade)
how to blend color (3rd grade)
don't rush (3rd grade)
draw neatly (3rd grade)
to do your best job and be dilegent (3rd grade)
be neat and be awesom artist (3rd grade)
follow the teacher's directions (3rd grade)
paying attention to the projects (4th grade)
painting (4th grade)
about lights and decorating with lights (4th grade)
how to be an artist and painter (4th grade)
try (4th grade)
to draw some pictures creatively (4th grade)
ghost lines (4th grade)
designing (4th grade)
that we should love art (4th grade)
we can tell our thoughts by pictures (4th grade)
negative and positive space (5th grade)
that there are many things that you can do with art and they're all fun (to me sorta) (5th grade)
drawing or like the art history or maybe something like that or... (5th grade)
that there are even more types of art than I had thought (5th grade)
draw best as I can, express myself in the drawings (5th grade)
I don't know (5th grade)
how to design with computer (5th grade)
I learned how to draw contour lines (5th grade)
how to make a series (5th grade)


I could continue with the last two sentence stems, but most of those are "do more projects, get better at art, get better at drawing, paint, make sculptures, etc." Instead, I'll leave you with some portraits of yours truly. My students often decide to draw me, so here's a collection from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders.

These kids are awesome! If you know my wardrobe, you'll notice some distinctive pieces, such as my peacock blue mary jane style crocs...