Quiet, engage, and focus

"Minds are like parachutes, they only function when they are
 open."


                 Lord Thomas Robert Dewar   January 6, 1864

We came back after our Christmas vacation today.  Faced with 2 days left (including today) of the six weeks cycle AND the end of the first semester, there was definitely a need to "get back to work" in earnest.  Not to say that ALL the students needed to be put into "panic mode".  A few of them came back with finished work they had done over the break and were pretty well caught up on what they had left to do in class.  Some had done enough that the time left will be sufficient to accomplish their goals.  

I started each period with a discussion of what would be expected of them by end of the period on Friday.  I would be looking for completed art work.  They would be turning in their grade sheets for recording this cycle.  They would be turning in their "6 week test" which amounts to having completed the two value charts/scales given them the first day of the cycle.  They would need to look over their notes, re-read the texts, or in whatever way they can think of to prepare themselves for the semester exam next week.  I told them that it would basically be an essay type exam where they would be writing about their experiences this semester and relating how and what they did in this class.  So a little review would help them a lot.

I gave the students the address of the new website, ARTCLASS2.0 and what would be found there.  I showed them the Welcome page on the classroom computer which had one of the student's art work as the opening photo.  I told them that I had 3 goals for this website.  The first was to highlight their work for them to show their parents at home and for others around the world to enjoy.  The second was for them to look through the various projects I have had students at Skyline do over the last 4 years in case they saw something they would like to pursue themselves.  The third was to post "INTERESTED ONLY" demonstrations of art techniques that those who took the time outside of class to look at the site would learn from and come back to class with the desire to do those types of things.  This is going to be experimental in its concept and I will see how it works over the next cycle to see if I will continue it.

The following is the second video in a series of demonstrations on the art of silk screen printing.  I plan to have this process available to the students next cycle.  I plan to start with those who watch these demos online and then come into class with the desire to do it.