Cycle One comes to rest today

"Only the gentle are truly strong"

James Dean (who died today in 1955)

Student Video 93010  

Today was the last day of the first school year's cycle (6 weeks) and grades are due next Tuesday.  That typically means all physical work is finished and graded, all six weeks tests are given and graded, and all "paperwork" such as reports, etc. are to be turned in and graded.  So the students were busy the entire period taking care of business, as it were.  

I collected three pieces of paper from each student today.  The first was the "ART SELF-EXAM" where they were to list 10 questions and 10 answers from their reading and research this cycle.  Most had this finished.  I'm not as happy with this portion of this curriculum, yet.  I have told them it was to reflect what they had read in the textbook chapters on the subjects, not on their ability to copy definitions out of the glossary in the back.  I may change this part for next cycle in some way.

The second paper was the completed RUBRIC they used to assess their grade on their completed art work.  In this case, ALL were finished with this process and I felt that the results were surprising.  A few of them gave themselves failing grades.  The questions had them ask themselves whether they put anything of themselves into their project, whether they brought in any materials to complete it, whether they researched the lesson outside of class, among others.  

The third paper was their daily grade log they keep each day on the activities they have dealt with that day.  I have them average their grades in such things as to the completeness of their daily log, notes on demonstrations, notes on movies, and the progress of their art work.  Again, in looking at them, I felt that the grades were very close to what I would have given them

Overall, I feel that the greater percentage of the students are doing well with monitoring their progress in all these areas and I think that I will not change much in this regard very soon.

Lastly, I encourage you to check out the video I posted on Youtube with a link at the top of the page.  I had three students discuss briefly their art projects in terms of the lesson on LINE and BALANCE.  With no more warning or preparation than come back here and talk about it, I felt they did very well.

Almost There...going down to the wire

"In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind."

Louis Pasteur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2htZKDlPsHI

The link above is to a new 2 plus minute video of my students on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010 during Period 2 working on their self prescribed art assignments that are due on Thursday.  I wanted to show how diverse the choices students made were and how engaged they are in the process of creating their work.  

I started the period out by having them write down in the their log books the goals they needed to accomplish this week having to do with their projects, their 6 week test, and their grade sheet rubric for evaluating this art work.  At the end of the period I had them check off or comment on which goals they worked on and possibly accomplished.

I spoke with a couple of students suggesting alternative ways to enhance their drawings.  They seemed to take the input positively and continue working to improve their work.  Very gratifying.

I had to ask one student to speak with me in the hall.  She has a good sense of design and has done some fine work, even after having been absent for 4 days.  She has caught up and is moving forward.  The problem is that she does like attention and she has found it in two other students.  Unfortunately, because of the larger number of students in this class, (30), as opposed to 20 in my other two classes, there aren't spaces enough, far away from the other two enough to keep her from disturbing them and the rest of the class.  When she is out of the room, everyone is focused on their work and the noise level goes down a whole lot.  I talked to her a couple of times, but I'm afraid it just wasn't sinking in.  We'll see what happens on Thursday when all is due.  I'm posting a couple of pictures of work in progress.  This first one is a student who is using her drawings of the small plastic colored boxes to draw four related 9 X 12 drawings using colored pencil and charcoal (a combination I wouldn't have suggested, but she tried and it seems to work for this drawing).  THAT'S what I see as a real perk in this process.  Students trying things an old hand like me might poo poo.  Good for her!  The smaller one is another adaptation of the boxes on 12 X 18 and so far, just in colored pencil.  The last one in on the largest paper in pencil.  This student has worked very focussed in #2 pencil.  He drew the bone, then cut it out and repeatedly drew it in a radially balanced composition.  Then we talked about how he might set off the positive and negative shapes with some dark to light shading. As you can see at the bottom left of the drawing he is "getting there" with the value gradations.  He has a lot of space to cover with only a light pencil, but he seems to be ok with that.

I really like sharing these works as "in process" works because usually the only time people see works from my classes is when they are hanging on the hallway wall outside my room.  As these works ARE finished, I will record them each cycle and post them in a slide show on youtube for all to enjoy.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog and if you have, leave a comment.  Thanks for reading.  Share with your friends.

Weekend Wonderings

Sheldon Alan "Shel" Silverstein   September 25, 1930

"All The Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas

 Layin' In The Sun,

 Talkin' 'Bout The Things

 They Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda Done...

 But All Those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas

 All Ran Away And Hid

 From One Little Did"

So one day I'm sitting in my classroom having my lunch...a special treat today because I  have a couple of left-over devilled eggs from last nights pot luck at pottery class.  There was my banana, as usual, waiting to be eaten with activia, and, of course my ruffles.  Well, what else is a smart phone good for than to take a photo when the kodak moment presents itself.  I emailed it to Sue and she got a mid-day chuckle out of it.  I hope you get a mid-weekend chuckle out of it as well.

Today is Shel Silverstein's birthday and I just thought this quote from him was oh, so appropriate in light of what I'm trying to do with this curriculum; but ,also in terms of what I expect from my students in their quest for knowledge about art.  The other day in class I observed a  young man sitting and talking AT a few other students, who were also ignoring their work and paying full attention to what he was saying, which had nothing to do with art.  I asked him if he knew what was meant by telekinesis.  He said no.  I explained to him that it meant being able to control physical objects with his mind.  The ability to simply will, by concentration, something to move.  I went on to explain that it was not possible in real life to do that, but, in the movies when it is portrayed as real, the person doing it is concentrating real hard on that task.  So even if he sat there staring at his paper, his work would not get done, but by not paying ANY attention to it, there wasn't even the "fantasy" chance that it would.  Besides, he was keeping others from doing their work.

As you can tell from that encounter with this student, I have the hardest time just saying "get busy", "stay on task", or any of a number of quick responses to "lack of engagement" with my students.  Maybe I'm just antsy that this process will work and that eventually my students will "get it".  I have to remember that they are so used to being told what to do, how to do it, when to turn it in, and what to remember from the experience that they aren't used to making all those choices themselves. That's what this is ALL about.  This idea of deciding for oneself all of these aspects of learning.

Here's another quandary I experienced the other day.  Here's a student whose still life objects were the little colored plastic  boxes.  He is given the option of composing an abstract expression.  He chooses the largest format, 18 X 24.  He chooses colored pencil as media.  He draws 5 shapes of cubes in outline form only.  He colors the lines in colored pencil.  He sits there as finished.  I look at it and see all kinds of options for him to "complete" his work, not the least of which would be to simply color in the boxes.  I decided not to suggest any specific direction or alternative except to say I would encourage him to research further how other artists might have chosen to finish a work like this, and that to me it did need "finishing".  He still has two full days before the end of the cycle to work on it.  After I spoke with him, he just sat there staring at his paper for the rest of the period.  I want him to WANT to do the best job he can and to WANT to feel proud of what he"s done.  The quandary I have is how much external input into his intrinsic decisions should I exercise?  If he is unwilling to "teach" himself, at what point do I decide what would be best for HIM?  As I spell it out here, I think what I will do is  discuss with him on Tuesday some options I would think about, show him some examples with a short demo, and then, if he still is not motivated to add to what he has, have him go through the GRADE RUBRIC and answer the questions in it.  Perhaps be finishing that process, he might decide that perhaps there might be further actions he could take.  If anyone out there has any other suggestions, please post in comments.  Be assured I will look at them.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read this lengthy rambling.  I hope you share this with others and that you become a follower of the blog and use the opportunity to comment.  As I encounter future dilemmas in this process, I will try to be honest in the posting and share them with you.

Some Questions and some Answers

"When did Kerry James Marshall start to want to create art?When he was in kidergarten looking at his teacher's scrapbook full of pictures"

Edeer Gautpm (student in 1st period)

Highly productive periods today.  Checking on the student's progress, I determined that students are about equally divided when choosing the size of product they will finish.  This is what I had hoped would be the case.  I also was interested in seeing what they had chosen for media and subject matter and expression.  Even though a few of them are doing the same thing as the person next to them, mostly I am seeing quite a variety of choices in each of these categories.  Again, very encouraging.

ENGAGEMENT:  I felt the need to speak to the students today about the need to focus on their work and not bother those around them with needless conversation.  As I reminded them, this curriculum is totally unique and it calls for the students to "measure up" to the expectation of self-discipline.  The last thing I want is to have to revert to teacher controlled learning.  This first six weeks cycle is a test of whether this can work with these students.  Right now I am seeing about 85% (just an arbitrary guess) of the students working to make it work.  My goal is still 100% and I believe it can happen.  Stay tuned.

TESTING:  The students are writing their own 6 weeks test based on their notes and research.  They have a form that is simply 10 numbered lines for their questions and answers.  Today I wanted some feedback on where they were with this process.  I had each of them submit one question/answer combo for me to check out.  The quote today is from one of the students who asked a question from the notes he took on the movie we watched on the artist Kerry James Marshall.  Some of others were:

Where and when did Expressionism develop as an art movement? End of 19th centurey Germany.

What are descriptive lines?  Lines that help us understand what we are seeing.

What is dimension?  The space an object takes up in one direction.

What do you need to create art?  Imagination and Creativity.

What are two types of balance?  Formal and Informal

These are just a few of the many and varied questions the students are asking and ansereing during this process.  I am very encouraged at this point and look forward to seeing an even greater depth of questions when I read their tests next week.
The line drawing at left was one I couldn"t get uuploaded the other day.  Here it is now next to the following days progress...shown to the right is a 12 X 18 charcoal composition by Jessica G. in 2nd period.  Still unfinished, but looking good.  She is using a piece of antler as her subject.

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it is what it is

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment"

Jim Rohn

Started off with an Art 21 movie on KERRY JAMES MARSHALL.  This artist speaks eloquently on what it is to be an artist, what motivates him, how he decides on the EXPRESSION he uses, and what sort of unique ideas he comes up with as he continues being a "child".

I noted the comment to the students when he said something like, "a suspicion I have had comes to mind as I view these fabulous art works in a museum; that is, these works didn't come into existence by accident".

The students worked real hard getting a good start on their art works.  I took a picture of one of the student's works in progress, but haven't been able to get the pic loaded up onto this blog site as yet.  So this one is rather short and terribly uninteresting; but, like the fella says, iiwii.

Official "GOAL SETTING" day

"The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it.

What is makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get"

Jim Rohn

We started out by watching a very short little video on The Art of Colored Pencil.  The artist showed how the colored pencil is used in an overlaying fashion, as many as 12 different hues, to create some very realistic tones in a still life composition.  I then discussed the proper way to sharpen the pencils and pointed out a couple of things in the video, like how the artist held the pencil when drawing lightly (from the end of the pencil).  

The students filled in the form I developed (seen on my other blog site djochum2.blogspot.com)  As I looked them over afterwards, I was pleased at the variety expressed.  I can't wait to see how this manifests itself in the final products.

We spent some time cutting the student's paper into the desired sizes they will need to complete their goals.

Again, a lot of variety in sizes.

The rest of the period was spent working on drawings and developing compositions.  One of the students beginning works on a 9 x 12 in ebony pencil is right here.

As you can see, it is only first day of working, but she has gotten a good start at what she perceives to be a cubism drawing of boxes.

Demos, Practice, and Havin' Fun

"After a  DISCUSSION on NON-VERBAL communication, a WRITTEN assignment was given?"

Last night in my home studio I created a couple of demonstration videos with my iphone.  With the help of a new clamp, a tripod, a portable light, and a drawing surface I was able to put together a couple 5 minute 

presentations on vine charcoal drawing, ebony pencil drawing, india ink painting, and a couple watercolor

techniques.

I posted the videos on Youtube, so if you want to check them out, the site for the Black/White media is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG4YPGVR3R8 and the site for the watercolor presentation is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBfmnn5jU-c.  It is called Introduction to Watercolor.

I handed out charcoal sticks, kneaded erasers, ebony pencils, paint brushes, and watercolor sets without pigments.  When they are ready to use the paints, they can set up whatever palette they choose by selecting

pads of color from a common tray.  

The students spent the bulk of the period trying out the charcoal in drawing their still life objects and spending some time practicing with the ebony pencils.  Some were still researching the EXPRESSION

categories.  On Friday they will fill out the "My Goal is to" form where they will commit to a plan of 

action.  I will be posting that form on the related blog site djochum2.blogspot.com.

Discovering Impressionism, Expressionism, and Cubism

"What is essential is invisible to the eye"

from the Little Prince

Another full day of learning, organizing, preparing, and just plain taking care of "bidness".  This blog won't be very long because its mostly just a report on the "day to day" of my classes.

I went through the text "The Visual Experience" that is our current art textbook in Texas and jotted down all the pages listed in the index for the main EXPRESSIONS that the students will be choosing from in order to work on their particular assignment they give themselves.  Other than REALISM, which is a little easier to understand and a concept which the students are familiar, I felt that they needed to familiarize themselves with the other choices before committing themselves to one of them.

The illustrations in the text concerned with IMPRESSIONISM had some nicely chosen ones by RENOIR.

It happens that I had brought in a couple of personal books on Renoir, so I felt good about having even further research material available for them later.

And so it went with EXPRESSIONISM as well.  I had to point out that in this first cycle, since we are concerned with the STILL LIFE along with the other factors, that Abstract Expressionism will need to wait until a later cycle.  Picasso and Braque were well represented in the discussion of CUBISM so I hope they gleaned some good information from that research.

I told them to keep in mind the test they will be preparing as they take their notes.  Some later asked if they could give themselves a grade on the test portion for today if they wrote some down.  Good things to hear.

I told them to not be satisfied with the cursory, obvious bits of information, but search out that meaningful piece of infor they think no one else would bother with.  THAT'S what they'll take home!

Time For first GRADE entries

"In our time there are many artists who do something because it is new;  they see their value and the justification in this newness.  They are deceiving themselves;  novelty is seldom the essential.  This has to do with one thing only; making a subject better from its intrinsic nature."

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Today was a quite busy day in class.  We started out watching two short videos titled WHAT IS ART?

I found them on Youtube and found them to be entertaining as well as informational...just the ticket for the captive audience of a high school class.  Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDo_vs3Aip4  for the Creature

Comforts version and to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZXOL-HUfWM for the more serious approach to the subject. 

After taking notes on the videos in their log books, I distributed the 18 X 24 white drawing paper they will be using to create their studio art works.  I demonstrated the use of the paper cutter and discussed with them the concept involved with using all the time they will have to complete the 1, 2, 4, or 8 finished artworks this grading period.  They also received the same size newsprint paper to work out preliminary designs.

On Monday I will demonstrate the use of charcoal, colored pencil, and watercolor.  I will also discuss ways in which to approach the idea of using their small sketches into larger compositions.

I was able to upload a very short video of a few students drawing from their chosen still life subjects into

a site called VIMEO.  If you click on this link, http://vimeo.com/14818575 you will be able to view it.

Finally, the last item on the agenda was to average the grades students took on their work so far in class in the five categories and enter these into the computer.  Except for a few, the grades were very close to ones I would have given them myself.  I feel as though most are taking a very honest look at their involvement.  I hope this is the case and it continues.  I'll keep you all posted.

a BALANCING act...

" If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens"

Grandma Moses

We started our classes today watching a 6 minute video on the Principle of Design, BALANCE.  It was on youtube and I was able to bring it up through my 3G telephone connection and use my projector to view it on the big screen.  Students took notes as the lesson involved seeing how balance is achieved with like and unlike shapes and sizes and how VISUAL BALANCE works when an object which is more interesting and draws out attention more strongly, is introduced to balance less interesting shapes.  The discussion that followed included talk about the various subjects the students have to choose from and that some are more intrinsically interesting than others because of varied line within the forms themselves.  For instance, the bones and the shoes are more interesting than the plain boxes.

I'm posting the "finished" example of the old shoe that I drew on the chalk board as I gave the demonstration on CONTOUR LINE drawing and how the students might try the "blind contour" in their practice on the small sheets of paper.  I mentioned that they can deliberately "slow themselves down" by switching their drawing instrument to the hand they are not used to drawing with resulting in even a more accurate representation of the subject.  A little "right" brain, "left" brain activity.

I try to use the chalkboard as little as possible, but in this case the students seemed to "get the picture"readily and I saw some apply the concept soon after.

GO!!!!!!!!!

"The public is wonderfully tolerant, and forgives everything except genius"

                                  Oscar Wilde

Today was definitely GO day.  Students came in, got out their notebooks and art supplies, turned to last period's log, started a new log for today, just for starters.

I demonstrated the use of the india ink and dip pen they can use for their assignments.  Pictured here, you can see I used the "idea drawing" form.  The first box I wanted them to see how many lines you can draw with one dip of pen..we counted 21..the other squares represent other ways to use the pen to produce a variety of lines and value.  I felt the students were very attentive and seemed to get something out of the demo.

The students then went to the cupboards and selected the first objects they are going to draw for this first lesson.  They had the choice of drawing or research and back again as they wished.  So some grabbed books, and some grabbed objects.  Pictured below are two student drawings of two different objects done in contour line drawing style.  The first here is a tonka truck.  If  your screen will allow an enlargement, check out the drawing itself.  Very nice!  The next one is of some bones.  Again, nicely done.  I keep telling them that my goal is get them to think for themselves.  I am SO encouraged by the student's first day of actual creative activity.

Ready, Set,....

"There's no heavier burden than a great potential"

So yesterday, Tuesday the 31st of August, I passed out folders, finished the movie "Why Man Creates", passed out 9 different forms for use in our new curriculum, discussed each form generally and had the students read them more closely, and wrote an entry into their log books.  Whew!

I'm posting a few more forms on the other blog site, djochum2.blogspot.com, in case you want to check them out.  Students spent about 20 minutes looking at the new art textbook, particularly Chapter 3 on LINE and Chapter 8, which deals with all the Principles of Design, including BALANCE.  Their portfolios are finished and in their drawers, practice paper is ready, I handed out Ziplock freezer bags to keep art supplies in and distributed a pen and pencil to each to put in bag.  I told them they may begin bringing in art supplies tomorrow, Thursday.

Saw a great little 2 minute video on Youtube Derek Dibbern showed me on Facebook.  Just type in The Unsettling Truth About Life.  Another affirmation of what I hope this class will provide, "a little dancing music".