Ok, so they didn't renew the art teacher's contract. Then they inform the teachers that we are going to be responsible for teaching art in the classroom. Well... I work in a very small, poor school and none of the teachers want to take the time to teach art. They are going to just drop it. I took it upon myself to take the "art teacher" role so these kids would get to learn about art. I don't know the first thing about teaching art to 2nd - 4th graders other than reading the state standards. I need help, a direction to look, something. I am begging...
Scholastic has some resource books that connect literature to art. (read the picture book, then do a related project). Or focus on a particular artist, Google them for info, show examples of their work, read children's biography of them, have students try similar techniques. I have done van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe, Diego Rivera, and Edvard Munsch (Scream).
We are small and have lost the specials teachers. Pairs of teachers are taking on specials. I got art, but no partner to help.
We aren't sure that we get preps anymore; each teacher is teaching a special at the same time and the whole school is rotating through them.
Anyway......... go to Artsonia here on the web. I have found absolutely wonderful ideas. Usborne has the best art idea books. And I recommend a magazine called SchoolArts. It has genuinely doable ideas at all grade levels.
Thanks for the advice. I figured I wasn't the only one working in a school district so small they are getting rid of specials teachers. The only way to look at it is that we are back to "old school" teaching. My mom use to teach EVERYTHING in her 2nd grade class. Good Luck!
We're not allowed to post URL addresses here, but there are many good Web sites and art supply companies that have information you'll find helpful. I teach art workshops for teachers, so if you drop me an e-mail via my site, The Imagination Factory (look it up on Google), I'll send you some resources. Please put TX3rdTeach from ProTeacher in the subject line.
As an art teacher, I'm devestated that you're losing these teachers! And not because of my potential job loss, but the loss of a creative subject that allows for open ended projects. Critical thinking and decision making are the emphasis in my classes! When we teach to NCLB testing, there's not a lot of room for those activities in general ed classes.
Anyway, two other resources: Getty and ArtsEdge that you can google. Both include cross-curricular lessons.
You also might focus on the elements of visual art: color, line, texture, shape, and perspective. Go through each element as you progress through the year. I would end with perspective and begin with lines. everything else fit in as you feel comfortable. Each grade level you can make what you teach about the focus more complex.
Our school has never had an elementary art teacher--we start in junior high with one quarter of art. Art doesn't have to be time consuming or intimidating. I use the book "How to Teach Art to Children" by Joy Evans and published by Evan Moor. It goes through the elements of art with background information and lessons for each one. I also use a series called "Getting to Know the World's Great Artists" these are little paperback books $6.95 each. I try to do a different artist each month. Read the book to the kids for background info, show them examples of their work--either posters or on the computer, and then do a related project. There are also some videos of those books, but they are quite a bit more expensive. I have the kids make an art portfollio that a lot of our projects become part of. It is just the large construction paper. We make a cover at the beginning of the year and I laminate them. Then when we complete a project, we mount it on another large sheet of construction paper and add it to the book. I print off a paragraph about the project and it is pasted to the back of the page in front of the project so that the kids see both and can read about it. That reinforces the lesson each time they look at their portfollio. I will try to attach a sample of a lesson and the paragraph. KinderArt web site has wonderful lessons.
My district focuses on reading and math---forget all the arts and music! It's too important to me to let these go, so like you, I've taken this upon myself to make sure my students are well-rounded. I can honestly say that this has been so much fun!
There are so many skills that children pick up through art education! Even the vocabulary of art transfers across the curriculum. We're missing a great opportunity when we just ignore this wonderful avenue of learning!
I took a two-week intensive course on teaching art to elementary children some years ago (before all the great websites!), which helped me greatly in knowing where to start. Definitely start with elements of line and go into color.
Have the students make their own Masterpiece Portfolio to keep all their artwork. The can be made with a folded large construction paper. I have saved my Portfolio from the class I took, with many of my art assignments serving as models for the students.
A very useful book I use to teach the basics is How to Teach Art to Children (Evan-Moore). I use this a lot! You can view inside the book at this site!
that was an awesome lesson on Andy Warhol!!!
I would love any other lessons that you have!!
Do you by any chance have one on van Gogh? He is so my favorite artist!
Thanks,
Saphire
You are absolutley right about Artsonia.com. It has been the very best thing that ever happened to my art program! Whether you are an experienced art teacher or a classroom teacher just looking for ideas this website will be the best thing that ever happened to you!
Thank you so much for all of the great ideas! I, too, have no art teacher, no art curriulum, and teach a multiage 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade class (just to make it a bit harder to teach a subject I am not proficient in to begin with...). We don't have much beyond paper and basic paints, so I am really starting from scratch. Any suggestions for the "must haves" in terms of equipment, materials, etc., especially the non-consumables that could be used in many different projects? We have to rotate our projects every three years, so I actually need three years worth of projects (1 per week), and I do not want to do "crafts" -- I want to do ART!
Sorry - yousaid that the other teachers are going to just drop it?" Aren't you as teachers supposed to teach according to the standards? There're a couple of teachers in my world, as well, who say, " I just cant.....(fill in the blank) and I don't accept that as an excuse. There's a reason we take everything from science to art in teacher certification! Good for you for not giving up on it just because funding changes.
Now - to help you out! I am like you, on my own for this, so I focus on the elements of art for my 3rd graders. Line, shape, value, etc. they look at prints that show the element particularly well, then practice themselves using some medium, from pens to paint. They learn famous artists and styles, and it filters into their conversations during the day.
There are a few good "how to teach art to kids" books out there - when I'm at school tomorrow, I'll get the title, etc. for the one I use.
I work in a language immersion school, except teaching language, I almost teach combined 2nd and 3rd grade everything including math, science, social study,and art. Sometimes even music class, when the musci teacher got sick.
I don't have a lot of problem for handling many classes though I have to spend as much time as I can to prepare, except art class, it's really difficult for me :-)
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05-19-2009, 10:15 AM
