Archives for category: Art Education

Hello Summer!

June 21, 2012 //

At long last — summer is here!

If school is finally out for you, I hope you are enjoying some well deserved rest and relaxation. Teaching is an incredibly demanding profession, and there’s nothing like spending some time doing things you enjoy to recharge your batteries. Look around you. Really see the beauty that this season has to offer. Maybe you’ll write some thoughts down in a journal or notebook… maybe you’ll take some photos… maybe you’ll even try drawing a little sketch or two of something you see in your environment.

Whatever you choose to do… really do it… completely. Savor it! Make relaxing and recharging yourself this summer into an art form.

P.S. And if you find yourself in need of some Professional Development credits, have fun earning them while taking one of my art classes offered through Fresno Pacific University. Learning from home on your schedule… what could be easier? Click on the link above to find out more.

Tags Fresno Pacific University

Categories Art, art and writing, Art Courses, Art Education, Art Journals, drawing, Fresno Pacific University, photographs, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Photos vs. Drawings

April 20, 2012 //

Very often I’m asked by students and teachers if it’s acceptable to look at something as a reference while they are creating. My answer is always yes. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect students — or anyone for that matter — to be able to recall exactly what any given thing/animal/place, etc. looks like from memory. Using some sort of visual reference is a great support for the creative process. But here’s the thing… I think it’s imperative to make a distinction between the different kinds of visual reference materials available.

Of course working from life is the best of the best. But if one is trying to recall the facial details of a lion, for example, getting a peek at the real thing might not be possible or practical. As the next best thing, I strongly suggest using photographs — as opposed to drawings — when some type of reference is needed.

The reason I prefer photographs over drawings is simple. If I want to draw a flower for example, maybe even something like those pictured above, by using a drawing that someone else has done as my reference, all of the decisions have already been made for me by the person who created that drawing. Things like, color, shape, shadows, highlights, details, and on and on, have already been determined by the artist who drew that flower. By using a photograph for reference, everything is there for me — all of the visual information, and I — as the artist — can make the decisions for myself about what I want to include, add, or leave out of my piece as it suits me and my creative experience. The interpretation of that photo is mine and mine alone as I create.

As a classroom teacher, I would purchase books on sale that were filled with color photos of all kinds of things… birds, reptiles, mammals, fish, flowers, you name it, and then tear the pages out and keep them in files. This made it easy to pull them out and allow students to sort through them and find what they were looking for, and then take the individual photo(s) back to their desk to reference while they worked. Having computer access in the classroom provides a virtually limitless source of reference photographs as long as students can find what they need quickly without being distracted.

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, artist, creative process, drawing, Fresno Pacific University, illustrations, photographs, still life, visual reference

Hello Spring

April 10, 2012 //

I’m so inspired by the change of seasons. Everything looks so fresh and new… colors seem brighter… more vibrant… the air itself seems to sparkle.

In this time of rebirth, why not make an effort to slow down and see the art that is around you in the world, and in your life? Imagine teaching your students how to do this too…

Nothing could be easier.

Show them the wonder of life beyond technology. Sure, the newest screens boast incredible resolution… but you know what? Real life is even more crisp and brilliant!

Enjoy the beauty and design of spring wherever you are, and consider adding art to your classroom in some small way so that you might share this delight with your students too.

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, Fresno Pacific University, Spring

Drawing As A Pre-Writing Experience

March 22, 2012 //

If you are a teacher who works with young students in particular, here’s an idea for you to try.

The next time you plan to ask your students to write something… a response to literature… a journal entry… a science observation… anything, have them draw out their ideas first. Much like a more experienced writer might use notes or an outline to capture the ideas they want to include in their writing, fledgling writers can do the same thing by drawing.

I used this technique many times while teaching first graders, and saw firsthand what a powerful tool it was. Frequently, my young students had wonderful ideas and insights that they wanted to express, but with questions like, “Which way does that letter face again?” and “How is that word spelled?”, their ideas would be all but forgotten as they struggled to remember the mechanics of writing. For those students, writing was primarily a frustrating experience. Their unique little thoughts were being lost before they had a chance to get them down on paper. When I asked my students to draw about what they wanted to write first, they could capture their ideas in their drawings, and then refer back to those drawings as they wrote. Almost immediately, the writing my students produced became more complete, detailed, and vivid. Structurally their writing improved as well, because being able to refer back to their “outline” for substance, gave them the freedom to get the mechanics right too.

Of course, a powerful side benefit of this practice is that children love to draw. By connecting the exciting, familiar activity of drawing with the new and potentially intimidating act of writing, the entire experience becomes less scary, and the students feel more confident about their developing skills as writers and communicators.

Want more ideas for including art in your classroom? Click on “courses for credit” or “Fresno Pacific University” at the top of this page to learn more. Thanks for stopping by!

Categories Art, art and language arts, art and writing, Art Courses, Art Education, Art Journals, Fresno Pacific University

Making A Case For The Arts In Education

March 7, 2012 //

A recent article in the February 2012 edition of Educational Leadership magazine — published by ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) — had me cheering and wanting to share! This article, entitled All Students Are Artists, by Linda Nathan, makes a wonderful case for the importance of including the arts in education — something I have known and felt for years — and she presents the facts to support her case.

One point that really grabbed my attention, was her discussion about how much of today’s educational system is focused on “doing well on the test”. Nathan says, “What if arts education, with its emphasis on process, could help us think about not being finished, instead of failing?” What a concept! Since art expressions come from within, there are rarely “right” answers, but rather “explorations” that cause students to think, question, and puzzle things out for themselves. (As opposed to math for example, where 2+2 always =4.)

As our world continues to grow, expand, and change in ways inconceivable only a few years ago, perhaps our expectations need to change as well. Can we embrace the fact that learning — in any subject area — is a process, and that what’s important is the desire to learn, accepting that all students will not “arrive” at the same time? In fact, what if there wasn’t a “learning destination” at all, but rather a continuum of curiosity and a thirst for learning that lasted our entire lives? This doesn’t mean that there are no educational standards. On the contrary, as an art teacher, I continually push my students to higher levels of learning, making sure that everyone understands my expectations of hard work, patience, and practice. I fully expect that everyone will work to the best of their own abilities — pushing themselves to meet the objectives set before them. What I don’t expect is that everyone will be able to meet those objectives at the very same time. Making measurable progress toward the objectives? Certainly. Meeting them all on the same day at the same time — as with standardized testing? Not necessarily.

As Nathan puts it, “Students crave opportunities to figure things out — things that matter.” Including meaningful art experiences in the classroom curriculum can inspire this type of meaningful engagement with school and with learning, which in turn will have far-reaching effects on the students and their lives beyond their involvement in the arts.

To learn more about this article and Educational Leadership, go to ascd.org

To learn more about my Professional Development art courses, click on Courses for Credit, or Fresno Pacific University at the top of this page.

Tags Education

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, effort and involvement, Expectations for art experiences, Fresno Pacific University, process vs. product, Professional Development

Process vs. Product

January 31, 2012 //

Of great concern among many teachers I work with is the question of how art should be evaluated. Implementation of any sort of art program — no matter how large or small — should involve careful evaluation of the students and their work, just as any subject of study in school does. For many people though, their first and only thought about art evaluation is, “How does it (the finished product) look?” or, “Does it look good/real?” These are the kinds of responses we’ve been conditioned to think about because many of us equate making art with some sort of “contest”. The problem with this type of thinking is that it is extremely limited. To restrict one’s evaluation of a piece of artwork to the end product alone, leaves all consideration of the process out of the equation. In my experience, it’s during the process of making art that much of the “good stuff” — critical thinking/problem solving — happens!

In my years of teaching, I have found it makes sense to consider the process of art making as well as the end product. More specifically, I believe that both process and product should be considered within the framework of each student individually. This is not as overwhelming as it sounds. Effort and involvement are key considerations when looking at the process a student goes through when creating any piece of art. The teacher should ask him or herself things like, “How involved did this student really get with the art experience? Did they explore many possibilities, or rush to get through it? Did they explore the materials made available during the experience? Did they take any artistic risks? Did they challenge themselves? What type of thinking did they do while working on the piece?” … and so on. It doesn’t matter how much — or how little — art background an individual has, everyone can and should be expected to put forth his or her greatest effort during an art experience. Different individuals will most certainly bring a wide variety of skills and prior experience to the table, but an evaluation of their process — including their effort and involvement — instantly levels the playing field, no matter what the final outcome (product) “looks like”. (And really, who among us is qualified to “judge” the outcome only of an art experience when the expression is so personal, coming entirely from within the child?)

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, art evaluation, effort and involvement, Fresno Pacific University, process vs. product, Professional Development

Authentic Expression… Authentic Success

January 18, 2012 //

“When individuality appears, that’s the beginning of art.” — Pablo Picasso

Artistic expression comes from within. Perhaps more than any other subject in school, art allows children to explore and to express who they are…as well as who they want to become.

When we teach our students math… 2+2 =4… always. When we teach our students history… the people, places, and dates remain fixed in time. When we teach our children spelling and grammar… there are rules to be mastered and followed. All of this learning is “external”… originating outside of the child. But when we teach our students art, the work comes from inside them… their expressions are unique… individual… authentic. The level of creative thinking and problem solving that’s involved in any legitimate art experience is extraordinary, and if students are demonstrating their full effort and involvement in an art experience, who’s to say the outcome is “wrong”? This type of artistic expression naturally leads to authentic success, which is a profound way to motivate our students to engage in greater learning challenges.

Providing your students with frequent opportunities to authentically and successfully express their learning across the curriculum through art, will yield benefits beyond your wildest imagination.

To get started, click on the Fresno Pacific University link at the top of this page to register for one or more of my 3 unit, distance learning, independent study classes. These courses will show you how easy it can be to bring the power of art into your classroom.

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, Fresno Pacific University, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Hello 2012

January 4, 2012 //

Well Hello New Year!

Whether you’re a teacher still enjoying his or her winter break — or you’ve already made the jump back into school — now is a great time to consider how you can make art a foundational part of your classroom curriculum in the coming months.

Perhaps you might consider setting a simple goal of incorporating one art experience per month into a lesson you already plan to teach, for the remainder of the school year. You could continue this creative trend by involving yourself in some art experiences every month through your summer break. Might I be so bold as to suggest that you sign up for one of my Professional Development courses through Fresno Pacific University? You’ll learn a lot about incorporating art into your classroom and you’ll have fun while doing it! (Click on “Courses for Credit” at the top of this page.) When fall comes around and brings with it a fresh new school year, you’ll be prepared and confident, ready with the skills you developed while working with me over the summer.

This could be the start of something wonderful and very creative…

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, Fresno Pacific University, Professional Development

Put It Under Glass

November 17, 2011 //

In this continuing saga of the many benefits of using Art Journals with your students, today I’d like to suggest a few ideas to keep your students excited about and engaged in their journals.

1. Generate excitement. This one is so easy you won’t even believe it — but it’s true. If you want kids to get excited about something and to observe it really closely… put it “under glass”. I had an old glass display box that I would put things in, and suddenly the contents would be magically transformed into priceless objects! I’m here to tell you that this worked equally well for first graders as it did for high school students. As people, it seems we are just naturally interested in things “on display”. My little display case was glass on three sides and the top, had doors on the back — which is how you could put things inside — and it also had the ULTIMATE feature… a light inside! Well, you can imagine how fascinating things became when placed inside the display box with a light shining on them! Just stand back and let the students look, draw, and describe. I think any kind of display area/stand/cover would do… it just sets the objects apart from being ordinary and helps them seem special and worthy of study. I put all kinds of things “on display” in that case… a bird’s nest I found on the ground… rocks… shells… leaves… you name it. In elementary school I used this display box as an “Observation Station”, and students would go there to work independently in their journals. Something to keep in mind — you’ll want to establish expectations for your display container. For example, will your students be allowed to lift it/hold it? Or is it to remain on the counter/table/floor? Be sure to make it very clear to your students how you expect them to use this “special display container”.

2. Choose “unexpected” subjects for their observations. This is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re game — think about having the kids observe something that changes over time like fruit or vegetables or cheese. (You probably want to have some sort of glass container for this stuff!) As you can imagine, watching fruit/food rot is enough to make children giddy — the more gross, the better! From an observational point of view, it really does make for a fascinating study with lots of opportunities to use descriptive language and to include specific details in their drawings that show the transformation.

Next time… some easy ways to incorporate the Art Journals into your classroom curriculum. Click on Fresno Pacific University at the top of this page if you’re interested in learning more about the art classes I teach. Thanks for reading my blog! If you have any specific questions/comments that you’d like me to respond to, please leave me a comment or write to me at JGomasFaison@gmail.com

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, Art Journals, Fresno Pacific University, Professional Development

Art Journals… 3 Quick Tips

November 12, 2011 //

So my last post was VERY long, and I promised this one would be shorter — so here goes!

If you’ve been able to get your students started working in an art journal of some sort, here are a few tips to keep in mind that will keep the journals relevant, meaningful, and fresh for both you and your students.

1. Collect the journals and comment in them periodically. Don’t make this a huge chore… just gather them up every so often and check out how your students are using them. This can be an excellent time to get a feel for any improvements/challenges in their writing, and also for checking out their attention to detail in their drawings. Keep comments to a minimum. Things like, “Great observation!”, “I agree with you here.”, “Love the detail in this drawing!”, are all things that will encourage your students. I wouldn’t think of this as “correcting” their journals, but rather just an opportunity to touch bases and see that they are being used as intended. (For example if you see lots of drawings of cartoons, you might want to speak to that student and remind them of how their art journal should be used.)

2. Work as a whole group periodically. Just as you did in the beginning to establish your expectations for the art journals, work every so often as a whole group to reinforce those expectations and offer encouragement while your students are actually working in them. One fun thing to do is to observe and draw something seasonally as a group. As a first grade teacher, there was a small tree in a planter right outside of my classroom, and a few times a year — at the change of seasons — we would all take our journals outside to carefully observe and draw this tree. The students loved looking back at the drawings they had done previously to see how the little tree had changed. It was a simple, but powerful way to help them be more aware of their everyday surroundings. Many would report back to me about how trees were changing around their own neighborhoods, “just like our tree”! Imagine!

3. Don’t keep a journal with your students. I’ve touched on this before, and I can’t emphasize it enough: DO try keeping an art journal of your own, but please DON’T draw in it along with your students. First of all, if you are trying to observe and draw in your own journal, you will not be able to monitor and be engaged with your students as they work. Secondly, if you are working in a journal, your students will lose interest in their own journals and will want to watch what you are doing. Finally, that’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself! Your students don’t need to see you draw to be able to have a meaningful experience drawing in their own journals.

In my next post, I’ll give you a few more suggestions about how to keep your students on track and engaged with their art journals, as well as easy ways you can incorporate them into the curriculum you are already covering in your classroom. As always, if you find yourself in need of Professional Development credits and/or are looking for ways to bring some meaningful art experiences into your classroom, click on the Fresno Pacific University link at the top of the page for information about courses I offer. Also, I’d love to hear what you think of this blog, so drop me a line if you’re so inclined.

Categories Art, Art Courses, Art Education, Art Journals, Expectations for art experiences, Fresno Pacific University, Professional Development