Art lesson plans that can connect to other happenings at your school. The art teacher can be MORE than the signage for the upcoming assembly or project students carry home to illustrate an event or holiday.
Art is connections to EVERYTHING.
We are not just pretty pretty, (that is good too...but we can be so much more.)
So we aTi Fellows sit and talk each afternoon.
Art is connections to EVERYTHING.
We are not just pretty pretty, (that is good too...but we can be so much more.)
So we aTi Fellows sit and talk each afternoon.
We talk about WHY don't some administrators value the art, music, dance, etc. for more than a bathroom break for the classroom teacher? How can we move our position (and our worth as a staff member) from "time slot filler" and bulletin board maker to motivator and connections maker. Best practices? We know art in its many forms can make BEST PRACTICES real for our learners. The arts are both the mortar to hold and armature to connect and build upwards the many subjects and skills that make the educated child. The excitement, the enthusiasm, the wonder of learning, making, doing---the arts are key.
It IS measurable and provable, but it takes time and effort in daily logs. How can we take on even ONE more piece of paperwork? Will it end up on the shelf like so many other valuable reports?
It has so much to do with connections. Every subject is important. But lonely islands of knowledge are so much less valuable than connected other subjects. I think we (the arts) are the glue to connect math, science, literacy, and all the rest.
So our job is a PR job for aTi (artists teachers institute) AND the Arts education in general. PR--public relations, a way to make the powers that be VALUE us and what we can do for the children.
What would make the arts seem valuable?
Well, receiving grants would help, positive optimistic news stories, murals in the community or in the building, puppetry theatre programs that illustrate stories, folk tales, ways to handle bullying, history, theatre programs that help children understand so many things.
It's all there and the arts can bring it to the community, the state, the grandparents, the administration. If we can get that principal or other administrator to think of the specials staff as an amazing resource to both best practices in education and great PR it will be a win win situation. To get the powers that be to realize that the art teacher and what he or she does is of priceless value to both educating the whole child and bring in good PR to the school is the task.
We must get other staff to buy into it. If we can have lesson plans that point out and use the connections to other subjects we all win. What we do to make connections with other areas in the curriculum needs to help the other staff members, not just add another burden to a plate already overfilled?
We (aTi fellows) are tasked with putting up some lesson plans that aTi summer workshops inspired and that worked well with our students. These plans may be catalysts to better cross curriculum teaching. I will be putting up a lesson plan about creating GIANT puppets--like the ones you see in the Mardi Gras or in Political rallies. Look forward to my next post...the giant puppets are coming!!!
It IS measurable and provable, but it takes time and effort in daily logs. How can we take on even ONE more piece of paperwork? Will it end up on the shelf like so many other valuable reports?
It has so much to do with connections. Every subject is important. But lonely islands of knowledge are so much less valuable than connected other subjects. I think we (the arts) are the glue to connect math, science, literacy, and all the rest.
So our job is a PR job for aTi (artists teachers institute) AND the Arts education in general. PR--public relations, a way to make the powers that be VALUE us and what we can do for the children.
What would make the arts seem valuable?
Well, receiving grants would help, positive optimistic news stories, murals in the community or in the building, puppetry theatre programs that illustrate stories, folk tales, ways to handle bullying, history, theatre programs that help children understand so many things.
It's all there and the arts can bring it to the community, the state, the grandparents, the administration. If we can get that principal or other administrator to think of the specials staff as an amazing resource to both best practices in education and great PR it will be a win win situation. To get the powers that be to realize that the art teacher and what he or she does is of priceless value to both educating the whole child and bring in good PR to the school is the task.
We must get other staff to buy into it. If we can have lesson plans that point out and use the connections to other subjects we all win. What we do to make connections with other areas in the curriculum needs to help the other staff members, not just add another burden to a plate already overfilled?
We (aTi fellows) are tasked with putting up some lesson plans that aTi summer workshops inspired and that worked well with our students. These plans may be catalysts to better cross curriculum teaching. I will be putting up a lesson plan about creating GIANT puppets--like the ones you see in the Mardi Gras or in Political rallies. Look forward to my next post...the giant puppets are coming!!!
I could use some more ideas from the rest of you Fellows. If you have a PR value producing idea share it! No bruising in brainstorming here. Speak up with your ideas
Thanks, Kandy Lippincott
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