Strategic Design

Around the time I began reading about TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) two years ago, Dr. Wadell became our Superintendent, and LISD began the Strategic Design process.
Read a short summary here:
http://www.lisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=157261&type=d
And here is a link to our mission and beliefs that resulted from Strategic Design, which tie in perfectly with TAB:
http://www.lisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=118450&type=d&pREC_ID=231211

My Principal and Assistant Principal are forward thinkers, and passionate about their roles in education.  They have encouraged me as I transformed my classroom into a TAB studio, and throughout the years have been very supportive of the Fine Arts.

I am also fortunate because my subject is not "tested", and I am able to provide the time and space that kids need in order to learn through trial and error, to express their thoughts creatively, and to work toward an end with a million possibilities.

I have presented several times on TAB to other teachers and I am excited to continue to share and offer support to art teachers in their transition to Choice-Based Art.  The district is beginning to expect Project Based Learning in all content areas, and many of the misconceptions of PBL are the same as with TAB.  I will continue to support and advocate for both.

The Blank Slate (or, the blank iPad?)

This is what my classroom looks like during the summer:

At the beginning of June I pack everything into my closets and cabinets to prepare for cleaning, and to make space for the summer camps that use the room.  Tomorrow I will have a full day to unpack boxes, create displays, and make organizational adjustments that will set the tone for the school year.  My classroom is always a work in progress, and I appreciate this time to reflect and reset.  

Today at our staff meeting, we discussed the impact student-teacher relationships have on learning, and watched this phenomenal TED talk by Rita Pierson:

 http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion.html

Implementing Choice-Based Art with Kindergarten last year was one of the most eye-opening and rewarding experiences of my teaching profession, and it was because I was building personal relationships with my students, and allowing them to be who they were as young artists, although  throughout the year I mistakenly thought that maybe the kids were different.  I  was thrilled with how sweet they were, and smart, and loved coming to my classroom each week.  And those kids worked hard, even if they didn't know the outcome, because they were doing work that was important to them at that moment.  I slowed down a lot last year to give the kids those opportunities.  We took four weeks with observational drawing rather than one.  I added movement stories, and puppet theater, and we experimented for full class periods with color mixing, collage, and paper sculpture.  I no longer required a subject matter when exploring techniques.  We talked to each other about what we were doing and why, and about what it is to be an artist.  The room was a joyful place, and the kids glowed.  Now I believe my room is a safe place for kids to make mistakes, take the time that they need to process ideas, and express their learning in a way that makes sense to them.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of the students as they return next Monday, and I hope that they find in my room a little time and space to love art.