The Best Teachers Know When To Shut Up and Sit Down! (figuratively speaking)

Today I learned an incredible lesson.  The lesson was taught by 5 and 6 year olds.  They didn't know that they were teaching me, nor do I think they cared-but what I learned today will forever change me as a teacher. 

I have been teaching color theory, the color wheel, and mixing colors since my first year as an art teacher.  I have done this many different ways with many different variations on projects.  For my very youngest students I use the book "Mouse Paint" and then step-by-step we go through the color mixing process.  As I ended the lesson yesterday I had a conversation with a VERY knowledgeable Para regarding why I felt it so necessary to lead the students step by step through mixing primary colors to make secondary colors.  As I spoke with her it became clear to me that she thought that the kids would be much better served by experimenting instead of me taking them step by step.

All hail Para-educators!  I took her idea and ran with it.  Today I read the book, and then I did a short demonstration of how to get two different colors of paint onto their papers and "mix" them.  I have a "coloring page" with 3 mice on it with very large ears that the kids glue onto a 12 x 18" piece of drawing paper to give them lots of room to experiment.  Once my short demo was finished, each child had their paper, red, blue and yellow tempera paint and 6 paintbrushes.  Then I shut up and stood back.  I explained to this classes para/aid what I was hoping would happen, and she agreed.  Often, left to their own curiosity children will discover, learn, and explore more than we could even imagine!

What these young kinders produced on their own was far superior to anything done in the past.  Their conversations, and discoveries were everything I had always hoped for when I originally wrote this lesson, but had never quite achieved.   As teachers (and parents) we need to remind ourselves that the most important discoveries children make are often the ones made on their own. 

Grades!

😀😂😆😇😈😉😨😱😪😗😑- Well that about sums it up!! 

But seriously, art is something that is a requirement for High School Graduation (or at least some form of the Arts) as well as math, reading, history and so on.  Well all those classes have grades-mostly based on "facts" and "closed answers" and maybe the dreaded "tests". 

Art class, if graded solely on projects can be more than a little subjective, which really isn't fair to the student.  I mean seriously-define "neat" "craftsmanship" "creative" or any other of those words that people will use to define art-you really cannot! 

When my younger students begin a project, I let them know the 1 or maybe 2 things that I am going to be looking at very hard when I grade their projects.  As for my older students I actually give them the checklist that I will be using to grade them.  I mean why keep it a secret??!!

My older students receive a project sheet with every project that has vocabulary, the checklist, and some sort of self-assessment and possibly (depending on the project) some other things.  For instance draw and label a circle with circumference, diameter and radius.  I mean how else are you going to teach them to "draw" a sphere if they don't have a working knowledge of a circle? 

As for my Art History classes-we do the majority of the written work as a class-with plenty of class time for them to ask me questions.  Also I almost always include an opinion portion to the written work.  Mainly because I really want to know what they think about the things we are studying.

I WANT my students to be successful and to come away from class knowing something that they didn't before.  Or being able to do something that they couldn't before.  Or being more proficient at something that they are currently working on. 

I once had a parent tell me "Well when I was in art class we goofed off and everybody got an A"  I once had an art teacher tell me that he gave everyone of his students a "2" which translated into "working at his or her individual level".  SERIOUSLY!!??  Why in the world would I waste a student's time like either of these? 

School is important!  Encore classes (art, music, PE, library, and counseling) are important! Math, reading, social studies, lunch, recess, the nurse, handwriting, science and technology are all important! Before and after school programs are important!!  Kids today spend 6-9 hours a day in school-believe it or not their time spent there is going to shape the adult that each one of them becomes!

Grade with fairness, accuracy, and transparency! 

Crisis Drills

Today's world (unfortunately) requires teachers to be prepared for some sort of crisis.  By crisis I don't mean fire or tornado, but an intruder who is intent on hurting children.  First and foremost, I cannot even believe that this topic requires addressing.  When I was a child and also when I sent my own children to school I never would have dreamed that a college would have a monument to teachers killed in the line of duty!  KIA is something that I expected when I was a soldier, but to expect this as an educator is unbelievable! 

To the families and friends of educators who have been executed while protecting your students I cannot even imagine your grief. 

As for myself, I cannot predict what would happen if (God forbid) my school was put into the position of having to defend children from a madman.  All I can do is plan for the possibility of this happening (as all schools are) and assure my school kids that if this were ever to happen that "I've got this" and that they will be safe. 

Crisis drills are different in the art room simply because the students are not actually in the art room for much time during the week.  All of my classes know that we have a plan, and we have discussed that plan and practiced the implementation of that plan. 

When I discuss "the plan" with the students my main goal is to ensure in each and every one of them that if something were to happen I will keep them safe.

I am saddened by the necessity to plan for these events.