First- through Fifth-grade Art Curriculum, 2008-2009

Valuing a Child's Progress in the Arts
Mid-Pacific Institute Elementary School strongly values the artistic and visual development of children. The art curriculum engages children in the arts through hands-on experience, problem solving, reflection, and presentation. The art curriculum is primarily concept-based and incorporates clay-building, painting, drawing, collage, and photography techniques. Students work through both realistic observations of the world and abstract or contemporary modes of creation.

The elementary art curriculum  is also designed to encourage children to value their progress as an artist more strongly than a final product. For example, students keep an art progress folder in the art room as a reference tool. Each student can look back and reflect upon previous art projects and determine areas in which to improve.

Students Begin the 2008-09 Year with Self-portraiture
In order to assist children in recognizing their progress as an artist, self-portraits are created at least once a year. Children readily compare their drawings from years past. This semester, rather than working directly from photographs of oneself, the first- and second-grade students are accepting the challenging task of observing themselves while gazing in a mirror. The children begin to recognize the subtleties of one's characteristics and the detail of lines and shapes. Students are also asked to consider what makes them unique among their classmates and to aim to create a self-portrait that is unique as well.  Some children, in response to the provocation to create a unique image, choose to depict a different area of their body, such as their foot or an eye. They will readily report that a self-portrait doesn't necessarily need to have a face in it.

The Concept of Layering
Many artworks created by Mid-Pacific Institute Elementary students incorporate the concept of layering. For example, the self-portrait paintings are initiated with a painted abstract background as a foundation before children draw on top with chalk, oil pastel, or marker. By teaching a continual process of layering artworks, children learn to accept seemingly permanent marks as "re-workable" or to accept mistakes as "happy accidents." By understanding that all marks are re-workable, children more readily create without stress, anxiety, or negative self-judgment.

Reminders for your Children
As your children come to art classes this year, I encourage each child to dedicate one uniform shirt for art days. As careful as the children are about trying to stay clean, sometimes it is an impossibility. Since the purchase of each uniform shirt is costly, and I don't want children to become overly worried about remaining clean, I strongly advise that the children wear the same uniform shirt for art classes. Please note that the children are not required to bring a personal apron to school for art classes as I provide an apron for each child.
 
First-grade parents, and second-grade parents who are new to the school, please consider bringing in photocopies of your child's earlier artwork, particularly self-portraits if possible, in order to start their art progress folder. Thus, your children can begin building a reference of their progress and can determine areas of desired improvement for this year. Lastly, please note that most artwork will stay at school until the completion of the semester either to be exhibited or discussed during conferences.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I will be posting weekly blog entries to the Mid-Pacific website to keep you informed of your child's artistic endeavors.
                                           
All the best and Aloha,
Jill Brooks Johnson

Posted on August 29, 2008 7:34 AM | Permalink