Spaces for Possibility: A Socially engaged arts-based practice for reflective teacher practice

Essential Questions

My sample, student samples, and Georgia O'Keefe

Happy New Year everyone.  I have not introduced the 8 habits formally in my classroom.  But I am gradually adding the language to my students vocabulary.  For example here are photos of my white board which I use in a very organic way adding things as each project progresses.  I have always pushed my students to persist in their work and in this project, for example, a student was going to give up when  5 minutes more would complete the project. This was a student that planned her project thoroughly with several sketches and was very excited about her own ideas to capture the poinsettia. I convinced her she would be quite unhappy when she looked at the final piece and it didn't live up to what she envisioned. 

For the reflection on this project of poinsettia paintings I labeled each question with the habit it addressed.  Next I plan on putting up some posters in the classroom. 

At our last meeting I was heartened to hear the term "artist teacher"  I think it is so important for our students to see that we are passionate about our own personal art making - as hard as it is to find time to do so.  Here is a board I put together for my Studio class.  They are in the process of making large gridded self-portraits using oil pastels.  Last year I made 2 different samples - one with a mirror that I documented as I progressed so they could see the changes and mistakes I made.  The other is an unfinished gridded self-portrait that I have been using for demonstration.   The other two are student samples.

 See you all Wednesday.