Thanks for the conversation

Thank you very much for being my blog partner and sharing your experiences, reflections, ideas, arguments and inspirations.  

It has been a wonderful journey to take and has challenged my ideas and beliefs.

Elise and Kirsten both contributed equally to this blog.  

Integrated arts curriculum

Spelling word created at: http://www.graffiticreator.net/

Thanks for your ideas Elise.  I will try engaging them in street art to build their self esteem and interest.  However I will have to integrate this into the regular curriculum.  Maybe doing some graffiti art with their spelling words.  I still feel that this is too shallow a definition of Arts and am searching for ways to integrate the Arts authentically into the classroom.  Kirsten

Relevant self expression

I understand that perhaps an embroidery project may not work with your students.  

Maybe you can really tune-in to what is relevant to the children - form a rock band, create a video or animation, use a wall in the school for graffiti art, try some street dancing.  Good luck. Elise

Poor self esteem

I really don't think many of your ideas would work at my school, the students have very little confidence and often refuse to even participate.  Much of our time is spent focussing on core curriculum such as literacy and numeracy.  I really want to engage the kids in the Arts.

What do you suggest? Kirsten.

Making, presenting and responding

Well Kirsten, I think any school can have an Arts focus, regardless of socio-economic status.  My students are very experienced, yes, because art has been a big part of their entire school lives.  

I think scaffolding is the key.  I would suggest you introduce art projects which are simple and can be completed in one lesson to give your students confidence in themselves.  You can gradually build up their skill and understanding.  Make sure you make it fun and that they can proudly display their completed work - making, presenting and responding (Sinclair, Jeanneret, O'Toole, 2012).  A group project, where all students contribute, may also help with the problems with group dynamics and poor self confidence you have mentioned. 

Would this work? Elise

Sinclair, C., Jeanneret, N., O'Toole, J. (Eds). (2012). Education in the arts (2nd, ed). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.  

Joint teaching experience

It was wonderful to come and join three of your textile classes thank you so much for inviting me! 

It was fascinating to observe the different attitudes between the students in your classes and the students in mine.  Your students were competent and able to work independently.  I was also surprised to see everyone at roughly the same stage in their project.

ALL of your students held a positive attitude about their work.  This contrasts greatly with the poor confidence of my students who are dependent on teacher assistance and are almost always negative about their work.  I wonder if it is the Arts focus of the school that provides your children with the confidence to succeed or whether it is a demographic factor.  If a whole school integrated arts program were used in a low socio-economic school I wonder if it could increase their confidence and independance? Kirsten

Teaching textiles

Thank you for coming along to experience a day in my world, teaching textiles to grades 1, 4 and 5. I loved your help and enjoyed our debrief in the sunny playground at lunch time.  

As you experienced, I incorporate a lot of regular verse and movement into each lesson. Through art the children not only develop their skills but important values - giving and receiving, patience, reverence, gratitude, inclusion and helping each other. 

Each project is carefully scaffolded through storytelling, song, bodily movement, form drawing; a very thorough process which links with Steiner's understanding of child development in each grade (Steiner, 2004). Elise

Steiner, R. (2004). A modern art of education. Yorkshire, UK: Anthroposophic Press.