Empowering Teachers through Arts Integration!

        Why do so many talented and capable elementary school teachers feel stymied and uncomfortable when it comes to teaching art? Everyone would agree that you don’t need to be a professional scientist to teach science, or a historian to teach history. Yet there is a prevailing misconception that one must be a professional artist to teach art. This couldn’t be further from the truth…

        My unique Professional Development Workshops on arts integration are designed to help classroom teachers shed their inhibitions and learn to lead their students through art lessons with the same confidence they posses in the rest of their teaching practice. Through providing educators with a comprehensive, scaffolded approach, that emphasizes the practical aspects of managing art lessons, they will discover that there are many benefits to incorporating art into their curricula.

Here are just a few of the benefits of bringing art into the classroom:

• Art stimulates curiosity, and gives students a personal stake in their own learning.

• Art engages students in creative problem solving and promotes higher order thinking such as: making critical judgments, drawing conclusions, seeing multiple points of view and measuring one’s own progress.

• Art can be integrated into any subject area and helps students connect with curricular content on a deeper level.

• Art enhances communication: to discuss or write about art one must become a sensitive observer and use a wider, more nuanced vocabulary.

• Art brings people together! Art activities are fun and allow teachers and students to assume new roles and learn new things about each other.

• Art expands upon the traditional learning skills students acquire and has a strong track record for helping “hard-to-reach students” find a way in.

Workshops

        I offer affordable Professional Development Workshops to public and private schools, as well as other teacher training programs. Programs range from single sessions to ongoing 6-12 week seminars and can be tailored to meet your school’s budget and needs.

For more information inquire here.

Single Session Workshops:

Show and Tell:

A guide to looking at and talking about art

        The first step to bringing more art into the classroom is learning to talk about it. Guided discussions about art allow students to develop critical thinking skills and build vocabulary. Reflecting with students on the arts and craft projects that are already going on in the classroom will help students process and absorb the skills being taught while giving them ideas for future artworks.

        This workshop provides educators with key vocabulary, pedagogical techniques, and fun activities for discussing professional and student-generated works of art. Emphasis is placed on inquiry-based approaches and drawing conclusions from visual evidence.

Includes:

• Visual Resources/How to select age appropriate artworks to discuss

• Discussing student work (Ways to increase student learning through reflection)

• Looking games and writing exercises

• Linking observation skills to other curricula

Drawing in the Classroom:

Increasing Visual Literacy

        There’s already a lot of drawing going on in many classrooms, making pictures for reports, free drawing as part of journaling, etc. Why not turn it up a notch or two? This workshop provides educators with simple techniques they can bring to the classroom to enhance their student’s drawing skills, link it to other curricular areas, and make it more engaging and meaningful. No drawing skills required!

Includes:

• A comprehensive examination of the developmental stages of artistic development

• Age appropriate drawing techniques for Pre-K through 5^th Grade

• Ways to use a variety of low-budget drawing materials to spice things up

• Connecting drawing to the curriculum

• Discussing student work