Rubrics

I think that rubrics are important to art teaching. In Sandra McCollister's article, she describes that rubrics can allow and display the different levels of understanding and execution. This gives the less advanced child an opportunity to see upon what they can improve and the more gifted children opportunity to excel in a subject in which they excel. For children who try hard and are just not very talented in the skill being taught, they are able to be evaluated on effort and thought in addition to product, so that the students who are good at art are not the only ones who get good grades. When a child can look at a rubric and see what they need to accomplish, it is more inspiring. If they know that they are being graded on their performance effort wise rather than product wise, they will fear art less.

I was, and still am, "bad" at art. I think that art is something that people allow themselves to feel like they are "bad" at because they think they know what is "good" but really, it's all relative. In elementary school and junior high school, I did poorly in art class. I think that this is because my teacher evaluated mainly on the basis of talent rather than creativity. I was always upset because I thought that my creativity was greater than my ability to translate it onto a canvas (literally and figuratively). Though my ideas were solid, I didn't have the skills to express them visually. For this reason I respect and appreciate the rubric shown in the McCollister article. I would have often fallen under the Novice category, and that would have been more OK with me had I seen a rubric like this where I could find ways to improve upon my work. I will undoubtedly incorporate rubrics into my art lessons to assist students like myself in the subject.

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

Graphic Novels

I think the Gene Yang article is a really nice view on the art of graphic novels. I specifically love the image of the graphic novel as a link between the TV and the book -- pictures and words. I have thought for a long time that graphic novels are a great way to teach children to read because they are often very fun, and also to analyze art. Because there are fewer images in the comic book than in a movie, every image is precisely chosen, so it would be a good tactic to ask the students why the author and illustrator chose the images they chose. It gives the children a good perspective on the use of effective story telling images and how to use them in their own creations. Another example of this was used in the Yang's comic when he never directly addressed the old and new teachers, but he used the images to show another way of explaining what he meant. This shows children that words and images are important to story telling in a graphic novel.

I think that in my classroom I will DEFINITELY use graphic novels. I read them all the time for fun anyway, so this would be a GREAT opportunity for me to teach something I love. I actually, as nerdy as it may seem, have already looked up ways to use graphic novels in schools, and this is one of them: http://www.scholastic.com/Bone/. As a kid, I read these comics. They meant SO much to me and I didn't understand why. I read a litte bit of this webpage and now I know that there are story elements that Jeff Smith covers that is truly hard to find in other forms. I would love to use this book in my classes and eagerly await the opportunity!

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

I think that the Rube Goldberg style of learning is a fantastic style. It is a great way of showing that kids are capable of understanding concepts of physics, for example. They can show how if you step on a pair of scissors, it will cut a string that is attached to a pail of water which rushes down a slope and fills up a cup on a scale which tilts a stick that hits the switch on a toaster that cooks for three minutes and pops up with your breakfast. (I just made that up...) Though they may not necessarily be able to comprehend and acknowledge the terms and equations involved in their creations, they understand how feasible the actions of the machine are. I think, as it is said in the article, it is a great sign of intelligence!

 

I remember in my elementary school art class we would create creations like these. It was such a blast! It allowed me and my troublemaking friends to create contraptions that we might actually think were useful (and cool). I remember my friends and I tried to make a machine that would trip our teacher. Even though it had a violent intent, our teacher was impressed with our concepts and gave us praise for our efforts along with a stern warning that if she caught us trying to make it, she would be very mad. I would say that our Rube Goldberg lesson was one of the most exciting we did at school and I still remember it to this day. It will definitely find a place in the classrooms of my future. Thanks, Rube!!

 

Davis Haines

Syracuse University

I am very excited that this is the topic for this week because I used to and continue to love picture books. They, at times, are more profound than even novels. I love the simplicity of them and how easy and accessible their points are. I was happy to read the section of the PDF on Picture Writing: Fostering Literacy Through Art because it is something I wish I had been able to participate in more often as an elementary student. I like the idea a a student "writing," though I am reluctant to use quotation marks because it really is writing, a story through pictures and then reciting it to the class and teacher. This way they truly are writing a story though it may not be with words. What an excellent for of expression!

This article inspired me to use this and other strategies in the classroom. I am going to do the same thing described above, but write down every word the child says so that I can show them what they "wrote" through pictures and how they can be easily translated into words. I genuinely think this is a good idea for adults who are struggling with writing something: map it out. My favorite picture book is probably In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. I love how the imagination is so free. I wish more people allowed their imaginations to roam as freely as those of the authors and illustrators of picture books. I hope to bring out the imagination present in all children through activities like these. I am excited about the amazing things they will come up with!

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

Tattoos!

I really found this article intriguing. I am not somebody who has ever considered getting a tattoo, and I have not changed my mind, but I have opened my mind to the merit of its art. I think that the idea of tattoos is compelling. I think that our culture does, too, which is why we have several shows on television about the stories behind tattoos. I think tattoos is wearing art. I think that if my name or image was on a tattoo, I would be super flattered. To have something mean so much to you that you permanently make it a part of who you are through art is a pretty awesome thought. I like the mention to Anthony Kiedis (I used to be a bigger fan) because he is a celebrity that understands the art of tattoos and understands what it means to have them. His tattoos from different cultures remind me of my girlfriend's mom's tattoos that are of Native American origin. She is Jewish, but she identifies with the tree of life, and I think that is very cool.

I would love to teach my students about art and expression through tattoos. I would have no problem showing my students images of tattoos and having them express their thoughts about them. If I were not teaching preschool I would say that it is already a plan of mine. I respect that tattooing is a much of an art as ink on a canvas and therefore I believe in the teaching ability tattooing has on learners. I really liked this article.

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

Autism

After a bit of thinking, I have decided to argue in favor of Ms. Williams article. I think that what Dr. Grandin had to say about the different styles of learning was very well thought-out, but her idea that most people are not visual learners is something with which I do not agree. As Ms. Williams indicated, more than half of the general population are visual learners. The man that Dr. Grandin points out as someone who is not a visual learner could fall into either of the other two types of learners Grandin points out, or as Ms. Williams says, any of the many other styles of learning she didn't even address. I have no doubt that Dr. Grandin is a visual learner and that a lot of people with autism are as well, but I do not think that only people with autism are the only visual learners. I, myself, am a very math/musical learner. I do follow patterns well and I am able to memorize them better than nonsensical groupings of numbers, for example.


My personal argument against Dr. Grandin's article is not as strong because I don't fall into the category of a visual learner, but my mom does. She communicates much more easily in person than over the phone, she must put sticky notes around for reminders rather than a list, etc., and she is not a person with autism. My mom (pictured, being crazy) is also a craft maker and her ability to see her art before she produces it is the indication that Dr. Grandin gave of a visual learner, so in the case of my mother, Dr. Grandin's article should be better researched.

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

What role has art played in my life?

First off, I will respond to the articles. I appreciated the first article about the different functions of art, but I was also frustrated because I thought it was oversimplified as she said some might think. I am not an art history major, but my mom studied it and I just know from her descriptions that there are many more functions than just those listed in the article. That being said, Esaak did a good overview of the types of functions, so don't think I am discrediting her. As for the second article, I appreciated seeing the evidence of the children who benefited from the arts but I was frustrated with the statistics of the schools that did not require arts. The arts changed who I am and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

As an elementary student, I was shy for the most part. I did fine in math and science and whatnot, but I was not happy there. I found out in fifth grade that one of the teachers was going to direct a Shakespeare play and that I was able to audition. I was skeptical, but I knew I wanted to perform, so I auditioned and I made it! I have been acting, singing, and dancing ever since then and I must say, if it weren't for the arts, I would not be the person I am today. The arts allowed me to be things I wanted to be but never could be, do things I never could do. It was so important to me. This past summer I directed people with disabilities in a production of a show with great results. I watched people come out of their shells and feel more sure and confident. I will put a lot of trust in art when I teach because it has done so much for me.

Davis Haines
Syracuse University