Posted by Ms. Curran on September 27th, 2006
In our program, students use the elements of art and principles of design to look at, talk about and create art. Those elements are: color, line, texture, form,space, value and shape. The principles of design (how we put the elements together) are: movement, contrast, rhythm, emphasis, balance, pattern and unity.
Most lessons begin by looking at and talking about a master work and the artist that created it. Vocabulary and criteria are presented for each lesson. Students are assessed on their use of the criteria in their final product. Most students produce excellent results. The Holy Rosary hallways reflect that. We treat them as our galleries!
Parents are welcome to visit the art room anytime. Classes are held for first through sixth graders on Tuesday through Thursday each week. Junior high students sign up for art as a one trimester elective and meet three times per week. Classes run 45 minutes each and usually consist of looking at art, talking about art, and making art. Depending on the age of the students, lessons can take as long as three weeks to complete.
The goal of our program is to grow art patrons. We hope to teach students to really look at art before judging the work. We want them to see that art exists in galleries, but also in our natural environment. Art is all about seeing with new eyes!
About the teacher:
I earned my undergraduate degree from Seattle University and my Masters in Creative Learning from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I retired from the Kent School District after thirty years teaching all grade levels kindergarten through sixth grade. My last eight years in Kent were spent as a Teacher on Special Assignment working with art, writing and assessment throughout the district. Essentially, I was responsible for developing the visual art program in the Kent Schol District and providing staff development for teachers in art, writing and assessment (the WASL).
After 38 years in teaching, I am still learning new things everyday…including the beginnings of blogging! As you can probably tell in reading this posting, I have a long way to go. Technology (at least computers) barely existed when I began my career.
My hope is to use this blog as a gallery to feature student work produced here at Holy Rosary. If any of you reading this have any ideas as to how I could make that happen, please get in touch with me via email ASAP. I definitely need help in compiling and downloading examples of our students’ outstanding art work! Would love to share it with the world, but need some big-time technical assistance.
In my free time, I garden, golf (sort of), hike and walk with my Golden Retriever, Bailey. I live in a hundred year old farm house in Kent that I have lovingly restored over the years. My latest hobbies are scrapbooking and cardmaking. I also enjoy quilting and embroidery. In the last few years, I have made health and fitness a goal in my life. I try to exercise six days per week. It enhances my whole life!