Clay, Printmaking, PreK and 5th grade Play Practice!

February 4, 2014--

Today was a day.  Today was the first day I have taught 6 different lessons in one day.  And one class was not there today!  The last project we did was a school wide project.  I'm telling you, it's beautiful!  My goal is to have it up by Friday.  I will do my very best!  Today after school, I had the neighboring school's middle school art club come visit me and offered assistance in helping put together the school mural.  It's awesome to have collaboration between schools.  It is even better that I know the middle school and high school teachers at that campus.  It was a no-brainer when they asked if they could have their National Art Honor Society kids come and volunteer with my students or after school helping me get ready for projects!  Of course they can!  Both principals from the schools were very receptive to the idea and I look forward to having a great relationship with Westchester Academy for International Studies.  Today, I had three kids come with Mrs. Lindig, the middle school art teacher.  Thanks so much for all your help!

Today, was fun.  Except that I have hurt myself and just moving hurts.  But, you grin and bear it and love the hugs from the kids.  They make it all better.
Today started with the 5th grade class missing art due to their choir musical.  I admire the two ladies who put these programs together and manage all the classes of 5th graders at one time, and put on a marvelous production.  They are working towards a "travel" themed show.  Get your Kicks on Route 66, etc!  It's cute!  It gave me just a few more minutes to wrap my head around teaching all the classes today, different lessons.
I have decided that instead of teaching all the grade levels clay at one time, which was what was suggested to me, was that we would switch it up and have 3rd, 4th and 5th graders do clay while Kinder, 1st and 2nd work on painting/printmaking heart themed projects.  It is working better than I had hoped.  Lots of changing between classes, but, it seems to be the best solution.  Not only am I not having to keep track of 740+ projects that have to be stored and then fired, passed out, glazed, fired, displayed, and passed out again... but I think, it will keep me sane.
One thing that is difficult for me is that the former teacher had been there a while.  The kids seemed to know what to "expect" in the way of clay projects.  They KNOW that 2nd grade is supposed to make frogs, 4th grade is SUPPOSED to make initial tiles, 5th grade is SUPPOSED to make pencil holder/vases, etc... (that's what I am hearing anyway).  BUT, they are all receptive to the knowledge that I don't have previous lesson plans from the other teacher (which I think is good).  So, this year, we are starting new and fresh with Mrs. Walton's clay projects.  You see, I LOVE clay.  I LOVE 3D art!  I could sit for a very long time with my hands in some mess of stuff... sorting, glueing, cutting, building... it's just nice to see things transform and be able to change if I don't like it.  I want the kids to learn that too.  This year, we will do a series of nature/spring based clay projects.  Each grade level will do something that deals with one of those things.  My hope is to display them in a glass case near my classroom, all together, so that everyone's project is seen and it all blends together as one image (sort of).
So today, here's the sneak peek.....  The kids are having a blast....  I can't wait to fire them and show you the final pieces...
and... I'm EXHAUSTED!

A Really Great Friday

February 1, 2014--

This week, in Houston, we experienced temperatures from below freezing to up above 70 degrees.  Everyone says "if you don't like the Houston weather, wait a minute.  It will change".  And it does.  All the time.  Unfortunately, it wreaks havoc on the school system.  For those up in the Northern states who actually SEE snow, they laugh at us as we shut our schools down for icy conditions.  However, I would rather see our students safe at home in strange driving conditions including ice, sleet, and possible.... snow flurries.  So.  Monday, we had school.  Tuesday we did not.  Wednesday through Friday, we had school.  We also had STAAR testing (state wide testing) practice this week scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.  That changed to Wednesday and Friday, leaving our elective classes flipped every which way but up.  But hey, what's wrong with a little change in routine, right?!

My boys loved playing on their "snow covered" trampoline on their Snow Day from school.

So, once we hit Friday, I have to say it was an awesome day.  To start with, our campus principal's son is sick.  Very sick.  He's little, too.  Which makes me very sad.  I ask him every time I see him, "how's your munchkin".  I guess what hits home is he's little.... like my youngest one.  Which breaks my heart.  I say prayers for his sickness to be cured.  And soon.  But, what is even more inspiring is our campus families.  Some of the parents created, and are selling t-shirts, to show support for Peter.  So on Friday morning, as I watched the buses at bus duty arrive, I was almost brought to tears as the kids piled off the buses all wearing their red shirts and boots to show their support too.  I can't imagine it being my baby and seeing the support around me like this.  What a remarkable group of parents to set this type of thing up.  Remarkable.  So, say a prayer for Peter.  Keep him in your thoughts!

Another great thing on Friday was lunch.  Again, great parents who care about their children's teachers, faculty and staff.  This time, the third grade parents provided a catered 2014 New Year's lunch from California Pizza Kitchen and gave us cute printed styrofoam cups as gifts.  I got to introduce myself to the parents, in true art teacher fashion..... "Hi!  Thank you for lunch!  I'm Mrs. Walton, the new art teacher!  Can I have your plastic bowls and squirt bottles you are going to throw away?!  I can use them for clay!"  LOL!  Yes, I'm THAT teacher.  Aren't all art teachers.  We can use it all!
They also have a door prize drawing!  I won one of the prizes this time around!  What a great Friday!  Thank you so much 3rd grade parents for the marvelous lunch!  I appreciate it and it's so nice to be appreciated!

Lastly, have I mentioned how much I love teaching elementary?  People have asked why I moved "down" grades instead of moving up to high school.  THIS is why.  THIS is what makes me happy!  This sweet 3rd grader, Clarisse (thank you mom for letting me post this!), absolutely made my day when she showed up to art class with this shirt on!  If you can't read it, it says "ART CLASS is my favorite!"  She was beaming when she came to class wearing it and another teacher snapped a photo for me!  It just makes me smile looking at this photo.  I love my job!  (I wonder if they make that shirt in my size?!)

Have a great weekend!  Next week, our big mural project will be completed and hanging!                    I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

"Snow Day" in Houston!

January 24, 2014--

Well, today, at around 5am, we get notification from our school district that there is officially no school today!  So, not only does this mean we get a three day weekend, but, we also had a three day work week since we had Monday off as well for Martin Luther King Day.  I have to say, it's a nice vacation, but sure throws a wrench in planning for art lessons!  My first project, which should have all been completed this week, will now carry through to next week in about 15 of my 30 classes.  Sadly, they are mixed grade levels as well, so it's going to be fun trying to coordinate it all.  Learning experience for me again.  Coming from a middle school situation, I have always been able to throw one day lessons in, in order to survive pep rally schedules, concerts or various testing days.  That way, we could all be on the same page throughout my grade levels or art levels.  Regardless, we will make this work out.  I am positive of it.

Well, today, I'll talk about my classroom management system.  I have always wanted to have a fabulous management system that the kids will love.  At middle school, they don't love classroom management systems like the teachers wish they did.  Here, I have anxious faces coming in to see the weekly progress of the rest of their friends in their classes.

So, this is how my bulletin board starts out.  On the left, every class is a paintbrush.  I painted the bristles with acrylic paint and let them dry.  Each grade level is a specific color.  For example, 5th grade is red.  I see them first thing each morning.  In the center are the rules I focus on, being rules that relate to A R and T.  On the right, "Mona Lisa" listening behavior and the star chart (which is just a weekly review of who got what during the week.  Three constant reminders of behavior for the class to see.  I don't do stars on the chart until the end of the week when I can sit down and focus.

 

These are my Golden Paintbrushes.  I taped up the silver part with acrylic tape, spray painted them gold, smeared glue on them and sprinkled the heck out of gold glitter on them!  Who wouldn't want a golden paintbrush, right?!  Then, on the back, I sprayed them with silver spray paint--no glitter.  It is when they are silver, that they are "tarnished".  I used a label maker to then put all the teacher's names on the paint brushes with their grade level.  The days of the week are posted on paint samples from my local hardware store.

(Sorry the photo is so crummy).... When a class stays golden, I simply leave it there for all to see.  When I have to give numerous warnings, it changes to "tarnished" or silver.  The brushes are attached to my bulletin board with T pins so they are easy enough for me to switch, but more difficult and obvious if a kiddo tries to switch them "for me".  If they are on silver, they DO have the opportunity to earn golden back by showing me good behavior for the rest of the classtime.  However, if behavior does not improve, the brush goes "GONE"!  I have a paint can, complete with paint splatters all over it compliments of my friend and artist, Dan Dunn (youtube him, I promise you and your kids will fall in love with what he does!!!) hanging next to my bulletin board.  The brush will go GONE and be put into the bucket if behavior doesn't improve.  I decided yesterday that the classroom teachers needed a written report from me so I made the Art Room Behavior Brush Report.  I simply have on it Gold, Silver, Gone which I can circle quickly.  I put the teacher name in the handle and any notes in the bristle part of it (student names who need discussions with, students who had to be moved, or simply "fabulous day".  Something QUICK and easy and can be done during the duration of class time.  I am hoping that not only the visual reminder of the brushes on my board will help with behavior, but also the idea that their regular classroom teachers get the report too. 
The brushes, for all classes, no matter the behavior are shown for the week.  At the end of the week, the classes who remained golden get a star on the chart below Mona Lisa.  This way, I can remember what they got the previous week easily, and so can they.

I hope that it's something that works.  The kids LOVE the golden paintbrushes!  And I hear throughout the class time, "we are gonna end up on silver if you keep yelling!  or not sharing, or whatever the case might be!"  I love what it adds to my classroom!

 

First Elementary Project 2014--Radial Mural

January 14, 2014--

Well, today is Tuesday, and apparently there is a full moon tonight.  Which could explain the differences in the classes today!  Just a little different from last week.  It's either that, or because we have hit week two, the "newness" has worn off!  I brought my artcar to school today for the first time.  The kids think I am SuperTeacher!  I'll take it!  :)

We have now hit Step 2 in our first project of 2014.  My first project as an official Elementary teacher!  Now, I will work with what I know, plus the stuff I am learning!  Which is truly exciting!  I am starting a radial project where every kiddo, PreK-5th grade, in the school is creating 1/4 of a circle.  When put together, this mural should be truly spectacular!
We started with learning Value (remember screaming crayon, whisper crayon?  side to side side to side, littttle bitty?) And today, we started adding line patterns to our 1/4 circle rainbows.  Let me tell you, my 3rd graders are "NAILING" this value stuff!  I am so proud of them!  :)

 Using Value, Space, Line, Color, and Shape.  Students had to include their name in one of the "rainbow pieces" but had to use all Upper Case letters and touch the top and bottom lines in order to create new Spaces.

 Some girls are "getting it together!"  Not asked to do this, but rather, taking it upon themselves to see what they thought it might look like.  Smart 3rd graders!

 The edges, our practice space, will be cut off leaving behind just the squares with 1/4 circles.

 We learned value last class.  I did not ask them to include value in any part of it except the outside space (which includes their grade level color so they could identify their piece in the large mural).  They started adding it all on their own.

This one chose a color scheme for hers!  WOW!  So proud!  Again, I did not ask for this.... they did it on their own!  :)

Can't wait until everyone's piece of the circle is finished and we put this all together.  I did this with 7th/8th graders on a much smaller scale.  They did theirs on about 4" pieces of paper.  These are about 8" square.

Up and Down, Up and Down, Liiiiitle Bitty.

January 11, 2014--

Like I said in my last posting, I am learning as I go from these kiddos.  It's so much fun.
On Thursday, I had a class of 3rd graders, who were so adorable.  I am explaining the coloring portion of the project we were working on and showing them how I wanted it done.  This one section of the project is color coded by grade, and we were using VALUE.
So, this concept is new to all the kids at this campus.  We talked the definition, we did a smaller example with our fat ticonderoga pencils (however you spell it!) and then we were about to do the same with crayon.
One child speaks out as I am getting the crayons for them and says "Ms. P used to tell us not to use our SCREAMING pencils when we were practicing so we could vacuum it up if we didn't like it!"
Um, okay.....
I asked him to explain more... he said SCREAMING pencils was when you pressed REALLLY hard on the pencil to get it REALLLLY dark.  If you want it REALLLLY light, that is a whisper pencil!
AHHHHHHHH......
So, while they didn't understand the word value, they did understand some of the concept (see?  middle school teacher vs elementary school teacher here!  I'm getting it!) 
So, we did another example of value using SCREAMING pencil and fading it down to a whisper pencil.  I called it a VALUE Tornado!  Well, that's what it looked like!  :)

So then we started with crayon.  Simple.  They got that we could use SCREAMING crayon as well.... but as I was starting to color the sample area I heard, very quietly, "up and down, up and down, liiiiiitle bitty!  up and down, up and down, liiiiiitle bitty..."  I smiled to myself before turning around because by now the entire class was whispering it and it was so dang cute!
When I turned to them, the same kiddo said "That's what Ms. P used to say when she wanted us to color nice and smooth.  We use liiiiiiitle bitty marks to make everything nice."

Well, duh, now it's the third day of school and 12 classes were already coloring the way I had showed them, but.... again, there is a better way!  ;)

A little girl speaks up and says "BUT..... Mrs. Walton is going side to side!"  So the entire class breaks in to "side to side, side to side... littttttte bitty!" the entire time I colored my project space.

So now you know.... there you have it!  Just in case you wanted to know!

I've also learned about the "crayon belt", "superman" and "invisible man".  I wondered if they would ever be visiting my classroom.... more on that later!

Happy Saturday!!!

Mrs. Walton

Friday's Top 10 "Ah Ha" Teaching moments

January 10, 2014--

I have survived my first 4 days of teaching as an elementary art teacher!!  I love it!
I HAVE learned a few things during this first week though that are worth sharing...  I will start by saying I am so blessed.    Today was my first day of wearing a new school t-shirt after 13 years.  It was a strange feeling today, but nice....

(Today, in no particular order)

#1.  There ARE amazing schools out there to work at!
#2.  There ARE people who will greet you every morning with a smile, by sticking their heads in your classroom to say good morning to you and hi to the kids.
#3.  You WILL smile more than you ever thought possible at a teaching position.
#4.  Elementary Kids LOVE sitting on the floor.
#5.  Elementary Kids LOVE class pets!  Even though my poor fish tank has no fish in it yet, they all crowd around to look in it!  Even after you tell them there is nothing in it!
#6.  5th graders CAN be taller than you!
#7.  You will be hugged no less than 5 times a day, even if they don't know who you are!  If you are lucky, you'll receive love letters from kids who want to introduce themselves to you so you won't forget who they are.
#8.  As an elective teacher in an elementary school you are called "Specials".... I think that is for a reason...
#9.  You will teach a gazillion little faces instead of just half a gazillion as you do in middle school and high school--this is an important thing to remember..... (especially for #10)
#10.  (I teach) You will teach a ton of classes over a week long period (or longer, whatever your school decides).  A school wide project, where everyone plays a part in the project's completeness, while it sounds AMAZING in theory, and you can picture it's beautiful-ness when completed..... will be taught 30 times!!!!!  Oh my goodness!  Why didn't I think of that beforehand! 

Sooooo,  As of today, I have seen 25 of my 30 classes, as well as meeting two other classroom's of kiddos who don't come to me to explain the beginnings of this project.
Just 5 more classes of kids before we can go on to step 2 of this project!!!  :)

Wonder what next Friday's update will bring!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Art Teacher's Dream

I can honestly say, that my first week, teaching art, at my new campus has been nothing less than amazing.  I have always dreamed of teaching an elementary art class.   And here it is, my chance!

When I graduated college, I graduated in December.  It's a hard time of the year for a teaching candidate to hope for a job--no less, an art teaching job.  Face it, art teachers don't leave very often!  There's just too much to move/pack/take with them!  *grin*
I quickly contacted my local school district and happily stated "I'm now available to teach art, just let me know how I can go about getting an application turned in and some hopeful interviews!"
Of course, they laughed at me and responded "oh honey, we don't start that process until the end of March!  You get your portfolio and resume's together and get back in contact with us then, alright?"
I was crushed.  What was I going to do until then?
Well, three days later, I got THE call.  "Ms. Neumann?  I remembered you called the other day about an art teacher position.  We had an unexpected thing happen and an art teacher's husband has just been transferred to Africa and, she's going with him.  Would you be interested in interviewing for an art teacher position at a middle school?"
Well, uh, yes!!!
So, four days later, I was in the office of a familiar middle school, interviewing with a principal who happened to have been an assistant principal at the high school I had graduated from.  Kinda neat, I thought.  I sat, with my portfolio of beautiful projects, hand written notes from kids, and letters of recommendation from anyone and everyone I could think of.  Nervous as could be.  She shook my hand, sat down at her desk and stared at me.  I smiled at her as she turned and faced her computer.  She said "for some reason, your name sounds familiar.  Are you from here?"  So, I made my introduction and explained to her, that a few years earlier, she was a high school principal at my high school that I graduated from.  She asked, "what experience do you have?"  I reached in for my binder of stuff, so thoughtfully prepared, and started to talk.  She cut me off and said "do you have any experience with decorations for dances?  art auctions? or teaching?"  Strange questions I thought... but "why yes, I have been a party planner for the past seven years doing large events all over Houston, including doing auctions and decorations, balloon arches, and centerpieces.  I'm not afraid of tools, and I am always up for a challenge."
"Great!" was her response, as she typed again on her computer.  Can you start on the 17th?  (that was about 4 days later!  "um, yes, sure, YES I CAN!"  And there you have it.  The beginnings of 13 years of middle school art teacher fun.  New graduate, full of dreams, BRAND NEW..... but oh what fun!

Jump forward 13 years.....

Four days ago,  in January, in the middle of the year, I was able to transfer to a dream job.  I mean, what are the odds, of getting a teaching job, in the middle of the year?  I was really wanting something new.  I was aching for a new challenge which made me happy, which kept me busy and on my toes, and kept me smiling.  I wanted new stories to share, new projects to teach, new people to please.  My interview went much differently this time.

I started my interview with a "pre-screening" interview by an assistant principal and counselor on the morning I was to leave for art teacher convention 5 hours away!  Oh, did I mention, my husband was in surgery at that very time too?!  Nothing like a little stress to add to everything, right?!
I showed up again, with my portfolio of goodies, my hand written letters from kids, and my letters of recommendation from everyone I knew!  This time, I actually had an online portfolio, too!   It went well.  They were so nice.  I felt good about the interview.
I ended up having another "walk through" observation, a short question/answer between classes, a phone interview afterwards, and then going to the school to meet with the art teacher who was retiring before I got THE phone call.  I was offered the position of the new elementary art teacher!  I can't be more excited!

Up for the challenge?  You bet!  Happy New Year!  Let 2014 be amazing!