The Dusty Art Room

I took this video clip a couple weeks ago.  It was one of those moments where I stopped moving for a moment and realized that not only was every student engrossed in their project, but there were so many different mediums being used simultaneously, it was definitely video worthy!   I hope you enjoy seeing this little glimpse into the art room!  Every day students rise to the high standards and expectations and continually surprise me with the brilliant projects they produce.  I am one proud art teacher!    Can't view the video?  Click the link below to watch it on Vimeo.  A Day in 8th Grade Art Class

Before break, I challenged a couple students who were done with their projects to make a video of the screen print process we were using to create our fabulous t-shirts in 8th grade.  I handed off the iPads, encouraged them to experiment with the iMovie app and let them go crazy! I gave no other instructions. I was watching the videos later and was completely amazed at the amount of work that was happening all in the span of one class period.  As the teacher, I am down in the trenches with the students, so I rarely get to see the "outside" perspective of my classroom. Here is Emerson's amazing video: Screenprinting! from Carissa Zill on Vimeo .

It's the end of the trimester - that crazy whirlwind of scrambling to finish projects, grade and organize!  Scrambling to the finish line, check! Organizing, check! Grading- I avoid it like the plague... Part of my problem has been that no matter how good my intentions are, I can't seem to find time in the day to grade projects.  There's always paper to cut, supplies to organize, kids coming in for extra work time, displays to put up, a kiln to unload, a kiln to load, art club to prepare for, counters to clean, copies to make... The list goes on.  Then, there's the issue of lugging home all those projects to grade them since I can't find the time to do it at school.   One of my goals this school year is to be quicker on the turn around with grading projects and another is to create an online gallery of work for my students - so in an attempt to "kill two birds with one stone" I decided to try Artsonia.  Now, on the one hand it may seem that I'm only me...