small amounts of info at a time

i try to make art interesting and fun. Sometimes there is a ton of information I have to give to the students- some very important and some more or less support information. I have a lesson I teach on the Renaissance period. We have to cover several concepts at one time. I have a wonderful book- not a true text book- but a book that breaks the information down into understandable sections. I read a lot to my students, mainly because I think they will listen to me  before they would read for themselves. Most everything I teach is cross curricular and We have some very fascinating discussions over what I have read. It take several days to read the lesson, but I at least know that if I do not over fill their heads with too much at one time, they are more likely to retain the information. The students  have time to learn from history and learn art techniques at the same time.

the cultural divide

I cannot imagine going to school where I did not understand a word that was being spoken. It would be frustrating, intimidating, impossible. Yet I have taught some students who are in that very position. Teaching art has its perts... a picture can be more valuable than any spoken word, but you can't very well go around drawing pictures everywhere. We are fortunate enough to have a ESOL program where not just Hispanic students attend but all nationalities attend to work out language barriers. It is a safe place for them to learn and to grow with out a stigma of being the kid stuck in the back of the class who never gets called on to answer a question. fortunately most of our ELL students are active participants in class. I have a young lady in my advisement class who has only been in the US for two years. Her family is from Pakistan. She is extremely intelligent but her speaking abilities have not caught up with her knowledge base.  She is as happy as she can be. She knows she knows her lessons.  How incredible to have learned an odd new language in just two years. My hat is tipped to ELL teachers

picture book power

I was discussing our reading class with a math teacher, he rolled his eyes and sighed- yes we are having to stress reading in all of our lessons. He seemed frustrated as though it was not his place to teach reading in math. I was polite and questioned him about how much he expected his students to read and understand in order to pass his class. He understood the point of my question and gestured for me to understand a lot. Teaching older students the necessity of reading and comprehension is far more important to me than having them enjoy reading. I think we can work on the enjoyment aspect after they actually learn how to read. I say a prayer for elementary school teachers to have to will power to continue fighting the battle, for the middle school to reenforce the elementary teaching and for the entire high schoo staff to take on the challenge.

revisiting read alouds

I was excited after I read the article revisiting Read Alouds. I realized I was doing something right in my classes. after all these years I still read a great deal to my students-stories about artists, the time period in which the lived , what was happening in other places of the world during the life of the artist and even what my expectations for the project. The reading  are usually short ,as are their attention spans. I was always taught to be a good listener. I think it may be one of the very best skills a person can have. After we discuss what I read, the students are then asked their opinions, if they have prior knowledge, etc.  I guess I thought I was cheating by doing this, but I feel greatly better about my lessons now.

eenie meenie miney moe

After looking at reading programs on line, I am so very happy I am not in charge of picking the "right" one for my school. It seems as though it is geared mainly for elementary school ages, not for high schools. It also seems as the programs are one size fits all. I am sure there is a way to customize to some extent but how do you know unless you purchase the program or know a system that has utilized and is willing to recommend the program. Do the companies not realize we have problems in high school? Do they assume everyone can read on or above level when they arrive in high school? This is frustration talking not anger. I am sure we are not the only community that is seeking to improve.