2/4/2023
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
jennifer s powers
|
I too have had a variety of students with disabilities. But, perhaps the most interesting were 2 students in the same class period. One had dexterity issues which for a hands on curriculum presented a challenge. The other was introduced as blind. She needed another student to walk to each class an extremely large printed reading materials but could tell light from dark. I felt our most successful assignment was one in which they chose to sit together while most other students worked individually. The assignment was to create an animal filled with Zentangles (various detailed patterns). I introduced the technique of curling cut pieces of colored paper,curling it around a pencil and gluing it to a flat sheet of paper. They had a ball. They agreed that the visually impared student would take it home so she could touch it and I copied and laminated it for the other student. When I asked each what they had created I got 2 different answers. One said it was a fish. The other student said it was a bird. They agreed that that was funny and it opened a discussion about art and interpretation. Other students were involved it the debate and many saw the fish while others, the bird. We all had a great time and lerned a great deal about people and Art. |
4/21/2023
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
jennifer s powers
|
Describe how two of the strategies discussed could potentially be implemented in your art classroom. Be sure to identify the two strategies by name and describe how they could be used to address the student's disability.
Working through the semester I have used several of the tools described in this chapter beginning with the Kagan strategies. I have adjusted the group members based on ability and positive result. My grades are for each individual and based on participation, cooperation, and ability to demonstrate skills taught. I often move group members to achieve student success since group dynamics, enthusiasm and understanding the goal are key to the best participation.
I believe that the most important element of art is the imagination of the artist and that of the observer. I realize Art Educators have a real list of elements and I teach those but, this is mine. I placed the word imagination on each table at the beginning and end of each semester and have the students draw something from their IMAGINATION. Then I place the words and art all over the room. I teach concept and skills but, imagination and creativity comes from within each student. I instruct, inspire and facilitate.
Using Chaining, we discuss the gift of reading and how literature allows the reader to travel to real or imagined lands and be anyone they want to be. For some, reading is difficult but they know films and for some, creating art is difficult. I use our computers and Disney to allow research opportunities from which to build our final assignment. We spend time with Disney’s IMAGINERING and, since we live in Florida and explore those careers at Disney and explore options and continue to think along the lines of the IMAGINERING process to design the imagined worlds the students create.
As a whole group I introduce Graphic Organizers and we use a Semantic Map for 2 or 3 concepts on the white board. One was our country, U.S.A. was written in the circle in the center and symbols in each circle around it ; Statue of Liberty, Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore, Disney and things they love like Mc Donald’s (golden arches). Their interaction was key.
The students worked in groups to brainstorm worlds from favorite books, movies or places they have been. They were tasked with listing/drawing symbols or identifiers. This leads into a discussion of 3-D images using task cards for foods for their themed restaurants, toys to be sold that go with the theme. They design advertising and admission tickets with LOGO and I worked with each group as they placed their theme and images on the graphic organizer.
The exciting thing about this is that the composition of the groups change as they found new friends that have common interests. It also allows me to adjust the dynamics of each group. This created genuine interest, excitement and investment in each organized concept. Depending on the excitement commitment and class energy, this leads to a paper mache depiction of the world that was created or even a new idea.
After we cover how Art and the Artist’s imagination can take you to other places, we start the concept of Art allowing the Artist to become other people. We research and investigate the history and use of masks in a variety of cultures and countries and begin to design a personal mask working with the concept of our imaginary world. After the design is illustrated in 2-D we created paper mache forms to use as a base for the 3-D images that define the imaginary world. In most cases the students fell back on familiar concepts. We had a Cat world, an underwater world, a winter wonderland, a Bible land, Sports, Cars, planets, a S.W. American Indian world, a world of birds and one of snakes. It was very exciting to see the individual imagination and what they create. Teammates helped those who needed an assist. |
4/27/2023
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
jennifer s powers
|
I had a students with dexterity issues. I introduced stipple or pointism to the class and after studying history and technique the students were given fine tipped pens and produced a final project. For one of my students with issues, I offered oil pastels and he created fall leaves and using the sides of the pastel stick created a road. For the other student who had trouble holding the pastels, I spray painted cardboard white and cut 1 piece 12 inches square. the rest was cut into several rectangular pieces 1 inch by 1, then by 2 and some by 3 inches. I gave him a 2 inch brush and black Acrylic paint and taught him splatter. I reminded him of the day we looked at cloud shapes for identifiable forms and told him to use school glue to put the shapes he'd painted on to the 12 inch piece stacking some 3 deep and 1 or 2 deep to make is artwork. He finished ahead of the class but enjoyed the work so we tried it again using black as the background color and gray for the splatter. |