Kindergarten Artistic Behaviors in Action

My kindergarten students and I are finally falling into a good groove with our choice based art centers.  They have been working with drawing, painting, collage, and building centers.  (Photos of center arrangements and visuals coming soon.)  It has been wonderful to see their ideas blossoming and their skills becoming more focused.  It has also been a very valuable teaching lesson for me as well.  I have always wanted to teach this way, but am surprised at how difficult it's been to break away from the cookie-cutter standard that we often expect of art programs designed for small children.
I'm looking forward to next year when I can roll out this program from day one with a lot of the guess-work out of the way.  Luckily, this year's students really haven't noticed that they are essentially guinea pigs in this experiment.

We start each class with a "meeting" to discuss a new skill or art word.  As I was wrapping up my demo at the start of a class this week, a boy in the front row raised his and asked, "Can we go play NOW?"  For an instant I thought, "NO! This is ART class not PLAY time!"  And then I came to my senses, and said, "Of course, go play...but use your artist brain."  Here are some of their beautiful creations...

Centering in Kindergarten

Last Wednesday, my last kindergarten class of the day was sleepily traipsing into the art room.  As one student walked passed me on his way to the carpet, he through his back and said, "Ugh. School is rough!"  He wasn't looking at me or his teacher.  He wasn't seeking a reaction...granted this was from a student who has a flare for the dramatic...even taking this into account, I still felt that his comment was genuine.  It made me stop and think.  It also laid to rest any uncertainty I was still feeling about my quest towards Choice-Based teaching at the kindergarten level.  School IS rough for many students in many ways.  Period.  Especially during these early months of the year when kindergarten students are learning and testing...and learning again and testing again...the boundaries.  The kindergarten school day is much more academic than it used to be.  This means that the time left for simple behavior and social education becomes limited.  It doesn't go untaught by any means, but with the added pressure of getting students up to speed academically, these basic lessons about what it means to be a person out in the big world don't get the focus they need...in my personal opinion.  In order to feel as if I am making some effort toward rectifying this imbalance, it seems the least I can do is bolster our students' awareness of their surroundings, their community, and eventually the concept of a greater good in general.  Sounds like a lofty goal, I know.

So, with an eye toward the greater good, I'm finally making some headway on the next steps in the slow-but-sure implementation of Choice Based Centers in my kindergarten art room.  I have resigned myself to the fact that it is going to take some time.  In fact, it is better if it takes some time.  I have also started gearing my projects and classroom procedures towards the eventual roll-out of full student choice.  I have found tremendously helpful insight in the book Engaging Learners Through Artmaking: Choice Based Art Education in the Classroom by Katherine Douglas and Diane Jaquith.  They very clearly state that the progression for teacher driven curriculum to full student choice should happen over time...for obvious reasons; though, for those of us who sometimes have trouble being patient when it comes to processes of this sort, fortitude is key. 

Establishing a Choice-Based Art Program for Kindergarten

At the start of my 5th week of my second year as a K-2 art teacher, I am already re-evaluating.  Kindergarten is always a challenge for me.  It's a challenge I love, but a challenge none the less.  I think the real root of my problem is that I am afraid to take the leap towards what I know is going to be the best fit for me and my students.  I am stepping closer and closer towards establishing a choice-based curriculum for my kindergarten students.  The big hurdle is the implementation and the training period involved in starting a curriculum of this nature.  The other fear is how to keep track of ALL those different ideas and projects going on at once...and what do you do with the students who are constantly picking up new papers, making a few scribbles and then moving on to the next thing...is that even a bad thing??  This is always where my brain goes any time I sit down to truly start making plans...question after question..."what if" after "what if"'... however, I think the time has finally come.  I am going to force myself over the hurdle, tune out my inner-skeptic, and seriously start implementing what I because I think would be a really successful change in how I teach kindergarten art.

First steps: 


Room arrangement.  I rearranged my room to create a more "center" friendly space.   A few of my favorite features...I decided to use the sand table I inherited from a retiring teacher to hold drawing tools and books.  I also asked our school custodian to remove the leg extensions from one of my tables so that it is low to the ground.  This creates a really great alternate work space for students.  In the next couple weeks I will be utilizing counter space and drawers to create a collage center, a painting center, and a building center. 

Next steps:
Teach/train students how to use each station, expectations, etc.
Establish a tracking method for assessment.
Monthly project themes.
Establish work groups?...perhaps?
 

Soon to be Painting Center

Counter space and drawers will soon hold various Centers

Lower work table with leg extensions removed. 

Sand table as storage space

Art Fundraiser Projects Underway

All classes started their Art to Remember fundraiser projects this week.  They started out a little bumpy...my Monday classes will be re-doing a step next week, but by the end of the week I think we worked out all the hiccups.  This is the first time I've attempted this kind of project.  There are quite a few factors to consider when planning the actual art project aspect.  I have already learned a lot and know exactly what I would do next time--assuming I do this again...

1. Consider timing.  I chose to do the Fall fundraiser so that orders would be ready in time for the holidays.  This means we had to start the project very early on in the school year.  On the plus side, we get it out of the way right away, and it also guarantees a simple beginning-of-the-year project.  On the downside, this is obviously a more product-based lesson than most.  Early in the school year, this is a little tricky to achieve especially for kindergarteners. 

2. Keep it Simple!  I often have to remind myself of this at the K-2 level, but it is especially important for a project of this nature.  My Monday classes will be restarting their projects as a result of my failure to remember this!!  Live and learn...

3. Allow some room for student choice.  In the future I hope to put more fore-thought into the student-choice aspect.  Since this is a personal project that students and their families will likely be giving as  gifts it would be nice to involve some level of student choice that the result is more personal to them.  Bottom line, I think families will enjoy the result no matter what. 

For some great info on other art fundraisers check out this post from the Art of Education...http://www.theartofed.com/2012/06/08/the-ultimate-guide-to-art-fundraisers/