I believe the arts - visual and performing, but also literary, mathematical, and scientific arts - are what make us human. Our desire to know and understand how we perceive the world around us and our ability to express emotions and experience in forms outside of an immediate, instinctual response can be effective tools we can use to share differences and explore commonalities.
As an art teacher, I hope to create an environment that encourages discoveries of self and others and promotes respect, tolerance, and empathy for all life experiences and viewpoints.
CURRICULUM MAP
Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 3 - Planning for Differentiated Instruction – The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
Description: This course map covers four semesters beginning in ninth grade. The first semester is intended to introduce students to the basic principles and elements of art and design through the development of 2D and 3D compositions focused on students' views and understandings of self and identity. The second semester expands content exploration into more conceptual areas of artist development through kinetic art. The third semester promotes further growth of artistic skills through their application in theatrical design. Students will begin to develop research skills necessary for successful art practices. The final semester is a culmination of the skills developed in the previous three semesters. Students will utilize comprehension of the elements and principles of art and design and their knowledge of theatrical production to explore world cultures and storytelling through puppetry.
Rationale: A curriculum map provides a comprehensive view of intended courses of study over a period of time. Consecutive courses are intended to build on knowledge and experience gained in the previous course to ensure continued growth. Included in the map are national learning standards, content, materials, and resources that will be incorporated in each section of development.
Evidence:
Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 5 - Instructional Delivery – The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.
Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 7 - Assessment – The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student.
SECONDARY LEVEL UNIT PLAN
Description: This unit's big idea is personal heritage and identity. The central artist is glassblower Preston Singletary. Singletary's work bridges two worlds and connects them in amazing ways. He applies the traditional Pacific Northwest Coast art design language of his indigenous Tlingkit herritage with sleek, contemporary glass sculpture. Students will explore their personal heritages and design symbols that represent the people they come from and who they are as individuals.
Rationale: Personal identity and heritage are common themes in contemporary artmaking. The exploration of these themes will not only allow students to discover things about themselves but also explore artmaking in new ways. The incorporation of glass kiln casting is a deliberate departure from traditional methods of art education in secondary schools. Glass is a unique material that offers a wide range of techniques to work with. Uing glass as the medium for the unit's final project ties back into our central artist, Preston Singletary... and glass is just cool.
Evidence:
LITERACY LESSON
Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 6 - Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication – The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
Description: A worksheet that includes Preston Singletary's artist statement, a link to a critic's review of one of Singletary's exhibitions, and analytical questions for each.
Rationale: Artists do research and build meaning into their artwork, and many - especially contemporary - artists provide written explanations of their entire practice or specific works to help audiences engage more deeply in a viewing experience. Additionally, when artworks are on display in a museum or a gallery, there are often display labels or informational brochures that provide information and background on an artist and/or the artwork. Students should become familiar with these areas of content and become comfortable with engaging with such information for better comprehension and insight into the significance of what they are viewing or experiencing. Analyzing critical reviews and artist statements allows for practice in developing their own critical "eye" and enables meaningful discussion about artists, artworks, and conceptual ideas.
Evidence:
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP: PAL 1
7G: understands the need for continuing study, self evaluation, and professional growth.
Description:
"Showcasing the Artist Within"
This was an exhibition of artworks made by the employees of the Orlando International Airport and their children.
Rationale:
I really lucked out with seeing this exhibition. It was a very nice surprise to see this exhibition at the end of a family vacation. The range of talent represented in these works was amazing, and the recognition the airport was paying its employees was heartwarming.
Evidence:
Description:
"Showcasing the Artist Within"
This was an exhibition of artworks made by the employees of the Orlando International Airport and their children.
Rationale:
I really lucked out with seeing this exhibition. It was a very nice surprise to see this exhibition at the end of a family vacation. The range of talent represented in these works was amazing, and the recognition the airport was paying its employees was heartwarming.
Evidence:
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP: PAL 2
7N: advances his or her knowledge of current developments in the field by participating in professional development activities (e.g., coursework, professional organizations, and workshops).
Description:
Instagram art lesson for Illinois Art Station
1) Make a list of things (nouns) and a list of describing words (adjectives).
2) Next cut the lists apart and separate them into containers.
3) Then pick a word from each category to prompt a drawing.
**Be creative with your interpretations!**
Rationale:
When the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt, we at the IAS made sure that we were still serving the community in the best way we could. We utilized Instagram and Facebook to reach out with creative art-making activities. This lesson was designed to engage through limited photo instruction and limited written instruction (listed above).
Evidence:
Description:
Instagram video lesson for Illinois Art Station
In the video below, I teach a lesson about using names (or any word) as a launching point to create artworks at home.
Rationale:
Another attempt to serve the Illinois Art Station community through social media during the Covid-19 quarantine. This lesson was designed to teach an artmaking lesson in about three minutes. By using names, I was able to ensure that anyone who participated at home was creating unique and meaningful art.
Evidence:
