Celebrating Creativity!

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Our Art and Social Studies Projects

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WEEK FOUR

I am so excited to see your presentations on Integrating Art into Social Studies.  Remember to email me your powerpoint no later than Tuesday morning; (Monday night will be better.). I will post them into our chatroom and have them ready for you to share.

Let me know if you have any trouble.  Thanks!

Thank you all for such a lively discussion this evening!  I love the ideas you shared that will help us bring learning to life by allowing students to approach new material with their mind, body, and heart.  Great conversation!

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See you next week!

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK 3

I am looking forward to tomorrow evening.  Tomorrow, my visual symbol for the evening is the dragonfly.  This quote is what inspired me: 


•The eyes of the dragonfly are one of the most amazing and awe-inspiring things in nature.  Almost 80% of the insect's brain power is dedicated to its sight and it can see in all 360 degrees around it. Because of its remarkable eyes, the dragonfly symbolizes the uninhibited vision of the mind and the ability to see beyond the limitations of the human self.  It symbolizes our rising from the materialism of our minds to be able to see beyond the mundane into the vastness that is really our Universe, our God.




How does this quote make you feel?  Do you agree that when we give students the ability to express their creativity that we give them a way to celebrate the good within them that is God-given? Come prepared to share your thoughts about this quote and what type of teacher you choose to be when dealing with artistic expression.  Can't wait!!!

Week 2 Class Discussion

I enjoyed our class session this evening!  BTW, the picture here is something I created.  I was attempting to show that we are the vine connecting the heavens and the earth.  How'd I do?


We had a good discussion, but here is more food for thought: 


1. Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in. Write a comment to share a time when you realized that you were thinking about the world in terms of something artistic...a poster, a drawing, a photograph, a painting.  How did you feel in that moment?


2.  I mentioned that children are more interested in the process than in the product.  Do you agree?  Give an example.


Leave a comment letting me know how you feel.  Can't wait to read your posts this week in the discussion board.  I'll "see" you next week.

I just finished reading all of your Journey postings.  I am even more excited about our semester together!  Some of you expressed anxiety that you yourself were not very artistic.  The good news is, that doesn't matter.  God has instilled in each of us a spirit of creativity.  Your students just need you to provide the opportunity and the resources; they are much more excited by the process than they are by the product.

If you are looking for some good ideas, there are many teachers sharing pictures, directions, and ideas on a website called Pinterest.  Check it out.  You can even follow me!  You have to request an invitation to be allowed to join.  If you haven't yet joined and want to, request an invitation from me.

There are MANY posts from teachers about all kinds of things.

ASSIGNMENT:  Be prepared to tell me what you think your "visual signature" will be.  Remember, mine is the sunflower.  Can't wait to see you in class this week.  Fondly, Dr. W.

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Week 1

I was so happy and excited to have all of you with me this evening.  We are off to a great start on our summer semester adventure!  Remember, keep pace because these seven weeks will fly by.

In the meantime, post your Personal Journey with Art paper, respond to your classmates, get started reading Chapters 1 and 3 in the text, and email me your reflection on Sunday.

Don't forget to think about your visual signature; mine is the sunflower.  Like the sunflower, I try to face the sun/Son so that life's shadows fall behind me.  Tell me what you would choose to represent you.

I can't wait to "see" all of you next Tuesday.  In the meantime, let me know if there is anything you need.

WELCOME, SUMMER 2012 Students!

I am so excited to get to know each of you this semester; though only seven weeks long, there is lots to do and learn!  I hope you will make this blog an integral part of your class experience.  Take some time now to explore the blog now and you will get a feel for what awaits you in EDU320.

Aside from being a wife and mother, I have three jobs: I am a Curriculum Specialist/School Administrator in Liberty County, I teach for BPC, and I am a primitive folk artist.  I will share my story with you and once you know more about who I am I think it will make sense to you that I am so passionate about providing students with opportunities to express themselves through the fine arts.

My goal is that by the end of the course you will have filled your "teacher toolbox" with many hands-on activities that will help you bring learning to life for your students.