A Mid-Summer’s Nightmare?
We are nearing the end of the summer and are sad to see it go, but we are also beginning to think, “What the heck am I going to do next year/” Try something new unique and different or go with the “oldie goldies” that always work? May I suggest starting simple and building from there? Every year I try to include some new ideas to keep my class fresh and new for myself. If you are bored with what you are teaching then it comes across to the students and they are less likely to enjoy the lesson. But how do you judge? Ask yourself the question, “Would I be willing to sit down with the students and do this project?” If your answer is anything but “Yea that would be cool!” then rethink the project. Come up with a new slant, media, medium, or whatever. Another good way to find new ideas is to go to Barnes and Noble or Books A Million and browse the periodicals. Whatever you are interested in and get the latest “skinny” on your favorite medium or experiment with something new. If you find something buy it and then (this is the real trick) go home and write out your lesson plan, rubric, and do your example…NOW. If you wait it will be one of those magazines you find in two years and say, “What is this? Oh yea, I was going to do something new.” Then you will feel really bad about yourself. So don’t do that. Write it up now and put it with your “oldie goldies”. Who knows you might even enjoy it as an artist yourself?
Now to art competitions, I was pleased to see so many names as state winners in many of the competitions that I participated in. I am so pleased that you are giving your students the opportunity to participate in these. They are such big ego boosters for our students. If you think competition is sacrilege in the art classroom please think about how you got your job??? Did you interview? That is a competition. Do you show as an artist? That is a competition. Our students NEED to get used to rejection because not everyone is a winner, no matter what our little league society thinks. One thing you know when you look out at your classroom everyone in there will apply for a job and they won’t get it. They need to be ready for that and competitions help. Anyway the competitions that I already know about are:
· Birmingham Southern College’s Biennial Southeastern Competition which is the new title for the old Southeastern High School Artist Competition. Be careful this year the rules have changed and who can participate has changed. It used to be just 11th & 12th grades but now it is for students 9 – 12th grades. You used to send the art now it is all digital so be sure to get the information. I have it if you don’t so you can email me. I will send it to you.
· NFAA Arts Competition is all done by your student on line there is a cost for it and it is VERY competitive. The student (seniors only) uploads a digital portfolio online of 5 breadth and 5 concentration pieces. (FYI: If you or your students aren’t really good at converting digital images you better learn FAST this is the way everything is going.) Deadline for registering is Oct 1 and sent images Oct 30 at 4pm EST. http://www.youngarts.org
· Scholastic Art & Writing this year will be by districts. The deadline for submission will be one of the last two weekends in January. I will keep you posted.
· Double Exposure will still be happening for those photography students you have. I will let you know the date it is usually the end of Nov.
Well that is everything for now except if you don’t have one yet a National Honor Society Chapter this is the year!!! Do it for your students. You have Art Club already just include NAHS or NJAHS chapter. Second, go to the Fall Conference in November! It is a great way to rejuvenate yourself and share with others. Don’t worry I will nag you later.
