Week Two

2/6/2017

Learning Names

For our second week of class, it is important for me to start to learn about my students - and that often is starting with their names. I am a visual person and using their portfolio design, students crafted names that represent their interests. What is nice about this opening activity is how students are able to help me learn what interests them as well as actually learn the name. Because the names are large and on the front of their portfolios, I am able to easily see them and start to learn them.

Here are some of the results:

Sarah W.: For my portfolio name I based all of the letters off of my favorite sport, volleyball. For my “S” I made a Nike headband because I wear those a lot especially to volleyball. For my first “a” I combined a volleyball passing sleeve and an ankle brace to form the “a” shape. For my “r” decided to draw a volleyball shoe. To represent my second “a” I made a volleyball on a side line. Lastly, to make my “h” I used a Under Armour water bottle and the FarOut logo. Combined they made the shape of an “h”. All of these objects are important to me because I use them daily for volleyball and if I didn’t have volleyball I don’t think that I would be me.

Avery Z.: I created this art piece to express me and my personality. The basketball was used to form an 'a' because basketball is my favorite sport and I love to play. Another letter that expressed me was the 'r'. The 'r' is in the shape of a book because I love to read. I also tried to incorporate new techniques that we learned in class. Those techniques are shown in the 'a' and the 'v' as the colors are fading.

Braylon B.: I chose all of these letters for a certain reason. I chose them because these things represent me as a person. The only exception is the letter B, I chose this because it looked really cool and I really like the fancy letter. I did the dot method with the marker inside the letter. I chose an upside down hockey stick for the R because I love hockey even though I don't play it. For the letter A, I chose to do the at sign in an email. I chose this because I would be a totally different person if I couldn't text anybody. I chose earbuds for the Y because I love to listen to music. The L in my name is a pencil. It represents me because I go to school Monday through Friday and if this wasn't in my life, it would change me. The O represents me because I love donuts so much, they are my favorite type of breakfast food. I chose to do a regular letter N with an American flag inside of it because I live in America and if I didn't, everything about me would change. I chose every single letter because each one represents something about me.

MAEA Region 9 Highlight Show

To finish out the week, I had the opportunity to enter student work into the Michigan Art Education Association Region 9 Highlight show. This is an adjudicated show that is juried by local artists and art professionals. It was great fun to see all of the winners and share in the success with my friends and colleagues. It was also a wonderful time to take in extra PD time with my fellow Art teachers as we viewed work on display at the GRAM, KCAD, and discussed all aspects of Art education.

Thirty-three works were selected Saturday to represent Byron Center Public School students from 1st-12th grades. The work will be on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum through February 23rd. All of the works selected will move onto the State adjudication next month.