I have been teaching Visual arts as a specialty for nearly five years.  Through this experience at arts academy, I have tried to give my students more authentic and improved art experiences.  I purchased watercolor paper for my 6th graders to paint a landscape.
In my 6th grade class, we painted 2- point perspective landscapes on watercolor paper.  In the past we have just painted on construction paper.
I have wanted to raise the quality of my student’s art experience.  We do clay, but many of our supplies are broken or are things like plastic knives, etc.  With the grant money, I purchased new clay tools.  I plan to have the sixth graders make a landscape using loop tools in which they can cut away the sky.  I want my students to have high quality, authentic visual arts experiences.
I am integrating drama, dance and music into my visual art lessons, also.
I created a process drama based on the picture book, Frida by Jonah Winter.  I was surprised at how easy it was to do and what an impact it had on me personally and my students.  We reenacted her bus accident, which was very dramatic. Then in my first grade class we talked about how she could still be lonely in a family of so many girls.  I was impressed with their reasons and ideas on how you can be a friend to others.
After looking at Georgia O’Keeffe’s Lake No. 1 and Red Hills and Bones, my second graders danced i.e. we moved the way the paintings made them feel.  The movement difference was so stark.  Then we talked about the pictures with words.  Their descriptions were so vivid.  One student compared Red Hills and Bones to Brazil and his visits there.  I could not believe how powerful dance movement could be in helping them see and feel the art.
We also danced the folk dance Zemer Atik.  It was relatable and enjoyable for all ages.  Zoodeo is a fun dance and song.  They had some pretty creative movements. One first grader did cartwheels down the alley.  We also warmed up with the movements of Eric Carle’s From Head to Toe.
The Arts Academy experience has been valuable to my teaching.  It has changed the way I look at my students and how I present lessons.  I strive to improve the quality of my lesson content and enrich the journey as we learn about the visual arts.

Five Minutes a day is a great place to start integrating the arts.  Since I teach visual arts, I am striving to integrate, drama, dance and music into my day.
During our clay unit, we reviewed for the test, by each table planning a skit using the review words.  We did this in sixth grade as well as second grade.  I was amazed that each play was so different.
While doing a macaroni sculpture unit, I had the students make the shape of the sculpture.  These dance shapes helped them see the activity kinesthetically.  We also played the mirror game as a group and as partners.  One student said, “this is fun.”  Unfortunately, I don’t hear that everyday in class.
I have used music while passing out papers.  We sing songs selected by quiet students.  When we have a bit of time at the end of class, we played the penny game which incorporates music.
In addition, I am striving to integrate writing and math in my visual arts lessons.
I don’t usually do much writing in my class focused on visual arts, but I had my students evaluate their drawing projects.  They wrote what they learned, why they chose their subject matter, and what they would do differently next time. I like having them think about their art and evaluating what they could do differently.
Recently, in 5th grade, we made human figures based on the body compared to their head. The torso is 2 head wide and 3 heads tall.  Our limbs are 1 ½ heads tall.
I want to have routines and structures built into my instructional design.  I can see how having “energizers to start lessons” or even to transition lessons would work.  In one of my classes that did the  mirror activity, it gave them enough of a break to then continue on with the next phase of the lesson.
I truly believe that in order to reform one must “identify strengths” and “make a plan”.  In looking at what I am doing, it helps me to see where I can do better.  I think that I can include more of the other arts in my program a little at a time and in routines and transitions.

Five Minutes a day is a great place to start integrating the arts.  Since I teach visual arts, I am striving to integrate, drama, dance and music into my day.
During our clay unit, we reviewed for the test, by each table planning a skit using the review words.  We did this in sixth grade as well as second grade.  I was amazed that each play was so different.
While doing a macaroni sculpture unit, I had the students make the shape of the sculpture.  These dance shapes helped them see the activity kinesthetically.  We also played the mirror game as a group and as partners.  One student said, “this is fun.”  Unfortunately, I don’t hear that everyday in class.
I have used music while passing out papers.  We sing songs selected by quiet students.  When we have a bit of time at the end of class, we played the penny game which incorporates music.
In addition, I am striving to integrate writing and math in my visual arts lessons.
I don’t usually do much writing in my class focused on visual arts, but I had my students evaluate their drawing projects.  They wrote what they learned, why they chose their subject matter, and what they would do differently next time. I like having them think about their art and evaluating what they could do differently.
Recently, in 5th grade, we made human figures based on the body compared to their head. The torso is 2 head wide and 3 heads tall.  Our limbs are 1 ½ heads tall.
I want to have routines and structures built into my instructional design.  I can see how having “energizers to start lessons” or even to transition lessons would work.  In one of my classes that did the  mirror activity, it gave them enough of a break to then continue on with the next phase of the lesson.
I truly believe that in order to reform one must “identify strengths” and “make a plan”.  In looking at what I am doing, it helps me to see where I can do better.  I think that I can include more of the other arts in my program a little at a time and in routines and transitions.

What impacted me the most after the first Arts Academy was the idea that each of us has a different learning style.  I would naturally teach based on my preferences.  I might be totally excluding students in my classroom because of the way I teach.
In my classroom, if student was disruptive, I now wonder, are they being naughty or do they have a different learning style?
Since I teach visual arts, the students are usually absorbed quickly into the activity.  Last Thursday, I taught the same lesson three times.  The first class would not settle down to listen.  A few of them simply forgot all rules of good student behavior.  The second class and the third class went great.  I think the lesson was good.  The students in the last two classes learned about making a sculpture and what makes it pleasing to the eye.  They also had fun making their macaroni sculptures.
The first class needed a review in behavior.  They had forgotten how to be respectful.  It took longer to get through the presentation, but they finally were able to apply their learning.  I’m not sure how to help them get to a positive end result every time.
Luckily, the next time I had this difficult class, they were fully engaged in painting their macaroni sculptures.  The superintendent of Alpine school district walked in with his colleagues.  I think they wanted to sit down and join my students.
Now, when I look at a student, I wonder if my teaching style does not match their learning style.
I want to be able to be a more effective teacher.  I want to catch everyone’s attention, keep it, and teach a memorable lesson.  I want to reach the hard to reach students.