in the little classroom in chinatown we’ve been creating pop-art (roy lichtenstein) inspired self-portraits.
making all the dots is sort of mesmerizing.
in the reading department, i finished reading HOLES and started on the lemony snicket series of unfortunate events. my count olaf voice is stage worthy if i do say so myself.
do you remember mumu? i wrote about her HERE. now that i have an iphone, school pics are about a thousand times easier.
i asked her if i could take her picture this morning.
“yes, yes, yes!” she happily consented. then asked if i could bring her 3 copies tomorrow. one for her, her son, and daughter.
anything for you mumu.
her presence is undervalued at the school. children need more mumus in their lives and less punitive rule-obsessed people. i will miss her when i go, but i won’t forget her goodness. her loving demeanor.
maybe you heard about THIS fantastic teacher recently in the news…? She had her 3rd graders answer this question, “I wish my teacher knew…” oh the answers are so poignant.
the simplest ideas are always the most powerful. i’m inspired to have my students do the same!
i’ll miss my chinatown kiddos. maybe more than any other group in my teaching career. they are a rowdy group of feelers & thinkers. an equal mix of introverts and extroverts. very unusual. i have to keep the extroverts in constant check to make sure they aren’t running roughshod over the quiet ones.
more art from various projects around the room…
and from the kinder class across the hall…
my favorite is the black dragon monster bird.
the halls of this school are always filled with beautiful displays of student work.
i am endlessly entertained by the writing of my group. When I read through their papers, I’m always hardy-har-harring.
Teachers: If you want to do the Roy Lichtenstein self-portrait lesson in your class, there’s so much material online. a quick search will reveal so much. you’ll find pdf’s, power points, lesson plans and videos – THIS one is excellent.
waving to you all from my hilltop hidey-hole up here in northeastern los angeles.
By far my favorite post this year.
Okay, I feel better now. 🙂
meredith,
OF COURSE it’s written first. in roughdraft form… then it’s published by typing on the computer. i’m pretty sure upper grade elementary (11 y.o.)kids have been typing up papers whether on typewriters or computers for the last 50 years…
no worries about the decline of western civilization, all writing begins the old fashioned way with pencil and paper.
I know this is an art blog but I was struck by the written assignment. At first glance I didn’t realize it was a child’s work. I am an “old” retired teacher and must be such a dinosaur. I don’t know if I could get used to children’s work being printed out on a computer. Do your feel you miss anything by not seeing the work in their handwriting? I guess being a super “visual” person I remember loving the personality conveyed through the child’s hand. I do love their artwork too. Thanks for sharing your kids with us.
Those lucky kids – they will remember this foreva!
The Lichtenstein portraits are bananas – I gotta try my hand at one tomorrow.
GREAT kid’s art!!!Love, love, love!
oh, I love seeing the work from your classrooms. we haven’t seen much of that lately, hint hint. what great little artists they are. I am sure that you will miss them, much more than some previous classes, but I hope that you have a great leave and come back refreshed next year.
Ms. Mums looks adorable! Your ‘school’ posts always fill my heart. So rich with life and art.
Missy from the bayou
LOVE the GIANT faces covered with dots in big bold super hero colors!!!!
I want to do faces like that at art retreat next year! Bring the lesson plan with you 🙂
I adore the self portraits!! I wish I had you for a teacher when I was in fifth grade instead of mean old Mrs Orr!! I may have to do one of those self portraits ala Lictenstein myself!!
Those self portraits are DIVINE! I LOVE how you love your students. i wish you were my teacher.
XOXO
I absolutely love all the kids art work, stunning, innocent, sweetly and honestly un-candid. I miss my kids being wee ones, I have boxes full of their artwork and anytime I happen into the attic, I can’t resist pulling down one of them may boxes and taking a peek. Funny cuz I look at Brittney’s photography and often wonder what I will see from her in say 5 years, 10 years…tomorrow. No matter how old they get, those little bits of personal expression capture and hold the time still…I love that….hmmmmmm Mumu is adorable Mary Ann, I can see why she is special to you…she looks special and grounded too… Have a great weekend in your hidey hole. 🙂
What fabulous self portraits of your kiddos! I’m sure they’ll miss you terribly when you go on LOA.
There was a piece on the news this week about how the schools are failing kids by eliminating art, theater art, music, etc, from the school curriculum, considering it frivolous, an elective, not realizing that this is what fosters invention, adaptation, restoration, happiness. Educators/school boards want all kids to fit into the “standard”. Any parent of more than one child will nod in agreement that all their children are different, there is no “standard” for a child to fit. DUH. I’m so glad your students get the benefit of your being their teacher who fosters their creativity, sense of fun, humor and stories. You have a gift, it’s joy and you spread it around to all who know you, even in cyberland.
Mary Ann, How wonderful, all this exuberant creativity everywhere in your classroom. Your students are clearly loving all the opportunities you so regularly give them to be themselves, and discover new things about themselves too! you will be sorely missed!
You are that FUN teacher the kids will remember always….How lucky they are!
I love the portraits! Would be happy as a clam to squeeze into one of those student sized chairs and create right alongside them….And Mumu…she looks so sweet!
Those are amazing! Wish I had an art teachers in grade school like you!
I do declare. In the words of Anne Shirley, you are a kindred spirit. I’m in my 30s now, but would have loved to have had a teacher like you when I was younger. What fun it looks like you all have together. I’m endlessly thankful I stumbled across your little digital. Take care!
I love those self-portraits! And the students’ honest responses to the question posed by their teacher. And the fact that you’ve got a half-year sabbatical coming up! Where ya going this time? Please take us with you. And have a great weekend. xo