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Just 'cause it's summer doesn't mean the art stops!

6/27/2018

When Joyce over at Flamingo Clay Studio (and Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery!) told me she was interested in working with some students over the summer I knew just the students to ask- some of my AP 3D Design ladies! I knew that these girls would be dependable and that they would have the drive to learn new techniques and create work at a fast pace- and they are doing it! I am so proud! While many students are sleeping in or playing video games this summer, this group of girls has been getting up to go to the clay studio 2-3 times a week for hours at a time to work with clay and to help Joyce out at the studio.

I stopped in today to check in with the LWHS girls and Joyce let me know that they will be featured in her show at the gallery that opens this coming Friday! Not only that, but I will have a chance to show some pieces...cause she doesn't want blank walls and I have a bajillion art pieces at home so it works perfectly!

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Hey, I won a thing!

6/4/2018

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This was a real surprise- at the end of the year luncheon Dr. Epps called me up for an award! How cool is that?!

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2017-2018 school year-that's a wrap!

6/1/2018

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Another great year at LWHS is in 'da books! Hooray!

Seriously, every year I teach I think I enjoy it even more- especially teaching at Lake Worth! Wooo!

There are several things that keep me busy at the end of the year, and I figured I would just mention each briefly...in case another teacher stumbles upon this here post (especially a newbie-stay strong!) or even one of my students- I think it's good for ya'll to see what goes on behind the scenes!

End of the Year Art Show

It ain't nothin' new, art teachers usually do a big 'end of the year' shebang art show- and LWHS is no different. My colleague teaches the 2D classes so he had tons of amazing pieces to put up on the walls. I have my 3D classes take their clay pieces home as I grade them due to space, but I did have some of their paper mache letters to add to the display, and of course some recycled fashions. I think I had the students take their 2D work home maybe too early, but luckily I had students willing to bring pieces back for the display. This was my first year teaching AP 2D Design and I had already mailed off their best pieces for the portfolio submission. In hind sight I think I will look at printing out some color prints of the AP work for next year so that those students can still participate in the show, and I want to make it a point to either hold some 3D pieces back for the show or include color photos of those as well.

Here are some pics from our show;

Large-scale group art projects

We still didn't complete ALL of the large scale art projects but we sure did put a dent in 'em.

Here is the back of the room with all the in-progress and finished large-scale pieces.

One thing that I am really excited about is the fact that this mural in the band room DID get completed- YAY! Antonio and his art crew worked hard but they made it happen. I am really excited about next year- we've already started planning MORE murals around campus!

This kid right here...thank goodness I have him for another year- we gotta alotta blank walls!

(Left) Ms. Cox with the beginning of the band room mural (Middle) Hard at work (Right) Antonio and some of his crew

Final Exams

I switched the way I do my exam a couple of years ago and I don't think I will ever go back. I wanted to find a way to asses them that gave them some choice, that would give them a chance to really 'show what they know' (hello Marzano level 4!) , would be good for my ESOL students...and would be useful to ME as well. I gave them a few prompts, basically asking them to explain in their own words how to do some of our projects. Of course what they create should be visually appealing, and really be like the art resources/posters that hang all over the art room- except these are student generated.

THEY LOVED IT. Literally. I had students working from bell to bell and not even finish all of the prompts....which is still okay because I graded them on what they completed. Once I saw this- that was it.

So this is how I have been giving my exams ever since;

And finally...
the EOY studio breakdown!

Okay...so Gordon Ramsey may be just a tad dramatic, but you get the idea. End of the year- gotta shut down the art room for the summer.

I have to say- my students are always SO HELPFUL. I have a list of jobs on my desk and the kids check off which ones they want to complete, some for service but honestly most of them just to help me out! They sharpen colored pencils, test out markers, help clean and organize- you name it! I love my students!

This is the waaaay back storage and it has been my nemesis- until now! In December I had a group of seniors go back there and just- handle it. My instructions were for them to not show me- if they thought I didn't need it just to THROW IT AWAY...'cause Lord knows I just can't. I saw them make many trips to the dumpster out of the corner of my eye...but the result was a clean and organized storage area-FINALLY!! Seriously, you can't tell but everything is labeled- I love it.

The kiln room...I wiped down the shelves, mopped, organized the stilts- it is ready for next year. Oh, and there are many extra things in there just for the summer- gotta keep the floor cleared for the custodians.

Bulletin boards covered up, my desk area all cleared, chairs put away (I hated to think about Miss Fidela moving those so we took care of it!), and all the tables and window sills are wiped down.

Closer view of teacher desk area.

And finally- the front storage. Everything is in it's place. I want to redo all the labeling when I go back in August.

...and that's a wrap!

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Just 'cause it's summer doesn't mean the art stops!

Hey, I won a thing!

This was a real surprise- at the end of the year luncheon Dr. Epps called me up for an award! How cool is that?!

2017-2018 school year-that's a wrap!

​End of the Year Art Show

​Large-scale group art projects

One thing that I am really excited about is the fact that this mural in the band room DID get completed- YAY! Antonio and his art crew worked hard but they made it happen. I am really excited about next year- we've already started planning MORE murals around campus!

Final Exams

And finally...the EOY studio breakdown!

...and that's a wrap!

Archives

End of the Year Art Show

Large-scale group art projects

And finally...
the EOY studio breakdown!