Observation Drawing with Our New Object!

Our librarian Mrs. Haeberle, brought in a wonderful new addition to our still life object collection and it has been the biggest thing in the art room since we opened the paper mache center.

Pretty good for a 1st grader!!

Do you want to see some STE(A)M?

A third grade girl told me she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She loves to do observation drawings of  animal pictures from books in our art library.

A sixth grade boy works on solving a structural problem with his cardboard sculpture using a hot glue gun.

STEMa Presentation at AEAI State Conference

Science, technology, engineering, art and math integration in an art room dedicated to learner directed art education experience will be my topic. Am bringing movies, images, student's reflective writing and parent comments to share with the audience. Presentation time is 11:00-11:50 on November 4th at the Clarion Hotel, 2480 Jonathon More Pike, Columbus, Indiana. Here is more info on the State of Indiana's largest art education gathering and professional development conference: AEAI State Conference 2012.

The Important Thing....

I was walking to lunch today when one of our parents stopped me in the hallway, "Are you Mr. Gaw? I want to talk with you." "Yes, I'm Mr. Gaw. How can I help you (Hoping this was going to not be a discussion about paint stained clothing)?" "My son is Johnny Smith, (not his real name) a first grader in Mrs. Johnson's class." "Oh yes, I know Johnny." Johnny's mother was very serious, "I don't know what goes on in your art room but my son has introduced his little sister to a new game at home." "Really?" I wondered aloud. "Yes, it's a game called, 'let's play art class! They spend hours in the play room drawing and making art."

I was so thrilled to hear another story from a parent about the connection between children's home and school art making. I have heard this response from significant numbers of parents of children who attend our art program before. It is a response that is heaven to my ears. It means the joyful approach to learning that we employ here in our choice based art program is doing exactly what we intended. Supporting children's interests and passions while connecting to art education content, and promoting artistic behaviors. The important thing? Ensuring children leave the art room with memorable learning experiences that leaves them wanting to experience art education more. As my friend and colleague Dale Zalmstra reflects: "Making sure children love art and consider themselves artists.(1)" That is the important thing.

(1) The Learner-Directed Classroom: Developing Creative Thinking Skills Through Art, Teachers College Press, "The Important Thing," 2012

Summer Art Camp!

Marble runs are the bomb!

Campers work hard to express personal ideas at the cardboard construction center.

Clark and I just finished up Blocks Paper Scissors Summer Art Camp and now I am gearing up for our June 26th opening of Indy Art Lab at Haughville Park. Looking forward to an art education blast!

Marble Run Action

Another morning with 6th Graders and their building materials.....

Blocks Paper Scissors Summer Camp 2012

Mr. Fralick and Mr. Gaw's summer art camp is back at Post Road Community Park for this Summer!
More info and registration HERE.

Learning should be a fascinating adventure!!

A view of the main exhibition hall at the Hancock County Art Exhibit.

New Palestine Elementary exhibition panels with child directed paintings, drawings and collage.

Inquisitive explorers discover marbles and blocks.

More intrepid explorers and investigators.

Future builders and engineers begin their quest to construct viable marble run structures....

....more builders and engineers join in....

....Mr. T-Rex was our mascot at the marble run-block building center.

Raffle taking place while marble run builders go to town.

More builders!

Cool structures including a marble run catch zone.

I brought a box of custom wooden blocks to the 27th Annual 2012 Hancock County Art Exhibit and a major marble run event took place! My sincerest thanks to the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation and all the Hancock County art teachers for facilitating this excellent event.

"Learning should be a fascinating adventure!"  Tom Horn, 2012

STE(A)M: "Full Power Gravity!!"

Pictures depicting student construction work with cardboard and paper delta gliders and marble runs of various designs. One group of students could be heard before the release of a marble race," Full power gravity!!"