Rhizomatic Learning Communities

1st Graders stencil a radial design floor mural.

Multi-age students help edit an I-Movie with their teacher.

Construction Center contains cardboard attachment menu's and examples of construction art.

3rd Grade boy's construct a block tower.

Children collaborate on a cardboard marble run sculpture.

The metaphor of the rhizome is helpful in describing the dynamic community of choice based art room learners who seek the specialized and personal knowledge of artists. Artists are able to convey and communicate that which does not exist yet. Teachers will observe children learning through self directed means or collaborative events. Children can become classmate experts and teach and learn about artist's thinking skills with one another. The environment of the choice based art room is itself an ever changing source of knowledge as the activity that takes place here provides inspiration and motivation. Children also seek artists's knowledge from secondary sources within the art room, i.e. books, center menu's, internet and exemplars. Students are able to create their own art knowledge and self-discoveries abound daily. Of course there is always the knowledgeable teacher nearby. Creative learning experiences within the rhizome are always different and each daily experience has it's own special character and feeling.