Building Blocks of Internal Learning Structure

“Vocabulary words are the building blocks of the internal learning structure. Vocabulary is also the tool to better define a problem, seek more accurate solutions, etc.”
― Ruby K. Payne, Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities

Have you ever tried to explain something to someone or solve a problem and you just can't find the right words to describe what you want them to know? As a teacher, finding the right words can often be a challenge. In art I am continually needing to change the way I explain or describe something in order to meet the diverse needs of my students. In serving over 600 children a week you can imagine the plethora of different learning styles and levels of understanding that I encounter. My job is to guide my students to understand and to help prepare them to be successful in art, academics and in life. Art can be a valuable tool for enhancing understanding of vocabulary. Students are constantly challenged to learn new words and techniques in the art classroom. Words that may seem common to me might be something my students have never heard of depending on their age, level of vocabulary or exposure to the topic.

When I introduce a new art vocabulary word I try to have students repeat the word with me and I model it for them or have them model what the word means. For instance, when we studied line at the beginning of the school year we looked at 5 basic types of line; horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved and zig zag. Students had the opportunity to draw examples of the various lines on the board. We also practiced what the lines look like with our bodies. We also used the words in a sentence together. Then the students actually used the types of line in their artwork. When the artwork was finished, they assessed whether their fellow classmates had all the line types we discussed in their artwork.

Ruby Payne was right, our internal learning structure depends on our grasp of vocabulary. Vocabulary words are the building blocks. Without an extensive vocabulary to communicate in the world, our expression, understanding, and problem solving is limited. Let us all work together to ensure that our children have everything they need to express themselves, understand the world they live in and to problem solve everyday. Parents, grandparents, and teachers can all help by reading with them, discussing new words and their meanings, giving examples to enhance the meaning, and talking with them about the new things they are learning in school. Most of us already do this, but with a new focus on vocabulary we can really raise the bar and help our students have the tools they need to be successful.

Everthing I Ever Needed to Know About Art I Started Learning in First Grade

I cannot remember a time when I didn't draw. I can remember standing in a chair in my babysitter's kitchen drawing a picture of her at her mailbox mailing a letter. I was three years old. I've been drawing since I could hold a crayon. That being said, it was first grade when I truly had someone take notice.

My first grade teacher was Mrs. Brookes. She was tall, young, dark haired and about the prettiest lady I had seen. I adored her and thought she was the best teacher any first grader could have. She was kind and taught us to read, write and do math. But above all, she encouraged us to do our very best. She allowed me to draw and be creative.

I remember during the week before Easter she handed me large colored chalk and told me to decorate her big chalk board. She let me design the board on my own. I drew a huge bunny, chicks, Easter eggs in the grass and of course the sun in the sky. I stood on a chair to reach the high spots. It was a great day for a young budding artist.
Later, Mrs. Brookes called my mom to visit our classroom and look at my masterpiece. She told my mother that it might be a good idea to check into getting me into art lessons during the summer, since we did not have art class in elementary school in 1969. That was the beginning of many wonderful summer art lessons and the foundation for my future career.

I write this to remind myself and  those of you who teach children how much your influence can have on a child's life and dreams. I want to encourage you to be that teacher that sees the gifts and strengths of your students. You may not see what your hard work reaps but I promise you those many small seeds you plant can make a huge difference in a child's future.

Thank you Mrs. Brookes for seeing an artist in me.

My Grandfather was a Housepainter

  When I was a small child, my grandfather would draw caricatures as I watched amazed. He was a very intelligent man who led a very simple life. He was a house painter and quite a good one at that. People actually flew him in from other states to paint their houses if he had ever had a hand in painting a previous house they had owned. I always wondered how a man so talented could paint houses for a living. I later realized that he had a passion for his work. He wanted to be the best at what he did no matter what it was. As crazy as it seemed, he chose a job of hard work and repetitiveness but he was one of the best house painters in the small town I grew up in. He was a man of great character and had a passion for what he did.
  Through my life that has stuck with me. I always want to have a crazy passion for what I do no matter what it is. As an art teacher, I want to share my passion for making art with my students. I believe we all have an innate desire to create through art, music, cooking, writing, inventing, building and other avenues too numerous to name. In order to create in any way you must have a passion for it or it falls flat. Without passion you are just "going through the motions". I want my students to embrace art with a passion. I want them to seek out experiences that involve art, to crave the time when they are engrossed in creating and to connect those moments to other areas of learning and working throughout their lives.
  I am an artist that is a teacher of art. Like my grandfather, I strive to be a person of great character and passion in everything I do. My intent is to share that and influence my students to approach life and learning with crazy passion and great character. My grandfather has big shoes to fill but I'm ready for the challenge.