Our Wildwood, Winter 2017, Volume 40

Our Wildwood /Winter 2017 10/11

The students proudly displayed these “passion trophies” in their Pod classrooms. “With the passion trophies, we try to connect with something they love to do,” Kendra explains. “Everyday objects can help students feel a little more comfortable.”

to begin? Kendra and Michael are interested in making sure students understand that they can all be artists, even if fundamental skills like painting and drawing don’t come naturally to them. “There’s so much more to it than being a person who just happens to have excellent hand-eye coordination and representational drawing skills,” Michael explains. “You might like working with sculpture or further outside the box, like performance art, soundscapes, or installations. I want our students to understand that they can be artists even if they’re not people who can draw.” “Creativity lends itself to everything,” Kendra says, “so if you don’t like what you’re doing, there’s a way to look at it differently and find a way to access what you’re learning.” Such was the case with a 3rd grader who was passionate about sports but disengaged when it came to painting a tile for a class project about L.A.’s urban landscape. Kendra knew the student liked to draw jerseys in his sketchbook so Michael, who shares this student’s love of sports, was able to connect with him and help him channel his passion into the

displayed these “passion trophies” in their Pod classrooms. “With the passion trophies, we try to connect with something they love to do,” Kendra explains. “Everyday objects can help students feel a little more comfortable.” “Then there’s a flip side of that,” Michael adds. He’s talking about the discomfort sometimes triggered by the creative process. Kendra agrees, “Part of being an artist is being uncomfortable and leaning into that discomfort.” So, what happens when a student doesn’t know where

art to the representational, the observational, and the realistic, we explore current and past art movements so that kids find a way in and bring their passion and interest to their work.” This year, the art teachers brought in objects like toy cars and animals to help 2nd graders connect their art to a personal interest. Similarly, the Pods began the year by using cardboard, paint, found objects, and glue to make trophies that represent something they love. The students proudly

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs