tuning in

7th grade
Painting

It is like being out on a road trip, somewhere in the in middle of no where and I’m trying to find an AM radio station. AM radio is tuning in and out. Words are spotty. Songs are distant and vaguely familiar. It is all wholly distracting. 

Don’t get me wrong. I know all of this is serious business. I’m glad there is so much discussion about schools and school safety. 

I have to be clear headed and clear eyed. By the end of August, I will be seeing my students. Either in-person, remote or some sort of hybrid. This is certain. And when I see them, I will be happy  they are safe, they are with their families and healthy. So how do I proceed with my thinking about and puzzling over our studio classroom when it is certain to change several times throughout the school year. I’ve said before,  we are teaching in some way ( in-person or remote) this school year. I’m thinking about how to frame this school year. How will I know that the students are learning, applying and experimenting? How will I challenge and engage them? 

More process. Deeper and more frequent applications of different materials. Perhaps students are set up with their own kits. Then using those kits they working within a series of 3-4 iterations of a particular concept. Art is a foundational tool. A device with which students can and do work through concepts. Within these concepts the students always ( and I love this) speak their truth, their self out to the world. This is the frame. No matter what the concept is the students always make it theirs. My job is to help them make the concept their own. To understand that they have a voice that is unique and unrepeatable. And needs to be spoken. I think I’m getting this, I’ll tune into materials. I will tune into concepts. I will help each student locate their visual radio frequency.