I teach art at a small elementary school in New York for students with severe disabilities. The students in my school are between four and eleven years old. There are thirteen 6:1:1 classes (6 students, one teacher, and one paraprofessional) and one 12:1:1 class (12 students, one teacher, and one paraprofessional).Most of the students in my school are amazing and unique artists who happen to have Autism Spectrum Disorder.
My students really love creating art, exploring new art making materials and showing their work off when it is finished.
They thrive in an environment that is hands on and interactive.
My Project
Photography is a way for students to capture their unique view of the world. Over the past few months, I've slowly been building up our digital studio resources: repurposing cameras that the school wasn't using and even donating some of my own old digital cameras, all because I want my students to have access to the same kinds of photographic experiences that I had as a kid. The only thing missing from our digital photography studio is a way to print our photographs.
I want to give my students the experience of seeing their photographs printed 16x20 inches, because that size gives a certain weight and importance to their voices as artists.
I want my students to know that they have important things to say with their photographs. The Epson printer will give my students the ability to take photographs, select an image and print it. Being able to look at and hold a photograph is an important part of being an artist and photographer. My hope is that our digital photo studio will help my students to explore their world and who they are in it.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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