My students need clay to create from their own ideas. This project allows them to have hands-on experience. It also allows them to express ideas with form and shape in 3D.
No typical day occurs when it comes to resource classes. Each day is a new day until the end of the year. I want my students to be able to know, feel, experience and understand that art comes from within. You as an artist needs to help it bloom. My favorite quote is, "You art the artist, create." Every project is art.
I teach art on a K-6 level, at a wonderful elementary school.
The school is centered around student achievement. The school is abreast at the latest technology that is available in the classroom for the students to work with. The staff work diligently to achieve the highest level possible with their students. This means working on a day by day schedule at keeping the students going forward in a positive direction. Working with 720 students on a weekly basis is very challenging, but rewarding. Every student is different, their attitudes, actions, appearance, everything. But, I have come to the conclusion that art is something they have in common. They love to create and experience with different mediums (materials). Therefore, clay, I believe, is the one media that excites students the best. They simply love and enjoy the results clay brings to their imagination and the reality of creating it.
My Project
Working with clay opens all kinds of avenues of imagination. I want to empower students through this art. Right now, we are talking about animals, for example, and see them through technology. But, creating a shape of a dog (hear him bark), cat (listen to it purr), flower (smell the aroma), etc. - this is what a child talks about; they make the sounds of their creation in class. This is just a small portion of what a student can imagine and create with the use of clay. The students' creation is integrating science (color), math (line,shape), and even form is dealing with math by learning the height, weight, and length of their object. This is only accomplished by working to create on a 3D level. I would like for the students to feel that art can be reached and achieved through their open imaginations.
By creating hands-on 3D artwork, students seem to understand and learn better.
The excitement along will allow them to absorb and retain their knowledge at what they have created. I have learned this from past experience. Yes, we work with 2D as well, but, for working to create form, shape, and texture, there's no substitute for this. This donation will have a positive impact on how students are able to express their passion for the arts. Working with this media more than once a year has great rewards.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Brewer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.