Introductions, Beautiful Oops, and Seurat

And we're off!

The first few Art classes at Archway Chandler were filled with preparing our portfolios and observing our first painting together: Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. Kindergarten and 1st Grade students studied the painting and used correct vocabulary to describe where certain objects in the painting were located (e.g., top, middle, bottom, left, right, etc.) Kindergarten students colored a sheet that looked just like the real painting, while 1st Grade students followed directions on what objects to color at specific places on the sheet.

Week 1 at Archway Lincoln allowed us to introduce ourselves and discuss classroom procedures, while we are in Art class. Both Kindergarten and 1st Grade students read the book Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg. We discussed what a mistake is and how we can turn our mistakes in Art into something beautiful. Students were given an "oops" from the book and asked to turn it into something that looked like it was intended. 1st Grade students prepared their portfolios and are ready to discuss our first painting together! Kindergarten students, be ready! You get to prepare your portfolios this upcoming week.

Thank you, again, for giving me the opportunity to introduce your children to the world of Visual Arts. I feel so lucky to be teaching such an eager group of learners. Your support and patience throughout these first days of school has been so appreciated.

Have a lovely weekend!

Welcome!

Welcome! 

I would like to share a little bit about myself, as the K-1 Art Teacher at Archway Chandler & Lincoln.

This will be my third year with Great Hearts; my seventh year teaching. I spent the last two years teaching K-1 Art & Music, in addition to 5^th Grade History & Science, at the Anthem Archway campus. My love of learning extends into many subjects, however, Art holds a very special place in my heart.

As a trained classical ballet dancer, my eye is always drawn to subjects of Beauty. I grew up dancing and was, in turn, exposed to not only beautiful movement, but to beautiful music, as well. My grandmother was a painter and I spent much time with her, working on unique projects. An appreciation and love of Art continued into adulthood. While I worked towards my Bachelor’s Degree in Education at Arizona State University, I took several types of Fine Arts classes (involving many disciplines), Art History being one of them. I knew I had to incorporate Art into my work as a classroom teacher, someway, somehow.

In my eight years of teaching various grade levels, I have strived to expose my students to Art in as many ways as possible—from adorning my classroom walls with beautiful pieces of art to incorporating Impressionist Art into a reading unit for 4^th and 5^th graders. Even during the incredibly busy months of my first year of teaching, I conducted a Van Gogh project with my 2^nd graders modeling The Starry Night.

It is my pleasure to introduce your children to the world of Visual Arts and to learn alongside them. Art is more than simply examining a painting. It tells us the stories of human life that preceded us. In K-1 Art classes, we will observe paintings and learn how to verbally describe what we see. We will, then, model certain components/elements that are contained with the paintings. I approach each project by focusing on the basic elements of Art, reviewing them with students regularly.

A note to my students: Always do your best, even when it feels like everything is going wrong. Together, we will learn new things, grow in our knowledge, and practice our art. I promise to share in your sense of wonder and to guide you towards goodness, beauty, and truth.

Thank you for trusting Great Hearts to facilitate your child’s curiosity, sense of wonder, and growth as a scholar!