Week 2 + 3: Progression With Students

Hi Everyone! I have chosen to combine my week 2 and week 3 blog post as I was celebrating Passover last week, and this week public schools are closed.

Week 2 was a very exciting time at Basis. The 4th and 2nd-grade students began new projects where they are designing large beetles that will be hung around the walls during the BASIS art show. The reason this was so exciting is because I got to start and work on my own project alongside them. I have found that drawing with them not only gives them a reference point if they get stuck but also allows me to gain more insight into their lives. I think that since I am sitting, talking, and making art with them they see me as someone more like a friend or sibling rather than a teacher, which allows me to learn more about their lives. One girl in my 2nd-grade class was very overwhelmed by the instructions and wanted to do the project her own way. This caused her to cry and become very frustrated, Ms. Weathers redirected her to find a way to be content with the project we were working on and put things in perspective. This interaction gave me a new way of looking at art as well. I learned that art can give kids the chance to put things in perspective. The practice of making art allows them to measure the weight of something that is frustrating them or making them sad. I found this very interesting and vital to my research.

At RHAP I got to be a model for the figure drawing class on Wednesday which was a wonderful opportunity. Usually, I am walking around helping out mostly with the younger kids and observing what people are working on individually. However, being in the middle of the circle while people drew me allowed me to observe everyone at the same time. The students were super engaged with their materials. They would hold up their pencils to measure my proportions while conversing with their peers about their work. This also showed me something else art can provide for young teens – community. The 12-14-year-olds were so supportive of each other’s art and willing to offer whatever help was needed.

This week I have begun creating my interview questions, and more details will come on that in the following weeks! I hope everyone had a lovely Passover/Easter Weekend!