• Dear Middle school students and parents,

    Welcome back! I am very excited for our upcoming year in art. I would like to go over a few of my expectations for my students in art this year.

        As an art educator,  I feel it is my job to introduce children to many types of artwork, teach  them a multitude of art techniques, and encourage them to problem solve by thinking “outside the box”. I also feel it is also part of my job to help prepare our children for the world that exists outside of these school walls, by teaching them responsibility and being accountable for their actions.

        It is my expectation that by 6th grade, students are able to write their name on their projects, clean up after themselves, and turn projects in to be graded. I will be using Google classroom to post a general syllabus for each class. This will list the concepts and techniques that will be covered for the trimester, as well as tentative due dates. The dates will be flexible, due to the possibility of  liturgy or assembly schedules ( shortened class periods) throughout the year, as well as potential snow days. The students will be responsible for keeping track of what they did in each class, as well as turning in work on specified days.

        If a student does not have their name on their project, or turn their project into the designated area, they will lose 20% of their points.

        Students are never graded on how “pretty” or “ good” their artwork is. Art is different than most subjects, in that there is never a single correct answer to a problem or prompt.  I teach each lesson with several key objectives that I want the students to understand or be able to do. These objectives are based upon the Diocese Art Curriculum. The objectives for each lesson will be posted in the Google classroom at the start of the lesson, as well as written on the blackboard at the back of the classroom. Students are encouraged to come up with their own unique solution to the art lesson, while meeting the key objectives. In terms of grading, I use a point system. Each objective will be worth 5-10 points, with the overall project having a total of 30-50 points, The students will get points for meeting the objectives, as well as 5 points for craftsmanship (taking pride in their work, completely painting an area, completely securing parts to their project, etc…) and 5 points for being on task.  I believe these two components are very critical skills to learn, not only in art, but for life in general.

        I love teaching art, and introducing my students to all types of art. It is very exciting for me to watch my students explore various techniques and concepts in art, and see their excitement when they realize they can create really awesome stuff! I truly loved my past 5 years at Saint Theresa’s, and am really looking forward to what this upcoming year holds for all of us!

    Please do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions or concerns about this upcoming school year.

                    Sincerely,

                    Mrs. Tanya Haller