Expressing your creative side is the theme for my art club. Since our middle school is a low performing school, the students have little opportunity for elective classes. For the past 10 years I have taught Art Club afterschool for 6th, 7th , and 8th grade students. My class can only hold 30 kids, and this year I have a waiting list of 58 students that want to join. The club is on Friday's for one hour. Many times I can barely get them to leave when it is over, I end up staying an extra hour as I know many of my students are not looking forward going home, even on a Friday.
The students are hungry for art exploration. I try to have an environment that is a creative space for them to come in and express their artistic abilities at any level. They may do whatever they want in art club, if they want to sketch the whole time it is encouraged. I do teach lessons of different art mediums like painting, sketching, and various arts and crafts they can do.
With little supplies, I have used my own money each year to buy art supplies, or the left overs from my actual classes I teach. One year we had a number of canvas to paint on, they were allowed to paint whatever they wanted, including the sample I taught them, and our club was then given the opportunity to display their art in the local art museum. Each student had their paintings displayed for a month as an art exhibit. They have talent, and I need the supplies to continue to explore that talent, and hopefully do art exhibits again, or even just to take their art home to have something to be proud of.
About my class
Expressing your creative side is the theme for my art club. Since our middle school is a low performing school, the students have little opportunity for elective classes. For the past 10 years I have taught Art Club afterschool for 6th, 7th , and 8th grade students. My class can only hold 30 kids, and this year I have a waiting list of 58 students that want to join. The club is on Friday's for one hour. Many times I can barely get them to leave when it is over, I end up staying an extra hour as I know many of my students are not looking forward going home, even on a Friday.
The students are hungry for art exploration. I try to have an environment that is a creative space for them to come in and express their artistic abilities at any level. They may do whatever they want in art club, if they want to sketch the whole time it is encouraged. I do teach lessons of different art mediums like painting, sketching, and various arts and crafts they can do.
With little supplies, I have used my own money each year to buy art supplies, or the left overs from my actual classes I teach. One year we had a number of canvas to paint on, they were allowed to paint whatever they wanted, including the sample I taught them, and our club was then given the opportunity to display their art in the local art museum. Each student had their paintings displayed for a month as an art exhibit. They have talent, and I need the supplies to continue to explore that talent, and hopefully do art exhibits again, or even just to take their art home to have something to be proud of.
Read more