posters and bulletin boards in the classroom

Posters and Bulletin Boards in The Classroom by Kate Coplan

To improve the appearance of an unattractive corner of a
Fifth Grade classroom in Baltimore, the teacher mounted
some children's art papers on walls and cabinets, placing
artistic objects nearby. With the colors nicely coordinated,
the arrangement made a pleasant reading corner.

       There are two major views in so far as classroom bulletin boards are concerned. One maintains that they must be showcases for students' work, with the youngsters themselves largely responsible for both content and presentation. The use by the teacher of posters and designs suggested or originating elsewhere is frowned upon, even though this might mean a vastly improved representation.

       The second view‚ with which this writer is in hearty accord‚ argues that the teacher, because of his broad experience and training, should provide most of the ideas and leadership, democratically inviting student participation, and using student work wherever practicable.

       However, if he is by talent or temperament artistically inadequate, he may legitimately borrow ideas, materials and/or techniques from any available source, in order to make classroom bulletin boards brighter, more attractive, more potentially educative. Certainly it is not plagiarism, but justifiable resourcefulness to adopt existing tools tending to stimulate learning, or to assist more readily in the dissemination of information.

       Where would the world be today if the great scientists, inventors, explorers, historians and medical researchers had ignored earlier developments in their respective fields, or failed to take into account the findings and accomplishments of their predecessors and contemporaries? Surely in teaching, as in other areas, there is the obligation to seize upon any constructive means likely to further the desired goals.

       James B. League, an enthusiastic and capable young teacher in Baltimore's elementary schools, has created many successful classroom bulletin board displays. Out of his experience he has evolved the following philosophy:

       "In order to proceed with maximum understanding it seems necessary to outline certain objectives or goals to be desired of visual materials. Without this statement, one flounders in confusion. The statement of objectives is also necessary from the point of view of establishing sub-goals to be used as means of arriving at the final goals. All material included in this statement is developed from my own classroom teaching experience, and is stated from my personal viewpoint only.

Objectives:

• To create the maximum aesthetic 'value' with the abilities and materials available to each teacher
• To create visual displays that have mind-appeal as well as eye-appeal
• To provide high standards of visual display to serve as a basis of experience for children to develop their own background and eventually their own skills in this area
• To develop the teacher's outlook to a point where he is sensitive to many ideas as potential points of departure for display or visual set-ups 
• To remember that fundamentally visual material should be, after all, an integral part of the educative processes, and therefore a primary responsibility of the teacher, himself

       "The following list of points serves to establish some reasons why it can be argued that the teacher needs to take the dominant role in planning, preparation, and execution of visual materials. (This is counter to the position that children should perform this function, and the teacher take a rather subordinate role, because schools are more interested in developing healthy personalities than beautiful art products).

   1. The preparation of quality displays requires a perception and/or appreciation of several factors, among which are:

•  a. an intellectual awareness of the salient points of the topic or subject to be displayed . . . i.e., how to create and capitalize on clever captions and related materials such as pictures, books, mock-ups, etc.
•  a sensitivity to certain principles of color and design as adjuncts of the message to be conveyed
• the ability to gauge the viewers' reaction- e.g., appropriate materials for age and/or mentality groups

   2. The final display should be more than a sum of its parts (i.e., color, design, caption, etc.). Rather, it should possess an organic unity which is the end product of intelligent planning

   3. The display should have 'sales' value as well as aesthetic value. It is the teacher who understands fully the message (however subtle or bold) he wishes to have communicated by the display materials

    4. In the final analysis, it is the teacher who must grow in experience and skill in the development of effective displays. He will need to use these skills at a high level of efficiency for many years to come. The sense of design, and 'healthy personality' can be developed in children in countless other ways

   5. The teacher, himself, needs to develop a forward look to keep his displays stimulating, and at the aforementioned high level of efficiency of execution

       "Certainly I do not advocate leaving the children out of the picture. That is not my intention at all. I should like to make these additional points, and a more resourceful teacher could probably come up with many others:

       1. In order to help the children to develop good display principles, one bulletin board in the room can be turned over to them. This could be done on a monthly rotating committee basis, four or five boys and girls working together. Such a setup would give all the children experience during the year in the planning and execution of exhibits. Being responsible for a single board, and knowing what was expected of them, they would probably feel more secure

       2. Because the teacher, in a sense, takes the dominant role, does not mean that the children are excluded during the preparation and execution activities. They could be included in various ways:

• Designing and cutting letters from folded squares of construction paper, if no commercial alphabets are available 
• Dismantling previous displays 
• Preparing the backgrounds for new displays, by painting or lining
• Helping in choice of pictures in planning stage
• Assisting with mounting of pictures, maps, charts or other items
• Getting books from library when these are to be used
• Putting jackets on books
• Filing dismantled materials for future use
• Lending material from their personal collections: shells, stamps, baseball cards, rock specimens, etc.

       3. Children, quite naturally from a maturational point of view, lack the sensitivity and intellectual awareness to prepare displays with the necessary depth of understanding to carry a teaching message effectively

       4. Finally, children themselves love to see their own creative products displayed to best advantage"

Sample Bulletin Boards from Suburban Baltimore Schools: (coming soon)

• Bulletin Board Displays from Kindergarten Classrooms
• American History Bulletin Boards
• Science and Math Related Ideas for Bulletin Boards
• Ideas for Sharing Books through Bulletin Board Displays 
• Bulletin Board Ideas About Religion

More Articles by Kate Coplan:

• How to Communicate Through Visual Display
• About The Use of Color In Bulletin Boards
• Creative Poster Ideas
• Attention-Getting Bulletin Boards
• Helpful Hints About Crafting Displays
• Taking Care of Display Materials

my professional development portfolio

"He has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so." Walter Lippmann

      I maintain this web journal in order to communicate with administrators, art educators, colleagues, students and parents on a daily basis. I've listed below a detailed description of it's contents. For Administrators: The following papers describe my certification experience. My completed journal for certification may also be viewed electronically at LiveText by private invitation only. I have also uploaded my personal education philosophy here for administrators to review. The following list links to 11 MoSTEP articles describing my qualifications in the field of art education. In time all artifacts included in my private portfolio will be accessible through these same links as well.

1. Knowledge of Subject Matter
2. Human Development and Learning
3. Individualization and Diversity
4. Curriculum and Planning
5. Instructional Strategies
6. Classroom Motivation and Management
7. Communication Skills
8. Assessment of Student Learning
9. Professional Development and Reflective Practice
10. Ethics, Relationships and Communication
11. Instructional Technologies

For Parents:  This blog contains a wide variety of articles about art education parents may find entertaining. Parents may also view photographs of their work and participation in the classroom or from exhibits at "The Student Gallery" that will be posted in the near future.

For Web Searches: In time I will expand upon the "Questions and Answers" page in order to direct traffic to those topics posted under this category.

DEDICATIONS

I would like to personally thank all of the faculty and administration at the University for the professional care and industry they have invested in both the art education department and also the education department.  I would also like to express my love and affection for both my family and friends who have invested time, energy, and enthusiasm in my art education and my teaching career. Their belief in my education has made possible the experiences I bring to the classroom, to my community, and to this little internet resource. I would like to thank God for His guidance and perseverance in the development of my character and artistic abilities. 

kathy grimm copyright 2011 

 

Adapting Art Curriculum to Accommodate Art Vocations

A copy of the brochure I designed at sixteen for
my school musical, "The Pirates of Penzance." 

    Many years ago, when I was a high school student, I had a marvelous high school art teacher, Nancy Jones. Of course, all of my art teachers were absolutely wonderful but I will share a bit of Mrs. Jones' wisdom here. She believed that it was entirely prudent to focus some of my studies upon those activities frequently assigned to artists in the "real" world. What I learned from Mrs. Jones, I have used time and time again throughout my entire career.

    For this very reason, I highly recommend to my colleagues the adaptation of some of their lesson plans to the realistic, technical applications used within the context of their own culture. What I mean by context is, those necessary applications most frequently used by contemporary employers. Graphic illustrators today must understand computer programing on a variety of levels. When I was young, these programs did not even exist, but an art teacher today would need to have the ability to teach some of these necessary applications. The realistic promotions of your young, budding artist may very well depend upon your abilities to integrate their traditional art studies with contemporary technology.

    Whenever there was to be a high school theater performance in which some form of advertisement was needed for the event, Mrs. Jones would often assign to her art students the responsibility of fulfilling one the following image requirements concerning the promotion of the event. Her assigned objectives would include the developmental skills needed to complete:

• the brochure image for the actual performance
• posters images to advertise the performance
• ticket image designs 
• newsletter images to promote the event

The "Ode" cover for Liberty High School,
was published in May 1984 by
students and priced $1.50.

    In addition to the traditional graphic design requirements, I would also include tee shirt image designs for a contemporary version of this type of project. My youngest child, who is a drama student, frequently purchases tee shirts advertising her high school plays, clubs, and musicals that are most usually designed by senior, art students from her district.
    Mrs Jones also assigned to graduating art and literature students an additional soft bound book created to profile their poems and paintings. We were expected to publish our finest work and to write something about it as well. This kind of assignment taught us about the challenges and realistic problem solving measures that are dictated by the publishing media. In addition to this learning exercise, students also had unique materials to submit for review in those portfolios submitted to colleges or art academies

     There are many considerations involved in the development of this form of publication. These considerations may be included within the objectives of a lesson plan designed to inform students about the publishing industry. To update this project even further, art teachers may choose to make this publication an actual electronic newsletter or blog. All of the following elements that I was taught are still necessary to both hard copy and internet publishing scenarios:

• the overall design
• the specific page layouts
• cost requirements
• the artists and poets selected for the publication
• fonts used in the design
• editing of the additional written materials

All the pages were published in black
 in white in order to cut costs.

    As a senior I included the following text about my personal page along with a black and white photograph of a painting:

    "I chose to paint this scene of a German village because my brother stayed there when he was traveling in Europe. My brother does a lot of photography, but this isn't copied from any of his photographs. I usually work from photographs because the lighting never changes, and there isn't any chance of accidental perspective mistakes.

    This village has some very tricky architecture because it is built on slanted terrain. I used a graph to help transfer sketches to a larger scale and then applied paint.

    The town in Rothenburg is very old, it is the only one like it in Germany, and it is still kept as it was during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.

    The technique I used for this piece is realism, and the paint is tempera. It took approximately forty-two hours to complete. I prefer scenery to any other subject, but I practice portraits just as much.

    Sometime, within the next three years, I plan to visit Rothenburg myself, while I am studying in England."

The caption reads, Liberty High School seniors Kathleen
Rice and Rob Jones surveyed the school's art scene
this week in preparation for the May 6-12 art
show there. Seniors like these will have
"shows within shows" in the special event that starts
Sunday from 2-4 p. m.

    Even at the age of seventeen, I was more concerned with describing the whats and hows of my choices than I was in describing my personal reasons for creating the artwork. Wow, I guess was destined to be a studio art instructor?

    Mrs Jones also promoted student exhibits in school and local newspaper publications. She would set up interviews with the students during our class time in order to ensure that these activities were "properly" engaged in. I've included here a photograph of my senior artworks. I no longer have the actual article, but I do remember that my teacher graded my participation in the interview. In her own way, she was committed to integrated studies before the concept had a specific name or requirement by the state. Nancy Jones understood that the adaptation of our curriculum to 'real life' situations would teach us the practical information necessary to our own survival as artists.

the primary elements of a standardized newsletter template

      A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email (e-Newsletters) have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in general has gained popularity over printed correspondence. Newsletters are given out at schools, to inform parents about things that happen in that school.

      Many newsletters are published by clubs, churches, societies, associations, and businesses, especially companies, to provide information of interest to their members, customers or employees. Some newsletters are created as money-making ventures and sold directly to subscribers. Sending newsletters to customers and prospects is a common marketing strategy, which can have benefits and drawbacks. General attributes of newsletters include news and upcoming events of the related organization, as well as contact information for general inquiries.

      Newsletters can be divided into two distinct types: printed on paper and in digital formats, which are usually distributed via the Internet. The digital formats vary from the simplest format, text to highly designable formats like Portable Document Format (PDF) and HTML. The use of more formatting and web 2.0 attributes like video and sound have become a market standard all over the world. (Wikipedia)

Nameplate: This is the banner at the top of the newsletter that identifies the name of your publication.

Body: This refers to all of the text that makes up the articles in your newsletter.

Table of Contents: The listing of articles along with a page number.

Masthead: This is an attribution given to the authors , publishers, contributing photographers etc…

Titles:

• Headline – Generally headlines are the largest text elements; these describe the article content.
• Kicker – The kicker is a smaller title that identifies a regular column or section published in every newsletter. Such as an editorial, quote, readers comments etc…
• Deck – The deck refers to lines of text that further describe the headline and or topic of the article. The deck is not the article itself and it is not depicted in large font as if the headline. Sometimes the deck will be italicized or embolded.
• Subhead – A subheading is a smaller headline that appears between the article text, categorizing the sub-content areas of the article.
• Running Head – This the text that is repeated at the top of every page inside of a newsletter or newspaper that helps readers identify where a lengthy article is continued on a separate page. 
• Continuation Heads – Sometimes a writer will include the same headlines along with the longer article on each continuing page.

Page Numbers: These are included at the top or bottom of a long newsletter. Page one is seldom labeled.
End Signs: The end sign is a tiny decorative element that signifies the end of an article. These sometimes look like tiny squares, circles, stars etc…

Bylines: A byline is the copyright attribution for the article’s author. This article is by. . .

Continuation Lines:

•   Jumplines – are lines of text that read continued from page __  or these may read continued from page ___ depending upon where they appear in an article. Jumplines are often italicized.
• Continuation Heads - Sometimes a writer will include the same headlines along with the longer article on each continuing page.

Pull Quotes: The pull quotes are small, but important parts of the text that appear inside of a larger article. These are usually shown in different font styles or sizes within the context of a box, in the middle or offset from the greater text body.

Photos/Illustrations/Graphics:

• Greyscale – A greyscale graphic, photo, or illustration is depicted without color. Greyscale artworks are used often by publishers in order to save money when printing. Color ink is much more expensive to print with. 
• Mug Shots – This helps the reader identify a reference to a person mentioned within an article. These are frontal portraits, cropped from the shoulders up.
• Caption – Captions describe what a reader is seening in a graphic, photograph or illustration used in the newsletter. Captions are used typically either above or below the photograph.
• Copyrights for Artworks – Copyrights belonging to photographs or illustrations apart from the publisher are typically run along the side of their artwork in very tiny text.

Mailing Panel: Mailing panels only appear on hardcopy of newsletters. This is the address located on the backside of the newsletter. It is strategically located on one-third of the newsletter so that it may be folded and sealed with a sticky stamp instead of an envelope. Again this is done in order to save money on postage and paper.

Observation during a professional development day

Above was our agenda for the teacher's meeting on
Feb.18th The food was plentiful and this made
me extremely happy.

      I attended my very first formal teacher’s meeting at a local high school in Saint Louis. What I mean by formal is, I was served food, there were lots of people there, administrators lectured. I had a pretty good time. I've  included in my private portfolio a description of the activity that was planned for the morning. Counselors sent each table of teachers a little black bomb (balloon). Inside we found a “unfortunate” circumstance reflecting an actual student that had previously attended a high school else where. There were no real names used of course, but, the events were accurately portrayed. Our small groups were to think and express to each other “how” we were to feel and interact realistically with school faculty. This was very entertaining to a novice like myself. However, the faculty sitting at my table were not nearly as enthusiastic.

      My cooperating teacher met with the English teachers during their workshop, to discuss the possibility of integrating their two subjects in future lesson plans. I developed a new lesson plan during this meeting that included the elements of text features within its objectives. I would never have thought to do so, if I had not participated in this meeting and learned that students attending this particular high school experienced significant difficulties identifying text features. When I was asked if I could realistically create a lesson plan that would teach text features, I enthusiastically obliged my colleagues. I wrote and submitted the lesson, “Song Cousins” after spending my lunch hour in the school’s library typing out my ideas. 

Art class icebreakers index

Icebreakers are exercisers designed to help more than one person participate in activities that promote: introductions,  new partnerships, community spirit and successful team accomplishments. I have developed the following icebreakers for my own art classrooms. 

1. Four Wonders of The World
2. Lost Inside This Painting
3. Sort of Fun
4. Never Have I Ever . . . Game
5. Improve This Collection
6. Icebreaker Questions For The Art Classroom
7. Mingle Madness
8. Tell Two Truths
9. Photo Scavenger Hunt
10. "Icebreaker" Artist Trading Cards

More icebreaker ideas from the web:

• Icebreakers, fun games, group activities
• Ice breakers from ResidentAssistant
• Icebreakers, Warmups, Energizers, & Deinhibitizers
• Break The Ice
• Icebreakers Games for Parties
• Ice Breakers from About.com
• Easing Group Contribution Through Ice Breakers
• Icebreakers for Group Interaction
• Icebreakers, Warm-up, Review, and Motivator Activities
• Ice Breakers for Camps

just a few music suggestions for any art classroom

      Opera, you must be joking right? No, I’m not kidding. Josh Groban & Charlotte Church 
are excellent soloists for young people. Not only because they are young 
themselves but also because they sing many opera selections with a contemporary twist. 
Introducing students to opera is not easy but with the right artists,
students can learn to appreciate old world performances!

Introduce students to an authentic taste of old Ireland by playing classic tunes
by The Chieftains. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will treat 
students to a bit of authentic New Orleans history.

Putumayo World Music publishes “Gypsy Caravan’’ and many 
other ethnic selections from all over the globe.

Rosemary Clooney is perfect for very young students to listen too. 

She sings absolutely charming music for little ones to listen 

to while they work and adults enjoy listening to her as well. 

Some music recorded for children is unbearable for adults to play 

but Rosemary can be tolerated anytime. I love her versions of

“Aren’t You Glad You’re You?,” and “Too Marvelous For Words.” 

I’ll take her over Barney any day folks.

Most selections by Michael Buble’ are appropriate for the classroom. 

He sings many old swing tunes that all students   

both young and old enjoy him. He is “Mr. Feel Good.”

Young teens love popular music sound tracks and these certainly
have cleaner lyrics for the classroom.

Disney soundtracks are always favorites of little students. 
My favorites are Tarzan, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Lion King.

Music Selections For Parochial Schools

Two wonderful music collections from Dream Works 

Records are the soundtrack from “The Prince of Egypt” and “Joseph, King of Dreams.”

Selections from Africa include The Themba Girls with Erin Bode 

Group and the Soweto Gospel Choir. Both are very 

different and joyful. Children can barely keep from dancing 

                                    when they listen to these two CDs and I don’t stop them.                                                                         

Practical Applications for The Art Classroom Based Upon 9 Essential Strategies

The nine instructional strategies developed by McREL are as follows:

1. Identifying similarities and differences

2. Summarizing and note taking

3. Reinforcing effort and providing recognition

4. Homework and practice

5. Non-linguistic representations

6. Cooperative learning

7. Setting objectives and providing feedback

8. Generating and testing hypotheses

9. Cues, questions, and advance organizers

Identifying Similarities and Differences In The Art Classroom: This idea refers to the method of "compare contrast." Students need to be able to see, describe and develop examples of artwork  relating to different cultures, time periods, and philosophy according to DESE  state standards. Some traditional strategies for introducing compare and contrast activities might involve the use of: Venn diagrams, Power Points, or art posters/prints in the art classroom.

Summarizing and Note Taking In The Art Classroom: Summarizing what you know usually presents itself in the form of tests, quizzes, and students art assessments of studio work. Summarizing can also be effectively practiced during presentations and art critiques as well. Note taking has become increasingly popular through the keeping of art journals and many art teachers grade these as either a midterm or final exam, instead of the more traditional final studio project.

Reinforcing Efforts and Providing Recognition In The Art Classroom: Many art instructors now develop their grading methods based upon consistent efforts made by a dedicated art student. The key to this philosophy is rooted in the idea that all students progress in the arts at different speeds. Therefore, it is also just as important to reward dedicated behaviors with high marks as it is to give grades according to standardized student/professional results.

   Recognition comes often through increased inclusion in exhibits and by lifting expectations just a bit higher in each additional art assignment. This is the kind of recognition that goes beyond compliments. Expectations are far greater than tangible rewards and these should be used liberally in an academic environments.

Homework and Practice In The Art Classroom: Practice not only makes for perfection in the art studio but it also trains the young to become self-sufficient and confident. Students are painfully aware of the differences in the professional artworks that they compare to their own. Teaching that focuses on training the young to succeed should never be eliminated from the art classroom. Remember, students can be taught how to produce successfully articulated renderings. They will need these skills to compete with others in the future. Never avoid teaching obvious skills under the pretense of superior art philosophy. Art students will have ample time to grow in that arena as they age. Indeed, what they believe and how they apply those beliefs is paramount to their adult lives, but first, they must be taught exactly how to say what they wish. They can not do this, if they do not know how it is to be done. Developing technical skill is necessary for even the most professional, articulate artist.

Non-linguistic Representations In The Art Classroom: The contemporary art teacher lectures, writes assessments and critically analyzes minutely in his or her classroom. However, art instruction demands that one must always include visuals to prove those queries, statements, and assumptions. The very nature of art is dependent upon this necessity, otherwise, the art classroom becomes a forum for philosophy alone instead of art in general.

Cooperative Learning In The Art Classroom: It is always helpful to articulate some art activities around small or large group projects. Art is not only created by the solitary, heroic figure of the American individual. Art is also created by entire societies and also smaller sub-cultures. An thoughtful art teacher reinforces this concept through group activities as well as lecture. Indeed, group lessons will bring these ideas to realistic fruition long before mere verbatim ever will. If you want your students to understand art and culture it is best to have them reenact the cultural norms that they experience personally. Then they may be taught what it is to be from another culture on a deeper level.

Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback In The Art Classroom: Objectives should never be a mystery in the art classroom. Teachers should always repeat information by visual, comprehensive, auditory, and kinesthetic means. This is because we understand that people learn by a variety of means, some leaning more toward one mean than another. A good teacher covers all of her bases in order to fully engage students with every learning disposition in her classroom. Don't become quick to give into exasperation! Expect to repeat yourself over and over. Turn it into a kind of challenge. How many ways can you say the same thing?

   Providing feedback is done through traditional group reviews and exhibits. But art teachers can also use modern technology to do this as well. Develop a blog forum and require students to participate, even if they only just leave a few comments. You may find that they are more comfortable with this kind of feedback than any other.

Generating and Testing Hypotheses In The Art Classroom: I love the idea of presenting a "what if" to my art students or even showing just part of an artwork or film, and then asking them how it will come out in the end. Students find this kind of participation very entertaining. However, they are not merely being entertained. You are actually asking them to think of their own innovations and results. This builds upon prior knowledge and also encourages personal development skills.

Cues, Questions and Advance Organizers In The Art Classroom: Think before you think. Studies have shown that reminding students of what they know or asking them questions in preparation of an experience helps them to mentally shift into a proactive mode of learning. Advance organizers are the quiet contemplation before the storm. In other words... "I've heard this is coming, I know that this is coming, it will soon come into my space and now, it has arrived. What shall I do with it?" Graphic organizers can come in the form of a question, an image, a quote, a brief reading, an outline etc...

contributing to local community events

The following are photographs of the opening night exhibit at Central Presbyterian Church, 2010. I have served on the jury for this congregation's art exhibits for three years. In 2010, I also taught during a seminar along with five other artists during the church’s art festival. This festival has grown and expanded it’s agenda little by little each year. It is one of the ways in which I have truly enjoyed using my time and talents to teach others about art outside of a secularized environment.

Left, artists Doug Merkey and Patt Tiemeir at the 2010
Central Presbyterian Art Exhibit. Right, is one of the
many lovely marble carving submitted for the show that year.

Above is a sculpture by Brother Mel. He always exhibits
liturgical works for local St. Louis shows in church communities.

Above is a marvelous wood carving from the 2010 exhibit.

Fine photography is frequently displayed during these art shows as well.

Of course, there is always good food. Here are the
volunteers bringing in the appetizers.