Think Win-Win with a visit to the Albright-Knox

The 6th grade field trip to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery is quickly becoming my favorite annual Winchester activity. I am amazed at the reaction my students have to visiting the gallery for the first time. Some students have never been to a museum let alone a world class gallery like the Albright-Knox. The Gallery is committed to collecting and displaying contemporary works of art from some of the most cutting edge artists working today, along with original master works by Jackson Pollack (a Winchester favorite) Picasso, Monet and Warhol. The timing could not have been more perfect for the 6th grade class who just finished studying the figurative sculptures of Alberto Giacometti. The gallery collection includes the original "Walking Man" by Giacometti that the students just viewed and discussed in class. For our students to see this sculpture up close and personal was a memorable and powerful learning experience. Taking this field trip allowed our students to view original works in a magnificent setting that feels like a world away from West Seneca. I'm a believer in taking students out of the classroom environment and into the community to enhance learning, it is a win-win situation for everyone. The students win by discovering original works of art inside a world class museum environment, creating a lasting educational experience. It is a win-win situation for the Gallery, attracting as many young people to the Gallery as possible, increasing the chances that they will become life long patrons of the arts. It is a win-win for West Seneca Schools because there is no cost to the district, with busing being subsidized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Western New York. Finally, it is a win-win for meeting the educational goals of our district through the visual arts curriculum, that works to develop critical thinking skills in our students. What better way to encourage critical thinking than to visit our gallery that has an abundance of visual stimulation. I look forward to future trips outside our classroom walls and into the community where I can explore learning opportunities that create life long memories for our students.

P.S. Don't forget Gusto at the Gallery Friday nights, with FREE admission to the Gallery. For Sabres Fans (and I know you're out there) the current "Forty Years" hockey exhibit is highly recommended. Send me a post after your visit and let me know about your experience. Thank you Mrs. Mock and Mrs. Waite for the awesome thank you notes from your students, I love the drawings and heart felt thoughts about the trip.

Teaching Eachother to Be Proactive

I love to observe the students teaching eachother to be proactive in the art room. There's nothing more that prove's the Habits are working, than watching students in action correcting eachother's behavior. There are days when I have to wait an awful long time for some students to stop talking, before I can continue on with a lesson. I really enjoy seeing a student tell the rest of the class to be quiet and let them know that they're not being very proactive. I see this kind of behavior more and more every week, and it confirms that what we're doing is working. Some kids have a natural tendency to be leaders on their own, they have a confidence within them that other kids tend to respond to. These students are the ones who naturally speak up in class and tell others to be more proactive. Its positive peer preasure! Nothing matters more at this age than to be accepted by your peers, and when a fellow class mate tells you to be more proactive, I think it means more than the teacher saying it over and over. We are changing the behaviors of some of our students, over time that number will ultimately grow. It is hard work, it takes consistency and sometimes I even forget to apply the habits where I could have in a situation, because I am so busy. But its really rewarding to have a student remind you of that 7 Habit teaching/learning opportunity.