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| 1st grade art work |
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| 4th grade art work |
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3rd grade art work, 5th grade is above
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These are 3"x3" and will be part of a district wide mosaic project to be displayed at the Allentown Art Museum this summer. I challenged some of my first grade classes because they were very attentive and interested in following me as I showed them step by step how to draw the features of the face. I encouraged all students to do their best, and offered lots of praise and assistance since I knew this project would be intimidating and frustrating for some of my students. There were some tears. Kindness, patience, and compassion is always the best way to treat students who struggle with confidence, fine motor skills, or behavior.
Since I am working as a long term substitute, I was not included in the planning of this project. I would have objected to the small size because I think it is developmentally inappropriate for primary grade students. While teaching this lesson, I learned that some younger students like to portray themselves as super heroes, imaginary characters, etc. instead of how they really look, which is normal for students ages 5-8. I would never discourage a child to draw from their imagination, since that is developmentally appropriate.
UPDATE 9/15 The summer has passed and I have not heard anything about this project. No one has contacted me, and if the work has been displayed I have not been given any credit by the Allentown School District for teaching this lesson.
