A lot of learning can happen in cyberspace if students have access to the necessary tools. It’s a bit more difficult when the subject is art, and not many homes are equipped like Jo Brekke’s classroom at Lake Forest Elementary.
“That’s one of the main challenges for art teachers,” said Brekke, who has been teaching at the Sandy Springs school for 10 years. “We don’t have things at home, and I know kids don’t have a ton of art supplies, either. I’m trying to teach with what I have in my house now, and that’s what I’m asking them to do, too.”
In the physical classroom, Brekke works with the school’s 800 students in almost every media. A 45-minute weekly class might have them dabbling in clay, printmaking, drawing and painting. How that would continue online required a bit of brainstorming.
“It’s a steep learning curve,” said Brekke, who’s never taught online. “But we have a really strong group of art educators in Fulton who are very good with technology. The first thing we did was create pages where we could chat, and we’ve been sharing ideas nonstop. It turns out there are a ton of resources out there.”
Brekke still has a busy agenda of weekly assignments, but she’s posting them online every Monday and having students upload images of their creations.
“It’s up to them when they choose to do them,” she said. “I know it’s a crazy time, especially for parents trying to work from home and teach. We’re being flexible. But we’re trying to stick to the curriculum and pacing. So right now, we’re doing sculpture –without equipment and materials.”
Despite those obstacles, Brekke has been amazed by the creativity her students have shown. A recent lesson based on works of British sculptor and environmentalist Andy Goldsworthy asked students to design their own sculptures using all-natural objects.
“I sent out YouTube videos and links to Goldsworthy’s work, and encouraged them to go outside, see what they could find and put them together,” she said. “I asked them to think of symmetry, balance and color. I told them they didn’t even need to use glue; they could cut and slide things together.”
Students posted images of creations made from common household items such as toilet paper rolls and coffee filters. Others used sticks, leaves and flowers found in their yards. Though they weren’t what she expected, and not what she’d see in a classroom, Brekke was thrilled with the results.
“I’ve been absolutely blown away,” said Brekke. “I can tell they’re thinking of lines, balance, shapes and color. The creativity has definitely been amazing; it’s exceeded my expectations.”
Information about Lake Forest is online at fultonschools.org/lakeforestes.
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Each week we look at programs, projects and successful endeavors at area schools, from pre-K to grad school. To suggest a story, contact H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or 770-744-3042.
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