Art in Action

In Finland children in elementary school have one to two art lessons per week. It’s usually their teacher or other classroom teacher from their school who organizes art lessons. Art lessons are based on our nationwide curriculum but it only gives teachers guidelines what to do, not readily planned lessons. For example if it says in curriculum that second graders need to learn primary colors, teachers have to plan lessons and art work for students around that topic. To me it was always one of the interesting and most fun subjects to plan and teach.

Our children’s school here in California is involved in a program called Art in Action. Basically what it means is that the school has bought rights and materials to organize art lessons that are well planned and ready to use. This program even offers live tutoring how to organize these lessons in the best possible way. One thing that I hardly see happening in Finland is that parents actually organize these lessons. Last year I was helping the Art in Action docent in our daughter’s class but this year I decided to take one step forward. Now I’m actually teaching these art lessons and it’s most fun in a long time!

Before my first art lesson I drove to Menlo Park to have my tutoring session. There were about 20 fellow parents who were learning about those art lessons we will organize during this school year. We got some useful advice and the teacher actually guided us through all the 12 lessons available. In reality I only have time to organize nine out of them but it’s ok because it gives me a little freedom to pick those nine lessons that I’m most into. I have to say that these lessons are very high quality and thoroughly planned. They include information about different artists, art trends, materials and art concepts. It’s perfect package to teach and for students to learn varied techniques, trends and artist information. 

The most difficult part for me when getting ready for my lessons to come is the huge amount of specific concepts that I don’t use in my everyday language. I really have to work hard but I guess it’s good to activate your brains like this every now and then.

On the left you can see some of the projects we'll be making this school year. 

We made quick samples of all the projects we'll be teaching this school year. 

So how did the first lessons go?

My daughter says that I did well. I would say that I did ok for the first lesson. I’m learning from my mistakes and I think that the next lesson will be better. One good thing about kids who live in our neighborhood is that they are used to hear different kind of accents so they don’t pay so much attention if the pronouncing is not totally correct. It’s all natural for them that people speak in different ways. Because students only have one art lesson in a month they are usually very excited to have their art docent teaching them and especially being able to do different kinds of art projects.     

This was the "inspiration piece" Nellie Mae Rowe's "Stormey night".

Kids wrote their names and decorated their art work with animals, flowers, geometrical shapes etc. 

For me, being able to do this is a huge thing. I’m so ready for my upcoming art lessons in the future and for now on my students are guaranteed to have fun and high quality art lessons wherever I’ll be teaching!