love front porch

I show my high school students a video at the beginning of our art class each day. The Artist of the Day video allows me to take the kids on a quick art adventure outside our classroom walls. Last week, I found this video by artist Vanessa German in Homewood, PA. She takes her art making out on her front porch and builds community with the children and adults that live in her neighborhood. An advocate of love and art, we were powerfully inspired by Vanessa’s art and her mission. I want to spread her vision and the courage that she has – each one of us has the power to spread love and make the world a better place.  You can find out more about her art and her project at her website:  www.lovefrontporch.com

San Antonio’s Chalk it Up Art Festival

San Antonio has hosted a community art event called Chalk it Up for 9 years.  Organized by artpace in this colorful, friendly, festive city, it has all of the great aspects of community – creative energy and a gathering of people to share the experience.  Because the art is temporary, the event is more like a happening.

(Work by Stevens High School Art Club in Chalk it Up 2011)

One of my colleagues in our art education graduate program is an art teacher in San Antonio, Ambra Whitehurst and has had her Stevens High School Art Club participate in the event.  I sent her a few questions I had about the experience (thanks Ambra!) – her responses are in blue:

How many and which students have participated in this event (Art Club, a certain class)?  I always start the chalk crew up in art club and then if there are any other talented students in my classes, I will personally invite them to join us.

Do you have to get special school permission for your students to participate in this?  I usually send home a flier.  The students are responsible to find a ride downtown.  Some of the parents even stay, hangout and watch.

Did they preplan the imagery they were going to create?  If so, how did they go about doing that?  The ideas are discussed as a group and then a photo is taken.  The drawing always turns out looking more dimensional if drawn from a photo.

How long did it take for the students to create their chalk art and how large of an area did they have to work in?  They started their creation about 9 a.m. and finished about 1 p.m., working in a 10′ x 10′ area.

Are members of the community strolling around during the creation of the work, or do they come in after the work is completed?  The event is open to the public at 10 a.m., so they get to watch as the art is created.

Do the community members interact with the students?  If so, what kind of things did they talk about?  Sometimes they ask questions, but for the most part they see that the students are intensely creating their art and they leave them alone.

I know this is a recurring event in San Antonio.  Can you tell me if the students look forward to it for the next year?  In other words, does this recurring event create a sense of commitment and excitement for the students?  Yes, they do look forward to participating every year.  They feel a sense of belonging and excitement to come up with a new work every year.

Do they give prizes?  Chalk it Up only gives participation certificates.  The students ask every year why they do not give other awards.  They would like to know how well they did compared to other schools.

(Work by the Art Club in Chalk it Up 2012 – an election year!  How appropriate and what a great inspiration to the community to participate in our democratic privileges!)

Ah – the competitive spirit!  Sounds like this activity is a wonderful thing for students to participate in.  I love the idea of it and would love to see if something could be created in my own neighborhood.  Because, after this project this semester, looking and thinking about community and art education, community is really at the heart of art.

Authored by:  Christine Miller

 

Artivist Mario Torero

 

 

When I think of community art, the first artist that comes to mind is Mario Torero.  Mario Torero is considered an “Artivist” who has helped change areas in San Diego and teach youth about the impact of art and how it can help create communities.  I first came cross Mario Torero, while attending University of North Texas and was instantly impacted by him and his art.  I actually was able to communicate with this remarkable artist a few years ago and he even offered to come to my school to speak to my class.

Mario has traveled across the world, creating murals and works of art to beautify these communities.  He volunteers in his community by teaching painting lessons to the youth and elder.  His most famous project is the Chicano Park, which has been his ongoing project for the past 40 years.  Chicano Park contains many murals and works of art that have brought the San Diego community together.  You can view these beautiful works of art on FuerzaMundo and read more about his life and career.

So how can you make an impact in your community or school like Mario Torero?  Does it have to be a mural?   What message would you want to convey?

Authored by:  Andrea Hair

The Lack of ‘Community’ in the Art Classroom and it’s Consequences

One thing about teaching art, you can never know what’s about to happen.  And so it began towards the end of 2nd period one day when I glanced over at one of my sculptures I had in the classroom, only to see that someone had applied paint to it – deliberately.  I went bonkers – I blew a fuse – I was so angry, I wanted to spit.  I paced up and down in my classroom and vented to my poor Art I students about the unacceptability of vandalism in the art room.

How could any of my students do such a thing?  The problem was, I knew this had been happening, but just hadn’t felt it like I did when it happened to my own work.  My brain was racing, as it boiled over just like the lava lamp in my room.  Tears threatened to spill out.  Where had I failed? From day one, I had communicated my expectations about respect of others and their work.  I took pains to provide labeled storage space so people knew where to put their work.  I reiterated as we moved along in our projects about not messing with other’s art work.  But, I had to face the facts, it still was happening.  As my mind raced around, trying to narrow down who might have done this, I came to one conclusion – it had to be my sculpture classes.  I teach 5 preps each day to 9th & 10th grade students.  My room is very large – 60′ x 30′.  I have half of the room devoted to sculpture and the other half to the 2D classes.  I helps with clean up and project negotiation.  4 of my classes are never in the sculpture space.  Only the sculpture students have been working with paint.  It had to be them.

When they rolled in that day – I let them have it.  They protested.  It wasn’t them.  I explained my CSI rationale for suspecting them.  So I asked both classes, “How many of you have had your monster projects vandalized in some way?”  30-40% of both classes raised their hands.  I knew of some of the transgressions, but I did not realize so many had experienced what I had that day.  The sculpture students were the ones vandalizing their own projects!  No one had reacted like I did – I guess they just sucked it up and moved on.  Perhaps they are so used to kids messing with things, they just resigned themselves to the inevitability of it all.  But I could not let this go without addressing it.

I told them I could not move forward with them until we resolved this problem.  I also told them I was at a loss about what to do about it.  I reviewed with them the expectations I had made clear and the procedures and space management plans I had in place.  We had to address this as a group.  I realized that there was one vital element missing in our classes – the commitment to each other and the formation of a real community.  Oh, we had a class every day, but each class divided themselves up into cliques and went about their merry way.  Certainly the vandals were attacking work outside their own group; they had no loyalty to those other students – there were hostilities being acted out carelessly or deliberately.  I struggled with a solution – I had to act fast and decisively, but I had no idea how to approach the problem.  I remembered a video our counselor’s had us show our homerooms:  “Challenge Based Learning in a High School Classroom”.  Well, I had a big challenge in my classroom, so I decided to model my next steps on this process.  I showed the video to both classes and informed them that we would use this model in our approach to solutions.

I told my students that I needed their help in solving this problem.  This was a problem we all had together, and we had to approach it as a group effort in coming up with solutions.  We used the board to brainstorm the topics that needed to be addressed.  We came up with 6 areas and from those topics I divided them into groups of 3-4 students.  Each group was to use the laptops (if they wanted to do some research), or brainstorm questions and/or responses to their topics and give a class presentation about what they came up with.  These were the six topics to be considered (and some of their responses/solutions):

1. Why does vandalism happen (they’re jealous of somebody else’s work; they’re just plain disrespectful; peer pressure) and how can you stop it? (anonymous reporting of violations; lock classroom doors; teacher give rewards when behaviors are good for a certain time; teacher contacts parents of offender).
2. What classroom rules do we need to have in place that aren’t already expected. ( Be nice to other classmates, unless they’re mean to you [there weren’t any other rules they suggested that weren’t already expectations in my class]).
3. What consequences should be applied to those who vandalize work.  What if you know who did it?  What if you don’t know who did it? (Detention; put cameras in the room; have offender write an essay on why they won’t vandalize again; be harder towards us over all [throughout all of my teaching career, I always have thought I am too nice, even though I keep striving to be more strict).
4. How does the we have the storage areas set up need to be modified or changed? (provide additional groups space if people don’t have room; lock cabinets).
5. How can you protect art supplies and tools from being ruined (like my paintbrushes that have been destroyed despite teaching them how to care for them.) Reasons:  (not enough time to clean so people just leave it and go; people think that the teacher won’t know it’s them; they don’t care)  Solutions: (teacher numbers tools and hands out according to number on roster; make turning in clean tools a daily grade; make them bring their own supplies).
6. How can you foster trust after it’s been broken? (The concept of trust is both complex and hard to comprehend meaning different things to different people.  A quality as such is hard to regain, because trust is something we extend to others as well as we expect to receive [wow!]; to regain trust with peers you must confront the fundamental points of your friendship/relationship).

Well, the presentations happened and we all talked about it.  I was impressed with much of what they came up with.  I have calmed down and we have started another project that is also calmer and less active.  I think we can make it until the winter break. Through this process I have realized some things that I do need to change:

• Even though they are in high school, I still have to provide A LOT of structure and have A LOT of procedures in place. Many of them (though not all) are not responsible enough or mature enough to not mistreat tools, supplies or other’s work.  Numbering everything, doling it out and picking it up is necessary.
• I have to keep a closer eye on everything that goes on in the classroom.  It seems like an impossible job – so many people moving about and working is difficult to keep tabs on.  I don’t have eyes in the back of my head, but I have to keep working at keeping better tabs on everything.
• Encourage the use of anonymous reporting.  It works.  We have had a larger number of drug issues being dealt with on our campus this year and my principal owes it to the “hot line” our students have access to to inform our campus police about when things are going down.  It’s working.  It could also work in the art room.
• Repeat, repeat, repeat expectations and rules.  Let them know you are serious.  Handle small infractions immediately.  Call home.  Calling a parent when you have the student in class works wonders.  You offer the parent the opportunity to talk to their child right there on the spot.  Not only does it make a huge impact on the student, the other students in the class see what you are willing to do and it might help keep them in line as well.
• Next year – (this is a big one) build community from day one.  Explore strategies to encourage the students to bond as a group – ice breakers in the first days would be fun.

• What other activities could be used to encourage community early on?  How can we get our diverse students to come together in more positive ways?  What other procedures can teachers use to cut down on these kinds of things happening?  How might you have handled the situation if it happened in your classroom?  

Authored by:  Christine Miller

The Laundromat Project

I recently came across a New York-based organization that completely inspired and amazed me with its very unique project.  It’s called The Laundromat Project.  And, just as the name suggests, their mission is for neighborhood residents to Wash Clothes…Make Art…and Build Community.  This organization is amazing because it takes art directly to the community in a place where it’s accessible to everyone…the local laudromat.  And, by doing so, it also helps to strengthen community bonds by giving an opportunity for neighborhood residents to communicate, work, and learn together through the art making process.

The Laundromat Project has 2 main programs.  Create Change is their “public art residency program developed to connect communities and artists in meaningful ways”.  The Works in Progress program “focuses on community-centered art education through hands-on workshops and public programs at local laudromats and other community spaces”.  Both programs offer free, hands-on art opportunities in New York neighborhoods where the resident and workshop artists/teachers live and work, creating a deeper investment in the neighborhoods they service.  There is also a social justice aspect to their work as it is a “commitment and concern for communities that would not otherwise have access to these types of experiences”, says Rise Wilson, founder of The Laundromat Project.

Take a look at this short video narrated by the founder and see the incredible work this project is accomplishing!

Do you think a community-based project like this would work in our DFW community?  Why or why not?  Are there other community places that you could see this type of project being successful other than local laundromats?  

Authored by:  Jennifer Torres

Art House Co-op’s Sketchbook Project

Now I know I have written about global journal projects before, but I discovered the Sketchbook Project this week.  I thought about trying to find another community based art project, but then I thought “why should I keep this genius idea to myself?  I wish somebody had shared this project with me sooner, and then my students and myself would have been able to participate in it this year.”  So here I am, sharing this amazing sketchbook project with all of you.

The Sketchbook Project was started by the Art House Co-op, which is based in Brooklyn.  Basically, how it works is you sign up for it, pay the $25 fee, and then the Art House sends you a sketchbook.  You fill out the whole sketchbook and then mail it back to them.  After this, your sketchbook goes on a North American tour for everybody to see.  You will receive e-mails, texts, and letters updating you on where your sketchbook is and what viewers think.  How awesome is that!?  It doesn’t end here though.  The final destination of your sketchbook is at the Brooklyn Art Library, where it will be archived with all the other amazing sketchbooks.  You, your friends, your family, anybody can check out your sketchbook from the Brooklyn Art Library.  Wouldn’t this be a great fields trip for an art class?  You also have the option of digitizing your sketchbook, for a small fee.  Art House Co-op will professionally photograph your sketchbook and archive it online for you to see at your convenience.  Oh the beauty of technology!

So you’re wondering “how can I incorporate this into my classroom?”  Well, I came up with a couple of ideas.  For my school, it would me more economically feasible for me to buy a sketchbook for each class and then use it as a collaborative project.  I would assign the book to one student each week, and this way everybody could participate.  I think this would help create a sense of community within my classroom, since every student would be able to make their mark.  Another option would be more viable for upper level classes.  Each student would sign up for the Sketchbook Project, and you could assign a sketchbook assignment for each week that they must complete for a grade.  Of course they would be allowed to create more pages in their sketchbook, which is always encouraged in an art classroom.  You could even have a mini sketchbook viewing for your school, before you send them off to the Art House.  What do you think?

Authored by: Andrea Hair

Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange

When I think of community, I think of the various cultures that make up the community.  Which is why I think incorporating global community and culture into your classroom is so important.  I feel art has the power to breakdown many barriers and unite people from various backgrounds together.  I found a wonderful site, Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange, that invites children from America and Iraq to participate in art projects together. The Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange was created by Claudia Lefko, an educator and activist who wishes to have children use “art as a vehicle to engage them in the universal struggle to create a better, more sustainable and just world.”

How is this done?  Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange is participated in the Art Miles Mural Project, which is a worldwide mural project that promotes global peace and harmony through art.  The Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange has had American and Iraqi Children work together to create a series of murals under the working title “How will they know us?”  These murals ended up in Egypt in September 2010.

How can my students participate?  Luckily the Art Miles Mural Project is still going on strong.  This is such a great opportunity for you students to work together in their community and to contribute to our global community.  The Art Miles Mural Project provides you with instructions on their How to do a Mural page.  The step-by-step information is at the bottom of the page and can be easy to miss.  They encourage you to send any photos, stories, and videos that document the students’ experience of creating the mural.

Why should we participate?  How is this beneficial?  I think this is a great tool to use in your classroom to teach your students about peace, unity, and community.  By participating in this project you are teaching your students to be active members of their community, and that art has the power to bring people together and breakdown barriers.  This site also allows you to view art from other countries and connect with other cultures.  What do you think?

Authored by: Andrea Hair

Art Educator Resource: Community Art in Action – a Davis Publication

I was walking past a book collection I keep at school and one book caught my eye – Community Art in Action, by Kristin G. Congdon.  It is one book in a series, Art Education in Practice Series,  that is published by Davis Publications.  This series is one of my favorite art education resources, and it must be good because professors in both my undergraduate and graduate art education studies have utilized different books in this series as texts for their courses.

As additional books have been added to the series I have purchased them to add to my library.  I had not read Community Art in Action, but as I was zooming around my art room last week, this book called out to me – “Hey!  You should check me out!!” I’m sure other bibliophiles have had the same experience: books reaching out to you when you are least expecting it.  Here was a resource right under my nose that I had completely forgotten about!  The timing was perfect for me to pull this title out from the series lined up on my shelf and see what nuggets of information were packed into it.  One of the things I love about the series is the continuity of format from one book to another.  As I opened this new title, I immediately felt at home and could navigate through the book comfortably.

The introduction begins with ‘Art in Everyday Life’ Congdon (p. 1) which takes us out of the museum or gallery into the broader community where we spend most of our time.  This is the fertile ground Postmodernism sprang from; a place where different cultures, genders and ethnicities could express their beliefs, traditions and visions in an art form that was authentic and appreciated by the community.  Formalism and academics might be employed to understand and interpret community-based art, but without the contextual back story, interpretations could be lacking the heart and the soul inherent in community art. 

One example that came to mind is the Art Car Parade that takes place in Houston in late May every year.  A couple of years ago I found myself in Houston the same weekend as the parade and I was thrilled!  This community art car extravaganza has been happening for 25 years, is free and is just plain awesome!  The way the community comes together for this parade creates an energy and dynamic that puts the cars (and their creators) into super star status.  Community art events celebrate more than the maker – they celebrate groups of people and ultimately celebrate the life that we all share together.  For young art students, they are exposed to an art form they may not know about from their art classroom experience, and extends the possibilities of individual expression.

The book puts forth some ideas about what a community is.  ‘In order to understand and appreciate community-based artwork, it is important to recognize how diverse and pervasive communities are.  We all belong to many communities; even people who think of themselves as ‘non-joiners’ inevitably do join others in many kinds of community configurations.  The study of community-based art necessitates becoming aware of multiple definitions of what constitutes a community.’ Congdon (p. 9)  This chapter examines many aspects of community: how it affects aesthetic choices, how they strike a balance between tradition and change, how location affects and site determine choices and how community creates a common purpose or set of beliefs.  All of these ideas are rolled into our own community tragedy.  Yesterday, our beloved Big Tex went up in flames.  He is an ambassador for our state and presides over the state fair grounds in Dallas, TX.  60 years old this year, Big Tex has embodied so much of what Texas is about everything is bigger in Texas and Texans are friendly and will greet you with a big Howdy Do!.  The story made national news and on the day of his passing, it was already being proclaimed that he will be back by next year, bigger and better than ever!  How will he change?  I know our community wants him back, but how different will he be from the original?  Will the community embrace the new Big Tex or shake their heads about the redo?  Will their be community input about the new Big Tex, and if so, how will that happen? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the art students of Dallas could be involved in the process of recreating Big Tex?

Because this post is targeted to the art educator, I want to point out another section of the book that is important – ‘Why Should Art Programs Focus on Community’ Congdon (p. 35).  This chapter’s observations are: to promote individual and group mental health; to promote multicultural art education; to recognize and celebrate local customs; to recognize local artists and artworks; to develop an active citizenry; to promote the connection between art and life; to understand, celebrate and build on local history; to interact positively with the environment;  and to expand on the aesthetic dimensions of one’s life.

So many reasons – all so important and relevant.  As I wrap up this post, I want to choose one of these reasons that I consistently try to educate my students about and that is the healing power of art.  During my undergraduate studies, we had a guest speaker talk to our class about her experience as an art teacher at Columbine High School when the tragic shootings took place in April of 1999.  This is the primary community art educators and students interact in on a daily basis – their school.  Our speaker told us about the event and talked about how the community moved forward after such a tragedy.  She realized then that the healing power of art could help faculty and students deal with their emotions and responded immediately by letting her students use art to express their emotions.  All other art projects were put on the back burner.  Nothing was more important than facing the raw emotions of grief and fear in an active and meaningful way.  But she said something during that class that sent a chill down my spine – she told our group of future art teachers that when we teach it won’t be a question “if” a tragedy will happen that will affect our students but “what” that tragedy will be.  Maybe it won’t be a shooting on your campus, perhaps it’s a national event such as 9/11, but things happen in life that leave individuals shaken, depressed and fearful.  Leaning into those emotions with the power of expressing them through art can be a part of the healing process, and can heal not only the individual but can also help heal the community.  She told us about a book that she recommended by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox – Visual Journaling:  Going Deeper than Words.  As a preservice teacher, I immediately got the book and it has been a valuable resource, especially for those students who don’t feel free enough to draw but desperately need an outlet for expression.  This book focuses on the expressive nature of art.  ‘We have discovered, through our work as expressive art therapists, that within all of us is a silent language that reveals the truth of our thoughts, feelings and emotions far more fluently than words.  That language is imagery.’ Ganim & Fox (p. 1) I took her advice into my own heart and do my best to support my community of young artists to find ways to express their inner feelings and visions each day as we come together to make art.

Congdon, K.G. (2004) Community art in action. Davis Publications, Inc., Worcester, MA.

Ganim, B and Fox, S. (1999) Visual journaling: going deeper than words. The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, IL.

Authored by:  Christine Miller

That Was THEN….This is NOW

Let’s face it.  Art Museums ain’t what they used to be.  Most of us can relate to visiting an art museum in the not so distant past that entailed walking from gallery to gallery, staring quietly at foreign works, and reading the limited information on the museum wall label.  And…unless you visited the museum store or cafe, that was about it.  If you’ve been to an art museum recently, however, you know that all that has changed.

Today, visiting a museum is not just about VIEWING the artwork.  It’s about INTERACTING with the artwork.  In fact, we don’t even have to actually go to the museum to have a meaningful experience with the art or the artists anymore thanks to Web 2.0 tools.  Technologies such as podcasts, social media, videos, blogs, and more have created a way for us to be an active participant, changing the landscape of art museums forever.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the leading examples of museums embracing Web 2.0 technologies.  The Met’s website is one of the most dynamic, interactive sites, not only expanding their reach in to the local community, but also expanding their reach to the national and international community as well.  Now, anyone around the world can enjoy and benefit from what the Met has to offer – and with 10 languages options, most people can even access the Met’s information in their native language as well!

Let’s explore some of the most exciting Web 2.0 features of the Met’s website and find out how it could benefit an art education classroom….

EXHIBITIONS;  Taking field trips to an art museum is not always financially feasible – especially if that art museum is in NYC and you’re hundreds (or thousands) of miles away!  However, by clicking on the Met’s “Exhibitions” tab, students can experience current works, like the newly opened Faking It:  Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop exhibit, up close and personal.   Students can also expand their knowledge of these works – maybe in preparation for their own photography project – by watching a short video and taking an interactive quiz about the artworks in the exhibit. (after clicking on link above, scroll down to “Featured Media” box & click on “Video” to watch intro or click on “Interactive” to take quiz)  What a great way to enhance or expand on student’s learning!

TIMELINES:  The Met’s extensive and comprehensive art timeline is one of the most valuable resources for any student or art educator you’ll find anywhere.   Teachers and students alike can find information and overviews regarding important works of art from anywhere in the world, visually see where it fits in the world’s history, correlate artworks to maps, and even read about key events that were happening in the world at that time – all with just a click of a button!

MET KIDS:  In this special section of the website, students and teachers can access a wealth of information.  Printable, interactive “Family Guides” offer information about a theme or idea concentrating around a work of art.  The Met also provides audio podcasts designed especially for kids that relate to works of art. Teachers could easily use either one of these tools to spark a discussion or as a starting point for a new project in the classroom. Even more exciting is the Interactive Media available for kids on the Met site!  Here teachers can access historical information about artists, stories (often read aloud through podcasts), interactive games, lesson plans and more!  Check out this fun and educational unit created about Cezanne’s Astonishing Apples.

No longer do kids and teachers have to ride on a cramped, bumpy school bus to take advantage of the many amazing resources The Metropolitan Art Museum – and other museums around the world – has to offer!  Web 2.0 tools have helped break down the walls of inaccessibility, making us instantly part of the museum’s community, and have encouraged us all to be ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS in the study and enjoyment of art.

What other ways can you see utilizing The Met’s website features in your classroom?  Do you find these types of resources valuable to you as an educator, why or why not?

Authored by:  Jennifer Torres

1000 Journals/ 1001 Journals

Traveling and Collaborative Art Journals!!!  What a genius idea!  I stumbled upon this site while looking for collaborative art project ideas that centered on community.  1000 Journals was created as an innovative way to interact within communities as well as outside the community.  The artist, Someguy, started it in 2000 while he lived in San Francisco.  These journals were left in random places, given to people and passed around, but each time somebody encountered the journals they added to it. Currently there are 1000 journals that have reached over 40 countries and every state in the United States.  WOW!!  Think about how many people have been brought together and touched through this form of art!  I am intrigued by this idea, because we have all kept journals at one point in our life.  It’s the place where we share our innermost thoughts and feelings, and art is the way we share these thoughts and feelings without words.  But why is this better than keeping a sketchbook or art journal for you own personal use and not for sharing?  Think about the direction that education and society is headed…

So I was reading more about this project, and I thought to myself “How can I incorporate this into my classroom?”  Luckily, 1000 Journals provided a link to 1001 Journals.  This site allows you to participate by creating a journal that can travel to other parts of the world, be placed at a local spot, or for personal use.  You are required to sign up for an account, and then you can share your journal pages by uploading them on your 1001 Journal site.

Then I started thinking “How can I monitor my students’ journals and make sure that they are in a safe Internet environment?”  Thankfully 1001 Journals is one step ahead of my thought process.  1001 Journals allows you to launch a Group, in which you can upload several journals under the group name.  The Group Journals allow hospitals, non-profit organizations, schools, etc to monitor the journals under them.  1001 Journals will also not share any member information with anybody.  This information can be located under their Privacy Policy page. 

So who would benefit from this?  The site?  The students?  You as the teacher?  1001 Journals is a great way for your students to communicate with each other, other cultures, other schools in your community, and to express themselves in a collaborative way.  This site allows you as an art teacher to incorporate the idea of community and collaboration through technology in your art classroom.  It’s a Win/ Win situation!  Hope to see your students’ art journal pages on 1001 Journals soon!

Authored by: Andrea Hair