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National Visual Arts Standards are HERE! #ArtsEd

Ah… The days of summer are quickly flying by. As I sit and listen to the neighbors mowing their lawns, the robins chirping in the trees, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, and my daughter asking, “You still work over the summer break?,” I appreciate the time a bit more. “Yes, I still work over the summer break.” With the Common Core State Standards making significant changes to the rigor and curriculum of the core classes (Math, English, Science, Social Studies) the elective courses (hardly a term I enjoy when I think of the importance of all of our classes) are also in need of review.

As a professional artist and educator, one who firmly believes and practices looking at standards and setting goals, I was pleased to see that the National Arts Education Association was deep in the thick of it rewriting the National Standards for the Visual (and the rest of the) Arts. Dance, Theater, Music, Visual Arts all got a good going through in the redesign. What I especially enjoyed about the National Standards prior to 2014 was the ease in which they were laid out and written. While some students and I (along with a wonderful Student Teacher) met and worked to unpack the old standards a few years ago, we got a good feeling as to what they all meant. The ideas and philosophy behind the 6 over arching ideas. The NEW standards are broken into 4 sections with a few more standards underneath each heading… a total of 11 (which can be found on my site HERE, in the NAEA site HERE and HERE) give a bit more to think about.

http://www.k6art.com/art-rooms-around-the-world/

Using the GANAG method of lesson planning (Goals, Accessing Prior Knowledge, New Information, Applying New Information, and Generalizing – Janie Pollock at Learning Horizon, http://www.learninghorizon.net/) is the tried and true process I have been using to plan and structure my lessons and the day to day of my classroom, the new Standards are going to ask a bit more of me this year. I am not complaining in the least. Do not get me wrong. The best thing any of us can do is look back at the progress we have made and revisit the ideas with new eyes and new goals (or at the least reconsidered old goals). The new standards will give me the opportunity to see that the art works my students are creating give them the larger picture of the importance of art in their lives and culture, as well as the skills and grit that are required to become successful artists and members of the larger society. As I have rewritten my webpage on the National Standards in the Visual Arts, I realized that the ideas that are behind them are very important, not only as a student of the arts (or teacher) but also in what the artist ought to be aware of as a professional. I know that I will be working to make certain that each and every day of the school year, the standards are the jumping off point for my art students and that they are fully aware of the importance and direction we, as a class, are heading in the pursuit of realizing and grasping those standards.

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AP Studio Art Exam Results are In, and I am confused…

Art is...
Art is…

That time of the year is upon us and the Advanced Placement Studio Art Exam grades are in… I hope the portfolios make it back in time. I am, as always, a bit surprised by the evaluations… this year especially surprised. While the year was filled with great ups and some downs, the production of the portfolio always fills me with pride in the workings of the young artists. I am VERY proud of all the artists (whether you took the exam or didn’t) in the final products that you assembled. That said, more than the products that you have produced, I am proud of the process that you went through in the learning how to make your art. I saw NEW and BOLD ideas come out of the hands and minds of the AP Artists (and to be honest I CANNOT understand the rationale behind some of the scores that were reported). Stepping out of the box, out of the expected and “traditional” or “textbook” of the art room is what I encourage – and cannot talk about enough.

Congratulations to all of WUHS AP Studio Artists and be proud of the work you have produced. Take a look at the scores, take a look at the portfolios you created and reflect on the strengths and the shortcomings to try and understand the final numbers. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to contact me… I can try and work through the questions with you.

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2 Great #ART shows to visit! #MAM and #WaterfordUnionHighSchool

Milwaukee Art Museum – Milwaukee, WI

As the summer comes upon us, I took in the opportunity to see a couple of wonderful art shows (and to help celebrate my Birthday – 42 if you are keeping score). The first exhibition I saw was the WASSILY KANDINSKY exhibition (Link Here) at the Milwaukee Art Museum. This was a GREAT exhibition of works from the early part of his career while he was experimenting with Impressionism and Post-Impressionism up through the Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter), back to the Impressionist works through his works as a Bauhaus teacher and artist. WHEN you get a chance to go and see the work (there is NO OPTION here… you HAVE to go and see it – ask for family / student discounts). ALSO – Here is the LINK to the Kandinsky Inspired works the artists of our class created on Oil Pastels earlier in the school year. I bought the exhibition catalog (of course) and was NOT able to make photographs in the show so… (shhhhh…) here are a couple of images from the catalog.

Entrance to the Kandinsky Show!
Interested in a catalog.
“Fragment for Composition VII (Center),” 1913, oil on Canvas.
“Achtyrka – A Neighboring Dacha on the Pond,” 1917, Oil on Canvas Board.
“Drawing for Arrow Shape to the Left” 1923, Pencil and India Ink on Paper. Look at the NUMBERS! MATH!

 Waterford Public Library -Waterford, WI

And the OTHER Show – This is a bit more local and accessible for everyone in Waterford, WI… I have taken the Drawing Student’s COMMUNITY Art Exhibition, special thanks to the Library Director Pam Belden and the library staff, and installed the COMMUNITY EXHIBITION (Link Here). The final works for the 2014 school year are based on the artists of the American Regionalists (Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, Edward Hopper to name a few) as well as their personal photographs and studies of the community of Waterford, WI. Some of the images are VERY recognizable – Waterford ICONS – as well as images that are more PERSONAL to the individual artists. Please visit the official website (Link Here) to read more and go to the Waterford Public Library to see the works in person!

PLEASE – Give our artists some of your thoughts on the bottom of the page (comments). I will share your thoughts with the artists as the new school year starts up! ALSO – Subscribe to my blog page and continue to follow the arts and ideas as the summer goes along and the new school year begins up! Enjoy the summer!

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#MAKERFAIRE AT #INTERACTIV2014 with #WHSOC20 AT 8:00CST ON #TWITTER

TONIGHT at 8:00CST on TWITTER

Join the #WHSoc20 for conversation about the Maker Movement and what kinds of ideas are happening out there.

Visit the InterActiv 2014 Maker Movement Site: https://korbartwuhs.wordpress.com/interactiv-tech-conf/

And OTHER GREAT Maker Movement Resources and Sites

Join the White House at the Washington D.C. Maker Faire
Join the White House at the Washington D.C. Maker Faire
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#MakerFaire at #Interactiv2014 with follup up at #WHSoc20 at 8:00CST on #Twitter

MAKER MOVEMENT on June 18th at the White House…

My Plans, and a CHALLENGE / OPPORTUNITY for you!

I will be attending the InterActiv 2014 Technology Conference at UW-Whitewater and will be holding my VERY OWN LOW TECH MAKER FAIRE over the lunch break. I am NOT SURE how many (if any) will participate, but I will be documenting the WHOLE THING and I will be gathering and supplying materials and ideas – moderating the ideas there. I will begin with a MAKER FAIRE definition and then open it up to all those who are interested in participating in the event. That evening I will be moderating along with others from the #WHSoc20 teacher group a conversation about the day, with images and the like (after I have had a presentation with the Waterford Union High School Board about the White House Social event from May 7, 2014). A LONG DAY but well worth it!

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS SIMPLE! One hour – that is all… Community and Improvement is HUGE. Making things that can add to the community is ALSO a great big part of what I encourage and teach. So, here it is:

  • On May 18th, take one hour, or whatever time you can afford, to go out and make:
    • Paintings
    • Drawings
    • Photographs
    • Performance Pieces
    • Sculptures
    • Poems
    • Stories
    • Pick up garbage
    • Work in a soup kitchen
    • Volunteer somewhere
  • Think about the COMMUNITY that you live in and  what can you do – one person, two people, a group – to make it better?
  • Document what you have been able to do and then email the images to me at: fjkorb@gmail.com
  • I will create a page on my website to promote what you have done and will TWEET, POST, FACEBOOK, SHARE, Google+ the heck out of it!
  • QUESTIONS – EMAIL ME AT: fjkorb@gmail.com
  • THAT NIGHT – Follow and join in the conversation at #WHSoc20 on Twitter at 8:00CST (9:00EST) to read, learn, share about the movement that is Maker Faires and Maker Spaces and the Maker Movement! 

A recap of my earlier post:

On June 18th, President Obama will host the first-ever White House Maker Faire to highlight how the Maker Movement and the increasing access to the hardware and software tools it takes to make just about anything, are unleashing new learning opportunities for students and opening new pathways for kids to get interested in STE(A)M. (Check out my students work based on STEAM HERE!)

The 18th will also be a National Day of Making, and we’re encouraging citizen makers around the country to get involved in their communities or plug in virtually using #NationOfMakers. Attached is more information on what you can do to celebrate making on June 18th.

 Follow the action online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/makerfaire.

 #NationOfMakers or via maker@ostp.gov.

 Maker Luncheon at the Technology Conference? Perhaps there is my answer!

 What can YOU do to promote the movement?

Maker Faire PDF

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#MakerFaire and #Stem – I prefer #STEAM – on Wednesday, June 18

MAKER FAIRE – June 18!

I am TORN… Technology Conference or Gather a group for a COMMUNITY MAKER event? Follow me on TWITTER @fjkorb to see what my decision is… I do NOT know what to do!

On June 18th, President Obama will host the first-ever White House Maker Faire, to highlight how the Maker Movement and the increasing access to the hardware and software tools it takes to make just about anything, are unleashing new learning opportunities for students and opening new pathways for kids to get interested in STEM. (Check out my students work based on STEAM HERE!)

The 18th will also be a National Day of Making, and we’re encouraging citizen makers around the country to get involved in their communities or plug in virtually using #NationOfMakers. Attached is more information on what you can do to celebrate making on June 18th.

 Follow the action online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/makerfaire.

 #NationOfMakers or via maker@ostp.gov.

 Maker Luncheon at the Technology Conference? Perhaps there is my answer!

 What can YOU do to promote the movement?

Maker Faire PDF

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#Feedback about the #Best part of the Year!

Bullying
Bullying

Q: What do you like best about this class and / or teacher?

  • Its fun and you get to express yourself though your art… I also like that you play music for us
  • You get to do what you want in your pieces of art. It’s all about what we feel.
  • Learning new things about art everyday! I liked the themes of the projects we did.
  • Class was kind of a time to relax and just make art–I looked forward to it everyday.
  • I really enjoyed art because i learned a lot in it and we got to try many different things and mr. korb is an excellant teacher [sic. I encourage spelling checks but… thank you]
  • The best part of this class is the open environment it provides.
  • Mr. Korb let us back up our work and expressed our thoughts. By doing this, Mr. Korb saw maybe what we were trying to do and grade off of that. By reflecting on our artwork, we can back up our thoughts, which helped my grade a lot. He let us express our thoughts and ways of doing things.
  • This class was by far the best class that I enrolled in and, it really broadened my horizons in the very linear school setting. It was a truly great class, and Mr. Korb was able to really capture my attention and hold my interest throughout the year.
  • I liked how you used technology to enhance learning. I was able to review and practice techniques at home while watching the videos. It was amazing seeing the videos of art exhibits from the White House. Even on days when there was a substitute teacher, you still interacted with the class. The web site was inspiring to view on a daily basis. You seem to care about each individual student and were always there after school for extra help. I wish all my teachers were as involved and cool as you.

I did not pay these kids to put these words out there. While these are not ALL of the comments about the BEST things the kids took away from the year, these are some that caught my eye. I strive to help EACH and EVERY kid become engaged with the work they are producing. Creating visual art that means something to them is an experience that I do not think they get in all their classes. While the ideas behind the COMMON CORE will encourage teachers to make the work REAL WORLD and pertinent to  the child’s life, I have been seeing that as a part of the EVERYDAY of the ARTS for years. What was the BEST part of my year? The ingenuity and teamwork the kids developed, on their own, within the boundaries of the class and assignment, but on their own. Great job!

  • Not always serious & teaches a way where I personally want to learn the material.
  • I really enjoyed creating the clay slabs. Personally I think that ceramics is my forte, and I really enjoyed the project as a whole. However, I was upset that we were not able to finish this project by glazing it. (I Agree… Glazing – maybe this summer?)
  • This class is by far my most favorite class I have ever taken. In the beginning of the year I was intimidated and didn’t know how things were going to go. Once I found my own ideas it all came together. The atmosphere of the class is cool too. There is a wide variety of skill and styles. I have learned a lot not only from you, but also my classmates. I like that we are all doing our own individual things, but then can come together and talk about our artwork together. During the course of the year I learned a lot. I have been exposed to a lot a cool things. I have learned how to get through the frustration that comes with art making and also have learned that failure is okay and without failure, you cant get better. I think that is a good lesson to learn. I have only touched on some of the great experiences I’ve had in this class. There are much more. Thank you for an awesome year.
  • I like how Mr. Korb participates actively with all of the students and tells the students when they are doing well.
  • Well, I love art and Mr. Korb makes it a fun class to be in and stresses reflections of your daily progress and work which really helps me to look back at what I have created and to criticize myself.
Bullying Collage - Collaborative Work, 2014
Bullying Collage – Collaborative Work, 2014
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#WHSoc20 and #Feedback from the #SchoolYear

Taylor Gray
Taylor Gray – What a GREAT view of your community. Thanks Taylor for doing your part in making my school year one of the BEST ones yet! Mr. Korb!

Sunday night and I sit in the family room eating my popcorn, sitting back and watching the Tony Awards with my daughter. She’s beginning her first day of summer vacation with rehearsals for her show choir and I begin my first days of summer vacation in 3 days… oh well. My blog may take a hit as the summer begins, fewer posts yes, but more specific to educational topics versus the “Day to Day” stuff that happens in my classroom

It was a great year (give or take 5.5% of it) and I begin by thanking my students. Now that is not some trite comment that “every teacher says to their classes,” but is TRULY who I owe my thanks to. Yes, many great things have happened that were not necessarily on behalf of the direct actions of my students: ASCD Presentation in Los Angeles (via this website and my good friend and collaborator Janie Pollock), University of Melbourne, Australia Presentation (again… this website and Janie Pollock), EXCITING trip to Washington D.C. for National Teacher’s Appreciation Social (Thank you to Dr. Jill Biden and her staff), development of #WHSoc20 with the other 20 teachers from the Washington D.C. trip, new construction of a gallery space in our school to highlight the  the importance and elevate the standing of the visual arts in our society… and I could REALLY go on.

With all that I have been able to accomplish, all the highlights, it is the writing of my students (and the artwork) that really makes me proud. I provide a survey at the end of the year for kids to offer me feedback about my courses, lessons, classroom practices, and the like. I was surprised by a few of the responses and not surprised by others. The ones that REALLY stood out were less about me and more about what the kids took away from the courses. Those are what I share with you below. Please… if you have read this far, take the time to read even further… offer me YOUR feedback and I will share it with them.

Lastly, Wednesday, June 11 at 8:00pm CST on Twitter using #WHSoc20 you can join the conversation about the BEST ASPECTS of THIS year from a number of educators from across the country. We all met at the White House this spring and are doing what we can to spread the great news and practices in education… I hope you can join us…

Students Comments:

Q: Is there anything about this class that frustrates you?

  • The only thing that frustrates me is that I can’t be in art class all day.
  • It doesn’t have anything to do with Mr. Korb but it does with some of the students. Some of them are so disrespectful to each other and to the supplies they are given. It’s ridiculous.
  • That it is over.
  • there can be conflicts in what he see and i see and we
  • can butt heads on somethings
  • Only that I won’t be in class anymore [Insert Tears here.
  • Sometimes it feels like there is a lot of work put on me for projects.
  • Nothing really frustrates me, I like the fact that Mr. Korb gave us the opportunity to pick what we wanted to do for the projects.
  • that I can’t really take your great class (This one struck me with a 🙂 because I think she [Kira Baird – contact me at my email address, I’d love to talk!] is from NYC.

I wanted to go through more of the questions but… I will be saving them for the next post – Q: What do you like best about this class and / or teacher?

Thank you ALL for taking my classes and allowing me the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD for another year… Please send me your comments and thoughts! Subscribe and share the idea to subscribe. I have plans to share a lot this summer as I work on two articles on education and all that I have done and what can be done in the classroom… any classroom.

Frank

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#Exams for #2014 and End of Year #survey

BEFORE I BEGIN, if you’d like to earn a bit of extra credit… please take a moment to fill out the following survey about Mr. Korb and the courses…

Pshewwww…

The school year is over and it is time for exams. This is where the true test of what has been learned is put in front of us… or is it? In the course of the school year, our students have worked very hard and proven the abilities that they have time and again. Skills were developed. Problems solved. Artworks made. Failures happened. What to learn about it all? While we do need to have that final exam to put a cap on the year, the real learning will not be proven until many years down the road. As a teacher, I often do not get to see that. Regardless, I know that many of the life lessons taught in the classroom are put to use later in life. Whether I see it or not.

To the graduates – congratulations on the completion of a portion of your trip. The road that lies ahead is a very different one than the one you are leaving. For the underclassmen – I look forward to the upcoming years and know that the larger lessons that are yet to be learned will be learned and put to use – later. Remember to continue setting those goals and reaching for them. Those goals and dreams you write out are the ones you are more likely to reach. Interact and think about all that you hope to accomplish!

Frank

Grad Cover PSD

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#LastDayofSchool for 2013 – 14! #Exams!

“If we write our dreams and goals down, we dramatically increase our odds of realization. If we share them with others, they become potent and alive.” ―Kristin Armstrong

Dreams and GOALS? Well… Joseph Cornell had dreams… and he created BOXES to hold them in. https://artwithkorb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/bdb11-josephcornellbebemarie.jpg

Art Foundations 2D: Exam Review – CLEAN!

Elements and Principles – Artists and Techniques! What have you learned this year? http://bcwmsart.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/1/3/1813198/3297400.jpg

Goals: Let’s COLLECT your GOALS PAGES!

  1. Take a few minutes to glance over your notes… Understand the basics of the ELEMENTS and PRINCIPLES of all that goes into the making of art. COLOR, Perspective, Color Theory, Grid, Observation? What do you REMEMBER? What are you struggling with? How can I help? In the net 10 minutes – come up with 3 questions I can help you with.

Do you have a NOTECARD? Do you have plans to prep for the exam? How can you study things like PERSPECTIVE? COLOR WHEEL? COLOR SCHEMES?

Drawing: Portraits in Hallways – Continue to RESOLVE DRAWINGS! EXAM Questions – HERE.

Last day on the Farm! https://artwithkorb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/c00ba-jb01938-4l.jpg

Goals: Let’s HAND IN THE GOALS PAGES – Not the other stuff – Just the day to day written goals.

  1. RESOLVE your American Regionalist inspired drawing AND online research / essay / and artist statement for the final exam using  skill, confidence, and awareness so that your ideas are executed well. What do you need to do, specifics, to finish your artwork?

What does YOUR artwork have to say about YOUR community? Why did you choose what you did? What is IMPORTANT or INTERESTING to you about this image?

AP Studio Art: Exam update and COLLABORATION – GROUP PICTURE in front of the COLLABORATIVE WORK!

Hey – Like this! A GROUP Photo! https://artwithkorb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2ce72-annaa2526i1.jpg

GOALS:

  1. RESOLVE your collaborative mural for the Social Studies Computer Lab. WHAT DID YOU CONTRIBUTE?

Do you have the WEBSITE / BLOG up and running? This is a portion of the FINAL GRADE and you had ALL YEAR (essentially) to work on it. How can I help?