INTRODUCTORY NOTE, for those who haven't yet experienced an art class with me, about what to expect: my classes are very process-oriented, moreso than product! I do not offer instruction to create step-by-step artwork; each child's art will be fully unique. To me, emphasizing process - particularly in the younger grades - is paramount to creating a child who wilingly engages in art-making. If you are looking for a step-by-step product-oriented class - this isn't it! On some class days, your child will spend the whole class period exploring the possibilities of a new medium, and on those days there might not be any 'product' whatsoever to speak of. But please rest assured: even if you don't always end up with something you'd want to hang on your refrigerator, your child will be engaged in joyful exploration, learning concepts as they go. My goal is for students to learn very early on that they never have to ask, "Can I do (insert anything - draw a car? draw a flower? do something different)?" - because the answer is always YES!

In each materials rotation, we'll focus on a particular medium/related media; I'll demonstrate techniques, and then ask kids to explore those ideas in their own artwork in whatever way feels good to them. I cannot tell you exactly what project your child will end up with on any given day, as it's largely dependent on their own imagination! For example, I've had sculpture classes during which - all at the same time - one child made a dragon, another made a hat, and another a building. They were all exploring the same sculptural idea in their own way. 

IN EACH ROTATION, most of which are 8 weeks long, we'll cover a different technique or way to think about the art materials each week during that rotation. Kids can drop in and out and explore at their own pace. Although consistent attendance ensures they pick up the most information, kids can drop in on any given week without a problem. See the MATERIALS ROTATION section below for more details.

Making art is about exploration, and in this class I'm providing a safe and supportive space in which to facilitate learners' exploration of art materials and creative expression - and if that means that instead of making a collage, your 6-year-old is discovering how satisfying it can feel to tear a piece of paper into tiny little pieces, then I'm fine with that (hopefully they'll then use them in artwork some how, but if not, that's ok too). This is not to say that every project will be completely open-ended, but I allow a lot of creative freedom in students' individual interpretations, and I'll never tell your child to stop making something in order to specifically do it 'my way.' 

WHAT WILL A CLASS SESSION LOOK LIKE? 
Our 45 minutes together usually works out to be 5-15 mins discussion/demo; 20-25 mins working; 5-10 wrap-up and sharing.
-I'll introduce the day's idea. Sometimes we will begin by looking at and discussing artwork related to the topic at hand (please note, though, we won't be looking at famous artworks with the intent of creating our own version of them).
-I'll demo, using a document camera to highlight my hands working. 
-Students will spend around 20-30 minutes working.
-We'll spend the last few minutes sharing and reflecting on our work (whomever would like to share).

MATERIALS ROTATION:
The rough schedule is as follows, but is subject to change - things may shift depending on the class itself. Although I have a structure in mind, I remain open to the idea that student work or discussion in class may spark a whole new direction for exploration!

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER:
WATERCOLOR Exploration: watercolor painting - basics & special effects (during the later weeks we'll do a bit more guided work than in some other materials rotations)
Materials needed: watercolor pan set (Prang or Crayola are great), a few different paintbrushes (ideally at least one flat [rectangular] and one round), watercolor paper (140lb is best), tape, salt, tissues/paper towels, crayons
week starting 9/5: watercolor basics: watercolor intro, wet on dry
week starting 9/12: watercolor basics: wet on wet 
week starting 9/19:  watercolor special effects: masking & removing paint from your paper 
week starting 9/26: watercolor special effects: textures 
week starting 10/3: watercolor exploration: mini nightscape, overlapping 
week starting 10/10: watercolor exploration: wax/crayon resist 
week starting 10/17: watercolor exploration: fish & birds
week starting 10/24: watercolor exploration: open-ended

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER:
DRAWING Exploration: line, value, color, depth
Materials needed: drawing paper, construction paper, pencils, markers, colored pencils and crayons
Week of 11/11: drawing - line - personality of line
Week of 11/18: drawing - contour - blind contour
Week of 11/25: drawing - continuous line (NO CLASS 11/27 for Thanksgiving)
Week of 12/2: drawing - value
Week of 12/9: drawing - colored pencil
Week of 12/16: drawing - colored pencil

JANUARY:
OIL PASTEL Exploration!
Materials needed: oil pastels (set of 16 is fine), black and white paper, toothpicks, q-tips & oil

FEBRUARY/MARCH:
PAPER Exploration: collage, paper sculpture
Materials needed: construction paper, scissors, tape, glue stick 

-APRIL/MAY:
SCULPTURE Exploration
Materials needed - paper, pipe cleaners/chenille stems, craft sticks
moving into CLAY - which will be a MULTI-WEEK CLASS rather than ongoing - that will not be paid weekly, but up-front, see details here: https://outschool.com/classroom/2dd572c8-2050-4220-9ed8-f0f0ae6a052c 
Materials needed - air-dry clay, simple tools (plastic utensils are fine)

JUNE: 
BOOKMAKING
Materials needed: construction paper and/or cardstock, scissors, glue stick 

WHO AM I/WHAT IS MY TEACHING APPROACH?
I'm an enthusiastic teaching artist, museum educator and bookmaker, and I've been teaching art for more than two decades in NYC in a huge variety of settings, including private schools, public schools, libraries, homeschool groups and some of the best art museums in the world. I delight in sharing in student discovery.

I strive for an interactive environment; I ask questions and hope learners will respond! During demonstrations, I highlight my hands using a document camera, and offer clear instruction about what I am doing. I check for comprehension throughout work time. 

A note on sharing: I ask students to share, but never insist - I don't believe in forcing anyone to share their work or their thoughts! I will ask them if they'd like to, and learners are always welcome to volunteer, but I understand that some kids are more shy than others and, having myself been a kid who didn't like to speak up too much in class, I know what it feels like when teachers push you to share. It is my hope that any learners who feel shy initially will eventually feel brave enough to share their work and speak up.

I'll be sprinkling in art vocabulary & talking about art along the way - as a museum educator, I love facilitating conversation about artwork with kids! Looking at and discussing the work of ourselves and others (peers, or established artists) is an important skill to develop in tandem with art-making. 

OUTSCHOOL RULES OF NOTE:
-Although siblings are welcome to share a camera, each individual learner must be registered.
-Cameras must be on to verify students and as mentioned earlier, I request they stay on for the duration of class.
-Parents may not appear on camera. You may sit near your learners, but please stay offscreen.

Feel free to reach out with any questions. I hope to see your learner in class!