Artist in Residency

Collaboration through art making is the most fundamental goal of this residency. Working together with an artist-in-residence will encourage students to see art as an integral part of their education and as well positive aspect in their community. In theory, this collaboration experience will result in a greater appreciation for the visual arts in the Becker community as a whole. This community appreciation will ignite through an opportunity to witness and enjoy the artwork with a community artwork unveiling. The public unveiling event would be an optimum time to showcase other student artwork as well- a district art show per se. A measurable outcome of this art show event would be student, parent and public attendance numbers as well as publicity articles in the local paper as well as on our district website and electronic outdoor reader board. This piece of art will be a permanent part of one of our main entrances on the school campus. Although the specific subject matter of the mosaic has yet to be decided, school colors and mascot emblems would be a well-received, community-inspired choice. Visitors to the school will feel a sense of Bulldog Pride" as the mosaic piece will be prominently displayed.Student goal achievement will be measured based on an evaluation rubric, self-reflection and peer review. Since participation will not be included in a class grade assessment, the rubric and other evaluation tools will be for objective purposes only. Four themes will be highlighted on the rubric: 1) Collaboration, 2) Creativity, 3) Critical Thinking, and 4) Methods/Techniques. Criteria under each theme may include the following: Did the students effectively work with each other in completing the project? Do they understand the values and variations in texture, pattern and contrast? What specific artistic skills did the students take away from this project? In working as a team, what were some of the rewards and some of the challenges? How did the student add to the design process of the piece? Peer critique will also be used in evaluation ("peers" may include students as well as administrators, community members, the Artist In Residence herself as well as the art teachers involved with the collaboration). This method can lead to refined and evaluated thoughts and can maximize artistic efforts and ideas between individuals. By interpreting othersÆ opinions and thoughts in visual form, students not only realize their own interpretations of beliefs but also of those of other cultural and historical perspectives. Critiquing through an open-ended but guided prompt encourages students to respond with originality but also gain a sense of appreciation for othersÆ work. Reflection and review on this scale can lead to an increase in self-confidence, self-discipline, motivation and persistence."