Christmas Table Decorations

The Christmas table looked fabulous this year thanks to my very talented daughter. Red and white was the theme with an eclectic collection of trimmings including candles, painted cane balls, Christmas baubles, coloured twigs and glass jars. Complimented with fresh native Christmas bush, the table was ready!

Happy Christmas to all my readers!

Best Practice

Is this best practice? Is this the best way to achieve the outcomes? Is there a better way? What can I change to achieve best practice? I am always asking myself questions like these but also asking the students I teach! I rephrase the questions slightly and ask for feedback. I try to prioritise to make the time to recognise and record their thoughts on how they "best" learn. Allowing time for students to express thoughts about their learning also builds their self esteem. Students see that you sincerely value their thoughts and ideas. As an experienced teacher, I know that what has always "worked well" may not be "best practice"next time. I have high expectations for the students I teach so I constantly ask myself, "How can I achieve best practice?"
Enjoy this image I took recently from the burnt out remains of the observatory at Mt Stromlo, ACT.  Only the rounded walls and window frames remain. Devastating fires ravaged Canberra and surrounds in 2003.

Floriade in Canberra 2013

Amazing designs filled with a rhapsody of colour has to inspire any "budding" artist! This year's Floriade is truly inspirational.

Layer upon Layer

In watercolour and acrylic, these artworks simply bring joy. Inspired by the colours of spring, layer your colours for this "feel good" effect! Simple :)

Ipads and teaching: a great combination!

I have been using ipads in my teaching program over the last few months with great success. With the Phase 1 ESL students I have taken them to key locations in the school and photographed these: the canteen, sickbay, office, library etc. Back in the classroom each day we are reminded of these places visually. There are also great programs where words are pronounced in English and the students can record and playback these words. Great for encouraging them to speak English confidently.
In Learning and Support, Maths and English can be done on the white board and photographed for a record. Great for students who feel daunted by trying to fill a page with numbers/words or who have difficulties with fine motor control. There is also a great App which plays back the exact pronunciation of the words you have typed in. This really helps students to self correct their spelling.
The possibilities are endless!!!!
Enjoy these photos I took in the playground recently. The birds are enjoying "their" lunch as soon as the students returned to class! This would give the students something to write about.

Enjoy life!

I have the best advice ever. Don't put off today what you could do tomorrow. Just do it! In our busy lives it's easy to say, "I'll do that one day." My advice to you is not to worry about things that don't really matter. Do what you have to do then do what you want to do. Go on....explore your inner creativity! Enjoy :)

Art from recycled materials

A trip to the local scrap metal yard and recycling the old backyard fence can create something quite unique! Inspired by the wonderful artist Rosalie Gascoigne my son created this masterpiece. Why not search your backyard shed, collect otherwise discarded materials and make something special. Actually, I scour secondhand stores for ceramics to smash and use in my mosaics. Barely costs a thing!

Ken Robinson...well worth listening to

British education expert and author Ken Robinson believes schools should place greater value on children's creativity and their capacity for innovation. “We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather we are educated out of it,” he says in the TED 2006 talk. In his speech he called for creativity to be given the same status in education as literacy. “We have to rethink the fundamental principles on which we are educating our children.” I think we have come a long way since 2006, but still have a journey ahead of us. 

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Sunday night inspiration...

Sunday night inspiration!!!! Another week, new challenges, new ideas!!!!!! Sydney....what an amazing city to live in :) This photo was taken from Goldfields House, Circular Quay on New Year's Eve. Stunning view. I am sure this image will be inspirational!

Make creativity happen!

I was at the Bowral Markets in the NSW Southern Highlands recently and bought some gorgeous hand made cards. So imaginative that I had to pin them to the wall of my classroom for the students to view. Likewise I have miniature art canvases and easels, streamers, miniature pencil sets, specialty papers, glitter, rainbow textas, stickers etc etc. I am currently teaching students with learning needs and weave my creativity into each and every lesson. I can't recommend more highly the the importance of stocking your classroom and home with materials conducive to creativity. Keep things like clay, googly eyes, paddlepop sticks, feathers, confetti, pine cones, coloured papers, tape, glue, scissors etc on hand and readily available. If you can provide the materials then creativity will naturally follow. Not only does this encourage creativity and abstract thinking, but it also provides opportunities for promoting teamwork through working collaboratively. 

Brilliant Barcelona

Barcelona in the Summer...wonderful art and architecture! Endless possibilities to be inspired :)

Museum of Contemporary Art Brisbane

Love this indigenous mask. Great to kick start an inquiry into mask making. Always a hit!

Where the rainforest meets the sea

Jeannie Baker's wonderful stories make perfect links for inspiration in Visual Arts. This is The Daintree at Cape Tribulation which is the setting for her story. The REAL "Where the rainforest meets the sea". Such a beautiful place.

Warm up winter : collaborative artmaking

Promote working collaboratively by providing bright coloured papers and card to produce effective communal mixed media artworks. Students overlap shapes and colours creating a balanced design. Finish with fluorescent and glitter paints squeezed from a bottle in petal patterns. This is a great activity to encourage communal decision making and working together in harmony.

Links to Literature

For younger students read the story "Where The Wild Things Are" to inspire wonderful drawings. This Wild Thing was drawn in pencil, outlined in black pastel and coloured in watercolour. Easy, creative and fun!

Creativity....food for thought!

What is Creativity?

Creativity is the ability to invent or imagine something new. It is the ability to generate new ideas by changing, combining or reapplying existing ideas. Some creative ideas are brilliant, while others are just simple, practical ideas that no one has thought of yet. Often all that's needed to be creative is to make a commitment to creativity and to take the time to focus on this. Go on.....take some time!

Creativity is also linked to attitude. You need to foster the ability to accept change and newness, to play with ideas and possibilities and have a flexible outlook. Enjoy the moment but wonder at how you can improve things. The creative person realizes that there are other possibilities, like walnut and vegemite sandwiches or fold up gumboots. (speaking of rain!!!!!)

Creative people know that there is always room for improvements and that creativity involves a continual process. Creative people make gradual alterations to refine to their ideas. Creativity involves looking constantly for ways to change, even if only slightly, to improve the outcome.

There are so many applications for education. Working now in Learning and Support, I am constantly weaving the creativity I have acquired through working in the field of visual arts for 9 years, into my current teaching practice.

Endless possibilities......

Fantastic shopfronts in Camden Town, London

One of my favourite places to visit in London is Camden Town, a short tube ride north of the city centre. There are amazing markets and some fantastic street art. These images of shopfronts would provide endless possibilities for Visual Arts lessons. Students could design their own shopfront which reflects their interests and vision. Possibilities are endless!

Vivid Sydney time again!

Great way to inspire and engage your students would be to display images from Vivid Sydney in your classroom....perfect links for Science and Visual Arts! This is a wonderful initiative and well worth a visit.

How do we promote critical and creative thinking?

Some thoughts on how to teach children critical and creative thinking........

Firstly I believe you need to expect this type of thinking. Ask the students to defend their ideas and opinions. They need to justify and support with evidence how they have arrived at their conclusion and why they consider it correct. 
Secondly critical thinking needs to be clearly modelled. Show the students how to think critically and creatively. Demonstrate how to think about alternative answers and then arrive at the answer most likely considered correct. Learning activities should have clear expectations for students to develop critical and creative thought.
Thirdly, when a students thinks critically and creatively, this need to be acknowledged and rewarded. When good thinking occurs, draw attention to the student that generated it and encourage others to think in this way.

Now...this has got me thinking!!!!!

Australian environments from aerial perspective

Love this idea which is one of mine. Looking at Australian environments from an aerial perspective, students combine photographic images with mixed media in their collaborative artwork. I used decorated papers (with pastel and dye), straw, wool and pipe cleaners.

Australian coastline: make your own collage papers

This activity needs to be done in two stages. First lesson is to make the collage papers to represent the sand, sea, sky, rocks and greenery in the sand dunes. Demonstrate the brush techniques to create textures: broad, smooth for the sky, layered, flowing for the sea, dabbing for the sand, twisting for the rocks and short vertical strokes for the greenery in the sand dunes. Once dry, these can be collaged and assorted mixed media materials added for a wonderful finished artwork. Inexpensive and no need to purchase expensive specialty papers! 

Aboriginal Salt Pan Designs

Inspired by the book "Why I Love Australia" by Bronwyn Bancroft, students can make wonderful designs after viewing her depiction of the Australian inland salt pans. I suggest a pencil sketch first then outlined in permanent marker. Encourage the students to take risks when applying water colour to let the colours mix together to create a unique effect. This book is great to make meaningful links between literature and art. I have used this book in my visual art programs from Kindergarten through to Year 6 with impressive outcomes.

Budget garage sale classroom resources

I picked up a great book about Australia at a garage sale for $2.00! It had fabulous images of Australian flora, fauna and landscape which I cut out and laminated. Instantly I had a gorgeous set of images to inspire the students in their drawing. They are very glossy and the students loved them! Many had images on the back also which is a further saving in laminating costs! We picked up a laminator for use at home for $50.00, so great value and convenient.

Stick insects

I think these stick insects in a natural habitat are fabulous. All you need are sticks, assorted debris from the garden beds and a hot glue gun. You will have to ask the students to design their stick insect and then you will have to use the glue gun! You could also make other creatures, real or fantasy. Costs very little, but a simple and fun idea. Great for a unit of work on sustainability.

Rustic colour mixing

My students love this activity. Fold newspaper three times to create a rustic palette. Add primary colours, red, blue and yellow to the newspaper plus white. Use medium size flat brushes to mix colour to paint but no water! Show students the artwork of Australian artist Queenie McKenzie as inspiration for painting the landscapes of the Kimberley region in Western Australia. Students can clean their brush from time to time by painting onto their palette but encourage them to take risks and discover what wonderful colours they can create by mixing. The newspaper palette can be folded together to spread remaining paint, left to dry and used for future collage projects, or left-over paint used in a communal artwork with a similar theme.

Great classroom craft storage idea

Very cheaply you can store craft materials in hanging polyester nets. From IKEA I have purchased these fabulous storage tubes with six compartments for $4.99!!!! Best for lightweight materials such pompoms, feathers, ribbons, wool etc. The students love to use to these and draw their inspiration by having them in view and accessible. They come in bright, appealing colours and look great. All you need is a hook or two in the ceiling and a quick trip to IKEA then Reverse Garbage for inspirational supplies.

Scour second hand stores

When searching for inspiration without breaking the budget, I often scour the local second hand stores. I found this cute little bottle to mosaic for 50 cents. This is one of my current works in progress and next step is grouting. Often you can find tables, trays, vases, bottles and jars very cheaply which make a great base for communal projects. You need to be open minded, really LOOK and use a little imagination! Pop some loose change in your pocket and have fun....I do :)