Art at Home
By Emily McCaslin
Going back to online school has taken us by surprise and many people have had to adjust how they operate their class. One group of people who fall into this category is art teachers.
Photo of Shelly Collins taken by Emily McCaslin
Mrs. Collins is one of two art teachers teaching art LIVE this semester at OHS. This is her ninth year teaching, but she has never experienced teaching an online class until this year.
“When you're not in the classroom setting and surrounded by other students in an art room, I think the challenge is motivation, for sure.” explains Collins.
Teachers are having to compose assignments that help students at home continue to receive a good art experience.
“I think my favorite thing that I've done so far that I felt was a good fit for online was a contemporary art study.” says Collins.
Collins is allowing students to do research over the internet to stay engaged as well as assigning videos over specific topics such as current artists.
“Unfortunately we can’t do as many 3D projects as we would if we were here in the room.”
Luckily, Collins is finding ways to help students earn their points while teaching 3D art without school materials.
“We actually are trying to do a little bit of sculptural work. I just have to be looser on my requirements. It’s pretty much whatever you can find. Whatever you can use to get the job done is okay.”
Collins got creative and assigned a perfect project to work on at home.
“I just asked them to find an object, basically a piece of trash, that they could deconstruct and reconstruct into something new.”
Despite the lack of motivation that sitting at home can cause, students are showing their creative side with materials found inside their home.
“It does force students to become more creative because you have to think outside the box and just use what's available.”
The world needs art and because of teachers' diligence and hard work, students are getting the opportunity to keep doing what they love.
Online school is difficult, but we’re all adjusting together. We just have to work around what is coming at us and be patient.