A session at the Chicago National Art Educators Association Convention caught my attention: Teaching for Artistic Behavior. The system is also called Choice-Based Art Education. I almost missed the session by going into the wrong room! When I realized that the session I had gotten into was a PHD student reading his research paper, I was glad I could give my seat to someone else. I'm sure it was a great paper because it was a very crowded session. There were people sitting on the floor and more standing in the back, waiting to take my chair. I quickly moved my wheeled backpack, overflowing with handouts, materials, and samples to the room next door to find two women talking joyously about setting up an art classroom as a studio, then encouraging students to take advantage of the time and space. They showed photos of their classrooms with materials available to students in great storage areas around the classroom. Each section of the room is set up with work space, materials, and printed directions and inspiring materials about artists who use those same materials. As the session went on, I began to feel more and more at home. These are people who speak a language that I understand--encouraging students to ACT LIKE AN ARTIST! After the Convention, I did even more research and set up studio spaces in my classroom the week after I returned to school. During the final quarter of the school year, I experimented with giving students choices. I usually limited the choices to materials that students had used previously in art classes in the present or previous year. Students from second grade on up reacted with wonderful enthusiasm. At the beginning of this school year, I began with lessons reviewing techniques and appropriate handling of different kinds of paint, drawing materials, clay and glaze, sculpture materials, and found objects and collage, weaving and sewing. As we begin the second quarter, students are painting, drawing, making sculptures, Christmas decorations, puppets, posters, quilts, and clay things of every description. Here are a couple of blogs that address the fun and frazzle of having an art studio peopled by kid artists. nsojka@n-winn.k12.ia.us http://www.cfralick.blogspot.com/ http://tabnaea.blogspot.com/2005/02/teaching-for-artistic- behavior.html

Thanks for your continuing support as an AEI Member and/or advocate for the Visual Arts.

Sincerely,