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"In Partnership with Families..." |
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4/2/10
Austin and Hudson guard the "coop."
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Egg-celent Science
Baby ducks are returning to the classroom just in time for spring.
The temperature is a toasty one hundred degrees, and there's still plenty of water to keep things moist. The "rotator" moves so slowly that its movement is imperceptible to the eye. In fact, the only way to know that the eggs have moved at all is to check back an hour later to see that they are at a slightly different angle. Every couple days or so, you have to open the lid of the incubator to flip the eggs over. When the lid's off, you detect a very slight "biological" odor. It smells a lot like what one would think twenty fertile duck eggs in a hundred degree incubator would smell like -only not nearly as strong.
That's about as much as there is to tell right now about this year's "gang" of ducks. With the help of Elie's mom Mrs. Brenda Spivak, we should be in for a lot of quacks come late April. For those wise to the ways of ducks, our breeds include: Black Swedish, Cayugya, Runner, and White Crested.
More fowl puns to follow.
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Update: Walden Happenings...
Our "Happenings" webpage is packed with photos and descriptions of events and triumphs from all around the school. Mr. Raymond just updated the page to include our visit from fantasy author, Brandon Mull, pictures from Walden's swim clinic and our 4th graders integration of technology in their Civil War Unit. For a direct look, please follow the link below:
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Please Remember that Extended Day will close at 3:00pm April 2.
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Mrs. Sewell Presents...
The Fablehaven Book Club
If you have read Fabelhaven Book 1 and would like to discuss it, meet in the Library Thursday, April 15, during lunch. Pizza and treats will be provided... along with MILK.
Remember to "Drink the Milk!"
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Spotlight On...
Mr. Rollins
Though Mr. Rollins' history with Walden School is only months old, he has been a longtime fixture in our city's art community. We are very pleased that he has chosen Walden to compliment to his "day job."
So Far...
I am a native of Louisville and have always been interested in art. I attended the Louisville School of Art, where I received my Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. Once I left school, I began working as an Artist-in-Residence with the Kentucky Arts Council, which allowed me to work with teachers and students around the state of Kentucky. I then lived in Covington Kentucky for several years while I worked on Master's in Fine Arts at the University of Cincinnati. Afterwards, I served on the visual arts faculty of the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts and taught in arts program for the University of Louisville, the Louisville Visual Arts Association, and the Kentucky Center. I then worked as a museum educator at the Speed Art Museum for twelve years, working primarily with teachers and schools to develop programs and resources. Just prior to coming to Walden, I taught with the Jefferson County Public schools at Shelby Elementary for three years.
Why Walden?
A number of things led me to teach at Walden, but primarily it was a desire to teach and learn about art with younger learners. The artist Pablo Picasso was credited with the quote "All my life I have been trying to paint like a child," and I believe he was expressing a desire to be more open-minded to ideas and ways of expressing himself. I relate to his quote both artistically and as a teacher, because many times I have found myself taught by students as much as I have taught them something.
Art?
I like it that art is a subject related to all other areas of the curriculum, and that you can find connections between art and math, literature, social studies, science, music, etc. Those kinds of connections help make for richer art experiences for everybody, and excite me and teach me more as an art teacher.
Art is also a materials-based subject, and I find that part of teaching art to be very satisfying. I believe we think differently when we are use tools like crayons, brushes and so forth, and teaching about art materials and tools is interesting to me.
Of course art is also about creativity and self-expression, and it is really great when students are creating artworks that are uniquely their own. Their interest and excitement in ideas and in what they create is infectious and is another example of how you learn from them in an art room.
Secrets?
(a) I believe it is as important to be a good person as it is to be a good artist.
(b) I have my own art studio, create artwork, and exhibit my artwork professionally.
(c) I probably would have gone into the medical field if I had not been as interested in art as I am.
If...
I like being active - so doing something out-of-doors is usually interesting to me. I also like to travel, so going to Cape Town in South Africa or taking a Walkabout in the Australian Outback would have real appeal for me. And, of course, I'd always like to be working on my own artwork.
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