I am finished for this school year and it has been so interesting and only occasionally frustrating. This is a great school with engaged staff and administration. My glitches were the business office ordering materials and getting the building folks to play nice with art and women. It all worked out and we had our grant extended into next year. This is so important for this type of learners to have at least 2 years. This is a developmental learning school and what I might take for granted takes more time. On the last day students finally looked at me directly and related verbally. Jayde learned my name instead of saying “excuse me” all the time. On the last day we got students to draw things for the next part of the mural. I think autistic kids and most of us need to see something concrete not abstract to understand. I have been blessed with being able to see the big picture and help others do the steps to create something. I’m kind of an art general contractor. Most aren’t like me that way I’m finally realizing. Hopefully this realization will make me a better teacher.
What we have so far. This is 16 ft by 8 ft high and the lighting makes it so hard to photograph. It is a curved wall so that is why I went with an appliqué approach. The high relief bits are attached with construction adhesive and temporary screws. It was decided that I could install. This gave me the opportunity to have students set tiles directly on the wall and one of the most rewarding parts of the process. We now have 16 additional feet to work with. I’m delighted students now get it and are excited about designing more. I can’t wait to see how things develop next year.
Our high relief dog. A student made a drawing of a teacher’s dog that we used. We have an F-16(I think that’s the right plane) that another student drew.
A kids Sponge Bob
Some handmade clay bits with our background of blue glass tiles. I had them set handmade tile and glass tile on small pieces of mesh. This was a great way to have kids apply tile to the wall. I always want to know what clay and glazes were used so for us it was some kind of low fire white that I found in the art room and rehydrated. We used Amaco velvet underglazes my go to glaze for inside and outside and a low fire gloss glaze. I had most of the kids use cookie cutters to make tiles but some made more unique tiles. John made his name and large! We spread the letters out throughout the mural.
This is what a circuit with a battery ,switch, and motor looks like to a second grader. I am pleased that almost 100% of the kids mastered this and can wire a circuit themselves.
In fourth grade we started with doodlebots and vibration motors. They were such a great group I added pulleys and we made car like things. They earned the right to use hot glue so we could do more. Five days was way too short with this group. They were so engaged and became independent creative thinkers very fast.
when possible is ideal for this community of learners. Paper mache also. I think these kids benefit greatly from hands on tactile repetitive experiences. These are techniques that work with all levels of ability to create a fabulous whole. Today Dasante came running into the art room with a big smile on his face. We all need more art then we get normally. It touches us in places that can’t be measured. It touches these children in ways we should be paying more attention too.
Dasante’s butterfly
this is a great way to have kids explore the medium and than cut and paste to make it work on the final piece. Handmade cutouts with mosaic look ok no matter what happens and that’s why I love it for my big messy projects.
I find it’s good to mix a few whites together for a thing than just one color. the cat is a combination of 3 whites and the background is a combination of 4 blues. the tiles are attached to the cat form with Elmers. I prefer tacky glue or Weldbond but they didn’t come in time. Any PVA glue will work. If it gets messy they are water soluble and scrub off of cement products in the end. Interior projects have more wiggle room. If the tiles are set too close it isn’t a big deal since you aren’t dealing with water penetration and frost.
We have a kiln!!!! even if kids mush up the colors they work out. We used cookie cutters to make tiles for kids to underglaze. I have been using Amaco Velvets. It seems like even if kids mush up the colors it works out. Those that could make more unique parts did but every kid had a good time. The school had dried up white clay that we rehydrated and hand wedged and rolled with a rolling pin. We then put a gloss glaze on top so everything turned pink. I never get bored seeing things come out shiny from the kiln after the glaze firing.