What a lovely afternoon I had with Mrs. Coulter and her 2nd grade students. Today they were learning how to use shapes to make a Unicorn. They even got to use some beautiful pearl paint for their pictures.
Thank you for letting me be a guest in your artroom. I enjoyed watching the kindergarten students create monsters for their scary pictures.
This post features a wide variety of art lessons created by Jane Peterson for the Arizona Centennial show ranging from kindergarten to upper elementary (click on first photo to view slide show).
Each year the Amphitheater art teachers get together to assemble the annual art show. Then we spend the afternoon in some kind of professional learning. Last year we went to Crizmac and this year we enjoyed our afternoon at the new Ben’s Bell location downtown. Here are some photographs from our afternoon together.
Our very own Mimi Griffis has been nominated for Teacher of the year!
Click on the photo to see a wonderful video of Mimi…
February 24th there is a dinner/reception at the U of A and the Teacher of the Year will be announced! Go Mimi….you ARE teacher of the year to us!
I’m sure many of you get the Schoolarts Magazine. In the November 2011″Telling stories” issue there is a short write up about this new blog: Art Advocado. If you are a blog reader I really think you’ll like this site.
As the author of this site it seems strange to talk about myself in third person—so, I won’t!
I am very excited to announce that an article I submitted to SchoolArts magazine was accepted and published this month. Last November I traveled to Florida and presented this lesson at the NCTE conference. I am so happy to finally see this wonderful collaborate with a great colleague from Virginia in print!
Enjoy… (click on the image to link to article online)
I am Kathleen Koopman, currently art teacher at Harelson Elementary. I was transferred here last school year from La Cima Middle School where I taught for seven years and was just settling in. Elementary is VERY different, I am retooling everything! Teaching art for me is like being in the studio all day with lots of materials and many small children.
I attended many schools (Fashion Institute of Technology, U of A, and C. W. Post College, L.I.U.) before earning a Bachelors, and then a Masters, of Fine Arts. I then had a career as book designer, illustrator and graphic artist as I raised my daughter Maggie. When she went to college I transitioned back to teaching (my long held goal) part time at Prince for two years, and got my foot in the door at Amphitheater.
I love being home in my studio and try to get something done every day. I work with found objects and assemblage and collage. This summer I stayed home the whole time (til Aug. 7 when I went to my daughter’s wedding). I experimented with some new themes and materials and want to use them in my teaching this year. I am excited about the Arizona Centennial theme and the longer and earlier Foothills Show.
Meet Jane Peterson…”I have lived in Tucson since 1982 and graduated from the UofA with a BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration in 1986. I have worked as a graphic designer and am married and have 3 grown children. While raising my children I worked both as a volunteer and as a part time non-certified art specialist in a variety of schools in TUSD. I received my Masters of Elementary Education degree and began my full time certified art specialist career in January 2007 at Walker Elementary School. I enjoy many art mediums, but making pottery, both hand-built and wheel thrown, is currently my art medium of choice.” ~ Jane 
Amphitheater Art Instructors' Blog 