Back to School Night Q & A

Art with Tangram Shapes (math & art)

Last night was our Back to School Night at Coral Academy of Science Elementary in Reno, Nevada. The parents' enthusiam for the arts is outstanding. Many of them stopped by the art room and offered input into what they would like their child to get from a fine art curriculum.

The number one desire was for their children to feel comfortable, secure, and open to create--to learn that mistakes are a part of the process and to persevere through the challenge. To share a few thougths that came my way:

" I want [him] to have the opportunity to explore, create without

 feeling like it needs to be "perfect"."

"To enjoy art and the process of art without being concerned about



The Science of Einstein meets Art Appreciation of Warhol
( Humanities &  Science)



making a "mistake" or getting art wrong."

 "I would love for him to find confidence and his own voice."

"To be openly creative... and to get joy out of art."

 "I want them to feel comfortable expressing themselves through art

 and to be able to use their art to help them in academics"

Which brings me to how art enriches learning for all the academic areas. One of the key components of my classes is guiding children to building a meaningful appreciation* toward art. To do that, close observation is necessary. The students must play close attention to the details of a piece and learn to re-examine and express their findings; visually, verbally, and written. This type of analysis is required in all the subjects helping to build critical thinkers.

I also want the students to be able to engage in quality conversation about art, the subject they are drawing, and apply it toward what they are learning in their regular classroom. Presentations will be apart of our days which are important to hone their public speaking skills and confidence at an early age. Overall, these components add tremendously to success in literacy.

Math and the art of M.C. Escher

Finally, it is impossible to discuss art without integrating Social Studies, History, the Humanities. Students will simultaneously learn an appreciation for art and different media while learning of many cultures and eras. 

There are so many ways to connect art to the other academic fields. I'd love to hear your ideas how art connects to academics and life skills in the comments below. Don't be strangers. I'd love to hear from you, in the classroom (8am), by email (ssnyder@coralacademy.org), or here on the blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

* The italicized words in the above text have been taken from the Common Core Standards: Guiding Principles for the Arts K-12 by David Coleman. 

Welcome Back from Art at Coral Elementary!

The 2012-2013 school year has begun and it 's time for my K-4th Art Smart students to start creating.

Before we get into lessons, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Skye Snyder and this is my tenth year teaching and my first year at Coral Academy of Science Elementary School here in Reno, Nevada. I am thrilled to bring my education and art background to an alternative school. At Coral, all the students, Kindergarten through 4th grade participate in a fine art curriculum. The students will be learning the art elements and principles of design in a nurturing yet challenging environment. It is my goal to guide our students to become keen observerers of their world and encourage them to visually express their ideas and creativity while learning skills and artistic techiniques. 

I hold a Masters degree in Education and a Bachelors in Art and Anthropology. Additionally, I am a working artist creating photographic portraiture for over twenty years. I invite you to view my online photography presence at Skye Snyder Photography or on Facebook.

As a reminder, this blog's purpose is for sharing information and showcasing our proud students' work to a larger audience. No photographs or names will be used on this blog without written parent/guardian consent. All comments will be moderated by me and I ask everyone to be supportive and encouraging when leaving comments for our little artists. Thank you.

If you are a parent and wanting to communicate, please come by the classroom to talk in the morning at 8am or email me at ssnyder@coralacademy.org.

I am looking forward to experiencing your child's creativity.