Frequently Asked Questions...
Why is art education so important?
Art is all around us! If we didn't have the visual arts and art education teaching future generations about being creative, many of the things we use, enjoy and love probably wouldn't exist. I like to tell the kids that the world would be a very boring place if we didn't have creativity and art! Also, there has been such a big push over the years for kids to focus on math and science (which are definitely important!), yet there is sometimes a blatant disregard for the arts. A strong arts education experience helps in educating "the whole child", guiding them to be a skillful, well-rounded person. It also supports their learning in other subjects in school!
I am not talented in the visual arts, but my child is and wants to do more with art. How can I support them outside of school?
A lot of parents and guardians struggle with this question. If you're lacking in art talent, don't worry! There are many things you can do to support your child's love of art. Below is a list that you can use to help your child when they are away from school:
- Provide them with some basic art and crafting supplies at the beginning. They may want something special to use, but don't worry about buying the most expensive, professional grade supplies you can find! It's not about that :). Shopping for the supplies together can be a fun experience and those art kits with a bunch of different art supplies are a great option for the little ones!
- If your child is resistant to taking out all of the supplies on their own, try to dedicate a spot in your home where the kids can sit and work on art. I know it can be tricky to find a great spot for an art center, but if you can find a spot in your home where they play often (near a natural light source would be ideal!) and just leave some of the non-super-messy supplies out, they will gravitate towards it and create something when they are ready.
- Play an art game! Just doing a quick Google search of art games for little kids can provide you with activities that the whole family can enjoy, regardless of skill level!
- Head to the local library! There are lots of classes offered there for young artists and they have plenty of resources there for kids to use that relate to the visual arts. They even have drawing books that show kids how to create pictures of things that they are interested in! If you can't get them to the library, YouTube has plenty of age-appropriate "How-To-Draw" videos that kids can use with a computer or tablet and their own piece of paper. I have had several students tell me about how they've learned to draw countless different things just by watching these videos!
- Look into some park district art classes for your child to take and enjoy. Just note that many of them are geared towards kids that are a little bit older but the HF park district does have plenty of options for kids (especially in summer!)
- Head to an art museum! Homewood has that great quality of having our rail system go right into the heart of downtown Chicago, with the Van Buren stop on the Metra Electric Line being right under the doorstep of the Art Institute (https://www.artic.edu/events)! They make things very affordable for families and offer some perks as well:
Museum admission is free for Chicago teens under the age of 18.
Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free to Illinois residents every Thursday evening from 5-8pm.
Additionally, children under age 14 are always free
When will my child bring home their artwork?
The kids will bring home everything they make in art class at school by the end of the year. Completing projects, assessing, and grading takes time when one art teacher teaches almost 600 students each year. I do also like to photograph many of the projects for the students' digital art portfolios on Artsonia. In addition to these reasons, there are several art shows that happen in the late winter and spring time where some of these projects will be displayed, so the artworks cannot be returned to the students until after those events have taken place.
Why did my child receive the art grades that they did?
This depends on several factors, but keep in mind that at this age, the Willow students are just starting on their artistic journey, developing their skills and knowledge as we work through different lessons and projects. In the early elementary art room, most of the art grading focuses on following directions, proper use of materials, determining if the students have taken their time on their work and also determining if they have tried their best on their artwork.
What is my child's Artsonia username or access code?
Please email me at [email protected] and I can get that info to you!
Can I donate or buy supplies to the Willow Art Program?
Of course! If you ever find yourself with A LOT of any materials that young children could use in art class, I will probably be able to use them (when I say "a lot", i mean enough for almost 200 students...aka an entire grade level). I do ask that you contact me first through email before lugging them to school.
Also, I have had some parents ask if they can buy any supplies for the art room at Willow and while I would love for you to do that, it can be a little overwhelming to do so with all of the choices available. I do have an Amazon Wish List of items that can be used in the art room at Willow:
If you choose to purchase any supplies for my classroom, I would appreciate it greatly and my students would as well! :)