The Creative Journey of the Class of 2029

About Your Child's Art Classes

Arts teachers see students in Preschool through Fourth Grade once a week. The amount of time they spend in class varies from year to year based on what is developmentally appropriate.

Messaging from teachers, parents, and other important adults makes a huge difference! You can encourage your child to continue their artmaking efforts by:

Praising EFFORT over PRODUCT.
"Wow, I can tell you spent a lot of time on this drawing! How many times did you have to practice to get it right?"
"What part of your performance are you proud of? What do you wish you could do better?"

Helping your child reflect on the TIME and PRACTICE that goes into being an artist.
"How much practice do you think it took that person to get that good at playing their instrument?"
"How long do you think that person spent making that artwork?"

Giving SPECIFIC feedback instead of saying "Lovely!" or "Good job!"
"You really captured the personality of that character!"
"I notice you included a lot of details in this person's clothing in your artwork."

Asking OPEN-ENDED questions about your child's work.
"Can you tell me about your artwork?"
"What is the song about?"

DRAMA
Ms. Elise

Drama class is an opportunity to build an ensemble and express ourselves. As a class, we learn about different elements of theatre as we work as a team to tell stories. Using our bodies and voices, we transform into different characters and learn how to communicate our emotions effectively.

I believe that drama is an opportunity step outside your comfort zone. A place to build support and community as we learn how to effectively communicate with an audience and with each other. Whether you are a performer or someone behind the scenes, there is something to be learned from working as a team to accomplish a shared goal.

MUSIC
Mrs. Gallinari

Music classes at AACA are designed to be a joyful social and cultural experience for students. We explore music from all over the world as we sing, use instruments, dance, and play together. Students also learn to decipher written music notation as we turn an analytical eye and ear to the songs we learn.

I believe that creating music together is a unique opportunity for children to explore the relationship between self and community. In our music class we engage in a great deal of group music-making, and every individual plays a role in creating the group experience. My role is to facilitate musical opportunities for students to connect with each other socially and emotionally. It is in these moments of shared focus and purpose that students experience the most rewarding moments of musicianship.

VISUAL ART
Ms. Morrell

My approach to teaching is called choice-based art education. The foundation of a choice-based approach emphasizes the role of the student as artist where they become the primary drivers and decision makers for their art-making experiences.

As a fellow artist and teacher in our AACA studio, I believe my role is to provide the structure, skills and resources for learners of all abilities and diverse backgrounds to thrive.

I find students are most successful and engaged when they are able to pursue an artistic process that feels most authentic to them within a supportive, collective environment.

About the Studio Habits of Mind

Arts classes at AACA use the Studio Habits of Mind as a framework for guiding student learning. These 8 habits describe the learning and thinking processes that students engage in as they create art, music, drama, and dance with us. Look for these habits throughout the project descriptions in arts classes portfolios to better understand the learning goals we are working on with your children.