Why I Teach Art

 

 This may be my favorite picture ever.

 One of my schools, Our Lady of Angels, is closing at the end of the year due to budget cuts within the Archdiocese of New York.  It's sad for the teachers and the students - I'm only there one day a week, but I will miss them (and teaching in a school with an art classroom) next year. For one of our wrap-up projects, I had the 3rd and 4th graders draw a picture of their favorite thing about the school.  Sometimes students tend to draw or write what they think you want to hear, but the kids were all pretty honest about this assignment - lots of friends, lots of gym class.

I think only one student picked art class.  This kid arrived part way through the year and is a great young artist, so I know his answer was sincere - in fact, I was kind of expecting it.  But what he drew to depict art class blew me away. 

Clockwise from upper left: Snowy Evening, Solar System, Greek Vases, Pointillist Easter Eggs, Spring Flowers, Opposite Valentines, Above and Below Gardens, Mother's Day Card, City Skyline.

He wasn't even here yet when we did some of these projects.  What a great memory and what a great job of depicting the artwork!  Best of luck next year, Joey, and thanks so much for the great picture!