Top three reasons I blog (and voting link!)

Dolvin families and MKSA readers - I am proud to announce that this blog (featuring the amazing work of Dolvin student artists) has been nominated among many outstanding Art Ed blogs for 2013 Art Ed Blog of the Year! It is quite an honor to be listed among such a talented group of art professionals - please take a moment to click the link below and vote for us, Mrs. Knight's Smartest Artists! You can vote for more than one, so choose any of your faves - shout out to another Fulton county art teacher nominee Laura Kim at "Art in the Big Green Room." Please vote by midnight on Friday, Feb. 7. Thank you, and keep reading below the link to find out why I think this blogging thing is so cool:

                           

http://www.theartofed.com/2014/02/03/finalists-announced-and-voting-open-2013-art-ed-blog-of-the-year/

Here are the top three reasons I continue to blog as an art teacher...

1. Keeping families in the art loop - I began my blog as a way to show off our art learning, because moms and dads have to wait all year to see their children's art from the year, as everything is compiled in portfolios until our Fine Arts Night show in May. Showing pictures of the processes, the inspiration, and the concepts behind the pieces really adds more meaning to the final works. In addition to blogging, we are building connections on Twitter and Instagram - see the links on the right sidebar.

2. Making authentic global connections - Not only did I connect with parents and students, I made art education connections across the country and even around the world! I have shared plans and stolen ideas from a huge variety of talented art educators, both seasoned pros with seamless style and fresh-faced, energetic newbies. Authentic learning and making connections to real world experiences is a big part of education these days, and we have had email communications with several current artists about their work and how we made pieces inspired by them. We have participated in art trades with other schools in multiple states and countries, and it is so exciting to feel like a part of something global when I spend so many of my days in my art room in Johns Creek, Ga! (I almost added it up, then I decided it was probably best not to - ha!)

3. Collaboration benefits all students - Bottom line, everybody benefits from shared knowledge - the teachers and the students. Sharing ideas in a huge pool of resources, like the art blogs listed in the link above, is an unparalleled benefit in this age. We all work hard planning, creating, rethinking, assessing, and I am so grateful to those of you who continue to share your knowledge for the benefit of all our students and I love it when I hear that our experiences have helped others.