FOR ARTISTS

During the Residency

Artist/Teacher Partnership

Residencies are most effective when artists and teachers actively collaborate to help students learn new skills and concepts, share their work and join in discussions about the creative process. Bring an attitude of curiosity, imagination, discovery, empathy and reflection with you into the classroom; be willing to learn as well as teach. As a guest in the classroom, you are not legally responsible for the students. A certified teacher must be present in the classroom with you at all times. Discuss with teachers how you will share responsibility for classroom management, leading activities or helping students who are having difficulty. Ask about any special classroom or school procedures (designated student roles in classroom operations; quiet signals for gaining attention; permission/passes for restroom or other release times).

Residencies also function as professional development for teachers—a time to learn new techniques and approaches, be exposed to a variety of resources and work with a professional in the field. Provide handouts, resources and suggestions for follow-up activities that can extend the concepts and skills learned in the residency.

Troubleshooting

Even the most carefully planned residencies offer challenges; look at these difficulties as part of the creative process. When problems arise, brainstorm and talk directly with classroom teachers and site administrators to resolve them. Your AIE Partner and AIE Mentor (for artists in their first AIE residency) are available to assist in clarifying guidelines, seeking solutions and offering thoughtful experienced suggestions. All of the common issues listed below can be addressed or solved through frequent and forthright communication with the AIE Partner.

  Some common issues include:   Avoid these issues by:
       
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Frequent or unannounced schedule changes which may disrupt the flow or progress of a residency.

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Ensuring that all teaching staff directly involved in the residency is aware of the schedule and has it reflected in their lesson plans.
       
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The participating teacher is not in the classroom with the Residency Artist.

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Allowing the artist to participate in the scheduling of the residency to make certain they are available when needed.
       
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Supplies are not present when needed.

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Ordering supplies well in advance of the start of the residency and making creative substitutions for items that may not be available or within budget.
       
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Students are pulled from the residency during class time.

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Confirming that the Core Group of students will be available when the residency is scheduled especially if the group is pulled from multiple classes or grade levels.

Limited edition print of a cake produced at David Brearley High School, Kenilworth

David Brearley High School, Kenilworth

Kenilworth High School Students created a community cookbook, Culinary Kenilworth, that represented the hard work of the AIE students, teachers, and citizens of Kenilworth. The cookbook was filled with recipes submitted by community members, along with art work and poetry produced by students with the help of AIE Teaching Artist and printmaker Nanci Hersh and visiting author Penny Harter. Art work was created from photographs taken by students on a walking tour of their town. The photos were then transferred to prints to be included in the cookbook. The local Historical Society became part of the project as Art teacher Janice Marsili contacted the organization to tell them about her students’ work. The Historical Society was grateful that students were taking an active interest in the community, and acquired several of the students’ prints to help document the present life of the town. Schering-Plough also sponsored the project and agreed to mount, frame, and display all of the students’ prints at their corporate gallery.

Art teacher Janice Marsili wrote, “I had taught Lexi, a special education student before. She liked art, but was often distracted in class. She quickly took to Nanci Hersh, our AIE Teaching Artist, and with her support ended up creating two etchings instead of one during the residency. Lexi also became the ‘expert’ on helping students pull their prints at the press. Even when the residency was over for the year, her interest in art continued to grow. This grant proved to be the catalyst for her newfound artistic passion.” The business students typed all the cookbook recipes and were present at the culminating event on June 12, 2008 where they marketed the cookbook and raised over $1,000 to help restore the Oswald J. Nitschke House.