This blog is for participants in the 2008 AP Studio Art Institute. This will be online participation for the course.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Question # 8
Final Question: Time management with students was a concern expressed by many of you in the group. In order to complete the AP portfolio, the students must have 24 pieces ready by May. What are your ideas in making this happen?
Work smaller. Ideally the concept and techniques should determine the size of the work. Unfortunately, time always has a way of sneaking up on both the students as well as the teachers and this sometimes isn't possible. Working smaller can be a great compromise for a student who may get overwhelmed and give up.
This is a great question because we never know what life will throw in to a perfect plan.
I believe in being consistent with my students helps a lot. I am honest with my class also. I let them know what is expected of them and when it is expected. I also point out what I have to do to get them where they want to be.
My biggest problem this past year was that I had students that never planned to go through with the portfolio, but signed up with the class, This is a problem that goes back to your administration and guidance. I believe things will be different this school year coming and I am looking forward to the change.
This has been my biggest headache in the two years that I have taught this class! I have been thinking a lot about this this summer and have come up with a couple things I will implement next year:
1. Have an online website or blog for parents and students to look at from home that has a calender and due dates included on it.
2. E-mail updates home weekly for the entire class...informing parents where they should be in the process.
3. Have all Breadth done before the Spring Semester...in the past I have had them do 3-4 more works in that semester.
4. Have outside studio hours that students must attend each week. If they cannot do so due to work or transportation issues, have them submit homework logs signed by their parents.
5. Lastly, I had my students from last year write a letter of advice for next years class. In it, every single one of them stressed meeting due dates! I'm going to make these into a advice book and have the students go through these at the beginning of the semester.
Providing a list of items due and a suggested time line is extremely helpful to students. We have to remember that art is not the only entre on their plate. It is very difficult for students to switch from one subject to another during the school day, particularly on traditional scheduling. Because art depends so much on right brain thinking and other classes demand the left brain, students sometimes have trouble making the switch. I allow student to listen to music through headphones and keep spare batteries for them and I regularly check their progress, pointing out when they are falling behind. I am a firm believer that high school students should be self motivated and should no longer need babysitters, but I am also aware that artist are not good managers. It is simply not a part of the creative nature. That does not mean they don’t have to learn time management, but it is one area where I do not mind giving a little help.
I remember back in the good old days when I completed AP Art in high school, my teacher created this huge chart with all of our names and a slot for us to write in when we finished a piece. The slots were listed with dates. This really helped to see where we were in relation to the semester and in relation to the other students in class.
Today, this could even be done easily on computer. I still think as a teacher I would post a hard copy. It really put the pressure on me whenever I say that I was lagging behind all of my classmates (and it was posted for all to see!). Maybe this could even be linked to the website so parents could view it as well.
I agree that working smaller is a super option to getting a few extra works complete. Also, some media yeilds quicker results as well. For example, you can usually work quicker with soft pastels than with color pencil.
I feel that having projects scheduled for the summer would be a good way for them to get some things done. Also, during the breaks there could be a schedule done so that they could produce works. I also think that there should be a certain number done in that time period. They could get more work done over the breaks because they really don't have any other distractions. With gas being so high they might could get their whole portfolio done.
I also agree with Brandt, I feel that by doing smaller works, the kids would not feel as pressured as they would with a larger work. But they could experiment with different sizes.
Working on some smaller pieces is something I will look into more this year.
I love to work big...BIG! Sometimes I forget not everyone does. I did suggest to my students to work smaller and I will try to push that size variation but using the sketch book assignments as jump offs for a final breadth piece.
Much of the students' work I have seen shows excellent technical ability, but also the methods chosen (color pencil especially) seem to be painstaking processes. I'm just wondering if, having proven themselves that way, some work could not be of the quicker, looser variety...at least for breadth. Am I way out in left field? How does this work in the real world?
I think that working in a smaller size is a good way to help the students progress quicker but the medium used is also a concern that needs to be addressed with the students. Obviously the students need to work in a medium that they are comfortable with but it should not be a medium that requires a lot of time to complete a project. A schedule for each student in class that shows the projects and the due dates will be of the most benefit in my opinion. The students need to be able to track their progress and see that they are making headway and getting closer to the completion of their portfolio. If students can see that they are making progress toward completion then they will be more likely to stick it out and work thus managing themselves for the most part. I know that this approach is not ideal and will not work for all students but every student can benefit from a schedule to help them plan out thier work and due dates.
I agree with Ellen in that some work could be quicker in my opinion. Some students do tend to be very technical in nature with their work but sometimes it would be beneficial to loosen up and be more gestural with their work. Not only will it give the student an opportunity to experiment a little with differing techniques but it could produce marvelous results and be much quicker in the end for producing works. Who knows the student could experiment with a quick, loose drawing and find that they enjoy this more than the technical and yield better results too. Just a thought and I like where you were headed with that Ellen.
I feel that it is good to sit down with students and have them help to create a timeline of when assignments should be turned in. By giving them some ownership in this process, I feel it helps to them to be more aware of deadlines and meet them. This can backfire for some students, but I have found it to be effective. I also feel that students should be encourage to work towards their strengths for their concentration. For students that tend to work slower, have them work with media that lends itself to being a quick method. I find that often times, students just need to know that there are a lot of alternative ways to approach art, rather than just using traditional media such as graphite pencils and paint, which can be time consuming.
Ellen, You are not out in left field. I agree that some types of media and processes are painstaking. The ability to utilize a variety of types of media can be a great tool for students who struggle to meet the requirements of AP.
Time management is the hardest thing I feel like I face with my students. I find that the more I can put in writing for the students the more successful they are: therefore, the last few days I have been working on a calendar for the class that will show due dates for artwork and digital photos on the computer.
I believe that Mary Catherine's list of 5 suggestions is wonderful! Thank you. I think #3 is key, the more time students have to spend on their Concentration the better, so after next week I am going to look back over the projects for my juniors in Art 4:GT and make sure they are projects that the students can use in their Breadth and make sure we go ahead an take pictures this year.
Amy, I love your idea of the chart on the wall! Most students respond better by seeing things visually, and also you incorporate the "compitition" aspect into meeting their deadlines. It not only holds the students reponsible to you but also to their peers. Thanks for the great suggestion!
At the beginning of each year, I give my students a handout of class expectations, sketchbook assignments, and a brief outline of art lessons/categories we will cover, art show dates and field trip information. Time Management has been an issue with my Art 3/4 students. Since this year is my first experience with AP Art, I welcome any advise from this group to assist me with this problem. I do plan to re-design my initial handout to incorporate a "calendar" of expectations. Perhaps, this will provide one tool to keep the students on task. Also, I really want to use the Blog technology to as a tool to include parents to know what their child is doing and to invite parents to post comments. + Mary Lou, Is this a good idea? Do you think parent comments will be constructive or harmful? That could be an issue!
+ Mary Catherine, You have a GREAT list of things to do. I especially like e-mail updates home, since our Principal would be all for that as P/T communication. And...the "Advise Book". This year's students will initiate this idea for next year's AP Art students. Thank you!
+ Brandt, working smaller is also a good idea for Breadth.
+ Amy, Your Wall Calendar to keep ALL on track is a wonderful idea. I will absolutely do that!
Re: the many ideas for a calendar or chart: I think my mentor teacher had a chart for each student but covered it in clear plastic so students could write on the chart, erase items, and move them around. That way if something changed from breadth to concentration or back, or they wanted to change their quality pieces, they could do that easily.
Sherry, If you are the administrator of the blog, you can delete harmful comments by parents. I believe that placing the parents in the conversation making the process stronger.
I would have to make contracts with the students which include dates to remember, not just due dates. If the parents are aware as well, they usually will make it happen. I am also going to encourage the design portfolio. Students can use the computer to create concepts relatively quickly and could use them in their breadth. Other than the contract, the ideas from Mary Catherine are top notch. After the blog idea from class and this example, I am definately going to work on a website for my program that contains these features.
WHen does a student need to have a definite direction? I had a student who changed themes three times, and changed again when the portfolio was sent to AP, much to my surprise!! AN ideal situation would be for the students to have their Breadth completed a little earlier to give more time to Concentration. A good suggestion Mary Catherine. I think outside time is important for a successful portfolio. But if the work is taken home I would like to see the finished product for a grade. I feel I need deadlines for journal enteries, instead of turning them in at the end of the 4 and 1/2 weeks. Another AP teacher sugggested giving students specific timelines. I had a student who was not completing the class assigned projects. I will let students know that work continues in the art room when the AP portfolio has been sent. I have mixed classrooms. What's your solution?
-Ellen your so right some techniques are more time consuming, time management is what students have to learn above all in an AP Class. I believe since we are getting them ready for college a big part of our lesson to them (the unwritten lesson) is how to use time wisely.
-Amy's idea of a chart is good, I am glad that my school provides us with space to make a web page for the students. On the page we post homework, AP assignments etc. I have attached my web site link.
Well, I'm impressed with all the ARTWORK. You won't see mine; the computer is not friendly with me. Roxanne: sorry about your 2 AP students Mary Catherine: I like your ideas. I may be able to handle 3 and 5. I agree with all of you, working smaller and in a faster medium does help with a deadline. Amy: love the teacher created chart Josh and Ashley and all: I did use a blank calendar last year. This was given out at the beginning of the 4 and 1/2 weeks. They knew their assignments and picked which days they would complete their work. This year they will stay in their small class portfolio for reference. The slower ones did realize they had to work faster. Bomar: What a novel idea. Maybe AP students will work during holidays. I'm not sure about the rest, even with the price of gas. Sizanne: Time management is something I face with myself!!!!
Workman, the chart is an awesome idea. I do this with my soccer players to track goals, assists, saves, hard work etc. I haven't though about doing this in the classroom. Thanks!
Mary Catherine, outside studio hours are a great idea and hopefully it will encourage me and give me an opportunity to do some of my own work too.
I am wondering if having a computer lab time every week or two weeks would be possible to put them under the scope for time management.
While in the computer lab, students work on documentation. They can see my documentation when they look up the up their Integrade Pro grade sheet I e-mailed them—I can quickly go around and ask/answer questions. They can hand me a note about needing follow up with their name on it They can also send e-mail me their Portfolio chart so I may add to the Portfolio Progress Chart. They can do it documentation in the process electronic portfolios and product electronic portfolios. Any extra time will be for sharing what we have done. The group accountability like weight-watchers can be nice. It can also allow students to exchange ideas on how to get the work done well and on time.
Robert’s in-class suggestion of interspersing short and long assignments is very good.
Roxanne, it is interesting that your guidance and administration put students into AP who do not want to go through portfolio review. Does guidance have trouble filling classes? Are administrators not concerned about posting the rate of success in having students pass AP and receive credit? A number of high schools post those success rates on their website. Does the totals who pass affect the Newsweek Pole of the 100 high schools or the South Carolina Report card?
Mary Catherine, Renata—Right on!
I like the chart idea, although I do not have the wall space for a big one—perhaps smaller laminated version would work out. Only artwork that meets the AP® expectations would earn a star.
Students would also use their Photo Story storyboard as their chart—product electronic portfolio or leave the option open to the students depending upon their home computer software. They could put it into their portfolios. I could require that they e-mail themselves so they can print it off to post on their portfolios or their
The chart idea is well developed. Would the chart be able to e-mailed as an attachment to the parent/guardian by the student. The parent/guardian would open it up and look at it and then forward that they had read it to the teacher thereby providing the teacher with documentation. The teacher could communicate intermittently with the parent/guardian via phone or e-mail with those who get behind. http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/Broome/teachers/clemons/Clemons.htm Roxanne- Thanks Roxanne. I will try it later when I do not have so many software programs running.
Sherry, your idea of the parents and the blog for the students like a great one. The school district I teach with does not like blogs but there is student email and the photos could be posted... Student input. During lab day—draw two names out of the hat and comment on that student’s work…My mind is thinking—slowly for it is past my bedtime.
Are we able to submit our Syllabus to AP electronically? If not, will they have that capability and desire soon?
Sarah I have wondered myself why the students do not have to go under portfolio review or all the other aspects that you have mentioned.
All I know as of one year at this school is that the principal believes anyone that wants to try should be able to try for an AP unit. Soooo I do the best I can and I hope for the best, not to say it hasn't been like walking a tight rope for me.
Amy, thanks for the chart idea. I just got rid of a large book case by the door, so this will be a great spot for the chart. I have tried having students in the past keep a record that I printed for them but gremlins always seem to hid their papers - image that!
I might also have them print out small (wallet size) photos of their pieces to post on the chart - that way all students can see what they are working on, and administration and other teachers can see their progress as well as the student.
Roxanne, your syllabus online is looking great - but be careful of your wording. A few times you comment about the student getting college credit, this could be misleading. I would say they are getting AP credit (more weight when calculating a students gpa) and that they are responsible for checking to see if the college they are planning to go to will give them credit for the course. As we discussed in class, some give credit for 100 level courses, some give elective credit and some do not give any credit. It will also depend on what they score.
Sarah as far as printing small photos, it will depend on the program, some will let you print a contact sheet (which may be too small) or a sheet of wallet. remind me next week and we will get on a computer and I can show you.
33 comments:
Work smaller. Ideally the concept and techniques should determine the size of the work. Unfortunately, time always has a way of sneaking up on both the students as well as the teachers and this sometimes isn't possible. Working smaller can be a great compromise for a student who may get overwhelmed and give up.
This is a great question because we never know what life will throw in to a perfect plan.
I believe in being consistent with my students helps a lot. I am honest with my class also. I let them know what is expected of them and when it is expected. I also point out what I have to do to get them where they want to be.
My biggest problem this past year was that I had students that never planned to go through with the portfolio, but signed up with the class, This is a problem that goes back to your administration and guidance. I believe things will be different this school year coming and I am looking forward to the change.
This has been my biggest headache in the two years that I have taught this class! I have been thinking a lot about this this summer and have come up with a couple things I will implement next year:
1. Have an online website or blog for parents and students to look at from home that has a calender and due dates included on it.
2. E-mail updates home weekly for the entire class...informing parents where they should be in the process.
3. Have all Breadth done before the Spring Semester...in the past I have had them do 3-4 more works in that semester.
4. Have outside studio hours that students must attend each week. If they cannot do so due to work or transportation issues, have them submit homework logs signed by their parents.
5. Lastly, I had my students from last year write a letter of advice for next years class. In it, every single one of them stressed meeting due dates! I'm going to make these into a advice book and have the students go through these at the beginning of the semester.
Hope these suggestions help others!
Providing a list of items due and a suggested time line is extremely helpful to students. We have to remember that art is not the only entre on their plate. It is very difficult for students to switch from one subject to another during the school day, particularly on traditional scheduling. Because art depends so much on right brain thinking and other classes demand the left brain, students sometimes have trouble making the switch. I allow student to listen to music through headphones and keep spare batteries for them and I regularly check their progress, pointing out when they are falling behind. I am a firm believer that high school students should be self motivated and should no longer need babysitters, but I am also aware that artist are not good managers. It is simply not a part of the creative nature. That does not mean they don’t have to learn time management, but it is one area where I do not mind giving a little help.
Mary- I love the advice book idea.
I remember back in the good old days when I completed AP Art in high school, my teacher created this huge chart with all of our names and a slot for us to write in when we finished a piece. The slots were listed with dates. This really helped to see where we were in relation to the semester and in relation to the other students in class.
Today, this could even be done easily on computer. I still think as a teacher I would post a hard copy. It really put the pressure on me whenever I say that I was lagging behind all of my classmates (and it was posted for all to see!). Maybe this could even be linked to the website so parents could view it as well.
I agree that working smaller is a super option to getting a few extra works complete. Also, some media yeilds quicker results as well. For example, you can usually work quicker with soft pastels than with color pencil.
I feel that having projects scheduled for the summer would be a good way for them to get some things done. Also, during the breaks there could be a schedule done so that they could produce works. I also think that there should be a certain number done in that time period. They could get more work done over the breaks because they really don't have any other distractions. With gas being so high they might could get their whole portfolio done.
I also agree with Brandt, I feel that by doing smaller works, the kids would not feel as pressured as they would with a larger work. But they could experiment with different sizes.
Working on some smaller pieces is something I will look into more this year.
I love to work big...BIG! Sometimes I forget not everyone does. I did suggest to my students to work smaller and I will try to push that size variation but using the sketch book assignments as jump offs for a final breadth piece.
Much of the students' work I have seen shows excellent technical ability, but also the methods chosen (color pencil especially) seem to be painstaking processes. I'm just wondering if, having proven themselves that way, some work could not be of the quicker, looser variety...at least for breadth. Am I way out in left field? How does this work in the real world?
I think that working in a smaller size is a good way to help the students progress quicker but the medium used is also a concern that needs to be addressed with the students. Obviously the students need to work in a medium that they are comfortable with but it should not be a medium that requires a lot of time to complete a project. A schedule for each student in class that shows the projects and the due dates will be of the most benefit in my opinion. The students need to be able to track their progress and see that they are making headway and getting closer to the completion of their portfolio. If students can see that they are making progress toward completion then they will be more likely to stick it out and work thus managing themselves for the most part. I know that this approach is not ideal and will not work for all students but every student can benefit from a schedule to help them plan out thier work and due dates.
I agree with Ellen in that some work could be quicker in my opinion. Some students do tend to be very technical in nature with their work but sometimes it would be beneficial to loosen up and be more gestural with their work. Not only will it give the student an opportunity to experiment a little with differing techniques but it could produce marvelous results and be much quicker in the end for producing works. Who knows the student could experiment with a quick, loose drawing and find that they enjoy this more than the technical and yield better results too. Just a thought and I like where you were headed with that Ellen.
I feel that it is good to sit down with students and have them help to create a timeline of when assignments should be turned in. By giving them some ownership in this process, I feel it helps to them to be more aware of deadlines and meet them. This can backfire for some students, but I have found it to be effective. I also feel that students should be encourage to work towards their strengths for their concentration. For students that tend to work slower, have them work with media that lends itself to being a quick method. I find that often times, students just need to know that there are a lot of alternative ways to approach art, rather than just using traditional media such as graphite pencils and paint, which can be time consuming.
Ellen,
You are not out in left field. I agree that some types of media and processes are painstaking. The ability to utilize a variety of types of media can be a great tool for students who struggle to meet the requirements of AP.
Time management is the hardest thing I feel like I face with my students. I find that the more I can put in writing for the students the more successful they are: therefore, the last few days I have been working on a calendar for the class that will show due dates for artwork and digital photos on the computer.
I believe that Mary Catherine's list of 5 suggestions is wonderful! Thank you. I think #3 is key, the more time students have to spend on their Concentration the better, so after next week I am going to look back over the projects for my juniors in Art 4:GT and make sure they are projects that the students can use in their Breadth and make sure we go ahead an take pictures this year.
Amy Workman,
That is a great idea. The chart is definitely something that I'll do new this year. Thanks.
Amy,
I love your idea of the chart on the wall! Most students respond better by seeing things visually, and also you incorporate the "compitition" aspect into meeting their deadlines. It not only holds the students reponsible to you but also to their peers. Thanks for the great suggestion!
At the beginning of each year, I give my students a handout of class expectations, sketchbook assignments, and a brief outline of art lessons/categories we will cover, art show dates and field trip information. Time Management has been an issue with my Art 3/4 students. Since this year is my first experience with AP Art, I welcome any advise from this group to assist me with this problem. I do plan to re-design my initial handout to incorporate a "calendar" of expectations. Perhaps, this will provide one tool to keep the students on task. Also, I really want to use the Blog technology to as a tool to include parents to know what their child is doing and to invite parents to post comments.
+ Mary Lou,
Is this a good idea? Do you think parent comments will be constructive or harmful? That could be an issue!
+ Mary Catherine, You have a GREAT list of things to do. I especially like e-mail updates home, since our Principal would be all for that as P/T communication. And...the "Advise Book". This year's students will initiate this idea for next year's AP Art students. Thank you!
+ Brandt, working smaller is also a good idea for Breadth.
+ Amy, Your Wall Calendar to keep ALL on track is a wonderful idea. I will absolutely do that!
Re: the many ideas for a calendar or chart: I think my mentor teacher had a chart for each student but covered it in clear plastic so students could write on the chart, erase items, and move them around. That way if something changed from breadth to concentration or back, or they wanted to change their quality pieces, they could do that easily.
Sherry,
If you are the administrator of the blog, you can delete harmful comments by parents. I believe that placing the parents in the conversation making the process stronger.
I would have to make contracts with the students which include dates to remember, not just due dates. If the parents are aware as well, they usually will make it happen. I am also going to encourage the design portfolio. Students can use the computer to create concepts relatively quickly and could use them in their breadth. Other than the contract, the ideas from Mary Catherine are top notch. After the blog idea from class and this example, I am definately going to work on a website for my program that contains these features.
WHen does a student need to have a definite direction?
I had a student who changed themes three times, and changed again when the portfolio was sent to AP, much to my surprise!!
AN ideal situation would be for the students to have their Breadth completed a little earlier to give more time to Concentration. A good suggestion Mary Catherine.
I think outside time is important for a successful portfolio. But if the work is taken home I would like to see the finished product for a grade.
I feel I need deadlines for journal enteries, instead of turning them in at the end of the 4 and 1/2 weeks.
Another AP teacher sugggested giving students specific timelines. I had a student who was not completing the class assigned projects.
I will let students know that work continues in the art room when the AP portfolio has been sent. I have mixed classrooms. What's your solution?
-Ellen your so right some techniques are more time consuming, time management is what students have to learn above all in an AP Class. I believe since we are getting them ready for college a big part of our lesson to them (the unwritten lesson) is how to use time wisely.
-Amy's idea of a chart is good, I am glad that my school provides us with space to make a web page for the students. On the page we post homework, AP assignments etc. I have attached my web site link.
http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/Broome/teachers/clemons/Clemons.htm
http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/Broome/teachers/
clemons/Clemons.htm
Well, I'm impressed with all the ARTWORK. You won't see mine; the computer is not friendly with me.
Roxanne: sorry about your 2 AP students
Mary Catherine: I like your ideas. I may be able to handle 3 and 5.
I agree with all of you, working smaller and in a faster medium does help with a deadline.
Amy: love the teacher created chart
Josh and Ashley and all: I did use a blank calendar last year. This was given out at the beginning of the 4 and 1/2 weeks. They knew their assignments and picked which days they would complete their work. This year they will stay in their small class portfolio for reference. The slower ones did realize they had to work faster.
Bomar: What a novel idea. Maybe AP students will work during holidays. I'm not sure about the rest, even with the price of gas.
Sizanne: Time management is something I face with myself!!!!
Summer assignments. I think that it is key that they have something done when they return.
Also, image transfers of sketches or magazine collages are a great way to quickly begin a new work.
One more idea, monotypes. We do them with water-soluable innk right on the tables with brayers and q-tips. This is a very fast way to do a series.
Workman, the chart is an awesome idea. I do this with my soccer players to track goals, assists, saves, hard work etc. I haven't though about doing this in the classroom. Thanks!
Mary Catherine, outside studio hours are a great idea and hopefully it will encourage me and give me an opportunity to do some of my own work too.
Twenty-four pieces by May is a daunting task.
I am wondering if having a computer lab time every week or two weeks would be possible to put them under the scope for time management.
While in the computer lab, students work on documentation. They can see my documentation when they look up the up their Integrade Pro grade sheet I e-mailed them—I can quickly go around and ask/answer questions. They can hand me a note about needing follow up with their name on it
They can also send e-mail me their Portfolio chart so I may add to the Portfolio Progress Chart.
They can do it documentation in the process electronic portfolios and product electronic portfolios.
Any extra time will be for sharing what we have done.
The group accountability like weight-watchers can be nice.
It can also allow students to exchange ideas on how to get the work done well and on time.
Robert’s in-class suggestion of interspersing short and long assignments is very good.
Roxanne, it is interesting that your guidance and administration put students into AP who do not want to go through portfolio review. Does guidance have trouble filling classes?
Are administrators not concerned about posting the rate of success in having students pass AP and receive credit? A number of high schools post those success rates on their website.
Does the totals who pass affect the Newsweek Pole of the 100 high schools or the South Carolina Report card?
Mary Catherine, Renata—Right on!
I like the chart idea, although I do not have the wall space for a big one—perhaps smaller laminated version would work out. Only artwork that meets the AP® expectations would earn a star.
Students would also use their Photo Story storyboard as their chart—product electronic portfolio or leave the option open to the students depending upon their home computer software. They could put it into their portfolios. I could require that they e-mail themselves so they can print it off to post on their portfolios or their
The chart idea is well developed. Would the chart be able to e-mailed as an attachment to the parent/guardian by the student. The parent/guardian would open it up and look at it and then forward that they had read it to the teacher thereby providing the teacher with documentation. The teacher could communicate intermittently with the parent/guardian via phone or e-mail with those who get behind.
http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/Broome/teachers/clemons/Clemons.htm
Roxanne- Thanks Roxanne. I will try it later when I do not have so many software programs running.
Sherry, your idea of the parents and the blog for the students like a great one. The school district I teach with does not like blogs but there is student email and the photos could be posted... Student input. During lab day—draw two names out of the hat and comment on that student’s work…My mind is thinking—slowly for it is past my bedtime.
Are we able to submit our Syllabus to AP electronically? If not, will they have that capability and desire soon?
Sarah I have wondered myself why the students do not have to go under portfolio review or all the other aspects that you have mentioned.
All I know as of one year at this school is that the principal believes anyone that wants to try should be able to try for an AP unit. Soooo I do the best I can and I hope for the best, not to say it hasn't been like walking a tight rope for me.
Amy, thanks for the chart idea. I just got rid of a large book case by the door, so this will be a great spot for the chart. I have tried having students in the past keep a record that I printed for them but gremlins always seem to hid their papers - image that!
I might also have them print out small (wallet size) photos of their pieces to post on the chart - that way all students can see what they are working on, and administration and other teachers can see their progress as well as the student.
Roxanne, putting non-AP students into an AP class is a mystery. Thank you for the update.
Suzanne--That is a great idea to have the wallet sized photo. I am trying to figure out the method. Thank you.
Roxanne, your syllabus online is looking great - but be careful of your wording. A few times you comment about the student getting college credit, this could be misleading. I would say they are getting AP credit (more weight when calculating a students gpa) and that they are responsible for checking to see if the college they are planning to go to will give them credit for the course. As we discussed in class, some give credit for 100 level courses, some give elective credit and some do not give any credit. It will also depend on what they score.
Sarah as far as printing small photos, it will depend on the program, some will let you print a contact sheet (which may be too small) or a sheet of wallet. remind me next week and we will get on a computer and I can show you.
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