One of the draws toward coming to SCIS was the chance for me to teach middle school art. I had been wanting an opportunity to branch out a bit more in the visual arts and experience the next level of instruction. However, there were some obstacles to overcome, as the MS art program was not too strong, and the facilities were non-existent. I started the year with just 2 sections on my class schedule, while the majority of it was filled with ESL courses. As well, the class took place in a regular room with no materials, no proper tables, no sinks, and very little space to operate. It was a bit disheartening to go from a state-of-the-art room in Dubai with a full-time art schedule to a regular classroom and a very small share of art classes. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but I did my best to make the most of it. Fast forward to the beginning of the 2012 school year and you wouldn’t find a trace of 2011. In more ways than one, last year’s experience doesn’t begin to compare to the changes and advancements of the current year. To prove this, all I really need to do is present to you exhibit A… the facilities.
Here is a picture of last year’s room…
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In addition to the facility deficiencies I mentioned above, take note of the carpet… it looked like a Jackson Pollock painting by the end of the year. The ayis (cleaning crew) were never too happy with the mess being made in this tiny little classroom!
Keeping this in mind, I happily introduce to you my life saver… my saving grace… my source of renewed hope in being an art teacher…
The new middle school art room…
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Can you spot the differences? It shouldn’t be difficult! The real game changer has been the custom built tables. They are perfect for creating any kind of art project, big and small. The kids have plenty of space to work and move.
As you can see, there is a lot to love about this room. The spacious layout, the natural light, the storage compartments, the high ceiling, and the tile flooring.
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The flow of the room is excellent. Students have plenty of space to move about getting supplies, washing at the sinks, or retrieving art work.
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The best aesthetic feature of the room is the black ceiling, which I requested. I’m not a fan of the false ceilings that are in the rest of the rooms on our campus. They’re an eye sore and they cramp the space. So, to establish an art studio feel, as well as save some money, I had the contractors take the false ceiling out of the plans and paint everything black instead.
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This design was also carried out in to the hallway, which gives the art center a distinguished look.
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The art gallery is on the right, which needs some work with the lighting now that the new area makes it seem pretty dark by comparison.
I was also in charge of designing all of the storage units for the room. I had done this once before with the new art room in Dubai, so I had a good idea about what I wanted for this room at SCIS. There are so many specific needs in an art room and the right storage and layout can make an incredible difference. So far, everything has worked out very well as the day-to-day operation of the room has been a breeze thanks to all of the custom built furniture.
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I am very excited to have this new, massive drying rack. Last year we had to use the floor to lay out painting projects to dry, which caused all kinds of problems. Next to the rack is a large unit specifically designed to store projects and sketchbooks for each individual class. This was nearly an impossible task in the previous room. Now, I have absolutely no problems with students misplacing projects or books. My next job is replacing the sticky note labels with something more permanent and visually pleasing… but again, this is WAY better than what I dealt with last year.
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An art teacher’s best friend is a good system for organizing supplies. This was priority number 1 when I began designing the room and its storage. I measured out shelving to neatly fit 2 sizes of baskets and 2 sizes of paper. This has proven to be the strongest feature of the room in terms of art production. Students know exactly where to find supplies and I never have to go searching for a misplaced basket or art utensil. If ever a student asks, “where are the ____________’s?”, all I have to do is point to the storage area in the above picture.
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While tables and storage features are extremely important, so are the little details. An art room is not complete without those quintessential wooden drawing models. They add so much life to a studio space… and the kids love to rearrange them in different dance poses. The model above is rockin’ the current craze sweeping across the world… Gangnam Style. Korean pop finally made it to the international stage, and I can’t go a day without hearing the song or seeing my drawing dolls in the Gangnam pose.
It’s also important to the spirit and soul of an art room to have a good library of art books. I found a great A-frame periodical shelf that works perfectly for displaying art books. Every now and then I find a student who has plucked one off the shelf and is perusing it for ideas and inspiration.
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It’s been an absolute pleasure working out of this wonderful new space. It has become the envy of all other teachers at SCIS, and the admin frequently bring prospective students and their families to the room during their tours. The walls are a little bare at the moment, but that should be remedied soon with a developing design for custom sound/bulletin boards. I’m looking forward to continuing to break in the room and turning it in to a full on art studio.
-isaac
