Responding to Barry Lopez: Art Improvisations

Art Conversation. 4.29.13

In an earlier post, What Makes Your Heart Beat?, I shard plans of work I intended to do with staff developers in manhattan.

Below is one publication that was generated from the work. Found poems and paintings generated via art conversations comprise the book.

Guest Blog: Tina Hislop Using Art Conversations to Converse about a School's Mission

It is always a pleasure to have a guest blog.  Tina Hislop is an assistant principal in Connecticut who is in a doctoral program at Western State University. I was a guest in her course this past February and taught a lesson about transmediation by introducing Tina and her fellow students to art conversations.  It was a lovely surprise to receive this guest blog from Tina a few week later.   Tina took the lesson I taught and applied it to her work as an administrator.  Specifically Tina used art conversations with faculty.  An art conversation is a nonverbal discussion that a pair or trio have using finger paint as the mode of expression. You can read more about the technique below and here, here, and here.

Guest Blog: Tina Hislop

We’ve all experienced a meaningful lesson that we are compelled to share with others in hopes to inspire others.   The transmediation experience with Mary Ann in February 2012 was one of those meaningful lessons that I wanted to share with my school.  As assistant principal on my campus, I introduced transmediation to my school leadership team comprised of grade level, special area and pupil service staff.   In efforts to give back, this blog entry is an account of this first introduction. 

 

Background

Our school reconfigured two years ago, and has a new leadership team to represent our new campus.  This new leadership team’s charge is to examine the direction of the school, ideally with an open mind along the way.  To this end, I introduced the value of transmediation using art to the school leadership team.  To illustrate transmediation, I used our recently created mission statement.  I set the scene by asking the team to consider their students—do they all learn the same way? Have the same strengths? Of course, the answer was “no.”  With multiple ways to communicate —through gesture, picture, dance, we need to consider how to engage and reach all of our students.  The more connections we can offer students, the stronger understanding will be built.  Following the protocol of Mary Ann had shown us, I provided the following experience and at the conclusion the teachers participated and reflected.

Art Transmediation

I asked members of the school leadership team to build an art conversation in pairs using an active voice around our school mission statement.   The pairs and one triad were given finger paint: red, blue, green, yellow and black and one large sheet of art paper.  First I projected our school mission statement for all to read at their own rate as they made their own meaning and began their art conversation.  Next I created an iMovie with scrolling text with a man’s voice slowly reading the mission statement;  the teachers continued to communicate through their fingers.  The iMovie continued with student pictures and a voice over of an adult and child who slightly struggles reading the school mission statement and finally again, the mission statement read by a student with more pictures of recent school activities and students. 

Reflection

An art conversation

The teachers could have continued much longer or I could have used smaller paper for the busy team that I yearned to inspire.  I hoped that they would consider this work as they plan their lessons to reach others and we would soon debrief.  The bright lights of the office turned on and as the teachers wiped their fingers the conversations ranged from one saying that this was a difficult assignment and that it reminds her how her students everyday have tough first grade work to start and how not knowing what the right answer is feels.  Another teacher talked how she is so bad at drawing, but the finger paint gave her some permissions.   We displayed the art conversations around the table and all stood to admire each.  First, we quietly made our own noticings and next each group shared out a description of their art conversation.  The groups shared reflections of the process and product of our work.  

Transmediation—art gleamings:

1. Text meaning changes and grows as we internalize reading and hear the words. 
2. The experience nurtures creativity.
3. Sharing the communication process helps us value each others’ resources and talents.
4. The Gallery walk experience allowed us to discover and value common themes and differences while building respect and respecting others’ thoughts.
5. Art allows us to express thoughts in a healthy way.
6. Art conversations are a fun type of learning.
7. Art conversation are represent meaningful, hands-on work.  
8. Everything has a place.

The seeds have been planted.  We’re building our bag of tricks or repertoire of practices to meet the needs of our students in our classrooms. 

Books for My Presentation with Jane Gangi at 5th Annual Conference: Literacy Essentials

Tomorrow I will be co-presenting at the 5th Annual Conference: Literacy Essentials with friend and co-author, Jane M. Gangi at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, CT.  Our topic is "The Wonderful World of Multicultural Children's and Young Adult Books." Jane and I will be engaging participants in selected multicultural literature through performance, discussion, examination of art conversation artifacts, and a "Check it Out" book pass. In preparation for the conference I am listing the books I will have on hand, so that participants will have a bibliography to refer to after the event.

Global, Multicultural Books to Study Writer's Craft & Visual Art
Alarcon, Francisco X. 2005. Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos: Y Otros Poemas de Primavera. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.
Argueta, Jorge. 2006. Talking with Mother Earth/Hablando con Madre Tierra. Illustrated by Lucia Angela Perez. Toronto: Groundwood Books.
Atkins, Jeannie. 1995. Aani and the Tree Huggers. Illustrated by Verantius J. Pinto. NY: Lee & Low.
Baker, Jeannie. 2001. Home in the Sky. London: Walker Books.
Bruchac, Joseph (Abenaki). 2002.  Navajo Long Walk: The Tragic story of a Proud People's Forced March from Their Homeland. Illustrated by Shonto Begay (Navajo). Washington D.C.: National Geographic.
-----------------------------, Jonathan London. 1992. Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back. Illustrated by Thomas Locker. NY: Philomel.
Campbell, Nicola (Interior Salish & Metis Ancestory). 2005. Shi-Shi-etko. Illustrated by Kim LaFave. Toronto: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press.
Chambers, Veronica. 2002. Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood. NY: Jump at the Sun.
Cheng, Andrea. 2008. Where the Steps Are. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.
Cohn, Diana. 2005. ¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. Illustrated by Francisco Delgado. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.
Erdrich, Louise (Chippewa). 1999. Grandmother's Pigeons. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche. NY: Hyperion.
Figueredo, D.H. 2003. The Road to Santiago. Illustrated by Pablo Torrecilla. NY: Lee & Low.
------------------. 1999. When This World Was New. Illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. NY: Lee & Low.
Goldberg, Dana (ed). 2007. On My Block: Stories and Paintings by Fifteen Artists.  San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.
Gollub, Matthew. 1998. Cool Melons - Turn to Frogs: The Life and Poems of Issa. Illustrations by Kazuko G. Stone. NY: Lee & Low.
Girmay, Aracelis. 2005. Changing, Changing. NY: George Braziller.
Grimes, Nikki. 1998. A Dime a Dozen. Illustrated by Angelo. NY: Dell.
Herrera, Juan Felipe. 2003. Super Cilantro Girl/La Supernina del Cilantro. Illustrated by Honori
Robledo Tapia. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.
Ho, Minfong (Trans.). 1996. Maples in the Mist: Children's Poems from the Tang Dynasty. Illustrated by Jean & Mou-sien Tseng. NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.
hooks, bell. 2002. Homemade Love. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. NY: Jump at the Sun.
-------------. 2002. Be Boy Buzz. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. NY: Jump at the Sun.
Hubbard, Crystal. 2005. Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream. Illustrated by Randy DuBurke. NY: Lee & Low.
Issa. 2007. Today and Today. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. NY: Scholastic.
Jiménez, Francisco. 1998. La Mariposa. Illustrated by Simon Silva. NY: Houghton Mifflin.
Johnson, Angela. 2004. Just Like Josh Gibson. Illustrated by Beth Peck. NY: Simon & Schuster.
--------------------. 2003. I Dream of Trains. Illustrated by Loren Long. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Johnson, D.B. 2002. Henry Builds a Cabin. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Lee, Milly. 2006. Landed. Illustrated by Yangsook Choi. NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Letria, Jose Jorge. 2006. The Moon Has Written You a Poem. Illustrated by Andre Letria.  Translated by Maurice Riordan. Kent, England: Winged Chariot Press.

Lofthouse, Liz. 2007. Ziba Came on a Boat. Illustrated by Robert Ingpen. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller.
Lord, Michelle. 2008. A Song for Cambodia. Illustrated by Shino Arihara. NY: Lee & Low.
Medina, Tony. 2001. DeShawn Days. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. NY: Lee & Low.
Messinger, Carla (Turtle Clan Lenape) and Susan Katz. 2007. When the Shadebush Blooms. Illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden (Wolf Clan Mohawk). Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.
Myers, Walter Dean. 2009. Amiri & Odette: A Love Story. Paintings by Javaka Steptoe. NY: Scholastic Press.
Nelson, Marilyn. 2005. A Wreath for Emmett Till. Illustrated by Philippe Lardy. NY: HarperCollins.
Neri, G. 2007. Chess Rumble. Art By Jesse Joshua Watson. NY: Lee & Low.
Shange, Ntozake. 2004. Ellington was not a Street. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Sheth, Kashmira. 2010. Boys Without Names. NY: Balzar & Bray.
Shin, Sun Yung. 2004. Cooper's Lesson. Illustrated by Kim Coogan. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.
Smith, Charles R. Jr. 2002. Perfect Harmony: A Musical Journey with The Boys Choir of Harlem. NY: Jump at the Sun.
Tapahonso, Luci (Navajo). 1999. Songs of Shiprock Fair. Illustrated by Anthony Chee Emerson (Navajo). Walnut, CA: Kiva Publishing.
Testa, Maria. 2005. Something About America. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Tran, Truong. 2003. Going Home, Coming Home/Ve Nham, Tham Que Huong. Illustrations by Ann Phong. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.
WeatherfordBirmingham, 1963. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.
Wilkes, Sybella. 1994. One Day We Had to Run! Refugee Children Tell Their Stories in Words and Paintings. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press.
Williams, Mary. 2005. Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. NY: Lee & Low.
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2001. The Other Side. Illustrations by E.B. Lewis. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Zinn, Howard (ed). 2004. The People Speak: American Voices, Some Famous, Some Little Known: Dramatic Readings Celebrating the Enduring Spirit of Dissent. NY: Perennial.

A Poem about Tempo (and fluency too)

Tempo

 By Charles Smith From Perfect Harmony: A Musical Journey with The Boys Choir of Harlem.

(Antiphonal 1: Read quickly)

If-the-tempo- is-too-fast-it-makes-your-words-crash-and-
causes-your-song-to-sound-like-trash.

(Antiphonal 2: Read Slowly)

But. . .
If
the
tem-
po
is
too
slow
you
lose
the
flow,
you
know?

(Antiphonal 1: Read with a moderate pace)

Keep the tempo at a moderate pace.
Let the music be your guide and don't chase.

(Antiphonal 2: Read with a moderate pace)

Not too fast or too slow,
just let the words go
with just the right pattern of temp.

A poem for Two Voices and a Chorus

The Last Word
by Nikki Grimes from A Dime a Dozen.

Voice 1: granddaughter
Voice 2: Grandma
Chorus: Chop! and Chop! Chop!

I peeled several potatoes
and tossed them in a pot.
                                         Chop!
Said Grandma, "You should boil them first,
then peel them when they're hot."
                                         Chop! Chop!
When they were done, I cubed them
into pieces one-inch thick.
                                         Chop!
"No! No!" she said. "You slice them fine.
Like so. I know the trick."
                                         Chop! Chop!
"The recipe is mine," I said.
(As if she cared a lick!)
                                         Chop! 
"Just do it my way: Do it right.
Here! Hand me the knife!
                                         Chop! Chop!
"You'd better learn to cook well
if you want to be a wife."

                                         Chop! Chop!
"I'll have you know, I've made
this salad many times before.
                                         Chop!
"I'm grateful for your help
but I don't need it anymore."
                                         Chop! 
"No need to get all huffy,"
she said, "handing back the knife."
                                         Chop! Chop!
      I asked, "Oh by the way
     who said I planned to be a wife?"
                                         Chop!