By LORI SZEPELAK
Correspondent
WESTFIELD – Strengthening literacy and building trust among students at the onset of the school year are part of the framework for a new award and grant recently won by two Westfield High School teachers.
During a late afternoon interview on June 8 at the high school, Karen West and Ann Marie Picard, both from the Fine Arts Department, shared their enthusiasm about winning the new Westfield High School Autonomy to Innovate Grant and the Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award, awarded by the school’s Instructional Leadership Team. Funding for both the award and the grant will be done through annual, private donations.
Jonathan Carter, principal, had announced both award and grant opportunities to faculty in early April.
“We hope that both the award and grant become new traditions at Westfield High School that annually demonstrate our commitment to our teachers’ ‘autonomy to innovate,’” he said.
“Dialogue journals will be created by each art student which will allow conversations from student to teacher throughout the year,” said West, noting that some students can be shy and uncomfortable asking questions in class.
The women stressed that the journal making process will reach all learners including ELL, gifted learners, and students with specific educational needs.
“As part of the project we will be asking thought-provoking questions,” said Picard, adding that critical thinking skills will be part of the process.
The idea for the dialogue journals came to the women when they were brainstorming together earlier in the year. The journals will provide a place for reflection on class projects, art history, life experiences and events, while nurturing confidence in critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Writing prompts about their art work, techniques in art, and innovative thinking will be encouraged.
The women hope that after their pilot project during the upcoming school year, the idea can be used in other class settings.
“If the project takes off, other teachers may want to use the idea of incorporating visuals and text in assignments,” said West, adding that journals could be especially important in English and mathematics classes.
Margaret Toomey, a family consumer science teacher and supervisor of the fine arts department, had embraced the journal idea. Toomey noted on their application that creating a dialogue journal would be beneficial to a student and allow one’s creative growth to shine.
“Both our supervisor and principal Jonathan Carter were supportive of our idea because they understand the importance of the arts,” said West.
Picard echoed those sentiments.
“Our administrators also know dialogue is important for kids,” she said.
As this school year is quickly winding down, the women know they will spend time during the summer fine tuning the instructional lessons that will accompany this ambitious project for Visual Arts classes in Grades 9-12.
“We are excited and passionate about what we do and working as a team, we know we will be successful,” said West. “Students will make their own journal so they will have ownership.”
Picard added that students creating their own journal will be a “positive way to start the school year.”
Students will learn a variety of skills in the journal process, ranging from book binding, paper-making and painting techniques, to marbling, embossing, stitching and collage.
“We are anticipating that the award money will cover the cost of paper, binding materials and reference materials,” said West.
Periodically, the women will review the journals with students and respond with questions to deepen the student’s personal thought process as well as give them feedback on art work. At the end of the academic year, the women anticipate that students will also show growth in their writing as well as about their self-discoveries in art.
“Our goal is to make the journals a significant part of the art experience for all students,” said West. “Our world is not black or white and made up of only right and wrong answers.”
Picard concurred.
“It is the creative thinkers who historically advanced society and will continue to do so in the 21st century and beyond,” she said.
