"Froggy Valentine Artist Trading Card"
Artist Trading Card (ATC): Featuring Cropped Close Up Detail of Original
Gyotaku Print: Acrylic and Colored Pencil
ATC Wallet: Created from Recycled Ceral Box
Copyright Liz Ebanks
A Pivotal Experience
Written by: Liz Ebanks
National Art Teacher Award Recipient
VSA's partnership with CVS Caremark's "All Kids Can Create Contest" has united students by celebrating different learning styles engaging all of the senses with the arts. Liz Ebanks is one of five VSA National Teacher Award Recipients changing people's perceptions of disability. The Congressional Reception on Capitol Hill was held in June at the Cannon House was transformative in celebrating each of the five Teacher Awardees nationally for enriching the lives of children and unlocking their potential to communicate expressively through the arts. The candor employed by each of the Congressional Guest Speakers as they personally shared the importance of triumphing over disability and the value of inclusive education was inspiring to all of the guests. National Teacher Awardees Honored for Their Inclusion Techniques included: Photo by: Jeryl Hollingsworth National Teacher Awardees (Left to Right): Liz Ebanks, Mary Jo Gardere, Kanren Giannamore, Jeryl Hollingsworth, and Amanda Kaminski
National Teacher Awardees Honored for their Inclusion Techniques included:
Liz Ebanks, Tampa, Florida
Mary Jo Gardere, Dallas, Texas Karen Giannamore, Oxford, Connecticut Jeryl Hollingsworth, La France, South Carolina Amanda Kaminski, Merrick, New York
VSA is enriching the lives of 5,500 children entries on http://www.artsonia.com/ with and without disabilities by providing the opportunity to succeed in the “State of the Art Exhibition" at Union Station in Washington, D. C.. This was a pivotal experience for the young emerging artists, families, educators, and dignitaries. The arts rebuild students' confidence providing the foundation to excel in academics by transferring effective learning techniques and unique perspectives. Embracing individuality with a commitment to communicate expressively in a world of innovation we collaborate and network about sharing the arts as a bridge between communities. VSA offers high quality professional development conferences and webinars for its Teaching Artists to explore universal design, curriculum mapping, and effective inclusion techniques. VSA coaches Teaching Fellows with disabilities how to successfully differentiate learning instruction and mentor students into the competitive workforce. These elements are critical to fostering the growth of tomorrow's leaders.
"Star Spangled High Heels" Copyright Liz Ebanks
Ebanks Hand Painted Heels Acrylic, Enamel, with Rhinestones
Liz Ebanks Teaches Environmental Stewardship
Ebanks is incredibly honored to have had the opportunity to teach her Froggy Valentine's: Gyotaku Adapted Lesson to the Varying Exceptionalities (Special Needs) Classes as a Visual Artist in Tampa, Florida. The students explored Japanese culture, printmaking traditions, and collage by creating Froggy Gyotaku Valentine's. This art form of fish rubbing was invented inteh early 1800s in Japan by the fisherman to record the size and type of fish caught before it was sold or eaten. Ebanks' class made Gyotaku prints of frogs to share with our community using traditional water based ink, and rice paper. She guided the students through the Gyotaku lesson with step by step deonststrations by using multiple adaptive techniques that engaged all the senses. The frog became a symbol of inner transformation when the class focused on complimenting their artwork with uplifting Valentine messages for hospital patients. The concept originated from a photography assignment to create Valentine's Day cards for classmates while Ebanks was in college.
The challenge was to engage the students in a multidisciplinary lesson despite power outages in 35 degree weather. Originally, the class was to be relocated from the portable to the gymnasium with 300 other students. Ebanks immersed the learners in the hands on frog lesson through positive reinforcement. The artist was moved by watching her students transfer their new found confidence in art to reading and writing captions for their Froggy Valentine's. Each masterpiece transformed Gyotaku the Japanese art fish printing into laughter by embellishing frogs with glittery warts and lily pads made of recycled candy wrappers."Glass Half
Silver Gelatin Print
8" x 10"
Copyright Liz Ebanks
Watching her students eagerly volunteer to read aloud about the "World's Ten Most Endangered Frogs" in exchange to hold and squeeze the class rubber frog brought Ebanks so much joy as a Teaching Artist. The students discussed how frogs as bio-indicators typically shrink in numbers as species, before other kinds of animals become affected adversely. Intently they listened, how these amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes because, they breathe through their skin. The art asssignment began to cultivate their curiosity. Frogs are susceptible to infections caused by fungus, predators, and poisons.
Check out the lesson plan on Liz Ebanks blog.
Differentiating Instruction and Upcycling Candy Wrappers
As Ebanks classroom budget got tighter her teacher demonstrations evolved into a new generation of frogs incorporating more recyclables. Soda Bottle wrappers and canned goods emphasized the students' ability to alter everyday objects into whimsical art masterpieces. Each wrapper was repurposed into trendy froggy wardrobe contibuting to the class Upcycling theme. The active learners thrived on the opportunity to practice problem-solving throughout the exercise. These Curricular Adaptations prevented discipline problems because, everyone was invited to the challenge regardless of disability. This cut supply costs of the project budget friendly for the school. The students lead the school reycling collection efforts to improve the ecosystem with confidence that they were reducing the habitat loss for the frogs.
The class identified the impact they made when they resolved problems creatively with determination, persistence, and respect for others. Each Gyotaku lesson was graded on how well the students adapted to their personal challenges to create their Froggy Valentine's. Imaginations were ignited instantly. Frogs splashed across the pond as paint was blown through a straw. Anger exploded into giggles when she told a student, "That's enough running over the frog with the brayer. I think you've go it now!" Ink blot butterfilies fluttered through cotton ball clouds of tactile learners. Traditional printmaking smears became Ninja red masked frogs in motion. Holes in the paper disappered when frugalista frogs sported knee pads and skirts made from candy wrappers. Students learned how to compensate for their personal challenges by adapting and emphazing their originality.
TIP: If you would like to learn more about INCLUSION TECHNIQUES check out this link:http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/sid/21.htm
Ebanks invites the public to view the students published portfolios in the World's Largest Children's Museum http://www.artsonia.com/ and show your support. Each child can see the number of the guests that have viewed their work in the online gallery daily.
The direct links to the children's gallery and intro are: http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=263154http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=105372
http://www.artsonia.com/teachers/lessonplans/plan.asp?id=3661
The Discussion Questions link entitled,
RAINFOREST EXPLORERS SPOTLIGHT UPCYCLING:
http://lizebanksartgallery.blogspot.com/2010/10/froggy-valentines-discussion-questions.html
VSA Teacher Award Recipient and VSAFL Representative
