Arts Queensland
AIR (Artist in Residence) GRANT
McDonnell Creek State School requested funding to support a year long art project for artist Rosie Miller to be the ARTIST-IN-RESIDENT at our school for one day per week. Through creative art engagement and an Inquiry based learning approach the aim of this arts based project is to promote student wellbeing and to develop curious and creatively collaborative citizens. We focused on individual student inspired and led art projects that layered art across all Australian Curriculum areas in a cross curricular way to provide students with the time, emphasis and opportunity to make deep and genuine understandings of their curriculum learning through real world applications of artistic processes.
Students were intrinsically motivated and encouraged to trust in their own problem solving abilities and to explore inventive and original possibilities for topics that genuinely interested them within a cross-curricular art immersion focus. Rosie Miller is a well-known and highly regarded local artist who has worked on a variety of art projects within our school throughout the last three years with wonderful student, parent and wider community engagement and involvement.
These creative art projects encouraged children to be self-motivated argentic learners who understood the materials, substances and techniques used in the creation of a work of art, as well as any production or manufacturing techniques, processes, or methods incorporated in their fabrication and also how to document the work and their projects as they evolved.
This project values and recognises that students have talents, strengths and abilities in many different areas and aims to demonstrate that through creative absorption, reflective art practice and self-awareness students realise that there are many ways to shine and show aptitude that is not necessarily linked or limited to the narrow focus often emphasised by standardised tests. Students deeply engaged in creative process through art which enhanced cross curricular learning within Technologies, Science, Languages, HAAS, English and Maths.
Rather than minimizing the time available for students to engage creatively within the curriculum we maximized student opportunities to engage creatively. Art therefore was the ‘glue’ that strengthened cross curricular learning.
The project aimed to incorporate all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum and provide a deeper understanding of the subjects being taught within different year levels. This project provided a great opportunity for students from prep through to year six in one multi-level class to demonstrate how art could be value added into all year levels of the Australian Curriculum subjects areas throughout the year.
Art Across the Curriculum
AATC focuses on the development of art projects that link to all other key learning areas across the Australian curriculum. AATC prioritizes art to strengthen student engagement and develop deeper creative collaborative awareness and energy amongst learners to demonstrate the importance of art and the necessity of more art not less art in overcrowded curriculums.
The outcomes of the project are to develop student engagement evidenced by-
• The improved behaviour of previously difficult students; more active student participation; increased student pride in their work.
• Improved attention span, persistence and rising to a challenge; and increased family and wider community involvement in students’ schooling.
Having an art professional in the school brought fun, creativity and joy to students and staff, which to excited, motivated and inspired them. The learning was revitalised for students (and teachers) in other subject areas also by applying what was being learnt in the school/arts program. There was be not so much teacher talking and more student doing, the process was very collaborative.
Student voice and agency evidenced by-
• Students high levels of control of their own learning through ‘curricular freedom’.
• Students increased sense of ownership of their learning;
• Greater levels of student participation in discussions and offering their opinions.
• Teachers recognising previously unseen abilities in students.
Social Learning evidenced by-
• Students learning through previously unrealised social relationships.
• Students learning through teamwork and collaboration.
• Students accepting guidance from ‘knowledgeable’ adults or peers.
The programs created a culture of trust amongst students and adults and supported students to rise to challenges, collectively solved problems, and develop leadership skills amongst teachers/students.
Creative Skills evidenced by-
• Increased students’ problem solving capacities through the encouragement of divergent thinking
• Development of problem solving skills and the ability to find new solutions through brainstorming, speculation and exploration of multiple solutions to problems.
• Development of student independence in the classroom.
• Increased student level of arts-related knowledge and skills such as the capacity to apply art form conventions, and to develop and use skills, techniques and processes.
• The ability of students to reflect on art works, refine artistic products, make judgements, and to critique and evaluate their own work and the work of others.
• Active participation in the creation and making of artworks rather than being passive in the learning process.
With higher levels of student disengagement and escalating mental health and wellbeing issues often inhibiting at-risk students from developing to their full potential, this innovative project which intentionally prioritizes art across all curriculum areas is thoughtful in its approach and aims to develop resources and share knowledge for ready use in many diverse educational locations.
This project is a new initiative I have developed for REACH (Regional Excellence in Arts and Culture Hubs) Primary Arts Network, it is a platform for primary school students to make and exhibit artwork online while combining multiple disciplines within the school curriculum. With a focus on sciences, natural and man made environments students are creating 3D sculptures that contain and reflect their own environment.
This project is ongoing and will develop with every new class contribution.
You can check out the sites development so far at www.themeltingpointproject.com
The students of McDonnell Ck SS call their playground The Sleeping Soil Creature for the time being while the turf takes root. Their active imaginations fed by the anthropamorphic nature of the playground. The construction and location alongside the school gives the impression the creature is resting there in preparation for play.
This playground is the culmination of an exploration in Playground Design. Students investigated and responded to international playground designs and space related art installations. They designed, built and presented model playgrounds to the class to convey their ideal play space. Following 2 and 3D designs we moved into life-size ephemeral constructions in order to experience the physicality of play spaces and how we feel in them. Students worked both individually and collaboratively to construct cubby like buildings from cups, planning and problem solving as they developed their concepts.
With the students and Principal Sandra Bulger at McDonnell Ck SS and REACH (Regional Excellence in Arts and Culture Hubs) & PAN (Primary Arts Network) we were able to finance and build a permanent natural playground at the school.
Students participation in the construction of the playground connected them physically to the project. They sculpted and patted dirt into shapes they could sit and lie in to play and read. The structure of the playground evolved as we built it. We had to respond to the nature of the material and the space available to build. This project continues to develop and drive other areas of study within the curriculum.
A vine canopy is planned for the near future to add a little shade and mystery to the playground.
A collaboration with McDonnell Ck State School. In response to rising ocean temperatures and accumulation of plastic waste in our waterways and oceans students made, photographed and exhibited ‘Ice Waste Sculptures’ for the recent ECO Fiesta in Cairns.
This Artwork has extended beyond the ECO Fiesta Exhibition. The concept now drives other learning areas in the curriculum at Mc Donnell Ck SS with a focus on environment and sustainability.
ECO Fiesta 3rd June 2018
Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal
Supported by CRC Cairns Regional Council & RADF Regional Arts Development Fund and McDonnell Creek State School
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
Arts Queensland http://www.arts.qld.gov.au/
A cubby can be made of anything, a sheet and a couple of chairs, a card board box.. anything that contains a space and more importantly a divide from the outside, from reality. A cubby is a space to let your imagination run wild.. in short to ‘play’.
Paper Town invites children and carers to construct cubbies together using paper and tape. These simple materials will be attached to structural framework prepared in the space.
Three estates within the Tank will house approximately 300 paper cubbies. Children will be given lamps to light their space and navigate their way around the Town.
Cairns Children’s Festival
Tanks Arts Centre
Tank 4, 20th May 2018
Curated by Chris Stannard
Gallery Technical & Operational Coordinator Ulys Poirier
Event Management & Technical Support Violet Stannard
Materials
Flagging Tape
Masking Tape
Butchers Paper
Lamps
8 Paper Dispensers
Interactive Installation
Study for Cairns Children's Festival, Tinkering Tank
Tanks Arts Centre
2018
Between the ground plan and the ceiling structure exists spaces for constructions. The ceiling and lots varied in height and size allowing children to build in a space that appealed to them.
Tinkering Tank 2017
Cairns Children's Festival
Tinkering Tank
Tanks Arts Centre
Tank 4
Interactive Installation
Tinkering Tank Cairns Children's Festival
Tanks Arts Centre
2016
Public Artwork
Cairns Cruiseliner Terminal
Ports North
90 Meter Footpath Sandblasted Artwork
2010
