Documenting a teacher's work

1. A TEARFUL DAY - NOT!!
K2 REVISITING EMOTIONS

2. “WHAT I LIKE ABOUT WATERCOLOUR IS THAT YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS IN ON CERTAIN
DETAILS. YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING LOOK COMPLETELY PHOTOREALISTIC IF YOU
KNOW HOW TO USE WATERCOLOUR WELL. YOU CAN PAINT THICK WITH IT, REALLY
WATERY, AND ALSO GET A REALISTIC LOOK. IT ALSO CAN DO SO MANY THINGS ON ITS
OWN: BLEND TOGETHER AND MAKE CRAZY WATERMARKS AND JUST SWIRL AROUND.”
Marion Bolognesi
INTRODUCING MARION BOLOGNESI

3. WE NEED TO MOVE BACK AND REVISIT SOMETIMES TO TAKE OUR LEARNING
FORWARD.
REVISITING AN EARLIER UNIT OF INQUIRY WHILE WORKING ON THE EXHIBITION
▸ The Atelerista & Homeroom teacher Ms. Natalie Bennet
introduced Marion Bolognesi, her art connected to the
children’s unit on expressions and how they are
represented in art.
▸ She spoke about the dripping paint as a technique
▸ The children made theories with the teacher about how
the dripping effect was created, offered help when the
teacher needed a brush, and they showed enthusiasm for
the activity by their careful and attentive listening.

4. “MISS NATALIE
YOU DIDN’T DO
THE EYELASHES”
~Ella, K2

5. THE VIEWS OF THE PEDAGOGICAL LEADER - MS MANJU NAIR
PEDAGOGICAL MUSINGS?
▸ Did they associate the dripping
eyes only with sadness?
▸ Or did they see the drip as a
technique?

6. YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS TEACH SOME SKILLS EXPLICITLY
THE ATELERISTA SHOWED THE CHILDREN THREE TECHNIQUES:
▸ The shape of the nose - she called it a wave.
▸ The definition of the eye, clear and bold.
▸ And the dark shade on the nose, to show depth.

7. TENSIONS CHILDREN FELT:
THE DARK SHADE ON THE NOSE - SOME CHILDREN
PENCILLED IT IN, INSTEAD OF WAITING TO USE PAINT.
INCORPORATING THE NOSTRIL - AFTER DRAWING THE WAVE
SOME WERE UNSURE WHERE TO PUT THE NOSTRIL IN.
SOME MADE THE MOUTH DROOP DOWN TO MAKE IT LOOK
SAD
ONE CHILD EVEN DREW THE TEAR DROPS IN WITH PENCIL
BEFORE DOING THE DRIP TECHNIQUE
“Look I did a happy mouth”

8. TRADITIONAL AND
CARTOON IDEAS OF
DRAWING A NOSE FIGHT
FOR A PLACE ALONGSIDE
THE ATELERISTA’S
‘WAVES’.
Here is one. Prior notions
are not easily given up.

9. WHEN TO STEP IN AND WHEN NOT TO - THAT IS THE QUESTION
MORE SCAFFOLDING BY THE TEACHERS
▸ Chinese teachers Liu & Tian laoshi, supporting in Chinese
language.
▸ Teachers showing the technique of gently tapping or shaking
the paper to induce the drip/tear.
▸ Atelerista using exemplars to give children an opportunity to
improve their painting.
▸ Atelerista reminding the children to make use of light and dark.
▸ Atelerista nudging the children to go back and darken the eyes,
nose, and mouth. Asking them to use more water for the drip.

10. “I DID A HAPPY MOUTH”
“MINE [THE TEAR] WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE MOUTH!”
“I AM DOING IT BEHIND [THE PAPER]”
K2 children - Hector, Alex, Joshua
AND THE CHILDREN CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR THINKING VISIBLE

11. “I NEED TO WET ALL THE
COLOURS OF THE PAINT
- I CANNOT LET THEM
DRY”
~ Samuel, K2

12. I NEED EASELS FOR THE
CHILDREN SAYS THE
ATELERISTA!
THE PAPERS START MOVING FROM
HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL
POSITIONS - FOR NEGOTIATING THE
DRIP.

13. AND THERE ARE ALWAYS THE WHAT IFS - PEDAGOGISTA’S MUSINGS
▸ Could the activity have been done in smaller groups?
▸ Would the quality of interaction, discussions, and
collaboration been different?
▸ Would the theory making have more time and would the
listening be more potent and effective?
▸ Do the children need easels?
▸ What if? Could it? Would it?

14. ITS THE TEACHERS WHO ARE THE THEORY MAKERS AND RESEARCHERS…..
…AS MUCH AS THE CHILDREN.
▸ Never do a finished painting on your own and show it to
the children, they feel incapable if they don’t do it like you.
▸ It is okay if you show an artist’s work though because the
artist is detached from the children unlike the adults they
are familiar with.
▸ Demonstrate basic two or three techniques only, and let
the children explore, don’t give them too many details.
▸ ……and so all of us learn from having an Atelerista!

15. PLEASE ENJOY THE K2 MARION
BOLOGNESI INSPIRED ART WORK
THANK YOU