EDITOR'S LETTER
Collaboration
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Frank Juárez looks back on his favorite collaborative lessons and shares some of this issue’s offerings.
Frank Juárez
How many times have you taught the same project, year after year, only to realize it isn’t as exciting as it was the first few times? When was the last time that the idea of collaboration looked better on paper than in real life? Have you ever wondered what makes a project successful, innovative, and impactful?
What Can a Collaboration Look Like?
I have had my fair share of collaborations. Some of my favorites include: The Germ Project (SchoolArts, January 2016), which involved elementary through college students in a ceramic project about germs; the 365 Artists 365 Days Project (SchoolArts, October 2017), which brought Appleton Career Academy and Sheboygan North High art students together to curate an art show with professional artists; a steamroller printmaking event between the Sheboygan North and South High School art departments (see my article in this issue); and, most recently, North Talks, our version of TED Talks, where local arts professionals presented on how creativity plays an integral role in solving industry challenges and fostering creative solutions in the visual arts and technical education fields.
These collaborations were fun, planned, and sometimes spontaneous. Iʼve also had ones that werenʼt fun, were too much work, or difficult to organize. But isn’t that the reality? The key to a successful collaboration is synergy, high engagement, common ground, accountability, and of course, patience. When we collaborate, we come up with so many creative and experimental ideas!
In This Issue
A collaboration will look different for everyone. It can take various paths, such as working with another art teacher, across content areas within your building, or in community-focused projects.
In “Creative Collaborations Across the Campus” Meera Ramanathan introduces second- through fifth-grade students to what collaborations can look like and how important it is to build a supportive learning community. Collaborations range from Zellij tiles from Morocco and a bicycle wheel installation to a fifth-grade legacy mural. Meera also provides helpful tips on creating successful collaborative projects.
Ariel Kay’s “The TAB Studio: Building Self-Esteem through Teamwork” explores how the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) model provides students the freedom and ownership to create work that is meaningful to them. Through teamwork, students actively engage in collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
At the high-school level, Dr. Kathleen Petka’s “Murals with Meaning: Empowering Students through Collaborative Art” focuses on muralist Robert Wyland, whose work raises awareness of marine life conservation and the importance of protecting the ocean ecosystem. This project challenges her National Art Honor Society members on how they can do their part in taking care of the earth.
Extending the opportunity to engage and include others in what it means to create, collaborate, and connect leads to meaningful experiences. When you collaborate, anything is possible!