SNAPSHOTS

Molly Kraybill

Magical moments happen in my elementary TAB art studio. Students discover new paint colors, build sculptures that defy gravity, and conquer challenging drawing techniques. The studio is full of student chatter during these moments, and it’s often quite honest, unfiltered, and hilarious.

Early in the school year, I began to pay more attention to this chatter. During studio work time, I would circulate the room and listen to the conversations as students buzzed around. I overheard students talking with their peers about their ideas, inspirations, and challenges.

These incredible conversations were happening naturally and didn’t come from something I had directly taught—they were a byproduct of students being in charge of their own art-making. I realized this chatter was an artifact of their learning and something worth documenting. I needed a way to capture these fleeting moments.

My solution was my Overheard in the Art Studio sticky-note poster. I cut out a speech bubble from poster board and taped it on the wall outside of my classroom. Every time I heard a student say something worth highlighting, I wrote it on a sticky note and stuck it to the poster. I left the quotes anonymous to maintain students’ privacy.

By midyear, the poster was full of student quotes. Quotes like “I can feel my idea but can’t see it” captured students authentically engaging in the Studio Habits of Mind. Other quotes, such as “You have to believe in the blob!” illustrated the pure delight and humor that radiates from my students when they are in our space together.

This poster became a way to advocate for my program and for my school community to get a glimpse into the joy of a student-centered art studio.

Overheard in the Art Studio encouraged me to pay more attention to student talk and to recognize it as evidence of learning and student engagement. It was a small but mighty way to seek out little nuggets of humor during a challenging school year.

Molly Kraybill is an elementary art teacher at Sewickley Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
mollykraybill@gmail.com