A letter to my students’ families from September, 2015…

Dear Parents/Guardians,

My name is Ms. Jung and I am your child’s student teacher for art this year. I am a current graduate student at Clark University, studying to get my Master of Arts in Teaching degree. I will be working alongside Mr. Badu in one of the art classrooms. Right now, I am observing Mr. Badu’s classes and getting to know the students. In a few weeks, I will start teaching the foundations class that your child is enrolled in. From then until the end of the year, I will be your child’s primary art teacher and Mr. Badu will serve as a resource.

Foundations in art is a class that teaches students the elements and principles of design. These include line, texture, color, balance, perspective, etc. Students will complete a variety of assignments that will help them understand what each of those elements and principles mean and how they are used in art. These assignments will include drawing, painting, 2D design, and 3D sculpture.

Foremost, I expect the students in my class to put effort into their work. As long as they are willing to try, I can help them develop their technical skills in art. I support any and all levels of artistic ability, and expect that by the end of the year they will have grown from the ability they entered the class with.

Art is not only about being able to draw or paint realistically, but rather the ability to use one’s creativity effectively. My students may or may not become the next Pablo Picasso or Andy Warhol but at the very least I want them to become more creative people and learn to see the world more creatively. Being able to think creatively lends itself to better problem solving skills because you are able to see problems in different ways, instead of seeing them as having one solution. Many jobs in the market today specifically seek candidates who can be creative and flexible, candidates who are able to problem solve well, and candidates who will bring a fresh perspective to the company. Whether my students want to be engineers or journalists or architects, the creativity they will foster while in my class will help them be successful in any career. Art is all around us in many different forms such as the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and even the Dunkin Donuts building you may visit every morning. The true mark of an artist is to be able to recognize and appreciate those forms. I hope for my students to be able to do just that.

I would love for you as parents and/or guardians to be involved in the progress of your children becoming artists in my class. I will send my students home with their art throughout the year so you can see the wonderful work they are doing. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. My email is TJung@Clarku.edu. Please fill out and detach the bottom portion of this letter with your contact information and send it back with your children. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Ms. Jung

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