Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers brings together artwork by students aged Pre-K to 5th grade from Children’s Museum of the Arts’ three Emergency Arts Education Fund partner organizations across New York City: 1) Hudson Guild in Chelsea, Manhattan; 2) P396K Sid Miller Academy in Crown Heights, Brooklyn; and 3) Children’s Workshop School in East Village, Manhattan. Although these three organizations are separated by geography, they have one thing in common — they have all lost arts funding as a result of citywide budget cuts. The works in this exhibition demonstrate the breadth of the experimental arts curriculum crafted and implemented by each of CMA’s Artists in Residence: Maria D. Rapicavoli at Hudson Guild; Niousha Kiarashi at P396K Sid Miller Academy, and Noormah Jamal at Children’s Workshop School. These three approaches vary in style, but are united in their goal to provide deeply ambitious free arts education to students who need it most. ​ The exhibition borrows its title from Mark Rothko ’s 1934 essay New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers , which encourages artists to approach their craft from the perspective of a child. For Rothko, the function of the instructor is to inspire confidence rather than impose overbearing guidelines. In this spirit, Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers affirms the diversity of student learning profiles through a year of inclusive art instruction and joyful co-creation. Hudson Guild Chelsea, Manhattan Willow, 4th–5th Grade Project: Paper Collage Materials: colored construction paper "Inspired by street artists Alber, Phillip Sauders, and Paola Tacchini’s embroidery, students learned how to create value with color combinations. Willow made her self-portrait by cutting and combining small pieces of colored construction paper." Alyssa, 4th–5th Grade Project: Monochromatic Self Portraits Materials: acrylic paint "Focusing on Picasso's Blue Period, students explored monochromatic colors and how to express their feelings through art. I encouraged the kids to think of a time when they were sad and transfer those emotions into their painting. Because Picasso often used the color blue to express sadness, Alyssa felt inspired to make this terrific self-portrait." Dmari, 4th–5th Grade Project: Frottage Collage Materials: paper, crayons, found flat objects, scissors, glue "Students were introduced to Max Ernst and the art of frottage. They experimented with the frottage technique, which consisted of placing a sheet of paper on top of a flat object and gently rubbing the paper with a pencil or crayon to pick up the texture of the object. Students were fascinated by the surrealist nature of Ernst's work because they found it absurd and new. Dmari found great inspiration in Ernst's drawing 'The Fugitive' and depicted a fictional animal that was a mix of a wolf, a porcupine, and an eagle." Delvis, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Graffiti and Street Art Materials: oil pastels "During this lesson, students were introduced to the art of fellow New Yorker Jean-Michel Basquiat. We discussed how art allows us to express our personal feelings and ideas and to 'say out loud' things we don't like or want to change. For this assignment, students took a cue from graffiti and street art to draw their names or initials using oil pastels. Kids loved working with oil pastels because they are softer than crayons, can be blended, layered, and mixed, and are very bright." Gia, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Mosaic Tiles Materials: mosaic tiles, glue, paper, cardboard, grout "This lesson introduced students to the mosaic technique and how it has been employed throughout art history. In the initial phase, they drew inspiration from the paintings of Alma Thomas and Sam Gilliam's 'From a Model to a Rainbow' mosaic in Washington, DC, as well as ancient Roman mosaics in my hometown of Catania, Sicily. During the first part of the assignment, students drew geometric shapes and figures on white paper. Afterwards, I provided them with small colored tiles and glue and asked them to fill in their drawing using the tiles. The final step of the project consisted in adding grouting. This step-by-step process demanded both time and patience, but students were extremely satisfied with making a work that is more permanent and durable than a drawing. They used grout to fill in the gaps between the small tiles, which gave them a chance to experiment with new materials, work on their composition skills, and improve their attention to detail." Valentine, 4th–5th Grade Title: "Head With Crown" Project: Paper Mache Materials: magazine paper, glue, water, metal, wood "Students were introduced to the ancient technique of paper mache. With the help of aluminum foil, they first created a rough shape for their project. Next, students used metal wire, wood, tape, and glue to build a defined structure for the wet paper to adhere to. The following day, they covered their structures with layers of newspaper strips dipped in a paste made of glue and water. They smoothed down the strips by overlapping them to ensure adequate coverage and structural strength. Once dry, students used acrylic paint to cover their structures and acrylic markers for fine detail. Valentine ambitiously depicted a face with a crown using the paper mache technique. He remembered Basquiat’s signature crown from a lesson back in December and wanted to recreate it." Kiari, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Mobile Sculptures Inspired by Alexander Calder Materials: cardboard, metal, glue, metallic paper, colored foam "‘Drawing in the air’ was the title of my class inspired by Alexander Calder. After looking at Calder's abstract mobile sculptures, students experimented with balance, equilibrium, and lightness to create a mobile sculpture that moves with the wind. By cutting metallic paper, cardboard, and metal wire, they created their own works of kinetic art." Avery, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Inspired by Pipilotti Rist Materials: cardboard, acrylic paint, glue, metallic paint, various ready made materials "Following the class trip to Pipilotti Rist’s exhibition at Hauser and Wirth Gallery, students set out to create their own works inspired by the Swiss artist. During the gallery visit, students were captivated by the vibrant array of materials and colorful, diverse media. In response, students incorporated glitter and shiny paper into their artworks to capture the viewer’s eye. Avery, in particular, crafted impressive and strikingly realistic fruit stands." Kairi, 4th–5th Grade Project: Clay Sculpture Materials: air dry clay, acrylic paint "Students created air-dry clay pottery using hand-building techniques. They even kneaded their own clay using rolling pins! They started out by creating basic clay forms like pinch pots and slab-built vessels, then experimented with different techniques to add textures and patterns to their form. Afterwards, they learned how to join clay pieces securely using water as a slip. Kairi created a volcano and named it 'Mount Kairi' after himself. He then painted his sculpture using colorful acrylics." Kendon, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Inspired by Faith Ringgold Materials: fabric, glue, acrylic markers "This lesson was inspired by Faith Ringgold's captivating 'Street Story' quilt. I asked students to recreate the facades of their own buildings as viewed from the street. I gave them different colored pieces of fabric, along with glue and scissors, and encouraged them to unleash their creativity to the fullest extent." Elian, 4th–5th Grade Project: Speed Self Portraits Materials: charcoal, blending stump "This is an example of a speed self-portrait with charcoal. Students explored tri-dimensionality by depicting human faces with curves and straight lines using charcoal and blending stumps." Yesilee, 2nd–3rd Grade Project: Inspired by Pipilotti Rist Materials: cardboard, acrylic paint, glue, metallic paint, various ready made materials Dmari, 4th–5th Grade Project: Monochromatic Self Portraits Materials: acrylic paint August, 4th–5th Grade Project: Paper Mache Materials: magazine paper, glue, water, metal, wood Children's Workshop School East Village, Manhattan Soren, 5th Grade Project: Tint and Shade Materials: tempera paint, q-tips, sponges "Tints and shades are very important when learning color theory. Soren's main color selection was red, and he had the last five minutes of the assignment to select which section would have the contrast / highlighted color. I feel his composition and color selections are very clever." Odin, 5th Grade Project: Cubist Self Portraits Materials: oil pastels "This was their first introduction to oil pastels. Students took inspiration from Picasso's cubist portraits to make one of their own. Odin did a brilliant job of experimenting with form in his portrait. He was focused on corners and angles." Angel, 5th Grade Project: Cubist Self Portraits Materials: oil pastels "Angel's portrait has great likeness to his own appearance. He does an excellent job of blending and using the oil pastels. He loves the opaque nature of pastels vs. crayons, a medium that he's very used to using." Lucy, 5th Grade Project: Fall Foliage Watercolors Materials: watercolors "This assignment was the students' first introduction to watercolor and wet on wet technique. Lucy exhibited great control over the medium and took inspiration from old stained glass paintings while making her fall leaves." Alina, 5th Grade Project: Stick Figure Sculptures Materials: styrofoam ball, popsicle stick, glue, foam sheets, staple pins, markers "Alina's work for this project inspired half her classmates! Her ability to make the most of the materials provided in astounding. She was very much aware of every angle when making a 3D work." Siqima, 5th Grade Project: Fruit Pointillism Materials: tempera paint, q-tips, sponges "Siqima is a true artist. He has the innate ability to pick up any new medium and excels at it instantly. He also has a very observant eye. He is always aware of shadows and highlights and excels at the use of color." Vivian, 5th Grade Project: Fruit Pointillism Materials: tempera paint, q-tips, sponges "This work shows the level of precision and patience of the young artist — a single strawberry, incredibly well composed, with a blue contrast border around it. Vivian was very consistent with her skill and technique." Linus, 5th Grade Title: Strawberry of Artistic Imagination Project: Fruit Pointillism Materials: tempera paint, q-tips, sponges "Linus used q-tips and sponges to blend and achieve the final outcome. Composition for incredibly important for him. 'Fruit bowls are pretty big in old paintings,' he said." Jeicob, 5th Grade Title: Ragnar's Journey Project: Collage Materials: collage "Jeicob's approach and focus was centered on narrative building, which he achieved very well. Two scenes play out within the same frame, which he was very pleased with." Bianca, 5th Grade Title: Girl Eating an Apple Project: Collage Materials: collage "For the collage assignment, students look at the works of Hannah Hoch and Pakistani artist Rashid Rana. Bianca was one of the few students who employed collage in a different way by making her own self portrait." Veda, 5th Grade Project: Inspired by Roy Lichtenstein Materials: graphite, colored pencils and acrylic on paper Valentino, 5th Grade Project: Drawing with Charcoal Materials: charcoal on paper Shaila, 5th Grade Project: Mixed Composition from Books Materials: colored pencils Savita, 5th Grade Project: Personal Movie Posters Materials: watercolor on watercolor paper Sage, 5th Grade Project: Inspired by Kara Walker Materials: pencil and black crayon Rafael, 5th Grade Project: Introduction to Drawing Materials: colored pencils on paper Pablo, 5th Grade Project: Inspired by Kara Walker Materials: graphite and black crayon on paper Oni, 5th Grade Project: Curious Creatures Materials: oil pastels on paper Oakley, 5th Grade Project: Collage Materials: paper / magazine cut outs and glue on paper Micah, 5th Grade Project: Tint and Shade Materials: black, white, and blue tempera paint on watercolor paper Mick, 5th Grade Project: Personal Movie Posters Materials: watercolor and oil pastel on watercolor paper Mackenzie, 5th Grade Project: Music & Abstract Art Materials: crayons on paper Nicolette, 5th Grade Project: Personal Movie Posters Materials: graphite and watercolor on watercolor paper Luna, 5th Grade Project: Inspired by Kara Walker Materials: graphite and black crayon Leah, 5th Grade Project: Nick Cave Masks Materials: buttons, glass, foam paper, feather on cardstock mask P396K Sid Miller Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn Sarah, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Painting with Straws Materials: eye dropper, paint, water, straw on cardboard "After learning the fundamentals of artmaking, students learned alternative painting methods, such as using eye droppers and blowing paint through a straw." Cereianna, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Scale and Space Materials: paint, paintbrush, cardboard, marker "Students were given three different cardboard squares and asked to paint the same object at different scales. This assignment allowed them to understand space and discover size and scale." Gabriel, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Felt Collage Materials: felt, glue sticks, paper "Students were introduced to yet another sensory material that is pleasant to the touch – felt. They created an imaginary landscape out of different colors and shapes." Zidan, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: 2D Sensory Characters Materials: felt, scissors, glue sticks, cardboard "Students used felt to create a character either based on themselves or completely imaginary." Jannele, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Paper Bag Puppets Materials: paper bag, feathers, sequins, googly eyes, construction paper, foam shapes, pompoms "Puppet making was one of students' favorite art projects. They used multisensory materials such as sequins, feathers, pompoms, and googly eyes to decorate their paper bag puppets. Each student imagined their own characters while they were making their puppets." Jayden, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Portrait Collage Materials: paper cutouts, glue, construction paper, felt "Students were given a picture of themselves and paper cutouts of facial features. They collaged their face with other images to create an entirely new self portrait." Jace, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Abstract Sculptures Materials: sponge, pipe cleaners, beads "The goal of this project was to create abstract compositions using limited materials and use sculpture to define their personal ideas." Bryson, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Exploring Sculpture Through Play Materials: play doh, paper plate "Air dry clay is challenging for students with sensory impairments due to its messiness, but play dough is a great alternative. Students loved squeezing the play dough in their hands and noticing the different textures and sensations. During this assignment, students explored the world of sculpture by freely creating shapes." Jackson, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Exploring Sculpture Through Play Materials: play doh, paper plate "Air dry clay is challenging for students with sensory impairments due to its messiness, but play dough is a great alternative. Students loved squeezing the play dough in their hands and noticing the different textures and sensations. During this assignment, students explored the world of sculpture by freely creating shapes." Analise, Pre K–2nd Grade Project: Expandable Puppets Materials: paper, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers "Students enjoyed yet another puppetry assignment, simplified for students with special needs and using only paper, markers, and construction paper. They created expandable hand puppets with flexible mouths, which allowed each student to create unique visual characteristics for their puppet." Artists in Residence. Maria D. Rapicavoli CMA Artist in Residence 2023-24 Hudson Guild Chelsea, Manhattan Niousha Kiarashi CMA Artist in Residence 2023-24 Sid Miller Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn Noormah Jamal CMA Artist in Residence 2023-24 Children's Workshop School East Village, Manhattan About Children's Museum of the Arts Children's Museum of the Arts (CMA) is on a mission to unite children and artists to create and share ambitious works of art with their communities and the world. Since 1988, CMA has crafted innovative programs that change the way New Yorkers value its youngest artists and their aesthetic contributions. Our programs are 100% free and designed to inspire cultural change — by publicly celebrating what's possible when you give children the materials, access, and encouragement they deserve to be recognized and appreciated as real artists. View exclusive exhibition content, including educator reflections, studio tours, and classroom visits on Bloomberg Connects , the free arts & culture app. Download on iPhone and Android

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See More Children's Museum of the Arts 5/17/24 Reflections Reflecting on 100 Classes of Open Studio CMA Lead Teaching Artist Emma Waldman reflects on a year of free art classes at Pier 57. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ NEXT IN ​ ​ ​ ​

. Field Notes 100 Art Classes, 300 Hours of Art Instruction, 100% Free Reflections Reflecting on 100 Classes of Open Studio 5/17/24 100 Art Classes, 300 Hours of Art Instruction, 100% Free Reflections Top 10 Artworks from 100 Classes of Open Studio 5/15/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools All About Alina! 5/8/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Patterns and Pop Art 4/19/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Zine Making: The Final Creations! 4/12/24 Emma Waldman at PS 46Q Artists in Schools Animal Portraits at PS 46Q 4/9/24 Maria D. Rapicavoli at Hudson Guild Artists in Schools Bodies in Motion, Angel Hair, and Dollhouses 3/25/24 Connecting West Side Neighbors Artists in Schools Viewing Steffani Jemison at Greene Naftali 3/22/24 Creating a More Inclusive and Creative Classroom Reflections Little Things to Know About Little Beings by Niousha Kiarashi 5/17/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Clay Magnets Part II: Sculptors & Painters 5/9/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Clay Magnets Part 1: Creating Form Using Armature 5/3/24 Talisa Velazquez at PS 347 Artists in Schools Shimmering Backdrops at PS 347 4/15/24 Featuring Artwork from China, Finland, and Spain Kids Art Blast Off! 3 Spaces Scenes from CMA's Collection of Children's Art 4/12/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Zine Making: Adventures in Carbon Paper 4/2/24 Maria D. Rapicavoli at Hudson Guild Artists in Schools Cardboard Tube Telescopes 3/25/24 Connecting West Side Neighbors Artists in Schools Visiting Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts 3/22/24 Connecting West Side Neighbors Artists in Schools Visiting The High Line with Hudson Guild 5/16/24 Connecting West Side Neighbors Artists in Schools Viewing Selections from the Whitney's Collection 5/9/24 Featuring Artwork from South Africa and New York Kids Art 3 Lovely Lizards from CMA's Collection of Children's Art 5/1/24 Emma Waldman and JT Baldassarre at City-As-School Artists in Schools Creating a Gallery at City-As-School 4/15/24 Connecting West Side Neighbors Artists in Schools Visiting the Whitney Biennial 4/10/24 Featuring Artwork from Harlem, New Mexico, and Finland Kids Art 7 Architectural Structures from CMA’s Collection of Children’s Art 3/26/24 Maria D. Rapicavoli at Hudson Guild Artists in Schools Story Street Quilts 3/25/24 Noormah Jamal at Children's Workshop School Artists in Schools Zine Making: Frame-by-Frame Layouts 3/22/24 See More Donate Now

5/17/24 Reflections Little Things to Know About Little Beings by Niousha Kiarashi Creating a More Inclusive and Creative Classroom Click to expand media gallery. by Niousha Kiarashi Artist in Residence 2023-24 Children’s Museum of the Arts in collaboration with Pre-K—2nd Graders P396K Sid Miller Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn Download here This is a small pamphlet, made with love and care, by Niousha Kiarashi, CMA Artist Educator in Residence at P396K Sid Miller Academy , after experiencing a full year teaching art at an elementary school dedicated to children with special needs in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout the school year, my students and I created a web of connections together and developed an experimental teaching and learning method for making art in the easiest and most pleasant way possible. With the precious help of teachers and paraprofessionals, along with the great administrative staff, and the Children’s Museum of the Art, we created a loving and creative environment for children to become the best version of themselves. After spending hours in the classroom, I gathered my observations in hopes that – together! – we can improve the educational environment and make the students’ experience as impactful as possible. We were all children once, and we have enough intuition of what worked best for us when we were in school, and in which environment we got those educations best. We all knew what things did not work when we were children – what was boring, hurt our feelings, made us tired or angry – during the moments when we needed to be understood and cared for the most. This pamphlet serves as a reminder to everyone working in the children’s education field that we should reflect on our past memories and the resources that helped us most to reimagine what we want our children to learn and become. Before entering and while in the classroom, there are things for us as teachers and paraprofessionals to strictly consider as rules and be aware of until they become default. + Remind yourself that we are gathered here to teach children and, most importantly, to learn from each other. Avoid a top-down approach and refrain from using your “adultness” to overcome difficult situations. + It’s best not to talk in front of the students about one’s behavior or about a subject that’s irrelevant to the class. + Remind yourself that this is an art class and students are here to explore, express their emotions, and experiment as freely as possible. We must guide them with our knowledge to add to their experiences – not limit their curiosities. + We pay full attention to our children and dedicate our time to them and their needs. Refrain from letting personal feelings and moods interfere with the children and the classroom environment. + Everyone should follow the classroom rules — stay in our chairs while completing assignments, no running, no playtime until finishing the assignments, no touching other’s works without asking the teachers first, clean up after finishing an assignment, share with friends sitting beside them. + Keep in mind that students in these classes have strong sensory sensitivities, and in order to have a fruitful class, we should not trigger any of those sensitivities. + No shouting is a must for everyone , including paraprofessionals, teachers, and students. Build a stressless classroom environment by encouraging everyone to conduct calm conversations instead of demanding rules or shouting. + Recognize the rules for nonverbal students. Check to see what their special needs and sensitivities are and plan their classroom experience accordingly. + Visualize rules for nonverbal students. + Organized learning is essential for children with special needs. Not only does it improve their classroom experience, but it builds essential skills for their future. + We don’t want students to get in the habit of responding to demands – no one likes them! We want our students to grow into their strong personalities and contribute to a brighter future without dictatorship in their mindset. + Getting to the students’ height when teaching or asking them to follow any rules is essential. It makes them feel safe and shows that we are not using our “adultness” to force them to do anything. + Remind yourself of the language you use when teaching, asking questions, or conducting conversations. Many special needs students have echolalia [repetition of speech], and it is important to demonstrate how you want to be heard by others in the classroom environment. + Do not make negative comments about the students to teachers or paraprofessionals in front of them. + Don’t answer students with laughs when they express something from their point of view. Instead, simply listen and interact with them — you can even ask them follow-up questions or make useful observations about their comments. Try to turn the conversation into a learning experience. Don’t immediately assess whether their observation is right or wrong. Converse with them until they get to the correct answer or solution by themselves. + Children can sense excitement and loooove to listen to exciting conversations. It makes learning easier, better, and more fun. So, be excited when you talk with them! + Simplifying instructions and breaking down tasks into smaller portions makes assignments easier to understand. + Always think ahead. Have multiple alternatives for each assignment and be ready for unpredictable events that might happen in the classroom. + Encourage students to ask for future instructions or share new ideas while completing assignments. + Art class is all about activating creativity and is most successful when everyone has their own style and method — that includes students, teachers, and paraprofessionals. It’s important for everyone to participate in even the smallest tasks so we can all learn and create together. It also helps us recognize our individual skills and levels of creativity. + Fear should never be used as a tool to make students obey classroom rules. + Physical force is never allowed in the classroom. + In order for students to understand the rules of physical contact (keep your hands to yourself, respect other’s personal space, etc), they must see adults demonstrating it first. They will learn by simply observing what adults are doing. General Recommendations: Our relationship with students is very important. We may provoke a student's anger unknowingly. It’s important to take responsibility for our shortcomings and change our opinion depending on the situation. + It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Some students will be triggered not from the limitations themselves, but the way we implement those limits. The energy that we put into this relationship is very important. If we want calmer children, then we must be calmer educators. + Questioning a student’s ability to do something may trigger them to refuse to do it altogether. Avoid this behavior by politely asking a student to complete a task. + Guide students through situations with their classmates together instead of making it look like a competition. Children’s brains are still developing at this stage, so they haven’t learned how to control strong emotions yet. + We must model to students that aggression is not the answer. They haven’t learned alternative ways to control their emotions yet, so they are looking to us to model these behaviors. + Never answer their aggression with more aggression. It worsens the situation and creates an unpleasant scene for everyone. Instead, teach students problem-solving skills with a calmer attitude. You can tell students that it’s okay to be mad, but they cannot hit themselves or others because our bodies are not meant to be hurt. Show students that you understand their extreme emotions, while also setting boundaries to prevent them from getting physical. Ask students to try another way to solve their problem and encourage them to think of their own ideas on how to do it. + When a child is angry, suggest that they: puff their cheeks and take a deep breath start dancing — it releases sudden extreme emotions! play with sensory toys + Kids don’t need to be tamed. They just need to feel understood and accepted; guided and loved. + What we consider to be a child’s bad attitude or behavior is likely due to their own discovery of their internal feelings — they may feel disappointed in their inability to make connections between what they feel and think. The best we can do is set kind yet strict boundaries and constantly follow up with them. + We are all human — teachers, paraprofessionals, and students! “Taming” children with punishments for simply being human is far from the best way to overcome challenging behaviors. + Focus on satisfying students’ individual needs and not forcing them to do the “right” or “complete” thing. + Respect each student’s age and state of mind. + Encourage students to follow their own interests while completing different tasks. + Children tend to copy what they see, and not necessarily what they are told to do. Be mindful of your attitude in front of them. They may not remember when you tell them, but they will vividly remember how you said it. In order to teach respect, you must model respect. Children are visual learners and they are hyper-aware of what is happening in their surroundings. + Constantly remind children that they are capable of doing whatever they want! + Celebrate each of their victories, no matter how big or small. + If they show perseverance, support it, as encouragement means a lot to them. + Connection is key to a good relationship. + If the child is constantly anxious, try to reduce the tension of the situation by speaking in a calm voice and showing empathy. + When you see that a student is interested in a specific hobby, ask them about it and have them teach you how to participate. + Try to analyze the situation together instead of simply resorting to phrases such as “stop,” “be quiet,” or “don’t cry.” Make sure that students are aware of your efforts to help them reach their goals. Accidents happen; that is normal. Encourage students to talk about things that give them anxiety. This helps them analyze the stressful situation and gives them credit for trying to feel understood. It doesn’t mean that we are necessarily agreeing with their feelings, but we are simply observing their stress and trying to connect to their feelings, while also keeping our boundaries. + Special needs students often use their own body to soothe themselves. When you notice students displaying self-soothing behaviors (such as nail biting or hair pulling), ask them how they are feeling: “I noticed that your hands are in your mouth. Did you notice that your hands are in your mouth?” Gently call attention to these behaviors, but don’t harp on them. Knowing that you are not judging them is huge for children. These behaviors are complex and do not benefit from a top-down approach. Simple Techniques to Boost Creativity: 1. Use games to teach students about new concepts and expand their ability to innovate and create. 2. Encourage them to explore their surroundings at all times. 3. Promote group participation and working in pairs help children share their ideas and cooperate with others in order to accomplish tasks. It also helps students gain important social skills. 4. Plant seeds of confidence every day. Encourage students to examine new ideas and express their thoughts in a creative way. 5. Utilize storytelling to allow their minds to see the world in a new light and help them depict a world of their own. 6. Give students the courage and confidence to bloom into their best version of themselves. It's always the smallest details that make the biggest changes. It’s a wonderful feeling when you see the results of your efforts. Let’s make it wonderful for everybody. With Love, Niousha Kiarashi 2024 NEXT 100 Art Classes, 300 Hours of Art Instruction, 100% Free Reflecting on 100 Classes of Open Studio Donate Now

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See More Children's Museum of the Arts 5/17/24 Reflections Little Things to Know About Little Beings by Niousha Kiarashi Creating a More Inclusive and Creative Classroom ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ NEXT IN ​ ​ ​ ​

5/17/24 Reflections Reflecting on 100 Classes of Open Studio CMA Lead Teaching Artist Emma Waldman reflects on a year of free art classes at Pier 57. Click to expand media gallery. We have hosted over 100 Open Studio classes so far! As a community, we have created art projects using materials ranging from clay creations to puppetry, to architecture to collage, to drawing and painting. I am so fortunate to have had a hand in supporting and encouraging each student’s creative process. Over the past year, I have proudly watched students completely develop their artistic voice and tap into their imaginations through material discovery. My students come into class asking What is the project today? and ready to ‘shop’ for materials that will fit their artistic intent. After every class, students leave proud to share their creation with me, but also their classmates and adults, often exclaiming: Look what I made! While clay is hands-down the most popular material for my students (and their caregivers), new materials such as wire, yarn, fabric, felt, and wax sticks really sparked their interests and challenged them to build and design projects featuring varying textures and materials. I have watched as my students come to class to create 2D works of art, and, over time, begin to use their new technical skills and understanding of materials to build more ambitious 3D projects and sculptural works. The theme and the artist(s) inspiration is the same for every participant, however, each student creates a completely different work of art, which is without a doubt my absolute favorite part of the class. I can see how students express their individuality and own voice using material and marks. Some of my favorite classes thus far have been where students use their own experiences, interests, and personalities inspired by historical and contemporary artists: My Own Universe, The Unexpected: Surrealism and the Imagination, Storied Portraits, Reimagined Cities, Family in Art, Memory, Mirror Reflection, Inkblot Paintings, and What is Outside My Window, just to name a few. Lastly, these Open Studio classes have inspired and promoted the importance of art and the creative process for young children, but also the importance of community, collaboration, and having fun. Because of the format, my students, and their adults, are able to share and develop ideas with one another as well as make new friends in the process . I want to thank my Open Studio community for supporting each class and sharing your excitement and interest with others. Each and every one of you continues to inspire me as an artist and an educator! NEXT Creating a More Inclusive and Creative Classroom Little Things to Know About Little Beings by Niousha Kiarashi Donate Now