Dear Parents,

Welcome to an exciting art year!

I have been blessed with the opportunity since 2003 to work here at ESM. I started my career at South Street School. Thi school year (2018-2019) I will be working at Eastport, South Street and Tuttle Avenue.

James Baldwin said, “The purpose of education is to create in a person the
ability to look at the world for him/herself, to make a decision and have a
sense of identity”. Art gives each student a passageway to explore who they
are, express their emotions, communicate things about their life and help
them to form their personalities. Art can also teach students about the
world around them fostering perceptual awareness, cognitive processes and
life skills.

Students in my class will be encouraged to think critically and creatively.
This will help strengthen their thinking skills, help students express
themselves and their own experiences. In my classroom students will be
questioned about artwork, how it makes them feel, why it makes them feel
that way, what shapes and colors do they see, why do they think the artist
used those shapes and colors, and if it reminds them of their life, etc. By
looking at the artwork the “visual” learner will gain an understanding of
what the artist may have been trying to portray. For the “auditory” learner
I will develop questions that pertain to the painting, drawing, sculpture,
etc. The “tactile” learner will grasp the idea when they are creating with
materials. Since art is a nonverbal experience I will encourage students to
develop their ideas in ways other than with words.

Thank you,

Mrs. Morstadt
Art Educator