Page 51 - Journal 89-3 Full

projects. Students also saw the foundational
art skills learned in the camp as a springboard
for creating contemporary designs. One student The teachers and students...
(S14) connected the past and the present, wanted the art camp to be a
realizing that the experience “shows that things
we made was [sic] also how people made things learning experience where a
we have today. It also shows the different art
styles outside of camp.” The basis of folk craft variety of ideas and skills would

was an armature for students to build upon and be exchanged.
develop ideas in new directions. The idea of the
community included family to work on projects
that were both historic and contemporary. In the
art camp, the students shared ideas, learned new ideas, and worked in the context of
a community.

Pitfalls, Meaning, and Extensions
Evading and overcoming pitfalls were always important in the instructional
process. The art instructors were not classroom teachers, and they had different
perspectives on time management. If the students finished a project early, the
instructor did not always have another project ready to engage the campers. In the
future, the art instructor should be prepared to use extra time to give students more
context on the history and craft traditions. Another option would be to allow the ESC
teachers to be ready with a second small craft project.
A further suggestion would be to allow the art instructors to eat with the group
as a way to encourage interaction between artists and students. Although artists like
long blocks of time to complete creative projects, the day was pretty lengthy for
the students. Keeping the four classes but offering them as 2-day events, with each
consisting of a morning session and an afternoon session, might be better for the
target audience.
From before settlement schools, folk crafts have been part of life in the southern
highlands where Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
intersect, and Appalachian education has been a long struggle for access to quality
education. Part of the allure of folk crafts is their duration in the face of a society
that promotes individualism and lack of commitment. In the art camp, teachers
were able to develop classes that reflected their rationale for teaching folk crafts to
Appalachian students.
Teachers’ instructional ideas fell into the three realms of sharing, learning, and
community, which the students identified in their responses to the classes. Teachers
and students wanted to have a shared experience where knowledge would be passed
from person to person. One student (S43) said, “You know how some people go
home to a bland, sad apartment where you’re not allowed to paint the walls any
color but white? . . . I live in that boring white apartment . . . These . . . crafts
help me and my family cope with it.” This student was sharing the beauty of color,
texture, and design with her family to bring joy into a monochromatic world.
The teachers and the students also wanted the art camp to be a learning experience
where a variety of ideas and skills would be exchanged. Another student (S11)
realized that art camp “provides an opportunity . . . [for] kids in our community
to come in and learn new skills and things that they are interested in.” The students
responded to the inviting atmosphere that appealed to their interests in the art

Educators’ Choice 49