MT.

LOGAN MIDDLE SCHOOLWESTENSKOWART&CERAMICSSTUDIO 509

Ceramics, Painting & Drawing and Visual Arts

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Introduction This and all courses taught by Mr. Westenskow are based on the fact that anyone can learn to create and understand art whatever their background or skill level. Students must, on a daily basis, simply attend class, have a good attitude, follow instructions and work hard. Turning assignments in completed and on time is critical in demonstrating those qualities. Talent is not necessary if students bring a great attitude and work ethic to class daily. Course Description Ceramics: A one trimester course which introduces students to the art of ceramics. Techniques in creating, assessing and evaluating art work will be taught. Many projects will also be presented in historical and cultural context. Students will also keep a sketchbook and learn fundamental drawing skills as they apply to designing and communicating ideas about their work. Drawing and Painting: A one trimester course which introduces students to the visual arts. Techniques in creating, assessing and evaluating visual arts will be taught. Students will experiment with and create works in a variety of art media. Some works will also be presented in cultural and historical contexts. The foundation of the class is gaining an understanding, identifying and using the elements and principles of art. A strong emphasis is placed on drawing which is a foundational skill. Students will keep a sketchbook to do daily drawing exercises, preliminary sketches, finished drawings, personal experimentation and explorations. Required Materials Students must have the following materials with them in class each day. Two sharpened, wooden no. 2 pencils (not mechanical pencils). A folder or binder to keep self assessment sheets and other paperwork neat, clean, flat, untattered and available until they are due and are turned in. The sketchbook given to each student at the beginning of the trimester. Grading Your grade is a reflection of what you accomplish and demonstrate through your work. Grades are not an assessment of talent or effort since you can, by not following instructions, spend a lot of time and effort doing other things and never be able to demonstrate skills or produce work that indicate you have achieved the learning objectives. During the first couple weeks of class individual student skill levels are assessed by Mr. Westenskow. From that point on grades are based on individual development and improvement. Students are compared only to their own past work and not other students work. Meaning of letter grades: A indicates achievement beyond expected levels. B indicates a clear understanding of objectives. C indicates a basic level of achievement or a level approaching proficiency. F indicates achievement far below standard and the students ability or insufficient work to make any determination of achievement level. Assignment Weighting: All assignments are not created equally. That is to say that all assignments are not weighted the same. Major projectsthese are major required works students are to complete. These are worth

about 75% of the overall grade. Sketchbookboth in and out of class students keep a sketchbook for daily warm-ups, preliminary sketches and finished drawings and for projects and personal explorations. The sketchbook will be graded 5 times during the trimester. The sketchbook is worth about 15% of the overall grade. Self-AssessmentsImmediately upon finishing a project or sketchbook assignment, students are to complete and turn in a self-assessment sheet scoring their own work. These are worth about 5% of the overall grade. Supplementarythese include various supplemental handouts and assignments such as video study sheets and vocabulary study sheets. These are worth about 5% of the overall grade.

Extra Credit: Enough extra credit may be made available to raise an overall grade a few percentage points. Do not count on extra credit to make up for regular assignments that were not turned in. To Receive Full Credit For Assignments: All work must have your full name, both first and last and the class period legibly written on it. Class projects and assignments must be turned in on time. Do not expect to get credit for work turned in a week or more after the due date: Students are given ample time in class to complete assignments. An abundant amount of time is also provided outside of class. I and the studio are available from 8:00am to 8:25am (9:00am to 9:25 on Wednesdays) and 3:05pm to 4:00pm, except for Fridays (or which ever the last day of the school week falls on) or when meetings do not allow me to be in my room. This comes to nearly 6 extra hours per week and over 70 hours per trimester in which students may come in and work on assignments and/or receive help. The Importance Of Turning Work In on Time: As critical as the life skill of being responsible is, doing so in a timely manner is equally important. Part of every assignment are the critical thinking skills involved in planning and pacing yourself so you can do your best work in the time given. The class must move on to the next project. If you are still working on a past assignment after weve moved on to the next you will be even further behind on the current project. Grading late work is not a high priority and will be graded at the teachers earliest convenience. Late work after two weeks may not be accepted. No late work will be accepted the last two weeks of the trimester. Lastly, Mr. Westenskows time, like everyone elses, is limited. Blocks of time are scheduled for teaching, preparing lessons and materials, loading and firing the kiln, grading work and inputting scores into the computer, etc. Using time scheduled for other things like grading late work cheats every one who has been responsible and turned assignments in on time. Contributing to the problem, it takes nearly as much time to grade and record one or two pieces of late work as it does to do an entire class work that has been turned in at the appropriate time. Whats My Grade?: Grades are usually input within 24 hours of the due date. Students and parents have access to grades online 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Check them frequently to monitor your progress. At appropriate times and with permission students may use the classroom computer to go online and check grades. Mr. Westenskow is happy to discuss specific questions about grades before and after school.

A Final Note Concerning Grading: Paying attention in class, following instructions and doing your best daily is the best and easiest way to earn a good grade. The class is designed for students to be engaged and working every moment of class. Wasting time, doing things carelessly, and putting things off always result in frustration and disappointment. You learn something new every day, but if you miss a day it can really start to back up. Steve Wright Attendance Daily attendance in class is an extremely important aspect of being successful in this course. The studio is where all of the necessary facilities, equipment and tools are located. More importantly it is where all the instruction, demonstration and coaching take place. Art requires a different thought process, answers and solutions are frequently not so cut and dried as in most other subjects. Art requires practice and guidance for students to develop the judgment and skills to make progress in this subject. The studio is where that all takes place. It is very difficult and impractical for students to make progress and be successful without regular consistence attendance in class. Policy: Occasional absences: Whether for a single absence or longer always find out what was done while you were gone and get it made up. Long term absences in particular will most likely require coming in outside of class time to catch up on missed work. It is not usually practical or possible to do the work prior to an extended absence. Time and resources are provided before and after school (See: Turning In Assignments For Full Credit in the Grading Policy section above.) Extended absences due to illness, injury or family crisis: Special consideration is given situations involving more than a couple of days absence due to emergency circumstances. Due dates may be extended and/or assignments missed during these absences may be modified to accommodate such situations. Unexcused tardies: Be here on time, class begins promptly. Roll is taken at the second bell. Anyone not in their assigned seat at that point is either marked tardy or absent as appropriate. Quietly enter the room, sign your name on the clipboard by the door and go to your assigned seat. Instructions are not repeated or reviewed for late students. At an appropriate time, you should get the information from a classmate without creating a distraction. Excused tardies: Tardies will be excused only if you have a written excuse from a faculty or staff member. Hall Passes: Students receive one free pass per trimester, use it wisely. Once students arrive in the classroom it is important for safety and classroom management purposes for students to remain in class and be accounted for.
I have noticed that people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them E. V. Lucas

Life-Skills/Citizenship District & School Rules: All district and school rules as stated in the Student Handbook are observed in class. Life Skills Rubric: Please see the MLMS Life Skills Rubric on page 19 of the MLMS Student Handbook. Classroom Rules & Policies: Students may engage in any behavior that does not cause a problem for themselves or

anyone else on the planet. Choices of behavior that do cause a problem are handled in a nonpunitive manner but in a way that will allow the student to experience the consequences of that choice. Since equal is not the same as fair, consequences will be designed to fit the problem of the individual student in an appropriate manner. Every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that student(s) involved in the situation understand how and why they are involved in the consequences. Finally if at any time I act or react in a way that a child truly feels is unjust, that student need only say to me Im not sure that is fair. A private conference will be arranged in which the student may express why they feel my actions are unfair. This may or may not change my course of action. I like to be open to calm rational discussion of any matter. (Special acknowledgment and thanks to Jim and Charles Funk and Mrs. Krochmal.)
Never mistake courtesy and kindness for naivet or weakness Anonymous

Important Points Of Emphasis: Although they are mentioned in the Student Handbook there are a few specific points always seem to need special emphasis Food and beverage are not permitted in class at any time. Coats and jackets are to be left in students lockers. Phones in the classroom are not for student use. Office phones are for emergency use only. Cell Phones are to be powered off before school and not powered back on until after school. Nuisance items of any kind will be confiscated (see Nuisance Items on page 11 of the Student Handbook). Phones, iPods, Mp3 players, gaming devices etc. will be confiscated with out question. Do not bring them into the classroom at any time. Confiscated items will be taken to the vice-principal the following morning. Parents or students may then contact the office to arrange the possible return of the items. Be courteous and understanding with office staff when inquiring about the status of the item and/or arranging to meet with the vice-principal. Studio 509 (the ceramics studio) is a backpack/bookbag free zone, do not bring them to class. Final Note Parents, speak with your child often about what they are doing in class and frequently check the MLMS website (http://www.mlms/logan.k12.ut) for your childs current academic grade, life-skills grade and attendance in this and other classes

Please sign, and return this sheet to Mr. Westenskow indicating that your have received, read and understand this disclosure statement. Keep the disclosure statement for future reference.

MT. LOGAN MIDDLE SCHOOLWESTENSKOWART/CERAMICSSTUDIO 509

5
2006 J. Westenskow Created 10/26/06 Revised 11/19/12

WORKING COPY
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Student Name (print)__________________________________________________________ Class Period_______________ I have read and understand the contents of this disclosure statement. (Student signature) _______________________________ I have read and understand the contents of this disclosure statement. (Parent signature) ________________________________

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MT. LOGAN MIDDLE SCHOOLWESTENSKOWART/CERAMICSSTUDIO 509

MT. LOGAN MIDDLE SCHOOLWESTENSKOWART&CERAMICSSTUDIO 509

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT SIGNATURE SHEET