Mrs. Woodlief Is Retiring!

The word is out - it's true. Mrs. Woodlief is retiring from teaching in Duval County Public Schools. After 34 years of teaching Duval County School's students the joy of art, Mrs. Woodlief will spend the next part of her career as a Museum Educator at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. "It has been an incredible ride at Chaffee Trail Elementary School. I have enjoyed SO MUCH building an art program from the ground up at this fabulous "School of the Future." My students have brought me so much joy and I am hoping to find the perfect replacement to carry on the Chaffee Trail tradition of excellence.

I hope that my students have come to love the Cummer Museum just as I have because I have booked field trips for our entire student body for the last few years. They know that the art museum is for everyone! So this is not good-by but"I'll see you later" at the Cummer Museum.

"Wild About Learning" Circle Painting - An Ongoing Tradition

With the school year winding down, the traditional "circle theme painting" was hung this week documenting our school's theme along side of 3 other circle paintings from our first three years here at Chaffee Trail Elementary. This years painting reflects this year's theme, "Wild About Learning" and shows wild animals reading some of this year's books of the month. Stay tuned as a new painting will be created based on our new theme for the 2011-2012 school year, "Growing Great Minds."

Digital fine #art jigsaw puzzles!

Congratulations to Chaffee Trail artists Sarah and Jocelyn who each created beautiful artwork featured in the "Best of Elementary," an art exhibit that showcases the most outstanding young artists in Duval County. Congratulations Chaffee Trail artists Sarah and Jocelyn!

"Abstract Art"- A great Explanation!

Tweet

Save the Arts in Duval County

The Arts are in danger in Duval County. Our school board has threatened to cut out all art and music from elementary schools. I wrote a letter to the editor of our local paper, the Florida Times Union and it was published today. I hope it will make an impact.

Save the Arts!

So now parents are coming out of the woodwork in support for sports in Duval County Schools. Where is the outcry from business leaders and parents of students who benefit from the arts? After all, arts classes are responsible for encouraging the development of visual-spatial abilities, reflection, and experimentation. What would Leonardo da Vinci say? He was planning cities and inventing flying machines between painting such great works as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. Arts education teaches and nurtures creativity, judgment, and discipline. It’s in art classes that we are preparing students for future success in a global economy.

Florida Senators Stephen Wise and Nancy C. Detert, cited data proving that the more arts classes taken, the higher student achievement on SAT and FCAT, and the less likely a student is to drop out of school.

As a result of this study, United States Commissioner of Education, Arne Duncan, then went on to write to America’s school and educational leaders stating:

“At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions for the upcoming school year, I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) defines the arts as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in children’s development and learning process.”

Commissioner Duncan wrote in his August 2009 letter to school and community leaders: “The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) defines art as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in learning development and learning processes.”

I see everyday how my students who are struggling academically have benefited from arts education. I truly believe that my own childhood learning difficulties have guided me in my teaching. Realizing that I was proficient in art gave me the confidence to excel in math and reading. This was a defining moment in my education as the arts made a difference in the path my life would take - just as it does everyday for my students.

Terry Woodlief, Art Teacher, Chaffee Trail elementary

President, Duval Art Teachers Association

Elements Of Art 2009

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Elements Of Art 2009

View more presentations from Riverwood HS.

Pigasso Meets Mootisse.m4v

Chaffee Trail students learn about art history by getting to know famous artists. Here is a book with an interesting twist by Nina Laden titled How Pigasso Met Mootise."

I Made a Valentine

Chaffee Trail Elementary kindergarten students show their painting skills by creating these beautiful tempera painted valentines. They learned about line, color and pattern as well as all of Mrs. Woodlief's painting rules.