1) Be prepared and organized. We expect that each student has a fully charged chromebook and sketchbook (studio classes for sure, still recommended for arts tech/graphic art) that must be brought to class daily. You may choose to have a notebook, but resources will be provided digitally in the Google Classroom. Regular class and homework assignments will be given to help develop skills, and to plan and prepare for studio assignments. Sketchbooks/digital portfolios/process work etc.  are an essential part of a portfolio in post-secondary arts, and process work/preliminary research is an essential learning in each of our courses.  

2) Materials. Pens, pencils, coloured pencil crayons, an eraser, a fine point black marker, and a ruler are standard equipment to bring to your art class. There will be the opportunity provided to purchase some of these or other materials if you wish to further enhance your studio experience. Please remember to label/keep track of your personal equipment. You will be provided with resources to borrow, and are responsible to have them with you daily. A cost of replacement list will be provided. You will be expected to return most of the supplies at the end of the course so please take care of your classroom supplies.

3) Stay informed. You are expected to keep up to date on course content. Your notes will be used to explain studio project expectations, as well as for art history and art appreciation. The content contained in your notes will be used for quizzes, tests, culminating units and final portfolio reflection exam.

It is essential that you attend/log in to the classroom daily to ensure that you are clear on the expectations for the projects. Follow your classroom teacher’s instructions on how to stay organized and how to follow the sequencing of the posts and pacing for each class/cohort. It is essential that you log in to your email daily, as well as the google/online classrooms you are in. We really recommend you keep an eye on the grade groups as well as the class groups. Learning how to organize your emails and digital files will be an asset that will greatly reduce stress/anxiety and ensure you do not miss important information. A lot of very important school/event information is posted, so stay informed. Being on time for class is a key component towards your success in the course. Lessons/ recaps/ demos/ instruction happen daily and typically at the start of the class so avoid feeling behind/missing key instructions.

4) Document your work. You will be expected to document your process work, research and final projects. Be sure to take regular good quality photographs (screen capture, video, timelapse etc.) It will be standard practice to: submit photographs and preliminary work/research for feedback and approval; photographs and completed rubric answers for evaluation; and documentation of all course work in a Culminating Unit Portfolio.

5) Plagiarism & Copying are unacceptable. Plagiarism: Buying/Borrowing/Reproducing any quantity of work of another artist/student/anyone else and presenting it as though it were your own. This includes allowing another person to complete work/do research for you. Copying: Reproducing the art of another artist/student with emphasis and evaluation based on the degree of imitation rather than on self-expression and creative problem solving. “After the Master” studies which are PROPERLY CITED are an exception. The use of appropriated imagery will be conducted under the guidance of the classroom teacher. Please talk to your art teacher if you are having difficulty with creative, original expression. Art work must reflect uniqueness and originality if a personal style is to be gradually developed. Learning how to properly navigate the internet for relevant information, as well as proper citation of online sources, is a very important skill. 

6) Phantom Art: Is artwork submitted for evaluation that has not been seen by the teacher at an earlier date in progress, and/or does not follow the process assigned (home drawings are an exception, but will still need to be documented). Phantom art is not acceptable. Work submitted for marking must be worked on substantially under the direction of the teacher. Students are still encouraged to take home their work-in-progress to further develop their studio work. In addition to direct feedback from your teacher, there are numerous ways to document the process of the creation of your work. 

7) Studio Access: The art room will be open for your use whenever possible, at the teacher’s discretion, during your lunch hour and/or after school. Ask your teacher if they, or another visual art teacher, would be available if you would like to work outside of your class hours. At all times students are expected to respect the facilities, the materials, and each other.. 

8) Display of Artwork: Eastwood has many display areas around the school, and often in the community, for display of  student work on a regular basis. Many art works are kept for display purposes during the school year; but we remind students to pick up work throughout the school year. Please be sure to pick up your work to start building your portfolio now just in case you decide on a career in art or a related field down the road, we do not store it indefinitely.

Attendance Procedures:

The purpose of the studio component is to provide the student with experiences and skills that cannot be easily recreated elsewhere, regular attendance therefore is essential. Your attendance will be closely monitored, but your safety is our top priority. Please ensure you follow all Public Health and wrdsb policies. 

Marking Procedures:

1) Unit tests & quizzes may be given, but our emphasis is on the creation of the studio projects. All major assignments must be completed and handed in with completed evaluation/rubric sheets. 

Each assessment will have a final date of submission after which it will no longer be graded. This date will be clearly communicated to students by the teacher. Work that has not been submitted by the final due date will be deemed “incomplete” for the purposes of determining the success of meeting the essential learnings of the course. Multiple and varied ways to demonstrate learning will be provided throughout the course. Failure to complete all required work/demonstrate Essential Learnings will negatively impact a student’s final grade, and may prevent successful attainment of the credit. 

Peer/Self-evaluation: Throughout the course you may be asked to evaluate your work to analyze how well you feel you completed the expectations. You are expected to be fair and honest when evaluating your work. Critiquing will occur frequently, often in a group/online environment as a class critique, to comment on the work of your peers. Critiquing is a highly valuable way to gain feedback to allow for reflection, and refinement for improving your work, as well as to build vocabulary and practice skills in articulation of art analysis. 

Materials: 

In the visual/graphic arts we handle a wide range of different materials and technologies. Please be sure that you listen carefully when you are instructed upon the handling processes involved with the projects you are working on. If you have specific concerns, please be sure to contact your teacher and modifications will be made. 

Safety protocols to ensure proper cleaning, and sterilization will be reviewed with each lesson. Please be sure to carefully follow the instructions. You will be provided with the materials necessary to complete your studio course. Be prepared to assist in the clean up of not only your desk area, but of the group area. These materials can be quite expensive. Students who willfully WASTE OR DESTROY materials or equipment may be charged the replacement cost. Please be especially careful since with the current budget, we do not have the finances to replace items. 

Under the Foundations: Responsible Practices strand of the visual art curriculum students will be assessed on demonstrating responsible studio practice by: Maintaining a clean, respectful workspace; consistent, proper, safe materials usage; Not wasting/ losing materials/tools/equipment; Responsible, ethical digital citizenship. 

Materials may be signed out by completing the information and/or by completing the Art Dept. Materials Indebtedness Form and showing your teacher the condition of the material before you take it home. Return it to school at the agreed upon date and have your teacher check that it was returned. At the end of the semester students may be charged for items not returned. 

Information File/Resource File/Sketchbook 

As the information file is a large portion of all visual art courses it is treated like a ‘visual essay/journal’. It is therefore important that all images (scanned, drawn, photographed, photocopied, printed etc.) are properly sourced (book/magazine, author and page number or gallery where seen, internet web address, original artist etc.) and labeled. 

Works should also have a brief explanation by you as to why you choose to include this piece in your file (ie. what it has taught you, why you find it ‘successful’, or why you don’t, how it inspires or interests you etc.) Simply pasting a picture into your book does not show the insight gained, and although close to omniscient, we in the art department are not clairvoyant 😉 Components of your resource file can be included in your digital portfolio of course work.

Digital Citizenship:

The ECI art department works in accordance with the Digital Citizenship policies of the WRDSB and follow the Responsible Users Policy. You are expected to adhere to professional conduct by not plagiarizing work of others, nor capturing/publishing/using images or work/images of others without their consent. Throughout the quadmester your teacher may choose to employ numerous online/social networking utilities. At all times students are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner to the classroom environment as well as to their peers. These utilities will be implemented at the teacher’s discretion. For more policy information as well as very helpful Creative Common resources and resources to assist in research check: The Library Learning Commons. In addition to what your teacher will share with you, here is a link to some Copyright Friendly Sources.

Thank you for joining this course, we look forward to the exciting things we can accomplish together.