from Spackenkill Elementary Schools — Poughkeepsie, New York

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Biography

Originally from Fairport, New York (Rochester), I came to the Hudson Valley to attend college. I received both my Bachelors and my Masters of Science in Art Education from SUNY New Paltz. I fell in love with the area and my husband, so, I decided to stay. I still remain active with the college and within the local arts and state wide as a Regional Chair (7 counties)for the New York State Art Teachers Association.

It has been my pleasure to be the art teacher at Hagan and Nassau for the Last 20 years. It was in Elementary school that I first fell in love with the arts. The art room was like a second home to me. Now, I am lucky to have my own art room to share with all of my students. I hope that they feel just as at home here.

The arts are such an important part of a child’s education. Through the arts children learn that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer, that multiple perspectives are celebrated. We learn to think through and within a material and to say visually that cannot be said verbally. We are all artists. We must learn to hold on to those things that made us feel like artists as a young child as we grow older. What we learn in elementary school is the foundation for the rest of our life.

I hope that you enjoy the student art work as much as I have enjoyed being a part of the process. When talking to your child about the artwork please keep a few things in mind. There is no “Right” or “Wrong” when it comes to the artwork or subject matter. Focus on the process not the product. We want to promote divergent thinking were we get lots of different answers, instead of convergent thinking where we try to come up with one correct answer. What the child thinks about the artwork is more important than what you or I think. The most crushing thing you can say is “What is it?” Talk about the shapes, colors, or marks you see. Don’t over praise. Focus your praise on the work accomplished not the product. Promote self-evaluation. Encourage effort, enjoyment, and risk taking. Let your kids decide which works are best for display.

Thank you for supporting the arts in our school,

Sharon Ciccone
Art Educator

Personal Art Gallery