About Mrs. Brouwer & Mrs. Persch
Welcome to our blog! We love teaching art. Mrs. Brouwer teaches grades 1-5, and Mrs. Persch teaches our kindergarten artists. Here’s a little bit about us.
Mrs. Brouwer:
I have taught art at Hudsonville Public Schools since 1998. Showing children how to see the world around them through artist’s eyes is my passion!
When I am not dreaming up new art projects for my students to explore, I like to:
* read (mysteries, aritst biographies, history) * paint * make collages * create with fiber – spin wool from our sheep, knit, weave * go camping in the U.P. * garden * play with my 15 grandchildren * walk our dogs Cocoa Belle, Ruby Jean, and Pachino * draw * paint * travel with Mr. Brouwer * grow giant tomatoes * rock in my chair on the gazebo and watch the birds *
I live on a farm with Mr. B. and an ever changing assortment of animals, including Highlander cattle, sheep, pigeons, peacocks, guinea fowl, dogs, horses, a mini mule, a yellow canary named Opie….the list goes on!
Art facts about me: my favorite colors are blue and purple; favorite artist – Georgia O’Keeffe; favorite subject to paint – trees and barns.
Prize winning tomato…..and Mr. B. on “Big Blue”!
Here are some of the things I make with the wool from our sheep. You can also see more of my work on my Valley View Farm Fibers blog, and at Thistle Gallery on 8th Street in Holland.
Mrs. Persch:
I am so excited to be the new kindergarten art teacher at Georgetown. Previously, I taught in two other school districts, took time off to be home with my children, and am now getting back in to teaching. My favorite subject to teach is art and I feel so fortunate to be able to do this here in Hudsonville.
When I am not teaching I love to hang out with my family, create mixed-media collages, play with my dog, draw, sew, drive my kids around to their activities, read, color with Sharpie markers, relax at Sandy Pines, walk with friends, and travel.
This summer my family and I went on an incredible trip out West to Colorado, Arizona and Utah. We flew to Denver, rented an RV and traveled to seven national parks. We went on some amazing hikes, white water rafted on the Arkansas River and zip-lined in Colorado.
I can’t wait to meet all the kindergarteners, and I look forward to a great year at Georgetown!
19 Comments Add your own
Hi it’s Maddy.
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. Sorry it took so long to reply because I couldnt find your blog then I found it eventually.
Also thanks for answering all the questions. It’s interesting reading what other peoples interests are.
I read the top part of this page that you teach art. Thats really cool! Art would be one of my top 2 favourite school subjects along with sport.
What kind of art do you like most?
madzthemadge.edublogs.org
Maddy.
Hi Mrs. Brouwer or Josette : )
Wow! The art you like is cool stuff.
I also agree, Art with clay is what alot of kids love.
At my school we have done clay art but we made it into animations with these weird webcam/camera things. Also in my class we do alot of abstract art with shapes and random drawings. Thats fun because I see it as art that includes a bit of meaning and personal feelings. If that made sense.
Pictures with heaps of colours and rainbows are awesome aswell. I love fluro colours and anything bright.
Maddy : )
Heeey its Maddy.
First, thanks about the eye thing. It scares me when I get on my blog and thats bad since its my eyes!
An IB project is an International project done all around the world with year 6/7/8/9/10 students. There are these things called the Learner profiles which are these different words we are suppose to remember by now. Communicator, Caring, Reflective, Risk-taker, Knowledgeable, Inquirers, Open-Minded, Balanced, Principled and Thinker. Every now and then we do posters on these words or do some work where we choose what words best suits us. Mine would be… Communicator, Open-Minded and Risk-taker.
There are also 5 Areas of Interaction. Community and Service, Health and social education, Human Ingenuity, Environments and Approaches to Learning. These 5 topics are more what are IB projects are based on.
So with these 5 Areas of Interaction and the 10 Learner profiles we do a project every year from year 6 to 10. It’s our own free choice what topic we pick but somehow they have to fit into one or two of the 5 Areas of Interaction.
Im doing a “Yearly review Newspaper” on my surroundings. I have the whole 3rd term to complete my newspaper and then I hand it up once its due.
My newspaper fits into “Human Ingenuity” and “Approaches to Learning”. You might already know but Human Ingenuity is creating, building, making. I only found that out when we started IB projects last year.
With our IB projects we also have to do a journal on everytime we add to our projects. Eventually the journal turns out full of writing and pictures to do with our IB projects.
In the end everyone is supposed to hand up their project and journal and hope for good grading.
The highest grade you can get for this IB project is 4.
IB stands for International Baccalaureate. As you can see its really long so people just call it IB but IB is just the shorter version because altogether it is IBMYP – International Baccalaureate Middle years programme.
Really sorry it is so long but IB is soooo confusing and takes for ever to fully learn.
MADDY : )
Hey!
I sent you an email but I wrote Madge at the end of it because I forgot I introduced myself to you as Maddy.
Quite a few of the kids and teachers at school call me Madge because when I went to NZ last year with the choir the Principal of the school we stayed with thought my name was Madge because he heard kids calling me Madz.
Although it happened last year kids and teachers are still calling me it. I think I am stuck with it. haha
MADDY : )
What a wonderful ideas! Thank you so much, I’m inspired now to create some new lessons for my Dutch students!
Thanks Jacquelien, I enjoyed visiting your blog and seeing the work your kiddos are doing too! – Josey
Dear Mrs Brouwer
What an exciting blog. You have given me some ideas. So far most of my blogs are written. I have not yet put students’ work up. They make your blog colourful, exciting and really of great educational value. I get a great sense of accomplishment from this, better than any testing.
Well done.
Yours faithfully
Richard L. Opie
Head of English
Warracknabeal Secondary College
Victoria
Australia
Thank you Richard!! – mrs. b.
Hey there! You are now added to my blog roll!
Nice to have you along for the ride!!! So you are in the UP….what university did you go to? I’m from Ohio originally…and went to BGSU..near Toledo.
Hey there!
I too am an art teacher, but in Alabama. Loved looking at your blog! Fun! I am trying to find a blog that will allow me to interact with my students in AL while I am on an archaeological dig in Israel during October. I’m SO excited! Part of my going was that I would Skype or video my trip to them in the classroom.
Does edublogs let you upload video? I just quickly looked through your’s and didn’t see any video, but maybe you just don’t have any. Just thought you looked very similar to things I do in my classroom, so wanted to ask what you thought of using edublogs for your classroom & if you thought it could help me with my needs.
Any advice you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Hope you have a great school year & I look forward to reading about your adventures in the art room in the future! Kelly
Hi Kelly! Your October dig sounds like an awesome adventure, and how cool to be able to keep your students in the loop too! Let’s see…videos. I don’t do a lot of those, but other teachers at my school do, and here’s what they do to save space on their Edublog – they upload them to a YouTube account and put the link on their blog. The videos run faster and smoother via the YouTube feed as well. Hope that helps. Have a great fall, keep me posted on the big dig, sounds fascinating!! -josey
Hi,
I LOVE the self-portraits in the houses with the bio about the student and their favorite artist. Would you be willing to send the directions/lesson plans/ process on how to do it? They are AWESOME!
Thanks so much! FABULOUS blog! Cheryl
Hi Cheryl – thanks, that was one of my favorite projects too. I’ll shoot you a quick email with some tips. j.
Hi my name is Tessa. I am a student to your school. I love your art work!You are a great teacher. Love,Tessa. Please write back!
Hi Tessa! Thank you – and I think you are a great artist too! I enjoy teaching you in art class!
Dears;
I have an Idea to exchangs Kids art work by post from my school with your school , I’m an art teacher fron Iraq Kuristan Sulaimaniya city, you could see studint art work on http://www.artrunaky.webs.com or inter to my profile in facebook on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mansour-barzani/177305138950132#!/photo.php?fbid=1862439844545&set=a.1862439204529.2110478.1347441348&type=1&theater
Kind regards
Soran hamad
Soran, I would love to do this – how would you like to begin? – Josey Brouwer
Dear Ms. Brouwer,
I was touched to see the tributes of my quilt Cell Group done by your 4th graders. My sister, Melody Johnson, sent me the link to them on Pinterest. It’s fun to see my work on the web, and even more fun to see work inspired by my work. Having taught art to 4th graders myself, I wondered if there might be some way I could help out with future 4th grade art projects. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee currently, and I’m not sure where you’re at, but perhaps we could work out some long-distance collaboration.
Think about it and get back to me. It would be an honor to play around with kids making art again.
Sincerely
Brooke Larm
Brookebethany@gmail.com
Hi Brooke – I’m thinking!!
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