Dr. Ceilon Aspensen, Art Teacher at Laurel High School in Laurel Montana
Teacher Home ~ My Teacher Story ~ 2023-2024 Documents
Hello, and welcome to my high school teacher page!
This is a resource page for all of my students and parents to get important documents and updates about what is going on in our classroom.
All content in this section is limited to NONprivileged and NONconfidential information. It’s just an easy way to keep parents and students updated with important information and resources.
What I teach
Before getting into what I teach, it’s important to know that I have a curriculum designed to meet to the Montana State Standards for the Fine Arts. There are things that I am required to teach by the state of Montana, and they are covered in this document on page 19 (scroll to the visual arts section on that page). There is a reason for everything I do in the classroom, and it’s all connected to that document and the expectations of the Montana Office of Public Instruction, and their expectations for what high school students need to learn, know, and do in art class.
I teach the following classes at Laurel High School:
- Intro to Art – A survey course that covers the elements of art, principles of design, and basic art skill sets that students need for all art classes. There are no pre-requisites for this course. Any student can take this course. However, Intro to Art A (fall semester) must be completed with a passing grade before the student can take Intro to Art B. This course teaches students to be fluent in the language of art, and creates a solid foundation for continuing in more advanced art classes, if they so desire. This course, if taken both semesters, satisfies the Montana Office of Public Instruction high school graduation requirement of one fine art credit. (See page 8 of the linked pdf.) In the fall semester, we focus on the basics, and 2D processes. In the spring we continue to build on the basics and focus more on 3D processes.
- Beginning/Intermediate Drawing – This course introduces students to basic drawing processes, including but not necessarily limited to graphite pencil, colored pencil, and pastels. Before a student can take this course they must have completed both semesters of Intro to Art with a passing grade. Also, students cannot start with the B section (spring) of this class before taking the A section (fall semester). In the fall semester we focus on building specific drawing skill sets. In the spring semester we build on those skill sets and branch out with a little more student choice for projects.
- Beginning 2D (formerly called Beginning Painting) – This course introduces students to basic 2D processes, including but not necessarily limited to painting and printmaking. Before a student can take this course they must have completed both semesters of Intro to Art with a passing grade. Also, students cannot start with the B section (spring) of this class before taking the A section (fall semester). In the fall semester we focus on building specific painting and printmaking skill sets. In the spring semester we build on those skill sets and branch out with a little more student choice for projects. Get the syllabus here.
- Beginning 3D – This course introduces students to basic 3D processes, including but not limited to papier-mâché, hand-built ceramics (clay), wheel-thrown ceramics (clay), and assemblage sculpture. Before a student can take this course they must have completed both semesters of Intro to Art with a passing grade. Also, students cannot start with the B section (spring) of this class before taking the A section (fall semester). In the fall semester we focus on a variety of hand-building techniques. In the spring semester we focus almost exclusively on wheel-thrown pottery (clay).
- AP Studio Art – This course is a college-level survey course that allows students to focus intensively on one artistic area, whether it is media or concept (but usually a combination of both). Before a student can take this course they must have complete both semesters of any of the above advanced courses. This course is a one-year commitment and cannot be completed in one semester. There is a fee to take the course if you wish to submit the portfolio and attempt to get the college credit. You must achieve a minimum score of 3 on a scale of 1-6 from the College Board. If they pay the fee to College Board, and they do achieve a minimum score of 3, they will receive 3 college credits they can take with them to most colleges. I do not do the grading of the portfolio for the college credit–that comes from College Board. I do give you grades for the course for your high school transcript on the usual high school grading scale.