The ASAP Studio Approach
ASAP’s organizational model is hands-on art studios, or classes. Students have a healthy snack, participate in an opening activity to transition from the school day, strengthen social and communication skills, and prepare for focused, creative studio work. Opening activities are designed to foster students’ capacities to observe, think, listen, and communicate. Students contribute to a thoughtful small-group discussion about a chosen work of art, making meaning from the world around them and gaining confidence in their own ideas while respecting those of others. Then the group breaks into thematic studios which meet independently in a classroom setting, with each student having access to the instructor and often, additional dedicated volunteers. All materials are provided and space is appropriate for the work.
Studios
ASAP’s studio schedule varies each session. Students stay in the same studio for the entire session (usually 7 to 8 weeks) and each class has only about 10 students, resulting in much more one-on-one attention than they can receive in an art or music classroom in school. Caring ASAP staff work side by side with students, encouraging and mentoring them. Furthermore, ASAP’s studio options offer greater variety than what general art and music classrooms can. ASAP studios have ranged from Drama, Storytelling, Drumming, Culinary Arts, Fiber Arts, and Dance, to core classes in Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Printmaking, and Photography.
Occasionally, special themed sessions are offered, such as the Spring 2012 Architecture Session, in which all five studios explored different aspects of architecture and design, and were taught by working professionals. Each studio took a field trip to see “real-world” applications of what they had learned during this special session. Other themed sessions have included Global Arts and Fiber Arts. All of ASAP’s summer programming is organized around weekly themes.