“Your K-6 Students n’ Staff Will Complete
Three Refrigerator-Ready Drawings DURING
This Amazing, Standards-Based, Elementary School Assembly”

Howdy – I’m Kyle Tiernan and way back in 2003 I started presenting this totally unusual, atypical, “how to draw” elementary school assembly.  Back then I was just doing it as a little part time thing while working at an elementary school in San Diego where I live…

….but within two years the demand for my assemblies and Family Nights had SKYROCKETED literally to the point where I couldn’t handle the amount of schools who wanted me to come and work with their kids.  (We’re talking 300-400 shows a year!)

Why did this happen?

Actually, I really don’t know for sure.  (But I’m sure glad it did!)

I expect it had to do with how different my program is from every single other assembly out there… you know, the ones where the kids just sit there and watch a talking head in front of the room… where only like a handful of kids get to participate as “volunteers” called up on stage… etc.

You know, the same kind of “cookie cutter” assemblies we’ve all seen.

Well – I’ve taken a different approach with my elementary school assemblies. 

Completely counter opposite to those you’ve seen before because during mine:

• Everyone Participates!  Other assemblies have a habit of only giving maybe 5-10 kids a chance to be a volunteer, and they claim that’s “audience” participation.  Or they do some sort of group chant, like one time.  

During mine, every single child is going to be actively involved because they’re literally drawing pictures, right along with me.
• Everyone walks out with Refrigerator-Ready Artwork they be proud of and take home to show mom n’ dad… regardless of their previous artistic abilities.

This feature is really cool because not only does it make the kids feel successful, it also lets the teachers know their time was used wisely.
• PLUS: My shows are packed with such a tremendous amount of educational content fulfilling dozens of California State Standards for Visual Arts.
• Oh… and it ties in perfectly with Reflections and Spring Art Shows…
• …. And it compliments Meet the Masters, Art Core, Art Docent Programs and all those other “art curriculums in a box” many schools are using these days.

It’s really quite spectacular.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Your students will arrive to the shows with three sheets of blank white paper, a pencil and something hard to draw on. 

(Using these supplies, your students are going to be kinesthetically involved the entire time… and… this active participation is key to making the information really stick.)
2. I’ll be up front using an overhead projector taking the kids step-by-step through a series of whimsical, creative and educational drawings. 

 (This approach allows me to work with any size group, and rest assured… I’ll be using some mega-effective group teaching strategies to insure everyone – even the K’s – will be able to complete the drawings.)
3. While we’re drawing your children will learn dozens of specific tips, tricks and techniques they can apply immediately to their drawings and take back to the classroom and use later on. 

(This is the type of educational content your teachers are looking for in the assemblies you schedule.)

What’s more – each and every art tip, trick n’ technique your students learn is…

A Direct Fulfillment Of State Standards For The Visual Arts!

It’s true. Each assembly is jam packed with at least 8 (and often 12-14) drawing secrets that literally demonstrate, explain and solidify California’s Visual Arts Standards for K-6 students.

Here’s Just Some Of What Your Students Are Going To Uncover During This School Assembly!

• A philosophy of drawing taught by world famous art instructor (Glen Vilppu) preaching “No Rules, Just Tools.”  We’ll cover an overview of typical art materials before I reveal a MEGA tool almost all people (especially adults) forget about!  [Standard K 1.2]
• A very simple technique to create balance in a piece of artwork. CAUTION: When used too often it’ll make your pictures super boring! Discover the ‘other side’ of balance with this often overlooked strategy. [Standards 2-2.5, 6-1.4]
• The difference between shapes and forms. How one will make your drawings flat and boring, while the other will make the picture look like it’s going to POP off the page and bite you in the nose! [Standards K-1.1, K-1.3]
• How to anchor the subject of your artwork to insure it won’t “float” on the page and my favorite technique for simple ultra-harmonic compositions! [Standard 5-1.1]
• An on-the-fly, auto-pilot ‘fix’ using a magical white paint! This is a secret used by top pros to end pencil smudges forever. We’ll learn how to use it during the drawing process, and, how to use it for revisions later on. (Side bonus: It also relates to the BIGGEST mistake rookies make when learning how to draw.) [Standard 6-4.4]
• “Drawing Adjectives” – Elements of design are found in nature and every day life, but we rarely notice them. They’re super easy to apply and majorly enhance children’s artwork once they learn what they are and where to look for them.  [Standards 1-1.1, 1-1.3, 2-1.3]
• Debunking the overly sophisticated term ‘negative space’ to learn how drawing nothing can and will actually create something on your page. [Standard 4-1.2, 2-2.3]
• The “drawing alphabet.” Your students will learn the best thing to remember when it comes to curbing frustration while drawing details, and how using the three “letters” of drawing make it a lot easier.  [Standards 1-2.4, 3-1.1]
• How to show movement in a drawing using the Principles Of Animation set down by Walt Disney’s famed “9 Old Men.” [Standards 3-1.1, 3-2.6, 5-2.2]
• Turning a sketch or doodle into a full-fledged piece of artwork ready for exhibition or framing using the illusions of space, perspective, depth and overlapping. [Standards 2-2.3, 5-2.6, 6-1.1, 3-1.3]
• What all of our favorite cartoon characters have in common, and a simple strategy to draw any of them from memory! [Standards K-1.3, 1-5.3, 2-1.3]

And that’s just some the art specific stuff they’re gonna learn! Most of the drawing lessons I teach include some type of cool animal as that’s what kids seem to enjoy drawing the most.

So, it’s only fitting that as we’re drawing the animals, your kids are learning all about what makes them unique, their role in the ecosystem, their individual habitats, etc.

Your kids are going to hear age appropriate jokes, on the fly questions and stories galore as we work our way through each drawing lesson together, so you can rest assured everyone’s going to be:

Focused, On Task And Entertained Throughout The Assemblies!

Sounds pretty awesome, doesn’t it?

You bet it does!  And if you’ve read some of the comments I’ve received from other elementary school teachers, PTA Presidents and Principals, you’ll know this assembly is going to be absolutely awesome.

Here Are The Details

•  Each assembly lasts 50 minutes and your school can schedule up to three shows in one day. Most schools only need two assemblies, but if you have a huge population, the third show is available at no extra cost. (This 3rd assembly is also a great choice for schools with PM Kindergarteners.)When you call, let me know how large your school is and I’ll decide whether two or three presentations would work best for your situation.
• The content of each show is designed for specific grades, so K-2 is normally grouped into one assembly… and 3-5/6th in another. For the huge schools, we usually do a K-1, a 2-3 and 4-5/6th group segmentation.
•  I can work with absolutely ANY size group. I’ve done as few as a couple dozen and as many as 1,200 at one time. I’d say 200-300 kids per show is pretty routine.
• Your school MUST have a multi-purpose room, gym or other large auditorium that is equipped with a large projection screen and a working sound system.

And, Of Course, The Fee

I have a set fee for every school. And It’s good for up to three daytime elementary school assemblies.

The reason I offer “up to three” while every other assembly only offers two for their base fee… is a lot of schools have PM K’s who miss out on every assembly, and I don’t think that’s fair. Plus, some schools have HUGE populations and simply need three shows.

The fee is the same whether you schedule one, two or three. There’s no discount for booking one… no discount for booking on a specific day of the week.

It’s always the same.

For Southern California Schools and Central Coast Schools (along 101):

$897

For Northern California Schools:

$997  (includes a $100 travel fee to cover hotels, airfare, etc.)

* Also – Northern California schools need to schedule during one of my pre-determined tour weeks.  (This helps me keep my travel expenses really low.)

January 30th to February 3rd, 2012
March 26th to March 30th, 2012
May 14th to May 18th, 2012 

But I Don’t Expect Your School To Pay One Dime Of That!

That is – not until and unless I live up to the expectations of this letter.

Listen:

There are so many screw-ball elementary school assemblies out there, everyone makes their big promises, claim they’re the best thing since sliced bread… and then they show up and it’s a total disaster… kids misbehaving the whole time, absolutely atrocious audience control by the presenter, and a huge lack of educational content.

If you’d like to check my references (and I hope you do), I will be happy to put you in contact with anyone who’s seen me before.

If you do that you’ll know for sure I don’t dilly-dally around like other assemblies. You’ll know I’ll show up on time, deliver the best assemblies you’re school has ever experienced and produce the results I’ve been talking about through this letter.

I want you to know that when you book my school assembly, you are committing to pay me nothing.

Not unless I deliver on my promises.

If for some outlandish reason I cannot perform up to your expectations… or if for no reason at all, you feel my shows were a waste of your schools classroom time and held no artistic educational value, just let me know and you won’t owe me a dime. And we’ll part friends. No hard feelings.

There’s no risk whatsoever for you to try this assembly.

At worst, I use up 50 minutes of your time. At best you fall in love with the elementary school assembly that so many others already have and you give your kids a chance to feel successful in an artistic experience they might not otherwise have access to.

All you need do now is give me a buzz and we’ll talk on the phone.

Alright – I look forward to hearing from you.

Talk soon,