LaVonna-
When I read your posts, I always think about how brave, strong, and honest you are. This week is no different. I enjoy that you share the personal experiences that you are having in your own school. You take the required readings and make them seem more tangible, real, and relevant to how they are affecting you. I agree with many of your points! Social justice is extremely important and how great of a position are you in to be able to bring these topics to the forefront!
The colleges that I have attended have been ethnically diverse, but now after coming back to teach in a rural/agricultural school, I see the limits that are placed on students culturally. Both of the high schools where I have taught are predominately filled with white/Caucasian students with little to no reference of the world around them. When I first began my teaching journey, my husband and I had roommates. One of my dear friends who we lived with was a black male and he was homosexual. Boy, did the eyebrows begin to rise when students found out about this! I tell you this story only because, I feel like outsiders who have been sheltered from the world do not always understand or connect to things that they do not understand. Oftentimes, their viewpoints have been narrowed and sculpted by their families and surrounding peers. Though tricky, as art teachers, I think we have great potential in opening up the hearts and minds of our youth in a way that maybe we can bring awareness about social injustice and all the issues that get tangled up in the mix.
Thank you for posting your intriguing, and inspirational reflection…
When I read your posts, I always think about how brave, strong, and honest you are. This week is no different. I enjoy that you share the personal experiences that you are having in your own school. You take the required readings and make them seem more tangible, real, and relevant to how they are affecting you. I agree with many of your points! Social justice is extremely important and how great of a position are you in to be able to bring these topics to the forefront!
The colleges that I have attended have been ethnically diverse, but now after coming back to teach in a rural/agricultural school, I see the limits that are placed on students culturally. Both of the high schools where I have taught are predominately filled with white/Caucasian students with little to no reference of the world around them. When I first began my teaching journey, my husband and I had roommates. One of my dear friends who we lived with was a black male and he was homosexual. Boy, did the eyebrows begin to rise when students found out about this! I tell you this story only because, I feel like outsiders who have been sheltered from the world do not always understand or connect to things that they do not understand. Oftentimes, their viewpoints have been narrowed and sculpted by their families and surrounding peers. Though tricky, as art teachers, I think we have great potential in opening up the hearts and minds of our youth in a way that maybe we can bring awareness about social injustice and all the issues that get tangled up in the mix.
Thank you for posting your intriguing, and inspirational reflection…
Jon-
So many times, I had people warn me of going into the art education field. It wasn’t because they thought I would not like it, it was b/c they thought I’d be in the “poor house.” They truly thought that the arts would be cut from schools and that I’d have no backup plan. I’ve changed my direction in careers so much that I think people really started to believe that I had no goal in mind. I worked in the restaurant business, I was a photographer, then I became an interior designer, and then lastly I decided to be an art educator. I think other people had me questioning whether or not what I was doing was really my true calling! That being said, I’m glad that I followed my heart and my passion as it has led me to where I am today. I look back on everything now and realize that every experience that I had prior was preparing me to teach a classroom from a real world perspective. That’s something that I think you will bring to the plate. You may not be in the classroom setting, yet. However, those wonderful life experiences, and any previous employment ventures will shape the way you teach. I think your future students will appreciate not only your diversity and honesty…but your humbleness and humor as well.
Where there is a will there is a way!!! (Echoing the sentiments of Ms. Ruopp and Anna Horine based on your quote…) I agree with your statement that “Many of the greatest turning points in my life have been unexpected “happy accidents”. If I am able to utilize my natural abilities and talents on a regular basis, there is huge potential for teaching to be a vocation even more fulfilling and rewarding than I hope.”
So many times, I had people warn me of going into the art education field. It wasn’t because they thought I would not like it, it was b/c they thought I’d be in the “poor house.” They truly thought that the arts would be cut from schools and that I’d have no backup plan. I’ve changed my direction in careers so much that I think people really started to believe that I had no goal in mind. I worked in the restaurant business, I was a photographer, then I became an interior designer, and then lastly I decided to be an art educator. I think other people had me questioning whether or not what I was doing was really my true calling! That being said, I’m glad that I followed my heart and my passion as it has led me to where I am today. I look back on everything now and realize that every experience that I had prior was preparing me to teach a classroom from a real world perspective. That’s something that I think you will bring to the plate. You may not be in the classroom setting, yet. However, those wonderful life experiences, and any previous employment ventures will shape the way you teach. I think your future students will appreciate not only your diversity and honesty…but your humbleness and humor as well.
Where there is a will there is a way!!! (Echoing the sentiments of Ms. Ruopp and Anna Horine based on your quote…) I agree with your statement that “Many of the greatest turning points in my life have been unexpected “happy accidents”. If I am able to utilize my natural abilities and talents on a regular basis, there is huge potential for teaching to be a vocation even more fulfilling and rewarding than I hope.”
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