Summative Project/Prezi

Examining my own artistic/educational practices, and tapping into my inspirations has been a transformative experience. As a result, I have discovered that my classroom has become a more nurturing environment. This is my journey…

http://prezi.com/udpx1ofr5111/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

(***Note: View prezi in full screen.)



Personal Reflection:

Before taking this class, I had never thought much about how my terrible classroom experiences as a student had shaped me as a current educator. Thinking about it now, there is probably a reason I dislike standing behind a podium to lecture for an entire class period, strictly completing chapter units from textbooks, being a harsh disciplinarian, and using red pens to mark mistakes on papers. I had contemplated the good, phenomenal art teachers that I had in the past because I often tried to model their ways in my own classroom. However, I had not reflected on the methodology many of my other previous instructors (of all different subject areas) had used. Pondering this topic has inspired me to think about how I might incorporate many of the techniques that these educators once utilized as they motivated me and impacted me in positive ways. For instance, I’m now thinking about ways to include more game-like strategies in my classes.

This semester, I have been thinking a lot about how I need to let go of my reins somewhat. I need to put more trust in my students and invite them to speak in a more open way. By doing so I think I will be encouraging dialogue, not just conversation, into the classroom. I guess there has always been this nagging fear in the back of my head that causes me panic when I think about losing control of my classroom. That stated, the assigned readings allowed me to reflect upon the downsides of a teacher driven framework and provided useful information about how to create a better classroom climate. Even students who are led into open ended projects can feel that there is a lack of freedom to step outside the box due to certain underlying rules. Oftentimes, guidelines that are meant to steer students in the right direction, lead students into crippled creativity. With these things in mind, I made it my mission to create a few lessons that invite Visual thinking strategies (VTS). Also, I began to remove much of the traditional formalism that often presents itself in visual arts projects. For instance, I began to loosen up on my ideas about foundational elements and principles so that students might focus more on contextual meaning behind the artworks they have created. Instead of demonstrating the “proper” ways in which to use certain products or materials, I embraced the idea that students could learn a lot through experimentation and play as they naturally found themselves examining and learning about media through their own introspective lens.

There is an art to reflective teaching in that the process is cyclic and ongoing. Reflective studies beckon us to not only think about where we stand on certain issues, but also dig and figure out why we think the way we do about something. It is a very Socratic way of analyzing our teaching practices and strategies on a continual basis. In the past, I had always just assumed being a reflective teacher meant that you were improving yourself. However, after being in this class, I have realized that it so much greater than that. It’s about enhancing our relationships. It is an intrapersonal activity that can lead to more improved interpersonal acts.  It has the potential to redefine the way we interact with questions, ideas, people, and so much more. And because of that, it will be well worth it for me to further my use of Palmer’s, Marzano’s, Uhl’s, and Zeichner’s suggested methods as I continue my quest to build a more nurturing classroom environment.

Week 13: Pre-thinking for Summative and Final Lineage Tree (4-25-15)

Pre-thinking/proposal:

Central question-

How has reflective practice helped me create a more nurturing art classroom?

Prospected format-

I will more than likely use Prezi.com to create a presentation-based Summative. I want to have lots of visuals to accompany my informative text. Of course, I think Prezi will allow me to have a more fun, dynamic, and active way of displaying my thoughts through the use of a zooming canvas. The goal would be to explore the central question by highlighting the different ways I have utilized contemplation techniques to my advantage throughout the semester. I plan to highlight quotes, guiding questions, and gallery pictures that encapsulate how reflection has guided me to create a more nurturing art classroom.

Final reflection on lineage tree/alterations on lineage tree:

I realized that while I created this lineage tree, I was thinking about actual objects that could be symbolic of experiences I had as a student in the classroom. I remember being very fond of my 1^st grade teacher who was fun, creative, and supportive. She always incorporated rainy day crafts that would lead to us into making homemade books, and clay vessels. In fourth grade, I had an awesome teacher who integrated multi-disciplinary activities into the classroom. We once spent a whole week doing authentic basket weaving and I discovered I really liked learning about cultural traditions. During this same year in school, I had a social studies teacher that made an impact on me as she taught about the importance of social justice. It was in her room that I felt free to expand my writing/reading skills, while forming standpoints based on my feelings. In high school, I became even more open-minded as I was engaging in more outgoing activities in drama, art, choir, and foreign language. And I loved my Spanish teacher who always urged me to try new things such as ethnic foods (hence the nopalitos featured in my drawing) or exciting board games.
One of the most recent things that I added into the picture are the colors on the woven textile. I chose to include the school colors of the three colleges that I have attended while in Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs. All three have shaped me in great, immeasurable ways. The purple and yellow/gold symbolizes TTU, the orange and blue stands for UF, and the black and gold represents MU. Also, because I’m starting to realize how much interactive, social, game-like activities have resonated with me in the past, I added the imagery of bingo chips that were used in my previous Spanish class to gain knowledge of language. I included the theater mask, too, as this ties together the same concept of developing social interaction to reinforce learning. I added blue and red lines to a few beloved quotes by authors that made an impact in my life during high school (Shakespeare, Anne Frank, and Edgar Allen Poe) as I thought this drove home the idea of meaningful note taking on classroom paper. Lastly, I added a body of water down at the bottom of my composition to drown out the negativity that caused me to reflect poorly on certain past, educational experiences.

Week 12: Initial Blog Responses

Jon-
Although, I think the videos, charts, and self-evaluations are great tools for the classroom, I find they aren’t always applicable for today’s teachers. I say this in all honesty because I find I simply don’t have a lot of time on my hands. I have so many “irons in the fire” that I typically arrive home after an 11 hour work day in the classroom (and with today’s technology work continues at home). What I’ve enjoyed so much about this class is that it has made me stop and recognize the importance of reflection. It has helped me to understand that regardless of how busy I am, I need to slow down and absorb what I’m doing in regards to teaching. What good is teaching, if we don’t pause and think about those things that are most vital to teach our students? Better yet, why would we want to teach the same thing over and over again without thinking about how to revise our instruction? What I like about your comments is the fact that you are truthfully analyzing how you are delivering instruction to your two, young kids. Though we have a tendency to be our own worst critics, it is helpful to be able to take a step back and see what went right and what went wrong in our lessons…

Clayton-

I loved reading about the "Empty Bowls" project that you mentioned! It is refreshing to take a glimpse at your goals toward community connections and discover how you have been working to achieve them. You know I used to be involved in a Habitat for Humanity project that involved clay. We as art students had a "bowl-a-thon" where we helped the public make handmade clay bowls using pukis. Then we glazed and fired all of the bowls. Next, we donated all of them to the town square for a celebration called "Cooking on the Square". Restaurants and townspeople would make soups and sell tickets to the public. The customers would get to pick out a bowl (which they got to take home with them) and fill it with endless soup. The donations/proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity. It has been a success every year.  Also, I am friends with someone who was recently involved with a “Cups for the Cure” clay project where the money donated went towards breast cancer research. I think projects like this really help us to have great meaningful, social interactions with those who are contributing. Thanks for sharing your post!

Week 12 (Marzano Chapter 6 and Video Reflection 2): 4-18-15

Read and Reflect:

Reading Summary (Marzano chapter 6):

Marzano recommends that teachers watch videos of other educators teaching classes. Although, the author does stress that educators should be looking for both effective and non-successful practices during the process. After identifying those things that stood out to the educator, the teacher is asked to think about suggestions that would help to improve the lesson strategy.

Coaching colleagues are used as a means to observe and then give important feedback. Sometimes coaching colleagues meet one on one in pair groups and other times they could devise larger groups or teams. Oftentimes, a set of norms is composed to help direct goals during the gatherings/sessions.

Instructional rounds are recommended for teachers as well. The goal of this strategy is to help teachers become more self-directed and enhance individualized practices in the classroom. Teacher-observers are evaluating classrooms, but not for the sake of giving feedback to the other teacher being observed. Information documented by the evaluator is only presented given that the observed teacher requests it. After observations teachers can begin to identify and record strategies they already put into practice, strategies they saw other educators utilize, queries they now have about their own application of strategies, and fresh ideas that are beginning to form.

Reading Reflection (Marzano chapter 6):

Personally, I think it is important to watch videos of other people teaching. I plan to check out the videos that Marzano suggested as well as others. I recently watched a set of lessons being taught that I found on the TEAM.org website as the state of Tennessee developed a new teacher evaluation system. The film clips helped me to see how teachers were scored based on their performance in class. I just wish there were more resources for art educators. Most of the lessons I have seen on the internet feature core curriculum subject areas.

 I have also seen the importance of having a coaching colleague. I had a couple of mentors during the first years of teaching. Many times they were helpful in providing advice, but in a non-subjective way that seemed unthreatening to my professionalism score. Let’s face it, sometimes administrators can seem intimidating.

This year is my first year engaging in instructional rounds. It seems to be a fun way to gather up information and to reflect on practices. Though I won’t actually have the ability to travel to another visual art teacher’s classroom, I look forward to gaining more information about how others have used “tried and true” teaching strategies with the students within our school. I think I will probably visit the family and consumer class and the apparel design class first as my visual art class is a pre-requisite for those courses.

Video Refection II:

1. Pre-thinking

The kinds of changes that I’d like to see in my classroom:  I would like for students to be more actively involved as a group in class so that they can build a more collaborative relationship. They are still really focused on being “separate encapsulated egos.” I’m hoping that by opening up opportunities for students to discuss artworks as a class, this might help them to ping ideas off of one another and open the lines of communication. I’m also hoping to help students think more in-depth about artworks and guide them into practices in which they begin to look at artworks longer and more intently. Another goal would be to have them think critically about the underlying purposes behind making art. I have created a lesson that focuses on the ways symbolism can be used within a work of art to tell a story.

My “video two” was chunked into three different sections:
Introduction-(Students) Can you interpret or tell the story of an art piece?
Engagement-(Students) Interpret Holbein’s “The Ambassadors” by looking at icons and thinking about the meaning/context that could be associated with them. After compiling information we will share and discuss as a class.

Conclusion-(Students) Begin to think about symbols and icons that you could use in an art piece that might tell a story (autobiographical or biographical).

2.  After-filming Thoughts

It is the hook of the lesson that often draws the learner in. Forming a connection also takes “on the spot” action story telling. For instance, there are times when you see students drifting off so you decide to go left field and hit them with some relative account. This happened to me during my lesson. As I was talking about the importance of symbolism in Holbein’s painting titled “The Ambassadors”, I noticed that the students were fading out. Anyway, I could have kept going, but I decided to change gears. I approached them with a question “what did you do when you were snowed in?” The students began to shoot out answers and were quick to respond that they had indeed been watching television, looking at videos, eyeing the internet, etc. I then began to tell them about the ways in which paintings were a main source of entertainment of the past. I reinforced the fact that people in the 1500s had no computers or digital devices.  Explaining how paintings were (and still are) conversation pieces filled with clues, mysteries, and symbols led to my students becoming the investigators of a painting. I went from that topic into allowing them to become the detectives for the day. My inquiry to them was “Could they interpret or tell the story of the art piece?” After I had their attention, I think the discussion/talk transgressed in a relatively smooth way.

I did have a few concerns that I thought about for awhile during and after the recording of student responses. A student was describing the “Ambassadors” and said that they looked like pimps. I worried that she might be saying this just to get a reaction out of me. However, I thought it was a somewhat valid point and just responded to her comment as though she brought up a good point. A few students giggled and laughed. And then (my face a bit flushed), I quickly moved away from the topic she brought up.
Also, I had a student barge into my room because a teacher had asked them to see if I had any duct tape they could use for a school project. Again, the students got off track and this disruption made for an awkward situation. It bothered me because I felt like my classroom was engaged in a great talk and now I would have to wrestle to get their attention back. I also felt like I couldn’t say “no” to the student wanting to borrow the supplies because he has an IEP that at times causes him to not interact/react properly in rejection type situations. Not only that, given the student’s high IQ, he knows a lot about history. He interjected my discussion and began to tell all the students about the painting from a historical standpoint (he knew his facts)!

3. Reflections and Comparisons

Luckily, the students didn’t react to the "pimp" comment to the point where I couldn’t pull them back into the talk we were having. A few giggles erupted here and there, but then I brought up something new to discuss and we were back on track in having a more school appropriate conversation. What seemed like such a tense, long drawn out situation wasn’t that bad at all. After watching the video I was relieved. As a matter of fact, I feel now as though maybe I should have expanded the talk? I mean after all, the girl was using her own visual culture to interpret fine art!

Also surprising to me was the fact that the so called disruption by the “duct tape incident” wasn’t that terrible either. What felt like a lengthy issue that was taking forever to resolve was actually just an occurrence that lasted less than three minutes. Plus, I ended up using that interruption to my advantage as I segued into…”Yes, there are “facts” about art, but we are using our own interpretations to explore this artwork. A painting can tell thousands of stories depending on who is analyzing it.”

Comparing views from 1^st to 2^nd video:

1^st video:  I like for them (the students) to understand the vital importance of theme and context. I acknowledge that the elements and principles of design are important, but often find that many teachers place too much focus on formal qualities in art. In order to move towards more postmodern principles, I think we have to become engaged in the purposes behind why art is being created. It is crucial for artists (teachers and students) to become more innovative and interpretive in the underlying meanings behind visual icons. By doing this, I believe we may help students find their own artistic voice.

2^nd video:

I still think that it is beneficial for students to look for underlying meanings in art. Although, I think we have to be careful as teachers to not push too much of our own understanding onto students. If we really want students to think freely, we have to allow them to see the open-endedness of artworks. I’m working on this as sometimes my knowledge of art history urges me to reveal information about the art piece (which is not always of importance when you are interpreting works of art).

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1^st video: Time management is crucial in how a lesson/activity might be executed. It is beneficial to have all of your materials/tools ready or prepped, to balance lectures and demos, and it helps to model how artistic ideas come into fruition.

2^nd video:

Time management strategies are important in how smooth a lesson can transition. However, it is all right to stray away from the lesson sometimes. As a matter of fact, what I learned from my second video is that sometimes diverting ourselves away from the framework we have devised or imagined can lead to some eye opening discussions. Though it helps to find a balance in what types of things are taught and how they are taught, some flexibility in how quickly you move from point A to B is okay.

 

Week 11: Initial Blog Responses (4-12-15)

Jon-

Very neat! It was great to see how two kindergarten students respond to such a deep question. It was interesting to hear Presley start with the basics. I think she responded and felt that the jest of art was based around drawing pretty pictures. However, once Jacqui began to give a more elaborate response you could see the wheels turning in Presley’s mind. They were then stimulated to think about whether art is something that you do on your own, if your teacher makes you do it, or if a friend could be the motivator behind the art making. Through discussion, I think their ideas about art were beginning to expand. Keep on asking those why questions! And maybe even have the kiddos come up with some questions of their own. Maybe you can even start a KWL chart. I love the quote from this week’s reading which I think is relevant to all learners:

"Once you have learned how to ask questions--relevant and appropriate and substantial questions--you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you need or want to know."

~Postman and Weingartner

Shirley-

I like the idea of combining science and art. This lesson is a great way to overlap subject areas. Another great thing is that the microorganisms kind of take on a more non-representational approach which allows for all projects to look unique. I’m curious about some of the questions that you used during the VTS/”looking at art” section of the lesson. What were some of the queries that you posed and how did the students respond (and vice versa)? I bet the students were wowed by many of the images that you chose to display. Did any of the images seem to make more of an impact (just curious)? 
Side note: I recently read clip card lesson plan in SchoolArts Magazine called “At the Cellular Level”. It might be of interest to you, too. The students were inspired to create clay artworks based on what they found under microscopes:
http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/i/152199-jan-2007/8

Week 11: The Power of "Why" Lesson Plan (4-11-15)

Overton County Lesson Plan

Teacher: Annette Saldana                 Subject: Visual Arts I                        Date: 4-10-15

Lesson Plan Title: "Why Design is Important: Creating a Space of Your Own" 

Standards and Objectives:

1.1 Demonstrate the use of knowledge and technical skills in at least one specific medium

1.3 Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the application of media, techniques and processes used to solve visual art problems.

2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of art elements and design principles

2.2 Analyze and critique organizational components and expressive qualities of artworks.

2.4 Apply problem-solving skills to create solutions to specific visual art tasks.

3.1 Demonstrate critical thinking in the selection of content in works of art

3.2 Evaluate meaningful images that reflect personal experiences and environments

4.2 Interpret the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures

4.3 Demonstrate how history and culture influence the production of art.

5.2 Reflect on and evaluate artworks in order to understand various interpretations

6.2 Integrate ideas, issues, and themes in the visual arts with other subject areas

Measurable Goals (SPI):

-Use observational and technical skills to achieve the illusion of depth in two-dimensional space (For ex. value, perspective and placement of objects).

-Compare and analyze how art elements and principles are used for expressive purposes (For ex. symbolic color, dynamic lines, and rhythmic patterns).

-Recognize that different assumptions and theories of art lead to different interpretations of artworks

Materials/Supplies/Technology:

Drawing paper (11x14)

Drawing pencils

Rulers

Eraser

Magazines

Scissors

Reference Worksheets

Image Resources

Projector

Computer

Computer Camera

Prior Student Knowledge:

Students have used one point perspective to develop three dimensional shapes (ex. turning a square into a cube). They have been learning how to shade forms to help depict volume. The class has explored the use of color in terms of ways to create contrast and self-expressionism. Though, perspective is relatively new to them, they have been reflecting on terminology such as:

· background

· converging lines

· depth

· foreground

· horizon line

· illusion

· intersecting lines

· middle ground

· overlap

· parallel lines

· perpendicular

· planes

· picture plane

· realistic

· Renaissance

· three-dimensional

· two-dimensional

· vanishing point

~Lesson Procedures/Activities (List time spans) ~

Opening Dialogue (Includes agenda for lesson, introduction of standard(s), and real-world connection):

In visual art, creating illusions is based on specific concepts and methods. Art that is an illusion of reality has been continually admired and valued across time. Our lesson today will address two essential questions: Why is art that is an illusion of reality fascinating to look at? How do artists use linear perspective to create the illusion of depth? Our national and state standards state that we should: 2.2 Analyze and critique organizational components and expressive qualities of artworks and 2.4 Apply problem-solving skills to create solutions to specific visual art tasks. As we work today, we will be addressing these objectives as you use perspective techniques to create a unique, one of a kind “dream space”.

Hook/Review:

In this lesson, you will explore how to create the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface using linear and optical perspective drawing techniques. Later, you will apply these skills to create your own room design or “dream space” in a personalized and unique manner. We will continue to investigate perspective methods invented during the Renaissance to learn how these techniques are used by artists and designers to imitate reality and produce the illusion of depth. You will combine artistic and mathematical skills to create an imaginative art piece.

Direct Instruction:

 The teacher will show historical art works, while focusing on the use of linear perspective and spatial illusions. The instructor will explain how expressive qualities might be used to enhance an interior environment.  Teacher demonstration and modeling of drawing techniques helps students learn through direct observation of the skill being taught.

Guided Practice:

The teacher will engage students in discussions periodically throughout the lectures and activities during the lesson. Students will be assessed and given feedback based on their replies. Teacher will explain student project steps and will demonstrate periodically. Students will be monitored and given individual feedback as they work to see that they understand the guidelines. Students will be shown the step by step process in which they will gradually build in an interior spatial illusion. The students will also be guided as they work with a vanishing point as they will need techniques to help them become more successful. Next, students will choose with lines, colors, textures and imagery using colors knowledge of color theory and symbolism. The teacher will give examples of how the elements of design can add to the expressive quality of an artwork. Learners will be assessed based on questionnaires and self-reflection writings to determine if comprehension of spatial illusions and expressionism has been met.

Independent Study Assignment (Label Bloom’s Taxonomy Level or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Level. Describe oral and written feedback given to students):

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Students will “create” an artwork that reflects self-expression. Students will engage in writing assignments and activities that encourage the use of symbolism and illusion. These are activities that allows for higher cognitive, creative thinking.

Students produce an invented interior space that is personal due to content and technique. Through a selective process they will become more analytical in their approach to art. Students will analyze and compare art works. Students will receive oral feedback as teacher monitors progress of art production. Students will critique the interior designs in the future when projects are complete. The teacher will give written feedback to students after their writings and artworks have been reviewed.

Student Writing Assignment to Draw Conclusions:

-Group Critique Artist/Artwork Investigation-to discover what students know and think about spatial illusions

-Room Space “Planning” Handout-to find out whether or not students understand why their themes and ideas are important to them while creating an interior space

-Self Reflection Writing- To understand the goals, strategies, and thought processes of students 

Closure/Reflection:

The teacher will close the class by discussing how dream spaces can be illusions of the real world or an imaginary one. She will remind students that what kind of space to create and how to make it interesting are up to them. The instructor will explain that they will continue to learn how to use linear perspective drawing techniques, which will help them create depth for their spaces.

Grouping Configurations:

Students sit at work stations. Students work cooperatively and discuss problem-solving techniques. Students will be asked to evaluate art as groups and then share with the class.

Differentiation for Individual Student Needs: 

-Help students learn objectives in a sequential order, introducing key concepts at a basic

level and progressing to more advanced levels.

-Work from students’ current levels of understanding. Use ongoing assessment to

determine when to introduce key terms and more challenging concepts.

-The lesson provides opportunities for students of all ability levels to express their ideas,

personality, feelings, experiences and interests. Although the drawing part of the lesson

can be challenging for some students at this grade level, growth of ideas and techniques will hopefully be present.

-Provide one-on-one instruction for students who need assistance and provide small group

demonstrations between steps to help students develop drawing skills.

Extensions:

-Creation of perspective drawings based on direct observation.

-Explore multiple styles of art for comparison, art criticism and art production, such as

Surrealism, Cubism, etc.

-Student room designs can be based on a particular concept or theme that is currently

being studied in another content area. For example, students can design rooms that

include symbols or imagery that reflect a particular culture.

-Advanced students can experiment with moving the horizon line up or down or the

vanishing point left or right to create asymmetrical dream spaces.

Assessments-

Formative:

Questioning strategies

Observations

Lecture-discussions

Writing Assignments

Summative:

Art work will be graded using a rubric. Students will turn in accompanying handouts to demonstrate how they have documented ideas and design process. Portfolios are assessed periodically.

Next Steps After Assessment Results:

Portfolio evaluation will continue to occur in order to help students better understand their own learning as evidenced by their classroom work. This process of students keeping ongoing records of their work not only engages students, it also helps them, beyond a "grade," to see where they started and the progress they are making toward the learning goal.

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Highlights of Questioning During the Lesson (w/ Student Replies):

In what ways would you say perspective or spatial illusion is not accurately depicted in this painting (image: Luttrell Psalter “Banquet Scene”)?
It looks flat/2-D
The table looks like it is flipped on its side

The table edge looks curved or bowed

The food looks like it should be falling off the table

You can’t see the feet of the people

The faces look unrealistic

One man is really large and another appears to very tiny

If you were drawing this artwork how would you make improvements?
Show less of the table

Design it so that the side edge of the plates are seen instead of the entire plate

Show the feet of those at the table

Angle the edges of the table

Why do you think spatial design was less important in the Middle Ages?
They didn’t know how to use perspective

They focused more on the symbolism behind the artwork

The artwork was used to tell stories to those who couldn’t read or write …not meant to be hung up

simply for its beauty

Why do you think people value perspective and spatial illusions so much?

The techniques are so amazing and mind blowing

It’s important for interior design
Architects use it to build things

Artists can make their designs seem more realistic

You can use it in cartoons

(Before hands-on art making activity)
What theme or decade do you enjoy?

Why do you like that theme/decade so much?

What room/space do you want to focus on?

How could you tie in features within your dream space so that it is related to your theme or decade of choice?

(Student A reply)

-The 90s

-I like grunge music

-The living room

-I could have a worn out couch, a guitar stand, music posters on the wall, a lava lamp, a flannel shirt hanging off of a piece of furniture

(Student B reply)

-Late 50s into early 60s
-I like the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s
-A bedroom
-All the furniture and accessories would be elegant and classic. I would use pink, gold, black, and white. A fancy chandelier would be in the room. And I would probably have long, flowing curtains.

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­­­­­­­­­­­How did it go? The lesson went rather well. Students seemed attentive and had many ideas to share. I think they were mesmerized by the visuals. Most of my students are fascinated by perspective and want to be able to design their own “dream space.” They liked the open-endedness of the assignment because many of them have their own diverse thoughts or opinions about what makes a room interesting to them. Also, they see design as something that could potentially be a field of study in the real world. Many of my students are thinking about how they might use these techniques in architecture, drafting, interior design, fashion, animation, etc.

What did you learn? I learned that I need to slow down! The students haven’t had any lessons on perspective in the past. We are starting with the basics. I’m breaking things down into small chunks so that the information will be more digestible. Today we were able to focus on the “how’s and the why’s” of design. I was also able to get them to think about what kind of dream space they might potentially create. Today, they were all successful in building a framework (one point perspective grid). Hopefully, in the days to come they will be able to plug all kinds of ideas into the kind of “room” that they are enthralled with.

What would you do differently? I kept thinking of different questions that I could have asked. However, if I had continued to ask too many things, we would have had little time for any hands on art making. I find time management is always a struggle. I have an allotted amount of time before that bell rings, and yet I have so many ideas I want to plug into the activity. I think I’ll just continue to jot inquiries down as they come, so that I don’t forget them. Later, I can always just go back and re-visit some of those thoughts as we continue through the week.

WHY did it work or not work? So far, things are working out great (despite student lack of experience). I think that I will continue on with this lesson for a couple more days. We really didn’t move at the pace at which I expected. Also, I’m thinking about how to follow up this lesson with maybe a foreshortening/figure drawing activity. Because I’ve been thinking about the idea of courage/power, maybe students could create a “power pose” as an extension lesson. I think this could be neat considering it will tie into space, perspective, and will filter in those enduring ideas that I want to touch upon. I will still be using the previous “courage” Socratic seminar, but plan to filter it in at a later date when we begin studying more about body language, figure study, and how it relates to context.
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Update!!! These are some of the student artworks that were produced:

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Week 10: Initial Blog Responses (4-5-15)

Ashley-

Wow, Ashley! You went all the way with this idea! Thank you for sharing your inspiring sentiments. Your “why” questions are very thorough and well thought out. I recently attended a seminar at NAEA that talked about fostering community in the classroom while promoting self-directedness. The two presenters/educators talked about helping students unpack big ideas by using Padlet design boards, a wall of “grabbiness” (comprised of post it notes), and blog reflections outlining design as process. Anyway, long story short they were able to make students more accountable for their learning and as a result it made their artwork more self-directed (and meaningful). I think your large, black piece of paper where you wrote "Before I graduate I want to ___________" kind of ties into this concept and is only the beginning to what could lead students into collaborative discussions, great teamwork, and a well-cultivated classroom atmosphere.

Anna-
I really like your “exploration 2” study for high school students. It’s especially important for students to find a voice when creating art. So much inhibition goes on at this stage of development. They often compare themselves to their peers and “like” the same types of things that their friends enjoy. The identity crisis oftentimes steps in during adolescence. So, I think when you open the gateway up for them to do their own decision making, you are expanding more individualized thinking. Journaling is a great way to get students into documenting their interests and dislikes. It’s very much like a diary in that it can become a very personalized item. And by keeping your prompts open-ended, I think you’ll be successful in helping students create something that is unique and that leads them into higher-order thought processes.

Reflection on the reflections-
Ashley-
I was inspired by Ashley’s ability to break through classroom management issues by holding students more accountable for how they behave and participate in class. Having just attended many NAEA design seminars, I can see how questioning/inquiry also correlate to how we develop and design classroom strategies based on student expectations (not just art lesson plans).

Anna-
I appreciate Anna’s ability to think about different grade levels when designing lesson plans. Also, I am inspired by her ideas to explore open-ended prompts that may help students do more investigation of self.

Week 10: Read and Reflect "Uhl's Chapter 3" (4-4-15)

Relationships with our Minds
Many of my past teachers have conveyed the message “The only dumb question is the question not asked” and it is a phrase that I share with my students, too. Even as a teacher, I find myself seeking information, reflecting on things compulsively, and constantly asking why (a lifelong learners philosophy, I suppose). I’d like for my students to do the same. Just as Uhl, stated, I find that “curiosity acts as a fountain of youth providing life and energy—a healing elixir….” (Uhl, pg. 75). The issue that many educators face is that students are often fearful of answering a question and being embarrassed if it isn’t answered “correctly.” With so many standardized tests, it is easy to see how this concept and fear has become chiseled into the minds of our students. The other challenge is that underachieving students often lack in confidence and feel that school is not for them. The wall of defiance may already be there before the student even walks into the classroom. However, as students find relevance in what we teach, they begin to open up. Through the learning process, my hope is that students can begin to form a relationship with their mind.
When intrigued, students can find passion and break out of what they may feel is a bleak future ahead. Take for instance, the boys from the movie and book “October Sky” which is based on a true story. In the film a group of students from a poor, rural coal mining community begin to thirst for more information pertaining to rockets due to an influential teacher.  At some point the star of the movie, Homer, is asked what do you want to know about rockets and he responds by saying “everything.” Later on in movie, the boys set off to figure out how to shoot a rocket on their own. However, it results in a fire and the inability to find the missing rocket. In order to trace and find out where it has landed, they have to use scientific method, hypotheses, trigonometry, and self-guided inquiry. They ponder “What did we do wrong?” Then Homer questions, “Was there wind that day?” Honing their analysis to include the wind leads them to the rocket, taking part in a science fair, and eventually into careers that were much more promising then what the coal mines had to offer.  All of the students went on to attend college which was not common in the home town they grew up in. And…spoiler alert…Homer even goes on to become a scientist with NASA! One impactful class taught by one invigorating teacher led students to connect to an authentic learning experience, which lead them to ask questions and be truth seekers. From that point on, their lives were changed. So how can we lead students to be independent learners that ask their own questions, and that thirst for knowledge?
I think there are many ways we can find opportunities to guide students into more philosophical inquiry. Echoing Uhl, I think there is importance in asking the “how and why” questions as opposed to “yes or no” questions.  I’ll start by sharing an article called “The Futility of Trying to Teach Everything of Importance” by Grant Wiggins. This article has been helpful to me and I feel it contains useful information pertaining to the topic of questioning in the classroom. Wiggins states, “Students cannot possibly learn everything of value by the time they leave school, but we can instill in them the desire to keep questioning throughout their lives” and I couldn’t agree more! Here’s the link to the journal/text that Wiggins’ wrote: http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198911_wiggins.pdf

“Why” Questioning Lesson Idea:

Rough outline: I would like to try holding a Socratic seminar in my classroom. Students would observe a work of art that is rich with context, one that holds unclear meaning (I’m thinking Wyeth’s “Christina’s World?”). I would next use a big idea to start discussion (possibly one from Adler’s list of 103 great ideas http://www.thegreatideas.org/gi103.html). I would like to focus on the big idea of “courage.” I am asking myself the following questions:
1) Why does this big idea or issue have value in my classroom?I want my students to have strength and courage when times get tough. I want them to understand that life comes with struggles, but it doesn’t mean that they have to give up. Also, I want them to become less afraid of the “unknowns” in this world.
2) What multiple viewpoints or opinions could possibly stem from the investigation of this big idea? If I pose the question “What does courage mean?”, I expect that I will get various responses from students. Courage means different things to different people. It should make for an interesting conversation.
3) Why is this topic interesting to me and how might it strike curiosity in my students? Many of my students deal with anxiety, physical limitations, bullying, etc. I think the topic of courage is intriguing because I feel that through the use of art, we can find ways to persevere and become brave individuals despite any obstacles that may stand in our way. I think students will enjoy seeing how various artists have used courage as a big idea or theme in their work (for ex. we may even explore the film the Wizard of Oz or Norman Rockwell’s image of Ruby Bridges?) Ultimately, I believe it is a topic that they can relate to.

Discussion ideas for my students as they view “Christina’s World:”

*After looking at the artwork, please rank these pairs of emotions according to their relevance to the work: Courage v. Despair, Love v. Fear, and Respect v. Pity.”

*Answer the following questions:

Why is Christina laying in an open field?

How would you describe this woman’s posture and body language?

Why do you think Wyeth chose to use this type of perspective (spatial illusion)? How could that be representative of a bigger idea?

What kind of day is this….does it create a mood?
How might items, objects, and surroundings, tell us about Christina’s life?

*Form a hypothesis about this artwork

*What other things are worth discussing?

Week 9: Initial Blog Responses (3-22-15)

Shirley-
My peers and I dealt with so many labels and stereotypes growing up that I can’t even imagine what it is like now for kids. With technology providing a veil for students to hide behind and cyber bullying, many of our students are struggling to find self-confidence. I keep trying to think about ways that I might be able to help students with these issues that they face. Communication about this topic can help to break ground into solving problems. I really liked the project that Livey had us do during the “empathy” presentation in Dr. Unrath’s class. Once I figured out how I could use it with my students, I embraced it even more. So what if we had students think about some of those hurtful labels, or stereotypes that bother them and then led them into a project where they turned these negative “titles” into more positive ones using imagery? What types of meaningful art activities do you think could provide ways for our students to “drop the labels?”

Clayton-

I try to provide honest feedback in my classes, too. Like you, I do tread lightly as being too blunt can cause a student to shut down and put a wall up. One time an AP Collegeboard student of mine became very upset with me because I told her that the readers/judges wanted images that were less trite in nature (no hearts, mushrooms, unicorns, etc.). Sometimes students are very sensitive and can take things to heart even when we are trying to give them constructive criticism. On the other hand, I suppose some of this may help to prepare them for college courses where critiques can be pretty rough!

I also try to avoid blanket statements when giving praise. Saying things like “that’s good”, “I like your artwork”, and “great job” do not help the growing artist. I try to be specific so that the student understands that their work is seen an individualized/specialized way. For instance, I might instead say something like... “I really enjoy the symbol that you included in the corner of the page, the way you have cropped it adds intriguing mystery as the viewer is compelled to investigate it further.”

Week 9: Read and Reflect (Uhl's Prologue and Ch.5) 3-21-15

Reading Summary
I would venture to say that most teachers at some point in their career pause for a moment as they begin to re-evaluate their job, their students, themselves, and the world in general. Sometimes these reflections happen when a loss of desire for the daily workplace sets in. Other times, these ponderings occur as we think about our passion to change the educational setting that our students are immersed in. Shifts in thinking often transpire as our pursuits to succeed become more enlivened as well. Periodically this contemplation ensues as we are asked thought provoking questions that strike a chord within us. For the author of “Teaching as if Life Matters” there were many inquiries that led him to further examine his teaching philosophy. For instance he dug to find the answers to the following questions: When have you experienced genuine learning in your life? Who or what have been your teachers? How have these things influenced your work as a teacher? As a result of his investigation, he began to envision and formulate transformative learning strategies that help teachers and students better understand the importance of relationships in life.

One hand tied behind your back! Ahhh, we’ve all heard this saying before right? What does it mean? It signifies that we can do something easily and independently without any help. However, this idiom means something completely different to the students in Mr. Uhl’s class! In the chapter five section “Cultivating Classroom Kinship”, the author talks about how his students learn that working as a team is crucial in developing “relational consciousness.” In other words, he stresses how vital it is to work together in an interconnected way in order to improve our way of life. Uhl’s goal is to encourage a shift away from the new worldly focus of humans as “separate encapsulated egos.” He goes on to list the ways in which separation occurs: Dualism, Labels and Judgments, Blaming and Complaining, and Fear.

Reflection

1. Here’s a list of words that comes to my mind when I hear the word teacher:
Instructor
Helper

Mediator
Nurturer

Sage

Confidant

Entertainer

Philosopher

Psychologist

Juggler
Creator

“Teacher” is a label and it can sometimes be viewed in a positive light, but can also bring more authoritative contexts depending on who is considering the meaning behind the word. I’d love to see what kind of lists high school students might conjure up! I’m sure you’ve seen the meme (posted above) before, but I find that it’s relevant in looking at all the viewpoints and perspectives that people may have about teachers and what it is that they do. To dig in even deeper I began to consider previous labels I’ve been faced with. How about “non-certified, first-year, or apprentice” teacher? I remember these past titles and feeling so diminished b/c I felt like everyone would treat me like the newbie in school. It has become very clear to me that the length in years in which a person has taught does not always result in quality of teaching. Therefore, it is undermining to beginning teachers to form a type of hierarchy.  I also have contemplated the title “art teacher.” How are people viewing this title? It upsets me to think that others may feel that I simply paint rainbows and unicorns all day! It’s a serious label that is highly underrated at times. (FYI: I really enjoyed that Uhl dubbed himself as the “healer.”)

2. Ways truthspeaking is present in my classroom:
-I share unrehearsed personal life stories with my students that are relevant to our current lesson.
-I tell my students to try to rid our classroom of negativity by using artwork as an outlet in which to express emotion (I demonstrate ways that this can be executed)
-Students are taught how to talk about artwork in a tactful, non-hurtful way so as not to diminish self-esteem (I model this in the classroom)

-I give positive feedback (avoiding “blanket statements”) to my students as they are working to nurture the growing artist

Ways truthspeaking is present among co-workers:

-I eat lunch with other teachers and as we share stories about our day we give honest, constructive advice
-We try to commend fellow teachers on any recent success stories

-As a community of teachers we share thoughts, ideas, images, and information that might be helpful to our classrooms through personal learning networks (Again, we try to communicate and show support for one another)
-To make learning more authentic we talk about the ways we might connect our lessons through interdisciplinary research (valuing each other’s subject areas)

3.Mission statement: 

“We will develop a nurturing artistic community in which communication becomes an important part of the creative process!”

Truthfully, I wrote this statement before I read chapter five. However, I did tweak/change it some. I chose it because it embodies my philosophy in the art classroom and it filters in many of Uhl’s beliefs as well. Nurturing one another is vital in building relationships. The more we can communicate in a constructive way the better chance we have to expand artistic growth, confidence, open-mindedness, and trust in one another. The art classroom should provide a positive climate where participants work as a team and everyone’s voice is valued and appreciated.

4. My consciousness has changed a lot since the beginning of the course. I want to take a closer look at how my teaching affects my students. Recent note-taking and video recording has helped me to evaluate this a little bit closer. What I’ve noticed is that students need to be more actively involved as groups in class so that they can build a more collaborative relationship. They are still really focused on being “separate encapsulated egos.” I’ve also noticed that VTS strategies may help to improve the art critiques that take place in my classroom.

My goal(s) is to improve interconnectedness and trust by integrating some/all of the following techniques:

Get students more physically involved/active in class

Incorporate more game-like strategies

Engage students in VTS “art talks”

5. “Teaching as if Life Matters” is my favorite book of the semester! I finally have a name for my indecisiveness and will now call it “nondualism.” Also, to ping back to Dr. Unrath’s Curriculum class, I’d say that this idea of seeing how everything is not “black and white” is tied to symphonic understanding. It’s important to see the connection and interrelatedness of seemingly unrelated things…