Week 13 Blog 13

Ok I had a hard time this week with reviewing and reflecting on this course. I had this moment as I was putting up my students artwork at our annual district art show, I realized I don't always see my progress. I have a problem living in the "Right Now". I have always had that problem in every aspect of my life. I often think back on my past but I never reflect on how it continues to shape my future and how everything now is also building that future. I was not sure about this course at first. I was thinking ok reflect on a lesson and teach it better next time, but this course is so much more then just lessons, behavior management or art. It gets you thinking about how everything in your life effects your as a teacher and you as a person. Thank you Amy.
I think for my summative project I want to create a 3D work of art. I love to teach 3D but I haven't created a 3D piece of art that wasn't ceramics in a long time. I am also thinking BIG. I really want to show my students I do create art for myself (not just exemplars). I have been putting off some of my project ideas because I say I don't have time but I will make time for this.

I have included my original tree as referance:

 I moved my teachers names and words describing their teachings to the roots of the tree, they are the foundation. I then add a leaf for each of my students. As you can see from the close up I put their names on the leaves. I would like to think that this is a flowering tree that will eventually have blooms, but what type of blooms are not clear yet.

Week 12 reply to Karen

I teach wearable art as well but have trouble coming up with the project. I have great artists and designers to look at and study but the art I have my students make is kind of lame. What wearable art are your students making? I like how you asked them about costumes.
I have been thinking since last time I commented on your posts. I know home school students are so different from traditional school students, but one thing that I have found really helpful with getting to understand my students is to sit and observe them in their other classes. This help with behavior management and lets me see my students in a different setting. I know that wouldn't be as easy and possibly a little uncomfortable for you to ask "hey can I come to your house and watch you teach". But you never know it could really help.

Week 13 reply to Erika

I like your trying something new, I think that is the way I will go as well. There are window glass markers that could work but they fad over time and the colors arent true.

Week12 reply to Katie

Don't feel like that, there are so many art forms I don't know about. That's the fun of teaching you don't have to know everything. Find something new teach it to your self, I do that all the time and then I teach I teach it the students and they figure out a way of doing it I didn't even think of.

I'm lucky my 5th graders are a really good group, but 8th grade and 3rd grade are just like your 5th grade. Another strategy you could try is if your in the middle of a lesson, they are working independently try read to them. Pick a good short age appropriate novel I like Mary Downing Hahn. Try "Wait Till Helen Comes" it's a ghost story they will like it. Or if you don't like to read try an audiobook or a movie. Some projects need other distractions. I know I work best when I listen to my favorite audiobook or movie playing in the background.

Week 11 reply to Katie

I will so steal your prezi and could you send me that smart board game adairstokan@gmail.com. 

I love the comment: Since his life would have been less lonely, he would probably have fewer paintings and he would most likely have created very different works. There may have been more paintings about other people and less about his own life.

So insightful! Do you teach VTS or have you taken Mary Franco's class? You said your students have become programmed to answer questions a particular way. I feel VTS helps students break way from that, I try to phrase questions in all lessons to be more open ended to allow students more freedom in answering. I also paraphrase every students answer so they know I'm listening and they can rehear what they said and rethink about it.

Week 11 reply to Erika

That is so awesome! I'm glad you took on such a hot topic. The collages look good. I think your right about the local weird laws, but it could also lighten the mood of the conversation which may or may not be the way you want to go.

Week 12 Blog 12

Alright second video! I choose to video my 5th grade class again. This worked out nicely because they just completed (expect for a few stragglers) their ceramic pop art food. This week was short and next week the same and then come the craziness of map testing! I wanted to start a unit that would be easy to come back to after Easter break. I choose Zentangles. I am also making print outs of the step by step guides and some drawing paper for them to take with them to use between tests during map testing to relax them. They are creating Zentangle hands with colored zentangles in the background.

I start off by asking if anyone knows what Zen means. We then talked about ways to relax and why it is important to relax. This starts a nice conversation and they even bring up map testing (love it when they get it). Once we start creating things go south. Like I feared some are not relaxed by Zentangles just confused. I tell them it is like learning anything new it takes time. I start them off with pencil but let them know them need to try to turn their mistakes into something else. I think I should have just made them use pen. They keep saying they messed up and erasing and turning over the paper and starting again. I only have one 5th grade class but it is a large class. I look like a chicken with its head cut off. I think next class I will play calming music and try to stay clam myself. But with it all at the end of class several students tell me they liked Zentangles. At lunch I had several tell/show me they had been practicing on their own.

One other thing of note I have been trying to tone down on my sarcasm after the first video. Now I have had students ask if I'm in a bad mood. Maybe they know me better then I give them credit for. They may not get the sarcasm but they seem to get that is how I express myself. I love my students!

Week 11 Blog 11

My lesson was questioning ways we can make a real change to our school. it was amazing how my student came to the same thought with the right questions. I had them start by imagining their favorite place to be. 70% came up with someplace outdoors. Which work perfect to where I wanted them to be. The next question was what they like/dislike about our school? The wall color was the big answer...that and Mrs. Waltz (nothing we can do there). They also made comments about how we have an outdoor classroom but no one uses it.

We went out walked around the whole school look at where we could make the biggest difference. They showed me the outdoor classroom in the middle of the woods (SCARE). The class has decided to recreate the outdoor classroom in the unused gazebo. They would like to paint, plant flowers, maybe install benched along the sides, they also have this idea for this outdoors giant chess set. We also talked about how we can financially do this project. I was not sure this project would work but now I am so happy we are doing it.

week 10 reply to Erika

I really like this lesson. "They need to know and experience their own voice. I want them to think about their own beliefs and discuss them without fear of being judged. They need to learn to appreciate other people's views as well as their own, even if hey disagree. They will run into this all of their lives." Love it. I would really like to try something like this with my Jr high students. There is so little diversity at my school it sometimes makes it very hard to talk with my students. They make comments and judgement without realizing they could be viewed as predigest. I feel they need a wake up call.

Week 10 reply to Katie

I like your questions for your van gogh unit. another line of question possibilities... How did Van Gogh become popular after he died? Why is he so famous now? Is it just his amazing art or also his weird story that makes him so unforgettable? These are questions I ask myself when I teach Van Gogh. It also makes you question fame in general. What makes a person famous?

Week 10 Blog 10

I'm a little late on my post, I know. But my kiln broke about a month ago, and Monday night I present to my PTO in hopes that they can get me a new/used one for next year. I'm freaking out a little, I get really nervous talking to parents and large group of grown ups. All yesterday I was preparing. Any advice?

Teaching as if Life Matters Chapter 3

 

I did like this chapter but it does makes me feel bad. When a student brings me art I ask a million questions, how did they get that idea, what materials did they use... But I started think of this one student she always wants to share stories or show me something and I usually say "that's nice". She is a little strange and she sometime makes me uncomfortable but at the same time I want her to come to me and share. How do I draw the line of too much sharing. The author talked about a student who brings in a rock and they spend an hour investigating the rock, but what happens the next day when every student in the class bring in something? Where do you draw the line? 

Phrasing the right questions is not as easy as I thought. I have been practicing with my daughter and some how I keep answering my own questions.

I have two 7th grade classes, one class I see 2x a week and the other 3x a week. Yes I know very stupid schedule! But 7B (3x a week) is always ahead of the other class. Their next project is "redesigning our school". I hope to have them problem solve our landscaping outside our building and redesign it. Questions- What is design? What is good vs bad design? What do you like/dislike about our school? How often you spend time outside at school? Why would we want to redesign any space? How could changing and redesigning our landscape outside our school beneficent you/everyone? 

I also what to ask how we can include the other 7th grade class when they are working on a another project and have art at a different time?

I am not sure if this project will work out, but I'm going to try it anyway.

Amy I do have a question. I found this to be somewhat of a problem for me in other MU Art Ed classes too. Why do we have 3 different websites for this class? Blackboard mostly only for grades, Lore for getting lesson and other info, and Blogger for replying to lessons and reading others replies? Wouldn't it be easier if we had a program like blackboard through the school but was more like lore and blogger all in one? I have trouble looking at so many different websites for one class.

Week 9- reply to Karen

Karen
Your home school student yea WOW. I agree not every parent can teach their own child. That is why I don't want my child to got to my school. I don't want to have her in my class, I would pull my hair out. my mom was great at teaching my brother and sister how to read and tie their shoes before KD but she couldn't do that with me. So sometimes the child needs specialized teaching.

Your situation is difficult because these parents are paying for your class, so its not so easy to conference with them and lay the card on the table. But if the student doesn't get better and continues to be a disruption you may have to visit that opinion. It isn't fair to the other student who want to learn.

Was he in public school before? or has he always been home schooled?

Week 9- reply to Katie Amos

Katie your student from hell, how old? Have you tried sitting down and talking to him causally? about anything what he likes to do at home, who his friends are, what he wants to be when he grows up. If you can try to eat lunch with him. Maybe ask him to be your helper.
I have several students from hell, my older ones I try to go out of my way to talk to them and let them know I see them as people. My #1 student from hell has high functioning Autism and is a great kid when we are in the middle of a project, but HATES change. when we start anything new he freaks out and "this is stupid, your stupid, art is dumb..." I still haven't figure out how to handle him I usually have to send him out for the first day of something new.