UAY Reflection

My UAY experience was actually pretty good in hindsight. I really value the opportunity that was given to us and I think that if I do continue on the to be a teacher I will be much better prepared because of it.

The most important teaching aspect I believe that I learned was to be flexible and learn to adapt. Without these skills a teacher can really get themselves into some trouble. Our group was a perfect example of this on several occasions. For example, Amanda and I thought for certain that we would have everybody finished with their masks early. Well...we were wrong. Very wrong, and all it took was for lovely little Claire to miss the Jam session. That made our group go from ahead of task to all over the flippin' place. The boys were finishing their mosaics and working on new projects. In the instance of Daniel, several new projects. God he kept us on our toes with new things to do! Meanwhile, Claire was really close to not finishing her project on the last workday available. She barely had her mosaic painted before our cleanup had started. This one variable kinda threw us off schedule, as we had planned to start a journal for everyone. I had the impression that it would be more of a group demo than the individual assignment that it had turned into.

Another way that flexibility mattered with our group was with the wording of our assignment. The word "mask" seemed to be far more loaded than I had anticipated with Sam. Man, he just didn't understand that we weren't making masks to wear. I really bummed him out one day when it finally hit him. I could tell he still had dreams of wearing his warpaint waiter mask, he would hold it up to his face all the time like it was a wearable accessory.

Daniel gave us the need to adapt because he was a productive machine. He didn't want to make a mask, so we changed the lesson a bit to fit his desires, but he was still able to learn the intended assignment. After that he was constantly pushing us to find new things for him to do. If we didn't he would start walking around talking about all sorts of crazy stuff. He was a real pleasure to work with, god, I still laugh thinking about some of the stuff we did. We had fears because he was autistic, but he really did end up becoming the highlight of UAY to me.

My Newest Work and Classroom Management

Well, here is my final piece for ceramics three, it is the front and back of a woman that is a sort of personification of music. Tried doing this using flowing lines to symbolize rhythm and flow. I incorporated the colors in an attempt to make the piece harmonious. Let me know what you think, constructive criticism is very welcome.

OK, now on to classroom management. The problems that I have encountered with classroom management stems from a total lack of motivation in some students. It's what leads me to question my future as a teacher in fact. During my volunteer hours, I spent two whole weeks in the classroom trying to get the best feel possible for teaching. In this time period, I noticed some students, usually one or two per class of about 20 or more students that just wouldn't do anything unless you asked them constantly everyday. This also happened to be true in our UAY class, which is odd seeing as the students chose to be there.(Why you would go to something that you aren't really motivated to do in the first place when no one is forcing you is beyond me!)

Anywho, it seems that other problems like fighting and general disrespect for the classroom (peers, teachers, facilities, and rules) were not a real problem most of the time.

The only way that ever really worked that I noticed as far as motivating students was to be flexible with the lesson plan and bring forth positive reinforcement to the table. Being flexible allows students that might not be particularly interested in the current project to find another outlet that they find satisfying. It is important that the main goal of the assignment is kept in the forefront of the students mind however. The lesson should still be beneficial in the same manner as everyone else. Positive reinforcement is the next factor that worked. While it didn't work all the time, students really do enjoy a thoughtful compliment about their work. At times I find it difficult to praise some peoples efforts though. Must just be me, but it's really hard for me to compliment someone that doesn't do very much. How can you compliment a student that doesn't do anything in order to get them to get started? That is the real trick. When both of these fail, and some days they did, things fell apart in our little group which caused some verbal backlash and written obscenities. Oh well, time and practice will make things better.

UAY is finished and I have bad News

After several weeks of teaching and learning, our mission to teach the young students at UAY is over. The experience was worthwhile for me. I learned different ways to handle students particular intricacies as well as new projects and plans for lessons.

Unfortunately, the most important lesson I will take from this little adventure leads me to question my dedication to teaching at the high school level. Experiences from this class coupled with information gained in others has me wondering if teaching is the best option for me. I continually read about how teaching in high schools is just plain awful. Teacher attrition rates are scary and the reasons why have made me question my motivation. I really don't want to be a babysitter. The idea of little funding and administrators that don't care for the opinion of teachers is disheartening. Bad facilities with busted air conditioning and inconsistent bathroom break opportunities seems like a ridiculous workplace for someone that has worked their way through a degree program at a nice university. It seems as if teachers deserve better conditions and certainly better pay.

Challenging students like the ones we encountered in UAY brought issues to the table that I honestly would turn my back on in a day to day situation. It's one thing to try to push someone once a week, it's entirely different to push them every day of the week. I have patience for certain things, laziness and complacency is not an area that is good for my patience. In the real world, with classrooms filled with 30 or more students, it is very likely that a teacher would have several challenging students every hour that just want to sit and veg out. I don't want to be the teacher that turns my back and says "forget it", but I know it would drive me nuts day after day to beg people to work like I experienced this semester.

The only real passion I have for teaching is brought upon by the prospect of having summers off. I want summers off so I can focus on my art for a couple months every year. Does that mean that I should just go for it and try to become a full time artist? My family thinks I should be a graphic designer. Teachers from my high school saw my work when I volunteered and said that I was stupid for wasting time trying to teach, saying that I should go all the way. It really is what I want to do, but is it the smart thing to do?

I would much rather stay in school, earn my masters, and then enter shows and applications until I could get a job at the college level where students major in art and don't just take your class because its "easy". That was the original plan before Sophia was born. Do I stick with the original plan and focus my time at IOWA in the Studio or in the classroom for a teaching certificate? I'm so confused, my heart says on thing while my head says another.

I feel like I've grown as an artist during my time here and I wish I could devote my time strictly to studio courses. I'm so close to graduating with a BFA but not that close with the TEP certificate. I wish the answers were easier to come by. I really wonder if I'm wasting my time training to be a teacher.

4 Hours with the boys and Touchy Subjects

Well the past two weeks teaching the students from UAY were difficult! I suppose I will start with our Jam Session. Things were messed up from the beginning. Our two ladies were missing! Half of our group missed the longest class of the project, this worried me. What was the problem? Why weren't they coming, was it us or was the class too long? Did they just not appreciate the project? I'm not certain what the issue was, but it was unsettling. That said, we had both Sam and Daniel at our creative fingertips and we got some work done. We were able to get the guys through the grouting of their projects and we started making some different items as well. Daniel really seemed to enjoy his sword and Sam kept himself busy making a journal.

Unfortunately the topic of underage drinking came up several times. One of our students had spent his time over one the prior nights drinking liquor. As it turns out he was caught and got himself in some trouble. It was pretty distracting because the topic was brought up repeatedly. The group next to us caught wind of the story and started chiming in on the subject. This touchy subject had to be danced around and I felt like we handled it the right way, constantly shutting down the conversation. It made me wonder, where do we draw the line and get stern and a bit more direct about things? I was to the point of frustration, the topic was inappropriate and should not have been brought up more than once but it lingered on. I was irritated.

The students managed to stay on task for most of the class. At the end though, they started losing focus. They were Very productive overall though.

Moving on to last week, one of my worst fears was realized. It appears that we have lost our second student. She has missed two classes in a row at the very end and joined late to begin with. Her work was heading in the right direction and I think was going to turn out great. I don't have any expectations that she might show up for the last few sessions. Two of the projects won't be finished and they were pretty good too. This whole UAY thing has been a difficult experience to accept.

art advocacy

Advocating for art education is probably something that all of us will have to encounter sooner or later considering the profession we're about to enter. It seems that with NCLB changing the way education is handled in the U.S., art education may fall by the wayside and lose even more funding and focus than it already has. I believe that advocating the arts through presenting knowledge and facts to parents and district board members could be a very effective way to get the message out.

When presenting the facts, it is important to let everyone know why art education is valuable to everyone and not just the few that will go on to get jobs in the art world. Here is some of the information that I believe is relevant to the cause. Research has shown that Arts education enhances student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement, school success, and preparation for the real world of work. Art is a way to preserve our culture and heritage. It helps students realize the different ways that people work and the diversity of ideas that can be used to creatively find solutions to problems. Art class may be the only time given to students to express themselves without be "disruptive" in class. One of the most important lessons learned in an art class is how to analyze and revise work in order to create a high quality work. This analysis and revision skill can be useful in all areas of life!

I think one way an advocate could present this information could be to send home information with students on along with information that is generally considered vital, things like report cards or permission slips, so that the information doesn't get discarded as easily. I think a great way could be to present student work and transform a generally boring place into a vibrant and productive space. I can't stop thinking about how boring most banks are and how different I felt when we were in Midwest Bank last week. People look at the art, so why not attach facts about art education with work in order to inform the public? I think that these are just a couple ways of getting the word out without stepping on any toes.

UAY: Day 1

After reflecting on the first day we had with the students, I can happily say that I really believe that teaching is something that I can find satisfaction in. I started off pretty jittery though. In the beginning of class, when students started showing up, I felt a little bit like we were going to be overwhelmed, or at least me. I was nervous, and I wasn't certain why. It could be the change involved, not everyday do we teach in class rather than learn. Maybe it was the thought that no one would embrace our project. I believe that my biggest fear on day one was that I wouldn't be able to connect well with students in high school, or god forbid, middle school students. I feel so far removed from there world at this point in my life!

All of these fears slowly vanished though as Amanda and I got to know our group though. They were pretty responsive to us and one another. The mixture of students in our group all seem very different, however, they communicate well. One of our members appears to be very talented, you can tell she loves to draw and is working on her skills daily. Another one of our students seems enthusiastic about getting work done, I am not sure how many different artist trading cards he made, but there were plenty! He seems to experiment and not be afraid to try things, very open minded. The other girl in our group is a bit more intellectual than the others, she has interests in music, science, robots, and botany. Very different sorts of thinking, but they all seem to embrace our assignment.

After all is said and done, things will go well and I'm sure that we will all learn from each other. I'm excited to really get to work on Thursday. Oh, and where are all the guys at? Seriously, it's like Studio Arts all over again in there!

Artists Trading Cards and The Inspiration For My Future Occupation!

These artist trading cards were done with colored pencil and ballpoint pen. I really enjoyed this assignment and will be making more! Ok, on to the next part...

When I graduated from High School, I had an idea that I wanted to become an art teacher. I never minded being in school, in fact, I preferred it. I have always been satisfyed by the feeling of being productive. School was a place that I have always worked hard and got things done.

My teachers and my family were supportive of the decision. They all wanted me to go in a direction that would encourage my growth in the field of art as well. Teaching seemed like a good fit to me as well. Teachers will always be needed, and even though the pay may not be spectacular, I've seen teacher's families survive comfortably by being smart with money. Besides, I will have summers to create whatever I want!

Certain art teachers that I had inn high school would assign a due date and that was all they did besides sit around and talk. I didn't learn anything in high school art class!

When I got to college, I was amazed! The first week I was instructed by two professors that I owe much of my talent to. One was nurturing and creative, showing me new techniques, concepts, and tools. The other was tough, strict and brutally honest. He taught us about presentation and the reality of a competitve art community.

The things they taught me, I could have learned in high school. I could have been better earlier. I want to share the information I learned to students. Not just kick up my feet and make due dates!

Blog # 2

I believe that being an artist helps teachers because we are more creative! Creativity gives teachers more options to fix problems, motivate students, and find ways to stretch budgets. Looking at things in a different way than everyone else can enable a teacher find original solutions to old problems.

Creating art has awarded me with several life skills that carry over well into teaching. Patience, analysis of situations, and problem solving are all benefits that have grown through me as I have progressed as an artist. I believe that these skills would benefit any teacher.

I would like to continue working as an artist in front of my students in the future. I believe that this will lead them technically by giving demos and showing them how to use tools and methods. Working directly in front of students also builds respect and trust. One of the first things I do when I sign up for a class is checkout the work of the professor or TA that is going to teach the class if it is available locally or on the internet. If I don't like their work, or believe that their aesthetics will benefit me, I might not take that class. I think that students should realize that their teachers are talented and hard working. Seeing good work can motivate and inspire.

In my assignments I might require my students to incorporate their values, heritage, or likes/dislikes in there work. An artist statement from each student could give insight into what these personal symbols mean in the artwork that they would produce. I want to give students the knowledge they need to effectively express themselves while fulfilling their vision of what the piece should look like.

Think about your experiences in high school, how do you think your past experiences may influence your expectations about high school students? What kind of high school student were you? What fears do you have about working with high school students? What do you think you will learn? What are you most excited about? Post a photo of a piece of your work.

During high school I was pretty laid back, but I was a hard worker. I guess I just never really let things stress me out. I was raised to take pride in anything that I put my name on and I really took this to heart during high school. I was always able to complete my work early with good grades in my AP classes. Art was kind of a let down though. In some of my art classes, the teachers seriously lacked motivation. I had one really good art teacher though. He sort of set up my idea of how a teacher should be. Learning was always easier in his class because he was excited about his job and our projects.
I think that my teaching style will be similar to the way I conducted myself in high school after I get used to my surroundings. I will be laid back but productive and I will take pride in my job. I would like to create a fun learning environment for my students. My goal would be to keep students excited about coming to my class everyday.
My greatest fear is that the funding for supplies will be crappy. I firmly believe that students need to be introduced to good tools early. In high school, our supplies were horrible. My work in college really progressed quickly because of I was introduced to better tools. I want my students to experience what it is like to draw on good paper with good pencils; something I didn't experience until college.
What am I most excited about? Uh, summers off! Duh! Honestly though, it's pretty exciting to think that I will be contributing something to society besides the obesity I serve up every week at my current job.

Here is a finished piece and a work in progress...