Student teaching Spring 2020
Century Middle School
The Studio School Elementary
Century Middle School
The Studio School Elementary
MY TEACHING
Now I have decided to start this off by explaining my past teaching philosophy and reflecting on it after three and a half years of working in an art room as an active teacher. I had previously taken a disposition to a teaching survey from one of our past textbooks. The following is an expert from that paper, “From taking the teaching philosophy survey in Becoming a Teacher, I received a 20 under Essentialism, a 16 for Behaviorism, a 26 for Progressivism, a 26 for Existentialism, a 19 for Perennialism, and finally a 13 for Reconstructionism. So for my educational philosophy it included two different philosophies of progressivism and existentialism. This tells me that I am a modern thinker and believe that as a teacher you can focus on teaching the curriculum and issues that are current, but also focus on giving the students the information on a certain subject , while allowing them to form their own opinions, and ideas with that information. As mentioned in the description for existentialism, it says that, “People are born and must define themselves through personal choices.” I agree with this idea. As a teacher it's important for students to make their own choices in life, rather than telling them what to choose and think. Now after reading over this statement again. I am reflecting on my time as an active teacher, I still feel and I think that the survey was pretty spot on. I agree with the statement I had previously made regarding giving the students the materials and letting them create, discover and make their own choices and opinions about the subject matter or materials. I have discovered that letting the students explore with the materials first, then building upon that discovery and knowledge helps the students create better, more in depth and care about the projects they are working on.
THEORIES ON ART EDUCATION
I have learned to believe heavily in the process of Praxis and Ideation of making and creating art. Being in an art class isn't about creating amazing artwork and having every student create artwork that is fantastic or looks good. I care essentially about students being creative, thinking and looking at the world around them in a creative or different way, and also bringing back that inner kid in all my students. I feel that in today's world, especially at the middle school level, the students are so quick to feel like they need to become adults, think about adult topics, they get wrapped up in social media and technology and it gets rid of the inner child. What that experience used to be. In my art class I would like to bring back that childhood experience, the fun of being a kid, creating art, thinking creatively and being in that space during the class period. A moment of feeling just like a kid again. No matter what grade I am teaching. I want that feeling to be one of the key implements in my classroom, even if they are creating artwork at the highschool level which is more deep and thought out, it is still always nice to draw back those experiences of being a kid again.
Now I have decided to start this off by explaining my past teaching philosophy and reflecting on it after three and a half years of working in an art room as an active teacher. I had previously taken a disposition to a teaching survey from one of our past textbooks. The following is an expert from that paper, “From taking the teaching philosophy survey in Becoming a Teacher, I received a 20 under Essentialism, a 16 for Behaviorism, a 26 for Progressivism, a 26 for Existentialism, a 19 for Perennialism, and finally a 13 for Reconstructionism. So for my educational philosophy it included two different philosophies of progressivism and existentialism. This tells me that I am a modern thinker and believe that as a teacher you can focus on teaching the curriculum and issues that are current, but also focus on giving the students the information on a certain subject , while allowing them to form their own opinions, and ideas with that information. As mentioned in the description for existentialism, it says that, “People are born and must define themselves through personal choices.” I agree with this idea. As a teacher it's important for students to make their own choices in life, rather than telling them what to choose and think. Now after reading over this statement again. I am reflecting on my time as an active teacher, I still feel and I think that the survey was pretty spot on. I agree with the statement I had previously made regarding giving the students the materials and letting them create, discover and make their own choices and opinions about the subject matter or materials. I have discovered that letting the students explore with the materials first, then building upon that discovery and knowledge helps the students create better, more in depth and care about the projects they are working on.
THEORIES ON ART EDUCATION
I have learned to believe heavily in the process of Praxis and Ideation of making and creating art. Being in an art class isn't about creating amazing artwork and having every student create artwork that is fantastic or looks good. I care essentially about students being creative, thinking and looking at the world around them in a creative or different way, and also bringing back that inner kid in all my students. I feel that in today's world, especially at the middle school level, the students are so quick to feel like they need to become adults, think about adult topics, they get wrapped up in social media and technology and it gets rid of the inner child. What that experience used to be. In my art class I would like to bring back that childhood experience, the fun of being a kid, creating art, thinking creatively and being in that space during the class period. A moment of feeling just like a kid again. No matter what grade I am teaching. I want that feeling to be one of the key implements in my classroom, even if they are creating artwork at the highschool level which is more deep and thought out, it is still always nice to draw back those experiences of being a kid again.
Assessment and Instruction
Belif in assessment |
Methods personally used |
My belief for doing assessments in the art room is solely based on the projects and the self reflection activities that are done after projects to reach all types of learners in the art room. Having one sole summative grade of just the art project doesn't reach all types of art students; some might fully understand the project, technique or elements of art but struggle to show that in their artwork. In my opinion being able to either articulate what is being learned, physically show what they have learned or both is how I believe students in art should be evaluated through assessments.
For example, as of right now in student teaching I have explored this idea in two different ways, one being through the students summative grade after projects, and one as a formative grade. Firstly, I started out with doing a reflection activity with students after a cartoon self portrait project, they looked at their own artwork, reflected on the ideas that we talked about at the beginning of the project regarding how you see yourself, what types of art there is (realism compared to cartooning) and asked them again at the end of the project how they showed or tried to show this in their own artwork. The second time I utilized a form of assessment to take a general overall understanding from my students was after I introduced a project to them, and had them practice sketching out the relationship of depth and proportion. This was taken as a quick formative grade with just walking around and seeing what students were working on during the practice work time. I also took into account students that asked questions if I saw they didn't fully understand the idea but were asking questions, which shows me they are still thinking about the idea. This grade to me was taken with a-lot more flexibility then the summative artist reflection grade, that was meant to see if they could explain how they utilized the beginning idea of realism to cartooning and how they used that to create their own self portrait in a cartoon form. I feel that assessments that are most efficient are those that allow the students to write about what they think, having them give their ideas, thoughts and opinions on either whatever they have created, the type of art style they are learning or looking at artists. I think this way of assessing, in any form is the best way to evaluate the students' understanding of a concept or idea, allowing for you to assess either before, during and after a project to see where they are and how they end the project. |
Each assessment that is listed below this can be utilized for all types of students, work better for different types of learners or students and can be used across the grade levels. For example, from my experience students that are ELL do better with showing you how they created something through performance. It helps them also to write it as well but if you want to see exactly how much they can apply techniques or information is having them show you. We have utilized this during my student teaching with some students they might not feel confident orally explaining, or writing down what they have learned but maybe they can show you instead. And I find that having a mixture of assessment in your lesson helps the overall class gather information about each student individually rather than with just one summative assessment and one formative.
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different assessment methods
Having writing incorporated into the lesson helps meet the standards for art, as analyzing artwork is one big idea that is part of the art standards. But allowing students to analyze their artwork or others in multiple forms helps reach all your learners besides just some. A personally find that having at least three of the assesments below, exploring new ways of using each in a lesson helps cover all grounds and get paints a good picture of where your students are during the beginning, middle, and end of a project.
Instruction and Management
belief in class management
My management in a classroom is very independent while also reminding students at the beginning where the line is regarding behavior and the classroom expectations. With classroom management independence for me would be that students are allowed to be creative, if they have other ideas for projects they can explore those as long as the basic guidelines and subjects matter of the project is met, or they talk with me before. Regarding classroom elements, rules are established and reminded throughout the school year, open seating for students to choose where they sit but, I warn at the beginning that I have the right anytime that I see that it starts to become a problem then we start to have a seating chart. Seating charts are created using the buddy system, students are allowed to take one other person with them to their new seat, but again I warn that if they have been having trouble with the person they choose, I don't have to follow the buddy system, so they need to choose wisely.
How do i provide differentiation and accommodation for your students in the art classroom |
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Example:
For example I did a painting project with self portraits with the 8th graders at my student teaching placement. I had multiple students that were really getting into the whole project and utilized all of the class periods to work diligently on their projects, but with any project you have some students that aren't as confident with they're drawing abilities get burned out with painting after a day or just don’t care about school in general so that either really stops them from working and finish drawing their portrait or rushing through them. Some students I allowed to finish their portrait projects with colored pencils but they had to create a color square swatch sheet. This is by looking at the reference image and mixing the colors they see in their self portraits, painting these colors to create a grid of the mixed colors. This allows them to still be participating in the color mixing process and looking at the self portraits colors.
Solving management issues:
Currently in my cooperating teachers classroom we have desks set up in the back of the class for multiple purposes. We use it for behavior management where students that are talking or have a hard time staying focused working in groups they can be moved to these desks, they make it easier to work on projects, allows for students to stay in a chair rather then on a stool, and it's not in a group so it limits distractions. We also use them for the students that are feeling overwhelmed during work time when it gets loud at the table groups they can move to the back desks and work more independently.
For example I did a painting project with self portraits with the 8th graders at my student teaching placement. I had multiple students that were really getting into the whole project and utilized all of the class periods to work diligently on their projects, but with any project you have some students that aren't as confident with they're drawing abilities get burned out with painting after a day or just don’t care about school in general so that either really stops them from working and finish drawing their portrait or rushing through them. Some students I allowed to finish their portrait projects with colored pencils but they had to create a color square swatch sheet. This is by looking at the reference image and mixing the colors they see in their self portraits, painting these colors to create a grid of the mixed colors. This allows them to still be participating in the color mixing process and looking at the self portraits colors.
Solving management issues:
Currently in my cooperating teachers classroom we have desks set up in the back of the class for multiple purposes. We use it for behavior management where students that are talking or have a hard time staying focused working in groups they can be moved to these desks, they make it easier to work on projects, allows for students to stay in a chair rather then on a stool, and it's not in a group so it limits distractions. We also use them for the students that are feeling overwhelmed during work time when it gets loud at the table groups they can move to the back desks and work more independently.
my class management style
Classroom principles
I would like to reinforce in my own art classroom how to create projects using project based lessons, with enough choice blended into them that the students are still getting excited and engaged in what they are working on. During my student teaching I've noticed that sometimes students need to have those more cookie cutter projects just to allow them to create, practice with a material and get into the art creating mode without the stress of doing something wrong in a project. However, this wouldn't be a large portion of what they do during the class, this would be only saved for when I start to see that burned out feeling that happens in the middle of the school year.
One thing that I would like to have consistently reinforced in my art room is that of Studio Thinking all the time. I want my students to always be thinking in the mindset of a studio artist, as the classroom is more of an art studio than just a classroom. This can help with maintaining students proper use of the materials during all types of projects, and can influence students behavior as they know the appropriate behavior to use in a studio art class. In turn this positive relationship that students create with Studio Thinking and Studio Habits carries with them into other classes and into future art classes if they choose to continue in art. |
EXAMPLE:
For example, in my student teaching we have been working on painting self portraits with our 8th graders. This project has been a long one. It shows students that when you work diligently on a project it leads you to create a work of art that they care about. But of course we always have some students that got bored, burned out and rushed right through the painting process and started to act up in class. My mentor teacher suggested just doing a project with them that allowed for a simple step by step instruction, something that required basic creativity choices but all they needed to do is follow the instructions and make simple creative ideas, this hooked them. So we have the students that want to spend more time on the portrait painting they can. Students get hooked on the step by step project as it is a very low impact, low stress art project for them, and the end results always look great. This example shows the benefits in doing a mix of projects with choice based. Those cookie cutter projects that I thought I would never do, I have now found a new benefit to doing them. They work for behavior and help students that do struggle with following instructions. |
Saftey
Students need to learn how to follow rules that are in place for their own safety. I found that the best way to instruct rules relating to safety of the students is repeating, repeating and repeating. No matter how much you feel like a broken record you need to always remind them of the very important safety rules. For example during a pottery project, every start to the class creates a slideshow with the safety rules listed every time, and talks very briefly about a rule. This allows them to hear it every day, and you show them on the off chance something happens you can point out that it's mentioned every day, written on the board and create a poster with the safety rules as well.
I would like to organize my classroom by using a number and label system, so for every number on the bin or tub I would like to have either a computerized spreadsheet for each item so it makes taking inventory easier and quicker. Labels also makes it to where things always have a home preventing them from becoming lost and students are able to independently find materials they may need. Also keeping things in areas with similar materials, such as all papers together in one area, pencils and colored pencils, etc. |
Currently at the school I am at, we have a PLP that's attached to students that exhibit issues or have good performances. These are available for other teachers to look at but not parents. Now in my own future school, being uncertain of if they might have such a program in the grading and attendance system, I would orient this by having an attendance sheet and documenting students behavior using a plus, minus and making notes for the students that are either showing a good performance in class or that we are having issues. Now personally not all issues might need to be brought to parents' attention. If it's a continual problem, yes a phone call or email home would be needed. However, I would like to try myself solving the issues without going to the parents first (maybe even a meeting with the grade counselor as well). Secondly, hypothetically it would be nice to create a station on fridays for students to create freely in with materials set up in the back or front of the room, and from class to class that might change, but you also need well behaved students that you can trust giving that responsibility to so they can create something without instruction or guidance. |