My most recent experience with working with small groups has been in my 9th Grade Art Foundations class. We've been working on large paintings modeled after Roy Lichtenstien who was famous for his dot painted comic frames. I have two students that are very much engaged in the class and it has been so fun to work with them on this project. We've been able to brainstorm different ideas on how to solve problems within the painting and because I've taken the time each class period to work with them, I feel as though the value my opinion and will seek my advice on certain issues that they are having in their artwork.
It's different than having a student who is solely reliant on you for every detail of every project. I find that really exhausting and frustrating. But with these particular students it feels more like collaboration. We've all become invested in their painting. I find it most rewarding when I am able to spend some one on one time with each student, at some point in the class, to discuss their work. I want my students to succeed and I want them to feel as though I care about them and their work. It's easier to do when you have smaller class sizes. I find this a lot more challenging in my 8th grade class where I have a lot more students, but I realize that when I get the time to work with them individually, that is when I get them invested in the class.
Tying this in with the second module, I can see that Ruby Bridges succeeded in school that year because she had a teacher, Mrs. Henry, that was truly invested in her well being and education. Ruby thrived under that one on one interaction she got each day for a year. I applaud that teacher for her bravery as well and that she was able to see past the stereotypes that loomed in society and love that child as though she had all the potential in the world. It is our one on one interactions with our students that helps them feel validated in their efforts at school. This is a good reminder to me to be better at that.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Post 1: part 2 Learning Modalities
I wanted to jot down my thoughts on the leaning modalities we learned and discussed this week. It's interesting to know the statistics for people's learning styles. Visual being the dominant learning type. I think I could do a much better job at addressing this in my teaching. However, when teaching art it seems like sort of a double edged sword. Here's what I've found in my classes.
Because this is my first year teaching, I do not have a lot of student examples of projects or assignments we are working on. This creates a problem when I want to show them the end result of what we are doing. I think that at times it would be very helpful to have a finished product, so they sort of know where we are going, but on the other hand, because they are visual learners whatever image I do show them burns into their memory and they want to copy what they see. This is especially true of my younger students.
Sometimes I really hesitate to draw examples on the board, because I know that I will have students who will lock in on it and copy it. I know that I talk, and talk, and talk to try to explain the assignments and I think I meet the Auditory students needs pretty well. Yet with my older students, I don't think I explain or talk enough. So in the end, I've got a lot of thinking to do, as I try to figure out the perfect balance. But I'm glad that I'm aware of it now.
Because this is my first year teaching, I do not have a lot of student examples of projects or assignments we are working on. This creates a problem when I want to show them the end result of what we are doing. I think that at times it would be very helpful to have a finished product, so they sort of know where we are going, but on the other hand, because they are visual learners whatever image I do show them burns into their memory and they want to copy what they see. This is especially true of my younger students.
Sometimes I really hesitate to draw examples on the board, because I know that I will have students who will lock in on it and copy it. I know that I talk, and talk, and talk to try to explain the assignments and I think I meet the Auditory students needs pretty well. Yet with my older students, I don't think I explain or talk enough. So in the end, I've got a lot of thinking to do, as I try to figure out the perfect balance. But I'm glad that I'm aware of it now.
Post 1: A Day in the Life
I would like to tailor these blog posts to my current teaching position and have these be reflective assignments for my end of year portfolio. Sooooo.....
What does a typical day look like for a teacher? Speaking from my own experience, it's a lot of running around! Maybe that's because I do not have a classroom to call my own, but I do have a nice little office under the stairs. I love my little space, because it is laced with artwork from my students, my children, and even myself. That's where I start my day off. Since I only work the second half of the day, my day starts at 11:30. I have to check my school issued email for any important information. I usually have about a half hour for my prep time. That is one thing that I've learned so far this year. Teachers do not have enough prep time.
During that prep time, I am usually gathering supplies for my 3rd and 4th grade classes and loading a cart that I push around to their different classrooms. You can find me making copies, cutting paper, loading up paints, scissors, and even filling up water containers, because some classrooms do not have sinks. The next two hours are spent on my feet teaching and evaluating the students. You get to answer a ton of questions as you guide the students through their assignments. You also get to be a disciplinarian. That's what surprised me the most I think. Classroom management has been a tricky thing for me, mainly because I enter their classroom space where things are ran a certain way and I have to try and fit into that.
Once my elementary classes are over, I head upstairs to the art room for my 8th grade class. I enjoy them much more, even though they are a pretty loud and chatty group. From the time I walk into that classroom, it is game on. I never sit and there is never a dull moment. They have a ton of questions, and I like that I can really get hands on with them, and feel like I'm really teaching them art as opposed to just doing art projects. I've had a lot of success with them. I usually start the class with announcements, go over a new assignment, or teach them some sort of art principle and then I circumnavigate the room, commenting and encouraging the kids as they work.
After that I drive over to the high school for my two 9th grade classes. These classes are much more laid back. The class sizes are small. I have about 20 kids, split between the two classes. You are able to build a good relationship with the students when the class sizes are small like that. You become more of a mentor to them I think. That's where I catch up on attendance for the day, maybe get some grading done while they are working. These students are much better at working independently.
Once those classes are finished, I head back to the main campus and prep a little for the next day, do some grading, enter time sheets so I can get paid, hang things up in the halls, enter grades, and prep for upcoming lessons.
It's a little crazy, but I like it, and I find it challenging. There are always ways you can improve and I get to study and do things that I love. It's not a job, but a career!
What does a typical day look like for a teacher? Speaking from my own experience, it's a lot of running around! Maybe that's because I do not have a classroom to call my own, but I do have a nice little office under the stairs. I love my little space, because it is laced with artwork from my students, my children, and even myself. That's where I start my day off. Since I only work the second half of the day, my day starts at 11:30. I have to check my school issued email for any important information. I usually have about a half hour for my prep time. That is one thing that I've learned so far this year. Teachers do not have enough prep time.
During that prep time, I am usually gathering supplies for my 3rd and 4th grade classes and loading a cart that I push around to their different classrooms. You can find me making copies, cutting paper, loading up paints, scissors, and even filling up water containers, because some classrooms do not have sinks. The next two hours are spent on my feet teaching and evaluating the students. You get to answer a ton of questions as you guide the students through their assignments. You also get to be a disciplinarian. That's what surprised me the most I think. Classroom management has been a tricky thing for me, mainly because I enter their classroom space where things are ran a certain way and I have to try and fit into that.
Once my elementary classes are over, I head upstairs to the art room for my 8th grade class. I enjoy them much more, even though they are a pretty loud and chatty group. From the time I walk into that classroom, it is game on. I never sit and there is never a dull moment. They have a ton of questions, and I like that I can really get hands on with them, and feel like I'm really teaching them art as opposed to just doing art projects. I've had a lot of success with them. I usually start the class with announcements, go over a new assignment, or teach them some sort of art principle and then I circumnavigate the room, commenting and encouraging the kids as they work.
After that I drive over to the high school for my two 9th grade classes. These classes are much more laid back. The class sizes are small. I have about 20 kids, split between the two classes. You are able to build a good relationship with the students when the class sizes are small like that. You become more of a mentor to them I think. That's where I catch up on attendance for the day, maybe get some grading done while they are working. These students are much better at working independently.
Once those classes are finished, I head back to the main campus and prep a little for the next day, do some grading, enter time sheets so I can get paid, hang things up in the halls, enter grades, and prep for upcoming lessons.
It's a little crazy, but I like it, and I find it challenging. There are always ways you can improve and I get to study and do things that I love. It's not a job, but a career!
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