Why Choose the Art Teaching Profession?

When I asked my cooperating teacher why she had chose to become an art teacher she voiced that it was not her first choice.  She had originally gotten a degree in genealogy and was interested in making a lot of money.  Of course she had waitressing jobs and was one of the first women to work on an oil field.  She was making a lot of money but wasn’t very happy with what she was doing.  Her mom had always said that she would be good at teaching, but the paycheck turned her away from the profession.  She had taken lots of studio classes throughout the years and it seemed obvious that she had a passion for art.  She was miserable working in the oil fields and would be a single parent in the future, so she decided to find a more practical job.  Teaching art was the logical choice at the time so she could work and raise her children.  Now, she claims that it was the best decision in her professional career and she wouldn’t trade teaching art for anything else.  Mrs. C claims, “The art room is like home to me.”

Observation- March 14th

This was my second day of my lesson.  I felt that the students had opened up to me more and gave me more of their attention at the beginning of class.  As I started class I felt much more relaxed and at ease while instructing the class.  The use of walking around with the color wheel and pointing out different color schemes and answering questions by pointing to the color wheel served as a great learning tool.  I also felt that the one-on-one interaction it created with the students was helpful and I found that students were more apt to ask me questions. 

I did a review on the smartboard at the end of class.  I developed this activity for the students that had finished their other project early to keep them occupied.  I made the mistake of not being more interactive with the students when using this activity.  I discussed this mistake with my cooperating teacher and she suggested that I have the students come up to the smartboard and run the show next time to give them ownership of the classroom.

Observation- March 13th

My cooperating teacher had asked me to come up with an activity for her painting section to do. The night before I was frantic looking through material and trying to decide how to teach them about color theory and color schemes.  I will admit that I felt a bit overwhelmed with all the freedom that she had given me and was a bit unsure of what she was exactly expecting out of me.  I barely slept that night as I was full of anticipation and nervous about teaching a lesson, as this would be my first time.  I came up with an exercise that I would walk the students through.  The day before students were introduced to the color wheel and had to create a color wheel of their own.  Today I began with students taking out their palettes and passing out new paper.  I directed students to fold their piece of paper into six sections and label appropriately: value-tints and shades, complementary, analogous, triadic, and split complementary.  I then followed with explaining what each concept of color meant and had the students display it in the designated box.
I felt that the students responded well.  I did have a few student who were absent the day before and had not done a color wheel yet.  Lucky for me, I had Mrs. C to take those students aside and get them caught up as I continued to instruct the rest of the classroom.  Now I realize that in my own classroom I will not be that fortunate to have extra help with students who have fallen behind.  During my explanation of what analogous colors are I had a small group of girls who were chattering in the corner.  Instead of interrupting the class, I waited until I was done with instruction and then followed up with the girls after.  Of course, they had not been listening and I had to explain the concept over to them.  My cooperating teacher advised me to not let them get away with this so easily or in other words not be so nice.  Next time I shouldn't continue until I have their attention or afterwards give them a stern explanation of why this behavior will not be tolerated in the future.

Observation- March 12th

Today I spoke to my cooperating teacher about how she runs her first day of class.  She goes against traditional roles of teacher talk and going through the curriculum.  Instead on the first day she likes to start right in on a small project, because she feels that students can only absorb so much on the first day.  She waits for the other teachers to finish their first day run through before she starts in with hers, and it isn't all in one day, but introduces new things each day to the student.  As for safety in the classroom it is a continuous day-to-day reminder rather than a load of rules and precautions at once.  It varies from project to project and at the start of every class she gives reminders to the students, such as making sure they have safety goggles on in the metals class.  She also depends on the students to be responsible for each other.  They are at an age, where they know to identify hazardous situations and if they see one of their fellow classmates not using a tool properly to stop the student and notify the teacher.  She really believes that it takes everybody in the classroom to establish a safe working environment.  Holding the students accountable for their safety helps the classroom to unify as one working body.
We also took a look at the kiln and helped her load up a batch to fire.  At the moment one of the kilns is not working and she had to order new parts for it.  She explains that this is a case that you cannot plan for, but adapt to it when arrives.  She has to look at her budget to order new parts and also the set backs that is may have on students projects that may not be fired as promptly as planned.  Also she noted to me that when I land a teaching position that this will be something I will have to take notice of right away and become accustomed to the equipment that the school has.  Every school is different and I will have to adapt quickly to the resources and tools they provide when I enter into a new teaching position.

Observation-March 9th

During my hours of observation I paid close attention on reflecting how students treated me as a person.  Observing in the same high school that my younger siblings attend made it difficult for me to establish a teacher to student relationship, because some of the students that know my sister or brother wanted to also establish a friendship with me.  As I walked around the room some of the students wanted to tell me all about what they did last weekend, but I think they quickly got the hint that I was more interested in what they were creating out of clay and refocused.  While some students were eager to talk to me and ask questions, other students were more uneasy about my presence in the classroom.  Even when I loaded them with questions they were very short with me.  Right now I have to ask myself, how I reach students who seem closed off? Is this because this is only my second day in the classroom? Is it because I am a visitor? Will a better relationship be established overtime?

How do you assess student artwork?

When assessing student artwork, I take many approaches in evaluating student's learning.
I will use summative assessment, such as a portfolio to take a look at how a student has grown and progressed during their time in my classroom.  I might also use an authentic assessment, which  is a great tool to use in art.  This is useful when a student his handing in a final project.  Using a rubric can outline key learning objective and include a student's reflection of what they learned.  If a student can provide in writing what they have learned, I will know that they are learning what I am teaching.  Students should know what I am grading before they start a project and if they meet the criteria they will learn.  Some students need more structure and guidelines, while others may need more freedom.  This is up to my discretion based on a student's individual needs.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is an experience of beauty and requires no practicality.  A regular experience can be turned into one of aesthetic experience.
An assignment offered to students can be to take regular experiences in life and turn them into aesthetic experiences.  Also you can have students choose a painting and describe it aesthetically.

The gift of art is to open up opportunities for our students to recognize the potential that they have and teach them to love themselves.

Everyone has their own preferences to art. Aesthetics applies critical thinking skills. People value art in many different ways such as functional, historical, religious, economic value, pleasure, or decorative.