The Beginning of the End (Week 21 Reflection)

Monday: Today was the big day.  The second semester started, and I took charge of the first two periods, the periods I will be teaching, Drawing and Art 1.  I made sure to leave for Lincoln a little early, so I could set up and prepared.

            When I arrived in my classroom, the computer was gone, so I couldn’t get all ready.  And the student Information Sheets were not to be seen, and Heather had said that she would get copies of them for today….. 

            About 10-15 minutes later Heather came in with the computer.  It took awhile to get it all set up, but I was able to do it just before the students were all there and class started.

            Apparently around half of my Drawing students are Special Ed. students.  This should provide a lot of challenge for me.  And my expectations might not be able to be as high as they are now.

            I had prepared a PowerPoint presentation of what we were going to cover for the day (What the classes were about, who I am, classroom expectations, lab fee, how to succeed in the class, and what to do now).  Going over all of that with the classes went more quickly than I had expected.  So after having the students complete their information sheets, I improvised.  I had been sent a fascinating You Tube video of a woman drawing in sand with her hands.  So I introduced the connection of the video with the class (Drawing – you don’t need fancy drawing equipment to draw, and drawing can elicite powerful emotions) (Art 1 – What do you think of when you think of art?  What media/materials do you think of?).  I showed the video which was around 7-8 minutes long.  Both classes watched with great attention, for the most part. 

            After the video I asked told the students that they were going to draw for me.  I had both classes stand up, bend at the waist, and swing their arms in little circles to help them relax.  Most students did this, but a few only got as far as the standing part before I think they felt stupid.  Then I demonstrated blind contour drawing, a drawing warm-up, to both classes.  I asked if any of the students would volunteer to model for me.  A boy volunteered in the Drawing class, and a girl was chosen for the Art 1 class when no one volunteered.  I talked them through the process as I demonstrated.  Mine didn’t look great, and I emphasized the fact that this is ok.  I was still getting a warm up.  I released them to draw the person across from them.

            There was some giggling, and I think it was good to break the ice this way.  I walked around, commenting and observing.  Some of the students did a great job, and I said so, saying that they should do really well in the class because they are already doing better than the teacher!  This got a couple of smiles.

            Then I had the classes draw what they think they are best at drawing.  I had them turn this in at the end of the period.

            One girl in the Art 1 class had her drawing face down.  I flipped it over to see it, as she told me it wasn’t good.  It was great!  I told her that, and she said that it isn’t as good as her normal.  She said that tomorrow she’ll bring in her sketchbook for me to see her artwork.  I showed her some of my art, and she seemed to like it.

            One boy was going to be in the Drawing class, and he seemed really nice and good at and interested in art.  But he came back during the Art 1 class, saying that his schedule was changed.  He won’t be in Drawing (I was disappointed.), but he wants to be a T.A. for the Art 1 class, second period.  So I will at least get to interact with him some more.

            I feel good about the first day.  I need to remember to not be too friendly right off.  I don’t want to lose the authority figure status.

Wednesday: Today I felt a little more in control of my classes.  There are a couple of students that I definitely need to stay on top of (at this point), but I feel like I did a good job with that today.  I told the two friends that they need to stay on task or I will be separating them, so they can get their work done.  They did a decent job today staying focused.

            A girl came in with a covering (scarf) on her head.  Students are not supposed to have things on their heads.  This girl is very quiet and morose-seeming.  And I couldn’t tell if it was an Islamic head covering.  I talked to Heather about it, and she said that it might be so.  I don’t want to let a student break the school rule, but I also don’t want to offend someone.  Heather is planning to talk to someone who would know the situation to find out.

            Several new students showed up for the Art 1 class. Apparently students need to show up in the first 3 days, or they are dropped.  A few of the students seemed pretty amiable.  One girl was very curt and made no apologies about not wanting to be in the class.  I reacted by asking if she wanted a passing grade.  She said that she will get that if she does stuff in the class.  After telling her what the other students were working on, I left her alone.  I had tried talking to her, and that had no visible benefit.  She has a huge chip on her shoulder.

            One boy was just sitting.  I asked him what he was doing, that he should be working.  He replied that he was thinking.  I said that it was good to think, but that he needs to act now.  I told him that by the end of the period he needed to have some progress made on his folder design.  I said that I would be back in 10 minutes to see his progress.  I came back and there was a little bit of drawing on his folder.  I will continue to attempt to keep him on task, but he needs to want it too to be successful in the long-term.  We’ll see how he does.  He is reminiscent of students that sat and didn’t do much last semester.  But maybe he’ll surprise me.

            At CHS the students in Art A are continuing to work collaboratively on their clay sculptures.  Some students are very enthusiastic about the project, and others hate it.  It’s really interesting to see the contrast.  But clay isn’t everybody’s forte. 

Thursday: Today I introduced the Drawing and Art 1 classes to the journal (opening activity) process.  I had a mock image and information on the SMART Board, and we walked through the first questions together.  In the Art 1 class I gave out the syllabus and cover letter because I won’t be there for the whole period tomorrow.  Tomorrow I will give the syllabus to the Drawing class.

            The classes seem to be shaping up well at this point.  The girl that was terribly disrespectful in the Art 1 class was not here today.  That was a relief.  But if she had been here I would have recommended that she fill in a class switch form, as today was the last day to fill one of them in and to turn them in.  I hope that I will still be able to do this with her at a later date.

            There were a couple of students that were finished with their folders, so I told them to work on classwork for other classes.  One boy had his head down, so I told him to come over and talk to me.  I told him that I would find work for him to do since he wasn’t doing anything productive.  Then he suggested that instead he could work on homework for other classes.  I said that would be fine.  I told him if he was unproductive again I would make a mess, so there would be something for him to do for me.  He got to work (or at least appeared to).

            I am attempting to get around to everyone and talk to them about some aspect of their lives or about their artwork.  Some students have responded warmly and eager to talk, and others are very closed.  One of the most closed students is the girl that wears a head covering.  She sits by herself too.  I don’t know if I will be able to break through or not.  I’ll try.

            Today I had to go to CHS to prepare for and attend the Spring Honor Society Induction Ceremony.  Tuesday we had a meeting of the officers to talk about the rest of the school year and the preparation for the Induction Ceremony.  Today 3 students were inducted into the group.

Friday: Today was pretty low-key at Lincoln.  A lot of my students were absent!  No new material was covered today; instead the students continued working on their folders.  For the Drawing class it will probably be due at the end of Monday’s class period, and for the Art 1 class I think it will be due Tuesday after class. 

            One thing that made me sort of happy and possibly encouraged happened when I told the Art 1 class that I would be leaving around 15 minutes into the period, and Ms. Conklin would be in charge when I left.  One or two of the students groaned or sounded sad.  I don’t know if that’s a good sign or a bad one, but I was a little secretly pleased.

            At Covenant it was a full day for both Art A and Art B.  Sketchbooks were due at the beginning of class.  Then the students completed their opening activity.  Then we did a Freeze Frame (drawing what is paused on the t.v. screen).  Then the students were released to work on their projects. 

            Good progress is being made on the sculptures.  I haven’t given a solid due date because clay is hard to determine.  I am thinking it will be due sometime next week.  A couple of groups are closer to finishing than others, and I will find more for them to do if they finish before the due date arrives.  I have told them this.  I am thinking of having them draw large images of the continents where the sculptures are.  This will be a nice detail for the art show in May.

Week: This week has been an encouragement to me.  I had imagined nightmare classes full of disrespectful students.  And there have been a few students that fit that description.  But, overall, the new Lincoln classes have been decent.  There are students that I need to monitor more to make sure they are doing what they should.  And there are some students that need special attention and consideration, but this week has been a lot better and easier than I had imagined.  I am attempting to make plans for each week the weekend before.  This helps me feel prepared and organized.

The End of the Beginning (Week 20 Reflection)

Monday:  This is the final week of the semester.  I have a lot of planning and prep to do for next week.  I’m nervous about getting new students with which I’m unfamiliar. 

                The Drawing class continued to work on their final projects; I am seeing some wonderful pieces being created!  The boy who wants special consideration and additional time to get work done was there today.  He worked on rough drafts for the final projects.  He is very self-conscious about his skill or lack thereof.  He finally showed me what he was working on when I asked to see it, after saying I was going to laugh.  He showed me the lion head he had started.  I encouraged him, saying that it was pretty good.  He had the basic shape and features in place.  It just needed more detailing and finishing up.  He seemed surprised and pleased that I seemed serious about my praise.  He then proceeded to ask me if he could put Bob Marley’s face on the other side of the composition.  I told him no because of his notorious drug use.  All art needs to be school-appropriate.  I think he was surprised that I knew that fact about Bob Marley.

                I was observed during the Art 1 class.  The students were supposed to have finished their final projects and ready for prepare for the presentations.  Lots of the students were absent, and several students that were there hadn’t finished their art.  Since so few students were present, I gave the students about 10-15 minutes to work on finishing up their compositions.  I also had the students write self-assessing reflections, answering what elements and principles were present in their art and where, what they did well on the project, and what they could have done better.

Tuesday: This was the last day of normal class sessions for my first-semester classes at Lincoln.  Tomorrow will be their finals.  Then I need to get completely prepared for the second semester classes.

Where to start that?!

                The Drawing class will be missed.  Most of the students are consistent and quietly pleasant.  The boy that wants special consideration didn’t work as hard today.  Unfortunately, I don’t see him succeeding in his task of getting a passing grade.  I told him that I needed to see a completed final project tomorrow if he wants that special consideration and effort on my part.  I gave him the needed paper with hope (although it was just a little) that he would put the work in.

                The Art 1 class commenced with a few presentations of students that were absent yesterday.  I was pleased with their presentations because it seemed that they understood the point of the project and had knowledge of the topic.  And, speaking of pleasant surprises, several of the students surprised me with their knowledge of the subjects covered in class over the semester.  The class was divided into 3 teams and played “Jeopardy”, art style, covering things they will be tested on in their final tomorrow.  It was also nice to see the teamwork and enthusiasm that developed during the game.  High fives were even seen!  Even from students that are loners!

Wednesday: Day 1 of finals at LHS has arrived.  My Drawing class drew a hand, a corner of the room, and their face.  It was good to see the improvement in their performance from the beginning of the class in September to now. 

                The Art 1 class had a 4-page final consisting of fill-in-the-blanks, drawing exercises, and answer sentences.  It was encouraging to see the knowledge that they displayed.  Some of the students surprised me by the scope of their knowledge.  There was one question on the back of the test, asking what they enjoyed the most.  It was gratifying to see that a lot of them listed scratchboard, the project that was my idea and my first teaching the students.  Another encouragement was the answers that we got to the question of what we should change for the next semester.  A large majority of the students said “nothing”.  That was good to read.

                At Covenant the Art A class was introduced to clay and how to work with it.  Their new project will be partner work creating small scale versions of world architecture.  Some of the students had taken a clay class before and were a little annoying, putting their 2 cents in when I was demonstrating for the class.  But I will look on the bright side of this; they will be able to help others with less experience, and their art should be better.

Thursday: Day 2 of finals at LHS.  My classes didn’t come in today, so I had the day to grade their finals, enter grades into the computer, and begin planning for the next week, the beginning of the new semester.  I am still nervous about starting the new classes myself.  They were rough for Heather last semester, and she is a lot more experienced with these students than I am.

Friday: Today there was no school at Lincoln.  But we teachers were supposed to be there for a Work Day.  I went in the morning before I was to report to CHS.  There was an all-faculty meeting in the auditorium, but the information wasn’t very important.  They just rejoiced in the fact that one semester was down, reminded us when grades were due, and celebrated one teacher and her performance. 

                After the meeting Heather and I worked on the classroom a little bit before I had to leave for Covenant.  I was able to clean some, and we discussed the grades of our mutual students, deciding if they were fair or not.  If they weren’t we adjusted them a little, keeping the standards in mind and whether or not they had met them.

                At Covenant I mentioned the possibility of adding a new angle to the point system for the start of class and clean up.  I am considering subtracting from the group points if they do not do as they should.  I have not been as happy with their behavior at the beginning of class and the thoroughness of their clean up at the end of class.  I told them that I would look to see how things go next week, to see if I need to instigate the new idea or not.  I am hoping that the threat will be enough to shape them up.  If not, I will do as I said.

                The Art classes turned in sketchbooks for the week, drew a Freeze Frame, and worked on their current projects.  It was a full day.

Week: This week brought a beginning and an end.  It was the beginning of the semester at Covenant, and the end of the first semester for Lincoln.  Both represent new beginnings.  I am nervous about next week at Lincoln.  I am bound to have a lot to write about and to consider.  I am praying that at least the majority of it will be positive.  I might surprise myself. 

                This weekend I will be preparing physically and mentally for next week.  I need to plan for the week, what I will say and what the students will need to do.  I will write birthday cards for CHS students.  I will pray for calm and wisdom.  I will try to get everything done that is needed, so I will go into the classroom on Monday with as much confidence as possible.

Students as Learners, Part II

How do you remember better?

I remember things better when I experience it many times or review the fact multiple times.  I also like to associate the fact or situation or person with other aspects of my life.  This is sort of like the example of “multiple door handles” and how the more things you attach to what you are trying to remember the more connections there will be to the memory.  More areas of the brain/memory are likely to draw up that memory at various times.

I also like to have a chain of thoughts, such as a person reminds me of my aunt, that aunt makes me think of a fond memory, that fond memory reminds me of a goal I had set for myself at that time, etc.  This chain helps me make connections and remember things and people.

 “If brain scientists get together with teachers and do research, we may be able to eliminate need for homework since learning would take place at school, instead of the home” (Medina) Do you believe this to be true?

I think there is some validity to this idea.  I am positive that there are some methods of teaching that are more effective than others, and it is quite posible that we don’t yet know what those methods are.    There is so much that we don’t know about the brain and all of the capacity it has. 

I don’t know that I like the idea behind this statement though.  If we are able to discover better ways to teach and learn, we should push beyond what is being taught and is expected to be learned now.  Homework is not the most important part of a child’s education, but I do think that it is good for the personal discipline of the student, the reiteration of the day’s learning, and possibly a good way for students and parents to interact.

Is there a way to integrate more sensory learning into our classrooms? Smell, taste…etc.

This idea of integrating more senses in the education of our children works better for some subjects than others.  I will focus on my subject, Art.  I have attempted to combine taste, sound, smell, and touch, into my classroom.  I have found touch, sight, and sound, to be more effective in Art than taste and smell.  All of the senses do create links to memories and impressions, and I like to have the students use these connections in making their art.

I do believe that integrating the senses in education aid in the experience and learning of the students.  As different students learn better from different methods, this inclusion of under-used senses will enhance the students’ experience and likelihood to remember the lesson.

OK….Medina says to “burn your PowerPoint’s”. Why do you think that PowerPoint’s do not communicate in the way that teacher’s think they do?

I think that PowerPoints are not to blame for a lack of interaction or effective learning.  I think that PowerPoint is a useful tool for educators.  The problem might be the teacher creating the PowerPoint presentation.  If it is designed for a lecture of just talking at the students, requiring no participation on their part it is likely to be detrimental to their learning.

I have been using PowerPoint presentations in my discussions with my students about the elements and principles of art and where they are in past paintings.  It provided a powerful tool, used on the SMART board, enabling me to be more relaxed and able to talk with the students about the important aspects and their impressions.  In this case, PowerPoint has been helpful to enrich my teaching.  I just need to be sure that my students stay engaged and eager to participate.

Students as Learners

John Medina says that “exercise boosts brain power”. No matter our subject or setting, how can we increase the amount of movement in our classrooms?

I completely believe that there is a strong connection between exercise and mental sharpness. In my classroom (art) students are often moving around, getting supplies and cleaning up their mess. So, in a way, I already have physical activity in my classes. However, I know that there are probably more things I could do. I have heard of the idea of periodically having the students stand and do a short physical activity, such as jumping jacks or stretches. I don’t know if this would work with all groups. The group would have to be reliable to be well-behaved and ready to get back on task. One idea that would be practical for classrooms would be to have the students do things in groups. Have them get up and move around the room in different clusters. This would also provide the opportunity for cooperative learning.

 Howard Gardner has identified multiple intelligences.  New research is beginning to say that there are as many intelligences as there are human beings.  Our culture values 3-4 of those including logical-mathematics, linguistic and musical.  As you plan lessons, what do you find as barriers to reaching “all” the intelligences?

Unlike other subjects, Art is really a different kind of learning altogether.  In some ways this makes it easier to teach to different kinds of learners.  But it brings its own challenges.  I have to teach mostly through demonstrations and visual examples.  Sometimes the class discusses aspects of art and various art pieces.  The students work independently, in pairs, in small groups, and occasionally as a class.

I have students that are international students and students with special needs (considered special ed.).  I don’t know if I teach in a way that is best for them.  I try to be extra clear with instruction and directions.  For some of the special ed. students my expectations cannot be as high as they are for the other students.  But I know that all of my students are capable of improving and doing their best, and that’s what I strive to convey to my students.

I don’t know if this addresses the topic for discussion, but it is what came to my mind.

“Sleep well, think well” John Medina says.  It’s interesting to think about when you probably are sleeping less than a normal year.  What about our students.  Do we have any control, as teachers, of the sleep habits of our students?  Should we?

Overall, we don’t have control over the sleep habits of our students.  There are some things we can do to help them in this area like not giving too much homework and telling students the importance of sleep in their school performance.

I think it is important as educators to tell our students about the benefit of a good night’s sleep and how important it is to their success in different areas of their lives.  Ultimately, though, the parents of the students should have the biggest impact and say over their students’ sleep patterns.

Male and Female brains are different from each other, even in physical structure. What do you think of same sex classrooms…especially in the middle school years?

Like most things, I can see a positive and a negative side to same-sex classrooms (especially during the middle school years).  Since their is such a difference in the brain at this time it would help teachers to have only one gender to teach to.  It seems like there would be less need to teach in so many different ways.  The students may learn at a faster pace as well.

The down side (in my opinion) for having same-sex classes would be the lack of exposure to the other methods of teaching and learning.  There wouldn’t be the same well-rounded classroom environment.  And it is important for men and women to have experience with members of the opposite sex, to give them a better idea of how to work with and to communicate with them.

I learned…..

I learned that, once again, there is so much more that determines the impact my teaching has on my students.  They are each individual learners, and I can’t count on “cookie cutter” teaching to be effective for all of them.  Since there are countless form of intelligence and styles of learning I need to approach each student individually.

Obviously this take time.  I can’t know the student or how they best learn on the first day.  Hopefully if I use as many teaching methods as possible I will be able to teach to most of my students.  And then the students that still are not getting it will be able to be helped individually.

I learned….. (part II)

This week was hard for me because I was sick.  However, between fever, bouts of sore throat, and congestion, I was able to learn some through the lecture, readings, and my own experiences.  I have to admit that with how I was feeling I had trouble completely understanding all of the true meanings of the theories.

I tend to agree more with the theory put forth by Vygotsky.  I think that there are many different influences that affect a person’s development.  For most individuals certain developments take place during certain points in life, but I think other developments are caused by influences.  No matter how quickly my students develop or learn I need to do my best to meet them where they are and to grow their abilities and knowledge as much as possible.

Student Artwork – Covenant High School

Acrylic Painting on Canvas - Art B

 

Pastels - Art B

Student Artwork – Lincoln High School

Lincoln High School – Drawing class

Handscape – LHS Drawing Class

Final Composition – LHS Drawing Class

Final Composition (Thoughts Profile) – LHS Drawing Class

Final Composition – LHS Drawing Class

Final Composition – LHS Drawing Class

Handscape – LHS Drawing Class

Peer Profile – LHS Drawing Class

Draped Fabric – LHS Drawing Class

Charcoal – LHS Drawing Class

Self-Portrait – LHS Drawing Class

Pointillism – LHS Drawing Class

Final Assessment Hand – LHS Drawing Class

Egg Shading – LHS Drawing Class

Exercises – LHS Drawing Class

Personality Composition – LHS Drawing Class

Fun – LHS Drawing Class

Positive & Negative Space Exercise – LHS Drawing Class

Perspective Exercise – LHS Drawing Class

Scratchboard Endangered Species – LHS Art 1 Class

Scratchboard Endangered Species – LHS Art 1 Class

Scratchboard Endangered Species – LHS Art 1 Class

Scratchboard Endangered Species – LHS Art 1 Class

Final Composition – LHS Art 1 Class

Final Composition – LHS Art 1 Class

 

Short and Sick (Week 19 Reflection)

Thursday:  This was the first day I taught this week due to MLK Day on Monday and being sick Tuesday and Wednesday.  It was hard to have the needed energy, and, in fact, I left after teaching the Drawing and the Art 1 classes.

                The Drawing class brought a decision for me.  A boy that was absent a lot during the semester who hadn’t turned most of his work in and is currently failing wants to get a contract to finish and turn in work by the end of February.  Heather said the decision was mine.  I thought about it and then spoke to the student.  I told him that I thought that he was a good kid, but that he had messed up.  He agreed, and I asked him why he had gotten into this position.  He said he had been hanging out with the wrong crowd.  I reiterated that I think he’s a good kid and that it would be a lot of work to even get to a passing grade.  But if I see him working in the classes that remain I would be willing to go through the process with him.  We’ll see if he does this.

                During the Art 1 class the girl that I had encouraged to continue working with scratchboard mentioned that she had gone to Michael’s to look for scratchboard.  This was wonderful to hear!  Unfortunately she said that they didn’t have the right ones there.  At the end of class I gave her a couple of our scratchboards.  She thanked me.  I wish that I had told her to show me what she does with them, even if it’s next semester.  I’ll try to remember to ask her to do that tomorrow.

                Later I went to CHS to pick up work to grade.  I had to call a couple of parents about missing work.  This is never fun, but I wouldn’t have felt like I was doing all I could if I just let it go and let their grades suffer. 

Friday: The semester is winding down.  The Drawing and Art 1 students continued finishing up their final projects.  I reminded the Art 1 students about the reflections and presentations coming on Monday.  Some of them acted as though they hadn’t heard about it before…  Nice to know that the students pay attention to my announcements!

                Today I told the girl who is interested in scratchboard that I hope to see what she does with the scratchboards I gave her yesterday.  She said ok, so I hope she remembers.

                At CHS I tested the student in typing that I had missed before.  I also continued to compute grades for the end of the semester.  This is one of my least favorite parts of being a teacher, the grading.  But it needs to be done.

Week:  This week was short but important.  As the semester wraps up I am looking to the second one.  That will be a scary and overwhelming time for me.  I will have new names to put with faces, personalities and learning styles to figure out, and healthy classroom environments to develop.  I am praying that I will be ready and eager to do just that!

Almost the Half-Way Point (Week 18 Reflection)

Monday: Drawing is a good way to start out the school day.  Or, at least, this particular group of students makes it a nice way to start the day.  There are only a couple of students that require more urging to get work done, and they are quite pleasant and receptive.  I hope that my Drawing class next semester is nice as well.  Some of the students are getting done with their final two projects at a good rate.  Others are working more slowly.  But I am seeing progress from most students.

            The Art 1 class is very different from the Drawing group.  They are loud, boisterous, and often difficult to manage.  There is one area where I have seen some enthusiasm and pride in their work – in their scratchboard animals.  I am really pleased at the pride I am seeing from them.  I think for many of them that project was one of the few (if not the only) times they liked how their art looked.  When I put them up on the wall in the room they seemed to be reminded of this pride and enthusiasm.  I am hoping that this will transfer to the current and final project.

            One student in particular was very naturally-gifted at the scratchboard project.  I called her over today and told her that.  I encouraged her to keep it up, that she could possibly be like the professional artists whose work we viewed on the first day of scratchboard.  I think she was happy to hear this from me.

            At CHS the students are stressed.  They are approaching finals and all that accompanies them.  I am trying to ease my classes a bit for them.  I know that they appreciate it.

Tuesday: The Drawing class continued working on their final projects.  One girl has been late often, only by a minute or so.  Yesterday I talked to her about it, saying that she was often SO close to being at class on time.  I encouraged her to really make an effort to be on time.  Today she was on time!  I praised her for this, and I think she was pleased.  Another student really needed help with her composition, and I was able to give her advice and demonstrate what I meant to her.

            The Art 1 class was a little better today!  Some boys were off task for a little while, but it was to cluster around the scratchboards hanging on the wall, boasting about their projects and voting about what the best one was.  While I was annoyed that they weren’t doing what they should be doing, I was glad that they were proud about their work and excited about something to do with art.  During the class the girl I had encouraged about the scratchboards approached me and asked me where she could get scratchboards.  I was so excited!  I told her and showed her a place online.  I also told her she could make them and told her how.  I don’t know if she’ll follow through on any of it, but it was still encouraging.

            One boy was off task, playing with a miniature skateboard with his fingers.  This student has Terrette’s Syndrome and has trouble concentrating sometimes.  I asked him to show me his best trick and then get to work.  He agreed and proudly showed me what he could do.  Then he put the skateboard away and started thinking about his project.  I wasn’t sure this would work, but it did this time.  If I had just told him to put the skateboard away and get to work, he might have disobeyed, and the situation would have been a lot less pleasant.  His pride remained intact, especially because he could show off his talent.  I think it helped his respect for me and helped our relationship as well.

            Another boy has trouble getting past his anxiety of messing up and his lack of ideas for subjects to draw.  I had noticed it in the past, and it happened again today.  I told him it was just a rough draft and not to worry about messing stuff up.  I demonstrated blind contour drawing to him (drawing him without looking at my paper).  This showed him that it is ok to draw something that isn’t perfect.  It’s fun and only important to DO something.  I hope this helps him get over his anxiety and mental block.

Wednesday: The Drawing class continued to work on their final projects.  I was able to help students with their designs, with getting supplies, and with figuring out grades.

            The Art 1 class went pretty well.  Most of the students worked pretty consistently.  The boy that had been playing with the mini skateboard yesterday wanted to have a picture that was too risqué for his project.  I told him it wasn’t appropriate, and he swore.  I told him “language”, and he swore again, this time worse.  I sent him to the classroom office.  He sat there while I helped several students.  I went into the office and talked with him later.  I asked him if he knew why he was in there.  He said that it was because he had been crabby all week and that I didn’t know why but there was a reason.  I asked him why.  He said that he was just coming down from another relapse into drugs.  I think he meant that he was getting off the drugs again.  I told him that he needed to create art that was appropriate and to behave.  He left the office and worked on getting his picture more appropriate. 

            Later I told Heather about the situation, and she told me to write him up.  She gave me the form, and I filled it in.  She said that we may have him see a drug counselor person.  I took the write-up up to his principal and told her about the situation and answered her questions.  Heather left a message for the student’s mom to call us, and she called and talked to Heather about it when I was with the principal.

            At CHS some of the Art A students were struggling with getting to work.  A couple of boys in particular were fooling around and not getting what they needed to accomplish done.  For their own good I told them that they needed to get a certain amount done by the end of the period, or the best grade they could get on the project would be a B.  The reason I say I did this for their own good is because they only have Friday to work on it in class.  Friday they will present what they have done of their project, and then on Wednesday, January 20, the final version is due to my box in the school office.  I told the students that if their project weren’t in the box by then they would get a “0” on the project because I need to have them for the semester grades.  They will need to write their reflections of the project at the beginning of the second semester.

Thursday:  Today the Drawing class again went smoothly.  In between helping students get their paper, make design choices, and stay on track, I continued working on entering grades into the computer.

            The Art 1 class is starting to realize that they need to get serious about getting work done.  This is great because they are more on task.  One table of boys continued to talk though.  I told them that I needed to see their finished rough drafts by the end of the period.  Later in the period they did indeed come to me with finished rough drafts, mentioning that I had said that they needed them done.  Little things like this really help me feel like I am doing the right thing.

            One boy is making a composition based around a phrase that he came up with, “Scars are my tattoos.”  I thought it was clever and feel that graffiti is a valid form of art.  He showed me his writing design, and I thought it looked good.  Then he said that they are cuts.  I asked him if he cuts himself.  He said that he wasn’t going to answer me.  Later I told Heather about this, and she said that I would fill in a form and give it to the administration.  They will deal with it if they feel they should.

Friday: Today was the last day of the semester that the students could turn in missing or incomplete work for credit.  Periods were shortened due to a televised assembly for Martin Luther King Jr. day.  And Heather was absent, so I worked with a substitute.  So it was a very different kind of Friday.  Despite that the students continued working on their current projects.  Progress was made, and the classes ran quite smoothly.

            At CHS I tested the Keyboarding students on their typing speed and fingering.  I have seen improvement in all of the students.  Some are definitely better than others, but they are better than when the class started.

            The Art A class wrote reflections on their current project, the art with text pictures, and then they gave oral presentations to the class.  It was a good self-assessment and summative assessment. 

            Both Art classes turned in their final sketchbook entries for the semester.  It was interesting to see the work they turned in and the progression from the first entries.  I am seeing a little more creativity out of them, and that is wonderful.  It is much easier to teacher skills and knowledge than it is to teach creativity and imagination.

Week:  This week I started to see the students rush to try and catch up to where they should be in the semester’s work.  On the one hand it was fun to see the students care about turning in work, but on the other hand it shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place.

            During some time in between classes at LHS I read some parts of a very interesting book Fires in the Bathroom by Kathleen Cushman.  High school students were asked for their input concerning teachers, classroom environments, and teaching methods.  Some helpful and thought-provoking things mentioned in the book are:

-          “Students respect teachers who are comfortable with themselves.  Even when teachers come from a different background than students do, if they convey self-respect, kids will respond.” (p. 23)

-          “And they want teacher to act like adults, confident and authoritative.” (p. 23)

-          “If you start as an authority figure, the relationships will come.  You can get friendly later on.  And you can be friendly and still strict.  You have to let them know that if you’re not one of their peers.” (p. 23)

-          Tell the students what I expect from them and the class.

-          Know my material.

-          Push the students to do their best and push them equally.

-          Do my part.

-          Make sure everyone understands.

-          Grade the students fairly.

-          Understand that the students make mistakes.

-          Don’t denigrate the students, especially in public.

-          Keep my biases to myself.

-          Don’t treat the students like little kids.

-          Listen to what the students think.

-          Care what’s going on with the students.

-          Don’t betray the students’ confidences.

There’s more that I will mention later.  Great read!

Back from Vacation (Week 17 Reflection)

Monday: What a hard day to wake up!  But I did.  I started the day with the Drawing class.  I had the students finish up their Personality Composition.  At the end of the period they showed me either their finished drawing or what they had up to this point.  The unfinished ones went into the grade book online as “Incomplete”.  These students can finish their art and turn it in later for up to a 90%.

            One reason I wanted to stay home was because I was worried about the student that had threatened both Heather and me because of his mistake for showing up to class high.  Today he didn’t cause much trouble; he even worked on his journal a little bit.  But he didn’t do any class work.  I told Heather later that he is failing the class so miserably, and there is so little time left.  I weighed the risk of getting him angry (by telling him to get to work, but he wouldn’t have anyway) against the pretty quiet student just sitting there.  Heather agreed with my conclusion to let him sit there and flunk.  She also knows that he will not do the work.  She talked to him about graduation.  I guess he just needs 1 art class that he will take next semester.  Other than that he is in good shape for graduation.  I hope and pray that he will always be as quiet as he was today.

            The Art 1 class was a busy one for me.  I started by showing the students the design principles of a good composition in a PowerPoint presentation I put together.  We discussed balance, center of interest, rhythm, harmony, directional movement, etc.  Some of the students did a great job discussing what affected the art and answering my questions.  One boy in particular answered almost every question.  It got a little annoying, but I was glad that he showed interest. 

            At Covenant I decided to review the expectations and procedures of the Art A class.  The students have been getting sloppier in following the expectations, so I went over it again.  I hope that this will cause there to be an improvement.  I assigned a sketchbook entry for Friday.  And I introduced the students to the new project, a drawing that conveys emotion.  The drawing will be shaded by the writing of words that are related to the emotion evoked by the picture.  The students will be turning in a written self-assessment at the end.

            The Art B class included a review of the classroom procedures, and the students wrote plans of intent for the rest of the school year.  Since this class is made up of only seniors, they are given the privilege of directing their artistic development and designing their own projects during the latter half of the year.  They become more cemented into their own identities as individual artists.  They are able to express their creativity very freely.

Tuesday: Today in Drawing I showed the students the options they can choose from for their final 2 projects.  They have already learned the techniques needed for the class, so now they can explore their creativity and develop their talent and skill.  The class went quite smoothly.  The boy that threatened us had his head on the table the whole time, possibly sleeping.  It was nice that he was quiet and not hindering the progress of the other students.

            The Art 1 class was a challenge for me.  Last night I had prepared a PowerPoint presentation of famous paintings for which I had intended for my students to discuss the compositional principles.  I saved it, but I guess I failed to save it to my flash drive…..  So instead I had the students draw a picture for 15 minutes.  Then we reviewed the art pieces from Monday, talking about the compositional principles that were there and where they were.  Then I had the students draw a second picture for 15 minutes.  My motive for the drawings was to help the students understand the difference using these principles can make in their art.  I saw some improvement between the drawings, but not all of the students participated as well as they could have.  But I was proud that I had been able to come up with a plan that was not off task for the students on such short notice.

            During the Art 1 period the talkative student was talkative again.  I didn’t know what to do with him because he was participating and pretty cheerful about it, but it was annoying and distracting.  I spoke to Heather about it after, and she agreed that I should talk to him individually about it.

            Also during Art 1 another student was complaining and frustrated for most of the class.  I told Heather about it.  She said that maybe something is going on with the student that is affecting her behavior.  I said that the girl had said that her vacation wasn’t good when I asked her about it.  Heather said that this was a good sign, that the girl had a comfort level high enough in this class to admit that.  I think if she continues in this vein tomorrow I will pull her aside and say that I have noticed that she hasn’t seemed like herself or a little down and ask her if anything is going on.  Either she’ll choose to share or she’ll at least know that I have noticed and cared enough to ask about it.

Wednesday: Drawing went well.  I reviewed the options for the final projects with the class, especially for the students that hadn’t been in class the day before.  I told the students that I wanted to see a rough draft from them by the end of the period, but only a few of the students were able to do this.  I’m trying to keep the students focused and on track, so they can finish by January 26.

            The Art 1 class was not so smooth.  The students have been not nearly as well-behaved or focused since coming back from vacation.  The girl continued to complain, and a couple of the boys were obnoxious and rude.  Heather called those boys out to talk in the hall one at a time.  I continued to teach the class. We discussed and observed rhythm and pattern in art pieces.  Then we worked to complete a worksheet on those topics/principles.  Then I had the students create a pattern on paper, saying that they were designing a pattern that could be used as wrapping paper or wall paper. 

            I spoke to the complaining girl after class like I had planned.  I told her that I had noticed she hadn’t been herself the past few days and asked if there was anything wrong.  She said “no”, just that the class was boring or what we were doing was boring.  I told her that what we were doing was going to help with her final project.  I also said that I knew it wasn’t the most fascinating topic, but that it was only for a couple more days.  I asked her to bear with me, and she said “ok”.  I hope that I see an improvement in her behavior tomorrow.  At least she knows I noticed and cared enough to ask about it.

            Later I worked with Heather to complete and mail forms to parents and guardians about students that currently have an E or are in danger of failing our classes.  On the form we listed their current letter grade and percentage, the class they were in, the reasons for their grade (not paying attention or working in class, not turning things in, attendance, behavior, etc.), and our contact information.  We made copies of the letters for ourselves and for the attendance office, so they would have a record of our having sent it.

            At CHS the Keyboarding class is busy working on projects and improving on their typing skills and speed.  They are all focused and working hard.

            The Art A class began work on their current project. They worked on computers, looking for images, or drew their thumbnail sketches or began drawing their pencil outlines.  I hope that this project will help the students create artwork that is emotional and meaningful for them.

Thursday: Drawing continued to go well.  I talked to some individual students about their current grades and what they need to do to improve them.  I encouraged them to do the work, and I think and hope that some of them will.  The coming week will tell.  They have until January 15 to get their missing or incomplete work in.

            Art 1 went a little better.  The talk I had with the girl helped some.  She didn’t vocally complain like she had been.  We started by working on a worksheet covering Emphasis.  I had trouble getting the students to participate vocally.  We discussed more paintings and the art principles that were there (especially emphasis) and what they did to the pictures. 

Friday: The Drawing students continued working on their final projects.  It is fun to see them being creative and more invested in their art since they are more in control.

            The Art 1 class started out decently well.  This might have been due to the fact that Heather was in the room.  I was only able to be there for 10-15 minutes because I had to go to CHS.  Heather announced that I would be leaving, so it would be a work day for the students.  One boy seemed upset and asked if I was going for good.  I said that I wasn’t, just on Fridays.  He said “good” and acted relieved.  This was nice.

            At CHS the students worked on their projects.  Some students are excited and invested already in the process.  Others are slow to get into it.  Before the project time though the students worked on their opening activity, turned in sketchbook assignments, and did a Freeze Frame.  It was nice to get back into the normal routine.

            The Art B class is in the stage of working individually.  They each need to create 5-6 projects during the rest of the year.  I will guide them, but they determine the art media they will use and the subject/theme they will be creating.  It is wonderful to see the students taking initiative and growing excited about what they are doing.

Week: This week felt REALLY long.  It was hard to come back from vacation to a full week of school.  But this is the final stretch for this semester.  It is interesting to see students coming to class again, students who’ve been away for awhile.  There’s a lot to get done, but I am thankful that this semester is drawing to a close.

Meta-Reflection for Standard P

Understanding of Teaching as a Profession

Teacher candidates positively impact student learning that is informed by professional responsibilities and policies.  All students benefit from a collegial and professional school setting.

     Teacher-based Evidence:

 - While I have taught for 5 years in a private school setting I have learned about the school’s policies and about my responsibilities as a teacher in that setting.  Every year these are reinforced by our teacher orientation at the beginning of the school year.  During the year we have teacher-in-service days that also revolve around meetings to keep updated and fresh on school policy and events taking place.

 - This year I have been learning the policies and responsibilities attached to being a public school teacher.  I have participated in teacher orientation, Open House, teacher-in-service days, department meetings, and online grade entry.

 - As a teacher I am sometimes responsible for chaperoning school events.  Here are a couple of reflections of events I have chaperoned this year:

SPU Extra-Curricular Event Reflection 1

SPU Extra-Curricular Event Reflection 2

 

Teacher candidates positively impact student learning that is enhanced by a reflective, collaborative, professional growth-centered practice.  All students benefit from the professional growth of their teachers.

     Teacher-based Evidence:

 - I have been reading a lot of articles about how to be a better teacher.  These have been provided by my mentor teacher and my field supervisor.  My collaboration with Heather have shown me how I would like to further develop my teaching style and interactions with students.

 - I have learned about different kinds of assessment, about a different form of rubric, online grading, how to work with the principals in discipline issues, how to request copies, etc.

Teacher candidates positively impact student learning that is informed by legal and ethical responsibilities.  All students benefit from a safe and respectful learning environment.

     Teacher-based Evidence:

 - I have taken a Classroom Management class and a Professional Issues class.  Both concepts are meant to create a safe and structured and legally-appropriate classroom. 

 - I have learned about the process of Child Protective Services, both from interviewing my mentor teacher and from my own researc. Here is a link to my CPS paper after the interview: SPU Professional Issues CPS Interview paper

 - I have read the laws concerning educators in the state of Washinton.  Here is a brief summary of some of the highlights: SPU School Law Assignment .