Theory and Practice

I found this class to be enriching. Being the last in my line of Art Ed. Classes before student teaching, I think it has prepared all of us for the road ahead. I really think all of the Art Ed. Classes have been very progressive, and got us to think about all aspects of teaching. The readings and all the information about connecting education to the larger picture were all helpful. Aaron was an engaging teacher, obviously excited to be working with us and that made everyone want to do well. The content of the class has been strong, however, I want to focus on the atmosphere that has been developed. As a class, most of us have been together since Intro to Art Ed. with Beth, so there is a level of comfort between us. Even so, there were some new people added to the group this semester and they jumped right in! I haven’t had classes with Megan or Mikaela before Theory and Practice but it felt like they were with us from the beginning.

Theory and Practice provided a truly collaborative and interactive environment where we could all share ideas and learn from eachother. Every class felt like a round table discussion, never like a closed-off lecture. We all learn so much better this way! Working in groups and partnerships was challenging at times, but so necessary. These are things to keep in mind when we have our own classes.

 In a college atmosphere I’m sure it’s a little easier to have this type of class set-up and interaction without it getting too rowdy. When we have a high school art class, how can we bring everyone together? Create comradery, while at the same time keeping a level of control? I think it’s really about that mixture of warmth and firmness, like in authoritative parenting. Aaron exhibited this mix in his teaching methods. We all thought of him as  knowledegable mentor, even authority figure. At the same time, we felt comfortable approaching him with our questions (even sobbing when we were in a tight spot… thank you). I plan on carrying all of this with me into my teaching career. I have learned so much and I will miss everyone from this group! Good luck to all of you!

Phobia Fun, Julia and Kate's Lesson

Last week, Julia and Kate gave their lesson. It stemmed off their theme of fear, and for this activity we focused on phobias. This can be a tricky subject to embark upon, being that many students do not want to share their fears with the class. However, Julia and Kate took a smart approach by putting students into groups and assigning a phobia to each group. It just so happened that the phobia my group was assigned was something very real for me… Germs!!!! Megan and Chris were both in my group and although they didn’t identify themselves as germaphobes, they were able give input into our idea. We had to create a storyboard, complete with characters, set-up, conflict, and resolution. Megan brought up her dream about a swarm of bees coming to get her, but then she sat on the washing machine and she was saved! This seemed like it could translate perfectly to the idea of a swarm of germs and washing (soap) to make them go away. We evenly distributed working tasks. Chris drew in the images for the storyboard and we all helped make props. For our photography session, I was the character being attacked by the germs and Chris came in as a Super hero armed with soap to save me, Megan was the photographer.

Ahhhh!!!! Germs!!!!

The activity aspect was fun, but there was a certain level of confusion and frustration during class time. I was confused about the examples of 180-degree angle shots, and didn’t feel like it was clarified when I asked about it. There was a lot of new information being given out, but it was unclear. I didn’t feel the different angles were described effectively. This could just be me, but I think if I can be confused at 30 years old with a strong art background, then a middle or high school student could feel lost as well. The materials were also an issue. First, Kate mentioned that she used glue sticks for her teacher sample and they worked great, but we didn’t have any! Also, when we went to use the markers, none of them worked! I think this is a reminder to all of us to be consistent with our teacher samples and our lessons. If they can’t use it, we shouldn’t use it. Also, we should all do a materials check. Be aware of the materials we have available and make sure they are working properly.

Dream Puppets, Megan and Jenn’s Lesson

Walking into class, the lights were low and the whole room was set up like a theater. There was excitement and anticipation evident in everyone’s faces, then the show started. Shadow puppets! Megan and Jenn put on a show complete with theatrical voices, props and even help from the audience. What a great way to introduce a lesson. When they turned the lights on and transitioned to the Smart Board, we were all sucked in, waiting to see what we would be doing. Capturing attention… soooo important. They presented artists who worked with dream-like imagery, along with one artist who designed the Fieries from the Labyrinth. This being one of my favorite movies of all time, I was into it.

We were told to think of dreams we had, first write them down, then visualize characters that we could create as puppets. My dreams are extremely vivid, and I remember them all the time, so again I felt a connection with the subject matter. 

The demo was very helpful, straightforward and clear. Both Megan and Jenn have an amazing presence as teachers. Megan articulates and has a great teacher voice, and although Jenn speaks a little softer, she is very warm and knowledgeable, a great leader for the students.

Making the puppets was fun. We could choose a character and make joints so they could move. I was able to finish my puppet, and I could see how students would be excited to get to the part of the lesson where they put on their own puppet show. I thought this lesson was a fun way to connect to the theme of sleep. Also, it allowed personal introspection from the part of the student and for Middle School and High School that is very important.

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Thesis, T&P and space

I am currently in Senior Studio 1 (aka Thesis 1), creating a body of work in ceramics. It has been a very stressful time, first researching, working out ideas and coming to conclusions. The thing about making creating a body of work is that it takes time and dedication. Ideally, I would work on Thesis and nothing else because there is always more to add, ways to make it better, and new ideas that emerge. It’s hard to have this focus while I am in school with several other classes and obligations that must be met. I realize I am not alone in this, and everyone in college deals with distribution of time and that’s part of the skill we are learning.

I feel the same way about Theory and Practice. Art Education is the other half of my career goal and I want to give as much focus and insight as I give to my Thesis work. I’ve found the best way for me to juggle is to focus on one for a while, then the other, then switch. There is this zone we get into when creating a lesson, and artwork. It needs space to flourish and develop. In a perfect world I would take Theory and Practice and Senior Studio 1 separately, but it was either now or next semester which is Thesis 2… no way!

My workload has got me thinking about my future students and the amount of work they will face in school. As teachers, we all have the highest expectations for our students, but the reality is, they are overloaded. Is it our culture that places an emphasis on being able to do a thousand things at once? Were we meant to live this way? It all seems like too much, especially when you throw in life and all of its hurdles.

How can we give our students that space to create? We all have a certain time frame in which we are expected to complete our lessons when we are teachers. The marking periods move along and we must keep up. How do we help our students keep up but also give them space to create quality work? I don’t know the answer to this, but it is certainly something worth thinking about.

Digital Revolution

Some of the most interesting and enlightening talks at the D.C. Symposium on Contemporary Craft were focused on digital technology. I felt these talks were important to attend, based on the emphasis put on technology and media literacy in Theory and Practice, and also because they talked about education in relation to the topic as well.

A speaker named Garth Johnson gave a talk titled, “A Hackerspace of One’s Own”. He was concerned with the decline of vocational education as a result of the focus on common core. He showed some old videos from the 1960’s and 1970’s with boys in shop class and girls in home ec. This used to be the norm, but it it was gender specific. We can’t deny that the roles have changed and intermingled and that now it becoming an accepted reality that a boy may want to sew a pair of pants and a girl may want to build a soap box derby car. However, these classes are not necessarily a part of the general curriculum any more. The problem is also that the subject matter of shop and home ec. are somewhat antiquated.

Garth Johnson told us about “Maker space”, the new shop class. Boys and girls can both attend and the facility is equipped with a CnC machine, a 3D printer, and laser cutters.  These are all technologies that are relevant and being used to create things all over the world, including SUNY New Paltz. We are so lucky to have access to these amazing tools, and young kids should get the chance to use them too! “Maker Space” is supported by the ACTE, Association for Career and Technology Education. This Association aims to combine writing and science with everyday study and experience. Students can take career-themed classes, and they come in so excited to learn in a hands on environment.

Johnson also mentioned several other programs. Studio H in North Carolina, which conducts community-based projects, teaches students about the new notion of literacy and how to be expressive through the tools we use today. They even have lesson plans available online! Go to http://www.studio-h.org/. PLTW, Project Lead the Way introduces students to engineering, aerospace and robotics as ways to promote critical thinking.

Another talk featured a panel of 3 people, an MIT Professor, a community FabLab director, and the head of Haystack Mt. School of Crafts. The MIT Professor talked about using technology as a medium for personal expression and problem solving. The community FabLab director talked about the facility in D.C. that is open to the public, where people of all ages can come learn about digital fabrication, and she also includes after-school programs. The head of Haystack Mt. School of Crafts told us about how he opened up to digital technology in the making process. The MIT Professor came to Haystack and shared his knowledge and digital tools, so now Haystack has a FabLab and integrates digital fabrication workshops in with their handicraft workshops. It’s all coming together and people are realizing that digital technology simply offers another way to create!