Movie Art Ed

http://youtu.be/Rgf7d7VwUtk    watch my movie! :)

pictures & fun experimental art play

 Thank you for collaborating for Chris, Cameron's and my lesson!

 These two are teacher samples for a stencil, blending and chalk pastel lesson I did with my 6th graders.

 Plaster casting body and gesture

 3d collage

 Amy's 3d collage

 repetition and mystery supply/medium boxes

 photo narratives by Laura and I

In Response to Shannon Thesis

Yesterday, I read and responded to a few of my classmates blogs, and then this morning, I had a gut feeling to check up on those comments, and of course they weren't published!!

I had a very genuine connection to Shannon's "thesis" post. She questioned how do we not over load our students with work?

I had two little suggestions:

When you are a teacher, you can network with the other teachers at the school. Find out when your students are being tested and when their project due dates are. That way, you can try to choose different due dates, so that your students really can put their full intentions into each project.

Also, instead of overloading the entire class, you can make optional extra assignments. I am positive that many students, especially those excited for art would take up these extra project opportunities. I did all the time when I was in high school.

My last little comment is just that always make sure the "rationale" for your lessons and projects are truly meaningful, this way, if your students are overloaded with work, at least this work is important and helpful for their development.

I appreciate your concern for your students Shannon!

Educating Peace

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/12/live-updates-newtown-conn-school-shooting/


http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/14/us/connecticut-school-shooting/index.html


No I did not personally know anyone physically harmed by what happened yesterday. However, I still went through a wide range of emotions, like anger, fear, sadness. Philosophically speaking, I just don't believe in guns and if I could wave a magic wand that would remove all the weapons from the world, I would take advantage of the opportunity. Politically speaking, I assert that mental illness and mental health has to be better funded, supported and readily available through health care providers and regarded as equally serious and needed as physical health care.

Most importantly, I had to wonder and consider, what can I do as a teacher prevent such travesties? I believe that if possible, every lesson I teach should somehow embody a peaceful message of compassion, anti-violence  acceptance, and emotional/mental well being.

I know that many people don't take emotional/mental wellness as a serious core of education, but I do. Could it be possible that if within establishments like school, when mental and emotional well being, and peace making is viewed as serious, perhaps the rest of the community, society, and eventually nation would also regard these as serious issues? This is why I am actually very fond of the idea of art therapy being a strong element with in art education nation wide.

Also, how can we be aware and cautious of these cases so that they don't turn into something this astronomical? I don't mean to go on a wild which hunt pointing fingers and making accusations. But how can we better recognize when someone in society is growing so ill, so sad, so detached, so angry, that they need help so that they can begin coping with these problems before they resort to violence?

I would really love to hear any ideas and responses to those two questions above! I am welcoming to as many peace making practices for the educational environment as possible.

Peace and Love. My deepest condolences to those affected by yesterday's tragedy.

comics

  I've been thinking about the photography comic lesson plan that we played with in class about a week ago. I didn't get very far along with the art making that day. What I would have liked to do was the visual text. I think in the teacher sample, there was onomatopoeia, "whack!" or something like that. That was my most favorite element of the teacher sample! That one little piece of the entire project has so much to offer itself, like semiotics. It's a word, sound and visual all at once, communicating so much! I was thinking about how that could be a lesson plan in itself, just making the visual onomatopoeia semiotic. It would also fulfill the student learning objectives and common core.

FWIII Final Presentations

  I enjoyed seeing where all of the different art teachers took their field work experience this semester. There were a variety of mediums from ceramics, to collage, to watercolor, to digital art to, to even food monsters!
  It was also interesting learning about all the different kinds of classes, including one all inclusion class that supposedly had 9 students with learning disabilities. This is why modifications are so important. Good teachers really know their students and adjust their curriculum to meet their needs.
  I'm a little disappointed that our Theory & Practice professor didn't show up for the presentations, only because I thought he would like to see how what we learn in class differs and fallows from what we do in our theory in practice class. I personally feel a lot more successful and genuine in my field work positions than I do attempting to play the role in our Theory & Practice class. Making my video presentation for T&P and my slide show for FWIII visually shows the difference too (and I'm not talking about clothing). I look stiff, uninspired, and even worried in the videos of me "teaching" in Theory & Practice. I look thrilled, happy, confident, and simply glowing with my students in the field. Perhaps the age difference helps. A lot of people say that teaching is just like acting; but for me this isn't so. When I teach, I'm truly trying to help students, encouraging and inspiring them with new techniques and ideas, not just "acting" like I want to do this. I think that's why I'm more comfortable in the field than playing the role in our class... I'm genuinely teaching to a genuine crowd in the field... I'm doing really bad acting for fo-students in our class, which shows clearly how uncomfortable I am as an actress.

Memory Illustration

   For a high school lesson, I don't believe the Memory Illustration was entirely appropriate. It was very "sketchy" and high school students want the opportunity to create a masterpiece!
     This lesson is however appropriate for other situations, like Art Therapy for example. Many people do not listen; not because they choose to not listen, but because they simply cannot! Sometimes it takes extra effort and specific strategies just to listen to somebody speaking to you. Many families or couples are in need of therapy for this reason exactly.
   I learned more about Justin H. yesterday during that activity than I'd ever learned about him in the entire year and a half that I've known him. I had to really listen to him just to get the most simple sketch down. I had to learn where he liked to go, who he liked to go to these places with, what he liked to do, what is important enough for him to remember visually. I didn't draw the most beautiful picture, but I did get an opportunity like no other time on campus to really listen to Justin. I feel closer to him now too!! Friends and family members slowly begin to brew negative thoughts and feelings about themselves and each other when they know they are not truly being listened to. Ever been asked "how was your day?" and while you're answering the question you realize that you're basically just talking to your self....
   Anyway, this lesson stressed the importance of listening in a fun way. I would not use it in a regular high school setting, but I would use it in group therapy. I thought the lesson was not about art, but about love, and respect; allowing yourself to experience what your friends or family has experienced.