Reflection One:
What a whirlwind it has been the past two weeks. So many years of classes, practicums, and service learnings have led up to this point! The anticipation has been high, and we finally made it. I packed up my minimal amount of belongings (most importantly my cat, instruments, and art supplies) and moved up to Steamboat Springs, CO to teach middle and high school for 8 weeks in Oak Creek, CO and elementary for 8 weeks in Steamboat. Soroco Middle and High School is 6th-12th grade, and I am grateful to be teaching a little bit of everything. I jumped in taking over 2 classes, both high school Foundations of Art classes, and as of now I am co-teaching the others.
My students are working on a weaving project that represents a timeline for a personal story. So far, it is going really well. I feel like I have been planning and preparing. The main issues I am coming in counter with are problems that just come with teaching a lesson for the first time. The school had no looms, so we started the lesson after some ideation and motivation, building our own frame looms. Bringing power tools to the classroom was quite exciting! However, I had the students drill holes and hammer nails 1/4th an inch apart. Now that they are working on their weavings, I am realizing I should have made their nails a little further apart, so that they wouldn't have to spend so much time weaving. I am used to primarily weaving on a floor loom, which takes a lot less time. I also should have made it clear to have the nails line up on the top and bottom of the frame loom. It has also been challenging for me to time everything out (and let things take time).
I have two students who are online and the rest are in person. Because of this, I am having to split my time in the classroom between my online and my in person students. I don't mind this, however it is so challenging having online students, because they're work is so independent; I can only hope they are staying on track! I am attempting to go the extra mile and reach out often, sending reminder emails to get onto google meet, sending links to extra resources, etc. It's interesting being on the other side, after being a student for so long. I truly just want my students to succeed. and there's only so much I can do before leaving their work up to them. It's difficult having that part be out of my control.
One struggle I am learning through is how to have productive pre and post assessments as well as how to have rubrics that are actually helpful. I originally wanted to steer away from using numbers to measure their success and learning, ie "must have 3 different weaving techniques in the weaving". I didn't want this, because I don't think that's something you can measure over time, and carry on into the next project as measurable growth. My main question is how do I create a rubric I can re-use for each project so that we can measure student growth over an entire semester, yet still have concrete evidence of that growth and objectives being met?
For this project, I have the following in the rubric:
1. Ideas and Expression: creative development of concepts and emotions
(I can use color and pattern to represent/ symbolize a story).
2. Form: creative development of visual elements, inventive use of methods and materials
(I can weave something that is unique and original, exploring different techniques, materials for weft, patterns, etc).
3. Quality of Craft: mastery of technique, quality of execution, sensitivity to materials
(I can weave a weaving that is neat, not sloppy, paying attention to my salvages).
4. Completion: resolution of expressive forms, realization of goals and requirements.
(I can complete my project with finished edges and hanging device if it is a wall hanging).
Hopefully after using the rubric I will be able to see if it is helpful or not.
I think because of this, for the future projects, I would like to have all of this thought out before starting, rather than working as I go. This way I will be thinking more about the "why's" behind the lesson, so that the objectives, learning targets, and standards for the project can be clear in my head, hopefully making me a more intentional teacher.
Over all, I think the lesson, ideation, demos, etc are all working well for the students. I am intentionally building relationships with the students, and I think that is really helping them gain my trust and helping me understand them as individuals more and more. I think the main struggles I have encountered are just little details of the lesson I would tweak for the future along with learning how to create my pre assessments, post assessments, and rubrics as effectively and meaningful as possible.
I hope as an individual and a professional I can intersect what works for me and my teaching style/philosophy with methods that really work for assessing student learning and growth.
I am ready to take on more teaching roles in the other classes. My mentor teacher and I are working out how I will co-teach 2 more classes with her, and I feel very ready and excited!
For my art piece, I painted a landscape based off of my daily commute to Oak Creek. I often use these 30 minutes before and after school to prepare my mind and attitude and reflect on my time as a teacher as well as take in all the beauty, colors, and textures around me.
My students are working on a weaving project that represents a timeline for a personal story. So far, it is going really well. I feel like I have been planning and preparing. The main issues I am coming in counter with are problems that just come with teaching a lesson for the first time. The school had no looms, so we started the lesson after some ideation and motivation, building our own frame looms. Bringing power tools to the classroom was quite exciting! However, I had the students drill holes and hammer nails 1/4th an inch apart. Now that they are working on their weavings, I am realizing I should have made their nails a little further apart, so that they wouldn't have to spend so much time weaving. I am used to primarily weaving on a floor loom, which takes a lot less time. I also should have made it clear to have the nails line up on the top and bottom of the frame loom. It has also been challenging for me to time everything out (and let things take time).
I have two students who are online and the rest are in person. Because of this, I am having to split my time in the classroom between my online and my in person students. I don't mind this, however it is so challenging having online students, because they're work is so independent; I can only hope they are staying on track! I am attempting to go the extra mile and reach out often, sending reminder emails to get onto google meet, sending links to extra resources, etc. It's interesting being on the other side, after being a student for so long. I truly just want my students to succeed. and there's only so much I can do before leaving their work up to them. It's difficult having that part be out of my control.
One struggle I am learning through is how to have productive pre and post assessments as well as how to have rubrics that are actually helpful. I originally wanted to steer away from using numbers to measure their success and learning, ie "must have 3 different weaving techniques in the weaving". I didn't want this, because I don't think that's something you can measure over time, and carry on into the next project as measurable growth. My main question is how do I create a rubric I can re-use for each project so that we can measure student growth over an entire semester, yet still have concrete evidence of that growth and objectives being met?
For this project, I have the following in the rubric:
1. Ideas and Expression: creative development of concepts and emotions
(I can use color and pattern to represent/ symbolize a story).
2. Form: creative development of visual elements, inventive use of methods and materials
(I can weave something that is unique and original, exploring different techniques, materials for weft, patterns, etc).
3. Quality of Craft: mastery of technique, quality of execution, sensitivity to materials
(I can weave a weaving that is neat, not sloppy, paying attention to my salvages).
4. Completion: resolution of expressive forms, realization of goals and requirements.
(I can complete my project with finished edges and hanging device if it is a wall hanging).
Hopefully after using the rubric I will be able to see if it is helpful or not.
I think because of this, for the future projects, I would like to have all of this thought out before starting, rather than working as I go. This way I will be thinking more about the "why's" behind the lesson, so that the objectives, learning targets, and standards for the project can be clear in my head, hopefully making me a more intentional teacher.
Over all, I think the lesson, ideation, demos, etc are all working well for the students. I am intentionally building relationships with the students, and I think that is really helping them gain my trust and helping me understand them as individuals more and more. I think the main struggles I have encountered are just little details of the lesson I would tweak for the future along with learning how to create my pre assessments, post assessments, and rubrics as effectively and meaningful as possible.
I hope as an individual and a professional I can intersect what works for me and my teaching style/philosophy with methods that really work for assessing student learning and growth.
I am ready to take on more teaching roles in the other classes. My mentor teacher and I are working out how I will co-teach 2 more classes with her, and I feel very ready and excited!
For my art piece, I painted a landscape based off of my daily commute to Oak Creek. I often use these 30 minutes before and after school to prepare my mind and attitude and reflect on my time as a teacher as well as take in all the beauty, colors, and textures around me.
Reflection Two:
I have been teaching a large weaving lesson to my Foundations of Art high-schoolers. I decided to give them a break from the meticulous and monotonous task of their weavings and give them a sketchbook assignment.
Creating a (somewhat) choice-based classroom is a goal I have for the future, because it lines up with my teaching philosophy. Because of this, I tried to create a lesson that was a little more open ended. The compact lesson plan is attached below. I had the students research an artist, write adjectives that describe the artist's style and techniques and have them create a drawing, collage, pastel, painting, etc using those adjectives. Giving the students the choice to find their own artist (from a VERY long list I created), and having them create using their choice of content and medium, was honestly amazing! The students stayed engaged the entire time, and many of them expressed how fun the lesson was. I did not require them to finish over the weekend, but rather pick up next week, yet many students took their sketchbook home to work on their piece because they were so excited about it!
I realized that we often times create requirements for a project out of fear that the students will not stay engaged long enough, yet when we open up their choices, and make the assignment as personal as possible, those requirements may not be as necessary. Having a choice-based assignment can still meet clear objectives. and those objectives can still meet the standards.
The instructions were as follows:
Let's take a pause from the daily weaving grind and open our sketchbooks to kickstart our creativity! For this sketchbook assignment, I want YOU to show ME what you like and would like to explore or add to your art style. Artists are often influenced by other artists. The more we can expand our knowledge on other artists and find similarities in their art with ours or new techniques that interest us, the more we grow as artists. There are studies that show even just looking at art is good for our mental and physical health!
1.) Please choose from the list of artists attached and choose 3-5 works from an artist to study.
2.) After choosing your artists and their artworks that you enjoy, write down a few adjectives that you would use to describe their art.
3.) Create a sketch, collage, pastel, etc that mimics their style and the adjectives you wrote down. You may want to do a couple trial pages before creating your final sketch.
4.) In your sketchbook, write a couple sentences to reflect on your piece and how it relates to the chosen artist.
5.) Either upload all your work (your final sketch and artist research - 3-5 artworks and 5-10 adjectives that describe their work, and your reflection) Try to take photos of your work that are professional with nice lighting and a clean background, OR write the names of the art pieces and artist, adjectives, and reflection all in your sketchbook and turn in your sketchbook to me!
6.) Have fun, enjoy!
As for my question in my previous entry about creating rubrics and assessments that carry on to future projects, my mentor teacher gave me a great example. Her 6th graders are creating "people pots" where she teaches them how to create a face with clay. The rubric includes "Student showed knowledge of sculpture technique in creating at least five character features. Required features are eyes, nose, brow bone, cheeks, and mouth." For me this sounded very specific, yet she explained to me how they will use these techniques in their next ceramic project when they create animals, and then they can carry on this knowledge to their 7th and 8th grade art classes and the projects in those classes. For me it really clicked that the requirements can still be specific, but should be narrowed down to techniques/ skills you want the students to carry on to the next project.
For my art piece, I decided to join my high schoolers with their sketchbook assignment, so here it is!
Creating a (somewhat) choice-based classroom is a goal I have for the future, because it lines up with my teaching philosophy. Because of this, I tried to create a lesson that was a little more open ended. The compact lesson plan is attached below. I had the students research an artist, write adjectives that describe the artist's style and techniques and have them create a drawing, collage, pastel, painting, etc using those adjectives. Giving the students the choice to find their own artist (from a VERY long list I created), and having them create using their choice of content and medium, was honestly amazing! The students stayed engaged the entire time, and many of them expressed how fun the lesson was. I did not require them to finish over the weekend, but rather pick up next week, yet many students took their sketchbook home to work on their piece because they were so excited about it!
I realized that we often times create requirements for a project out of fear that the students will not stay engaged long enough, yet when we open up their choices, and make the assignment as personal as possible, those requirements may not be as necessary. Having a choice-based assignment can still meet clear objectives. and those objectives can still meet the standards.
The instructions were as follows:
Let's take a pause from the daily weaving grind and open our sketchbooks to kickstart our creativity! For this sketchbook assignment, I want YOU to show ME what you like and would like to explore or add to your art style. Artists are often influenced by other artists. The more we can expand our knowledge on other artists and find similarities in their art with ours or new techniques that interest us, the more we grow as artists. There are studies that show even just looking at art is good for our mental and physical health!
1.) Please choose from the list of artists attached and choose 3-5 works from an artist to study.
2.) After choosing your artists and their artworks that you enjoy, write down a few adjectives that you would use to describe their art.
3.) Create a sketch, collage, pastel, etc that mimics their style and the adjectives you wrote down. You may want to do a couple trial pages before creating your final sketch.
4.) In your sketchbook, write a couple sentences to reflect on your piece and how it relates to the chosen artist.
5.) Either upload all your work (your final sketch and artist research - 3-5 artworks and 5-10 adjectives that describe their work, and your reflection) Try to take photos of your work that are professional with nice lighting and a clean background, OR write the names of the art pieces and artist, adjectives, and reflection all in your sketchbook and turn in your sketchbook to me!
6.) Have fun, enjoy!
As for my question in my previous entry about creating rubrics and assessments that carry on to future projects, my mentor teacher gave me a great example. Her 6th graders are creating "people pots" where she teaches them how to create a face with clay. The rubric includes "Student showed knowledge of sculpture technique in creating at least five character features. Required features are eyes, nose, brow bone, cheeks, and mouth." For me this sounded very specific, yet she explained to me how they will use these techniques in their next ceramic project when they create animals, and then they can carry on this knowledge to their 7th and 8th grade art classes and the projects in those classes. For me it really clicked that the requirements can still be specific, but should be narrowed down to techniques/ skills you want the students to carry on to the next project.
For my art piece, I decided to join my high schoolers with their sketchbook assignment, so here it is!
Reflection Three:
As I write this reflection, I can't believe I am beginning my last week here at Soroco Middle and High School. My time here has been precious, the relationships I've built with my students, and the lessons I've learned from teaching here is something I will not only cherish, but take with me into my next eight weeks at Strawberry Park Elementary. Four weeks into my time here, I made some goals to focus on. The goals are as follows:
1.) Make rubrics more specific with clear expectations involving the art making process.
2.) Create leadership roles/tasks for 1-2 6th graders per class.
3.) Have questions for each lesson that ties back to enduring understandings and ask them for each lesson.
4.) Involve vocabulary in Formative and Summative assessments.
5.) Laugh each day!
I chose these goals after speaking with my coach and hearing her feedback from my observations. I wanted to be intentional about actively listening to the feedback she gave me and growing from it.
My rubrics became much more specific, and I could tell this makes it not only easier to assess growth and understanding, but also gives the students clear expectations.
I decided to give my 6th graders "leadership roles" at the end of class to facilitate clean up. I've noticed when I give my students with more behavior struggles a leadership role, it really changes their self confidence, and communicates that I see their potential and value in the classroom. Now that I have implemented this routine, I would like to add more leadership roles in my other classes. I think about the students who stay after class to talk to me and show me their art. I think giving them roles or having them help me around the classroom might be meaningful to them. I've also tried to use student art and progress as examples for my expectations of the rest of the class. Having students see their peers meeting expectations, motivates them to do the same.
I also think I have improved on my Essential Questions. Creating compact lesson plans for each day and writing out my Essential Questions in the lesson plan has really helped me be intentional with what I want my students to learn. My next goal is to try and tie the question back into their art throughout the day, and and at the end of the day, helping them make these connections.
For involving vocabulary in Formative and Summative assessments, I have put the vocabulary I want my students to learn in both their pre and post assessments. I also try and use them when I am walking around the room checking on students's progress. For my upcoming working critique, I will either have "critique cards" to choose from with vocabulary or a "critique bingo" with vocabulary on the bingo sheets.
Lastly, by final goal is to laugh each day. At first I put this in to be light hearted, but I have noticed it makes a huge difference. Being conscience about my disposition is so important. When I can laugh and smile with my students, it really changes the atmosphere of the classroom and reminds my students that I am approachable and that art (and hard work) can be fun!
For my piece of art, I threw a bowl on the pottery wheel with my high schoolers. I hadn't thrown in a few years (because I took ceramics way back in community college). However, the rhythm of the process quickly and comfortingly came back to me. The most important and difficult step to it all is centering your clay. I watched as my students failed and failed and then slowly began to find their own rhythm, and get comfortable in their own strength. Soon, their clay centered. I was reminded how important it is for me to center myself before entering my classroom. It's so important for me to set my intentions, recognize my gratitude for my placement, and walk in the room at peace. (Unfortunately I won't be able to upload a photo of my bowl until it is out of the kiln)!
1.) Make rubrics more specific with clear expectations involving the art making process.
2.) Create leadership roles/tasks for 1-2 6th graders per class.
3.) Have questions for each lesson that ties back to enduring understandings and ask them for each lesson.
4.) Involve vocabulary in Formative and Summative assessments.
5.) Laugh each day!
I chose these goals after speaking with my coach and hearing her feedback from my observations. I wanted to be intentional about actively listening to the feedback she gave me and growing from it.
My rubrics became much more specific, and I could tell this makes it not only easier to assess growth and understanding, but also gives the students clear expectations.
I decided to give my 6th graders "leadership roles" at the end of class to facilitate clean up. I've noticed when I give my students with more behavior struggles a leadership role, it really changes their self confidence, and communicates that I see their potential and value in the classroom. Now that I have implemented this routine, I would like to add more leadership roles in my other classes. I think about the students who stay after class to talk to me and show me their art. I think giving them roles or having them help me around the classroom might be meaningful to them. I've also tried to use student art and progress as examples for my expectations of the rest of the class. Having students see their peers meeting expectations, motivates them to do the same.
I also think I have improved on my Essential Questions. Creating compact lesson plans for each day and writing out my Essential Questions in the lesson plan has really helped me be intentional with what I want my students to learn. My next goal is to try and tie the question back into their art throughout the day, and and at the end of the day, helping them make these connections.
For involving vocabulary in Formative and Summative assessments, I have put the vocabulary I want my students to learn in both their pre and post assessments. I also try and use them when I am walking around the room checking on students's progress. For my upcoming working critique, I will either have "critique cards" to choose from with vocabulary or a "critique bingo" with vocabulary on the bingo sheets.
Lastly, by final goal is to laugh each day. At first I put this in to be light hearted, but I have noticed it makes a huge difference. Being conscience about my disposition is so important. When I can laugh and smile with my students, it really changes the atmosphere of the classroom and reminds my students that I am approachable and that art (and hard work) can be fun!
For my piece of art, I threw a bowl on the pottery wheel with my high schoolers. I hadn't thrown in a few years (because I took ceramics way back in community college). However, the rhythm of the process quickly and comfortingly came back to me. The most important and difficult step to it all is centering your clay. I watched as my students failed and failed and then slowly began to find their own rhythm, and get comfortable in their own strength. Soon, their clay centered. I was reminded how important it is for me to center myself before entering my classroom. It's so important for me to set my intentions, recognize my gratitude for my placement, and walk in the room at peace. (Unfortunately I won't be able to upload a photo of my bowl until it is out of the kiln)!
Reflection Four
Today I finished my first day student teaching at my new placement, Strawberry Park Elementary, teaching K-5 in Steamboat Springs, CO. I expected it to be a change from the rural tiny town of Oak Creek, CO, and it was. One district to another (even if they are down the road) can have many differences. Whether it be demographics of students, art room budget, culture and climate of the teachers, and much more, each district (and each school even) is so unique. It is nice to know that I have become even more adaptable than I ever thought I could be. I feel like I have always been a flexible person, however between teaching a practicum and taking studio and education classes in a pandemic, and doing my student teaching in a pandemic and in a whole new town, I am proving to myself that I truly can adjust to the needs of my students and each specific class. I think this is so important for an art teacher to be able to do- to differentiate for their students and the environment they are in. For example, my previous placement had a budget cut to only $400 for the art room for grades 6th-12th. This hardly covers clay for one class! So, I had to learn to adapt to this lower income district and create lessons based on the materials they already had in storage. I created a weaving unit because they had boxes of untouched yarn. We used old frames and I taught the students how to drill holes and use a good old fashioned hammer and nail to build their own looms. We also did a sculpture unit using wire, because they had wire and pliers. I discovered that art teachers can truly make magic out of anything if they are willing to think outside of the box and remember that every child deserves to experience the magic that takes place in the process of art making! Teacher Quality Standard IV C: Teachers are able to respond to a complex, dynamic environment.
May I grow in adversity, so that my students can do the same.
Reflection Five
As I finish up meeting with my university coach for my mid-way check-in, I am shocked I am already halfway through my time here at Strawberry Park Elementary. I am truly soaking up every moment of every day, because it is dripping with magic. Going from teaching high school to elementary was definitely an adjustment. I am learning so much about classroom management and how to handle different behaviors. I have learned my style is to meet students where they are. I had one student who was incredible defiant, and I quickly realized being authoritarian towards him didn't work. I am 5'2" and not intimating to him. So learning first to built his trust and gain a friendship with him was so important. I had to do that first in order for him to take me seriously. I am also learning so much about the importance of showing up each week incredibly prepped and prepared. It's definitely a lot to prep for k-5 every day.
Finally, I have implemented TAB into my 3-5th classes, and it is magic! Learning how to be clear and consistent with my expectations for clean up has been enlightening.
This art piece is a collage about the struggles and beauties of moving to a new town (which I did in order to student teach!).
Finally, I have implemented TAB into my 3-5th classes, and it is magic! Learning how to be clear and consistent with my expectations for clean up has been enlightening.
This art piece is a collage about the struggles and beauties of moving to a new town (which I did in order to student teach!).
Reflection Six
Writing this reflection is wild to me, because I am entering into my final week of student teaching. Although I am tired and excited for some downtime this summer, I am truly in awe at how quickly time went by. I remember my first day here at SPE and telling myself "show up as your best self each day, because it's going to go by quick!" I am so glad I did, because time sure did fly!
I am eager to write that I have accepted my DREAM job as an elementary art teacher in Milliken, CO. I can't wait to have my own classroom, my own students (although my students here at SPE feel like my own) and finally be able to take everything I have learned the past three years into practice. I feel as if student teaching is where all the dots start to connect. All the lesson planning, prepping, reading, and classes finally begin to piece together into a larger picture, and my personal teaching style becomes less of a philosophy and more of a reality. I learn from the good days; I learn from the bad days. I am so thankful for everything I have learned over the years not only about teaching, but also about artmaking through personal experience. I hope to provide the same beautiful, challenging, rewarding experiences to my future students. What I have learned in my 8 weeks at Strawberry Park Elementary is priceless. I have learned how to prep everything (and I mean everything!) before the week starts, so that I can show up and be present with my students. I have learned the importance of staying organized, and the importance of clear communication, expectations, and routines. I have learned how to conserve my energy throughout a day and throughout the week. I have learned when to let things go and when to hold my ground. And most importantly, I have learned how to see each child through loving and caring eyes.
My personal art making time has been very limited (which is another reason why I am excited for summer break). So, this art piece is simple. I am learning that it's ok right now to keep life simple.
I am eager to write that I have accepted my DREAM job as an elementary art teacher in Milliken, CO. I can't wait to have my own classroom, my own students (although my students here at SPE feel like my own) and finally be able to take everything I have learned the past three years into practice. I feel as if student teaching is where all the dots start to connect. All the lesson planning, prepping, reading, and classes finally begin to piece together into a larger picture, and my personal teaching style becomes less of a philosophy and more of a reality. I learn from the good days; I learn from the bad days. I am so thankful for everything I have learned over the years not only about teaching, but also about artmaking through personal experience. I hope to provide the same beautiful, challenging, rewarding experiences to my future students. What I have learned in my 8 weeks at Strawberry Park Elementary is priceless. I have learned how to prep everything (and I mean everything!) before the week starts, so that I can show up and be present with my students. I have learned the importance of staying organized, and the importance of clear communication, expectations, and routines. I have learned how to conserve my energy throughout a day and throughout the week. I have learned when to let things go and when to hold my ground. And most importantly, I have learned how to see each child through loving and caring eyes.
My personal art making time has been very limited (which is another reason why I am excited for summer break). So, this art piece is simple. I am learning that it's ok right now to keep life simple.