Dream Job Revisited

After spending much time at CCA, I have realized how deeply important good working relationships among colleagues can be. I find the teacher lounge experience among humorous adults to be relieving during a stressful day. Instead of thinking primarily about the kind of classroom or types of students and curriculum in place at the school, I'd like to add the importance of building friendships among other teachers. The first year will be daunting, and terribly difficult. I may not know anyone I'm working with, and the effort of making friends may become tiresome. It would be lovely to have a community of colleagues that looked after one another, were inclusive and warm.

My dream job would be in a location that I loved, where I felt comfortable, safe and could be myself. It would include a faculty that strove to improve education while inviting new and innovative approaches to teaching. It would be lovely to be in an environment where the arts were as cherished as sports and core curriculum courses; where students supported one another by attending events, shows and concerts, and where faculty took pride and notice in the impact art has on other subjects.

Of course, I would love a hefty budget, but I would also like to explore making art through found objects and natural resources. Art is about finding beauty in unconventional spaces. As a community, I would enjoy the opportunities to produce art in public spaces, and to explore art as a natural, living part of our daily lives.

Finally, my dream job would have to revolve around creativity-- not only for the students but for myself. I need to continue my own art. I believe teaching is a perfect sidekick, but often I hear teachers losing touch with their passion. I do not want to let that happen to me. I believe the most impressionable teacher is one that possesses a passion for teaching, learning and growing in their art.

Questions

1. What is the overriding teaching philosophy at your school?

2. What expectations are in place in regards to the curriculum in art?

3. What is the current budget for art?

4. What is the school's policy for disciplinary management?

Reflections on Guest Speaker

I found the guest speaker had an overwhelming amount of information-- great information, but a lot. It was wonderful to hear about the mentoring process and the expectations that follow. I was intrigued by the fact that mentoring was far more regulated than thought. It is relieving to know that mentors have a duty to be helpful and supportive. I know the first year will be difficult. A mentor will be greatly appreciated. I have heard about mentors before, but I didn't realize how substantial and assistive the position could be. I do feel though, that along with much of the information we've received this semester, there are details I have forgotten. I was impressed with her presence. She was professional and sincere, and it was evident she has been involved in education for quite a while.

Dream Job

My dream job would be one that is balanced with a substantial amount of support from the community and scholastic surroundings. It would be wonderfully easy if students already had an innate artistic ability and desire to go one step further than what was required. It would be lovely if there was a bountiful creativity that swarmed the hallways, classrooms and community of my school. I would like to have students that ask thought-provoking questions regarding larger, emotional, and ethical questions about our society in regard to their work. I would love to have the freedom to explore art in the most abstract sense-- to help students become aware of their feelings when looking at art rather than the correct use of the medium. I would love to step into a room and not have to go over cleanup directions, but realize that's probably impossible. My dream job would embody one that keeps me on my toes, and requires me to change my course of action without too much exuded energy. I feel tired and terribly worn out, and if I were envisioning my dream job, I wouldn't want to feel unenergized. I would hope to have the power to push on through with exuberance.

Mostly, if my dream job were available, I would like it to have room for me to be myself, and assist students in finding their voices while I practice mine. Where I could create alongside students and hope to make the community a better place-- while having extra, sporadic boosts of energy.... that'd be nice.

Something I learned from the guest speakers...

Aside from our previous class, I learned not to wait until the last day to vote. It was awful. I was hoping it would be a quick in and out, but no. I waited, and waited, and waited.

But what I found most important during our visit was the importance of keeping it simple. Unfortunately I didn't happen to realize my roundabout description of what I had learned from student teaching was anything but simple. Engaged faces turned into confused expressions as I stumbled on "... what I'm trying to say is...." I was so concerned I mispronounced a word that for the last week I had been replaying my statement over and over again in my head. I have come to the conclusion that no, I hadn't mispronounced something, but unloaded the trash.

What I learned from that experience, and many similar occasions, is 1. I need to think about what I want to say before I say it, 2. rehearse possible answers (not often, I don't want to sound too rehearsed), 3. try desperately not to stumble over my words, and 4. take nonverbal expressions as cues to "wrap-it-up."

I hope someday my long-winded tendencies will lapse so I can begin a life of simplicity.

Tell me about yourself...

The value of teaching has been intrinsic as I will be the fourth generation of teachers in my family. I learned at an early age how valuable teaching, and teaching well, can be. My mother was late in finding the reward within teaching. She was terribly unhappy throughout my childhood, hopping from job to job. It was then that I realized how important it was to enjoy what you are doing. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy the fulfillment I see in a student's eyes after I taught something well. Until recently, I hadn't fully recognized this feeling of success. I was a senior when I entered into the College of Education. I had finished the basic requirements for a B.A. in art and English, but felt uncertain and unsatisfied, worrying about what I was supposed to do. I was a perfectionist, and felt insecure with my capabilities as an artist and writer. I never felt as secure as I had after courses that dealt with art and English education. It was during those courses that I found myself. I realized the unhappiness and insecurity I had felt was due to my lack of confidence. I felt confident with my mock lesson plans, and I was confident in front of students. I realized then that I was meant to be a teacher. I want to continue my own art and english endeavors, but mostly, I want to share my excitement in those subjects with a population that can grow and develop an appreciation. I am there to teach not only for myself, but for the students. I want the future to find the enjoyment I find in art, English, drama and music. It is important to teach these areas with as much integrity as other subjects, and I intend to do so. I want my students to be aware of the importance art has on society, but mostly, I want students to find themselves, or at least, begin the journey.

Teaching Objective

What is my teaching objective?

My objective at the moment is to help students become competent, confident, and empathetic people. It is important that I help students become involved in art, learn to love art and its benefits, and help students grow into individuals with ideals that can help our society grow. Of course I would like students to grow an appreciation for art and the different applications that can assist their mental, emotional and physical state. It is important that students realize how art is all around, and how deeply intrinsic and powerful it can be.

I came up with this objective by listing phrases that advocate the connection of art, life, and well-being. It is very important for me to teach art in a way that excites, motivates, and develops emotions towards life. It is important for students to become aware of the value art has on our daily lives.

So far __, but I' would still like to __.

This experience has been a good one. I went into elementary art thinking I would appreciate and feel more comfortable in a secondary school setting. I am not certain whether this will continue to be my perception. I have found that I can teach at the elementary level and enjoy it. It was a struggle, in the beginning, to train myself to think as an elementary student. I found myself saying phrases like "the contour of your monster could use some work" or "some shading here could give your drawing depth and direct the viewer to a focal point." It was difficult to adjust my vocabulary, although I often feel my vocabulary has weakened from September. "Zig-zag," "fluffy," "curvy," "straight," and "bumpy" have been used to describe the contours of chalk-pastel monsters.

Aside from nit-picking on my decimating vocabulary, I have been impressed with my experience. I think I have done a pretty good job, but of course, I would still like to improve on countless areas of my teaching ability. So far, I have learned a great deal. I came into elementary student teaching without a clue. I hadn't a lesson plan devised, or a management strategy thought out. I was a deer in headlights, and thankfully, I was guided across the road to safety. My cooperating teacher has been very supportive, and I am very grateful for her assistance and thoughtfulness through trying times. So far, I have been successful with having, maintaining and retaining students' attention by using different techniques. Overall, I was able to establish a well-respected environment with the kids. They followed my directions and were quick to realize their mistakes when I approached them.

So far, I haven't had the opportunity to teach many of my own lessons. There were a few that I incorporated into my teacher's plan, but I would like to have a little more freedom with which lessons I write and teach. My teacher had most of the mediums and projects devised, and throughout the experience, I basically taught her lessons. Even though every lesson was good, and certainly mine would be incomparable, I would like to have the opportunity to devise something on my own and try it. I am looking forward to secondary student teaching. It looks as though I may have more freedom to do what I plan, which in the same right, is a bit intimidating.

This is an interesting transition. It feels as though we should be nearing the end where things begin to wind down, but in all actuality, things are only just beginning. Therefore, so far, I have had a great time, but I would still like to continue these times of greatness.

Reflect on Experience

This was an enlightening experience in so many ways. In the beginning I found it difficult to adjust to the "working" lifestyle when for the past five years I've lived mainly as a student. I realized a 7:30 to 4 schedule is tiring.

I approached student teaching as a semester that would be stressful, and have found out that this placement has been less stressful than I anticipated. The relationship I have built with my cooperating teacher is relaxed and comfortable. I am fairly confident in saying that she has become a friend and confidant I hope to keep in touch with as I dive into my teaching career.

A lesson I have learned is, in order to gain confidence from someone, you must prove to them that you are capable. For the most part, I treated the semester as an interview, but often found myself trying to get along and do what was told by the cooperating teacher more than wow with an impressive lesson plan. It was only until recently that I have projected my voice and ideas confidently with avail-- which I wonder, is that mostly my fault or should my cooperating teacher have informed me when I would have gained control? Throughout the placement, I didn't know where the boundary of control was between my teacher and I, and often, I was concerned if I was supposed to do more. My cooperating teacher's axis of control was different from others in seminar. From discussions, it felt as though others were given complete control of classrooms and lessons right from the beginning. My placement, on the other hand, was different. I was eased into the reigns. Sometimes it was frustrating-- I often wondered whether I would ever be able to use my own voice, lessons, and ideas. Yesterday was a horrible day. I was not "on." I couldn't keep track of time, and my teacher seemed hesitant to let go of her control, which was terribly frustrating. Somehow, today was an entirely different day. We came in with new ideas, new motives, and I was given the reigns. I even taught a lesson, an idea of my own, on the whim. It was empowering to know that my teacher was there to assist me in becoming my own teacher.

I found this experience to be fruitful. I have learned that elementary is not easy, and it requires a lot of preparation, organization, bright spirits, and smaller concepts. It was difficult for me to organize ideas, because I have never written a lesson plan for an elementary level. I have learned that being organized is enormously important, and that students at the elementary need to know the basics of every step. It is important to have clear expectations of management and behavior, and mostly, it is imperative that a teacher takes good care of their health--mentally and physically. (I'm still working on the physical end of things.... my body just aches.)

I believe a successful teacher is primarily a matter of... this is a difficult thought to complete. There are many attributes that form a successful teacher-- organized, kind, empathetic, confident, consistent... the list goes on and on. To limit it to one matter is nearly impossible, but I will try. Primarily, what I believe a successful teacher contains is the ability to move and grow with the ever-changing world of art (or any other subject). It is incredibly important for teachers to never loose sight of the world around us. Daily advances are being made with technology and society that affect the kind of art being made. Art changes with the people, and as an art teacher, I believe it is crucial to acknowledge current art and how it may affect our students.

Just as it is important to implement new and current art, introducing old and ageless art is as well. A successful teacher in my eyes is an educator of not only one subject, but a teacher who acknowledges that different subjects can intertwine and improve together. Essentially, the successful teacher I so ineloquently described is a completely well-rounded person. Someone who exhibits good character while staying educated about the current surrounding world.

September 15: Classroom Management

Within the past month of student teaching at Lakeview Elementary in Solon, I have adopted a word that I feel could be the most essential rule to a positive teaching/learning experience. That rule is respect-- students and teachers must be respectful to others, to the classroom, to materials and supplies, and finally, to art produced. At the beginning of the semester I thought the phrase "show respect" was redundant and overused, tossed around like a hot potato. I was delightfully proved wrong. It is a phrase that is overused so often that most forget the meaning. While rules were being established by my cooperating teacher, students were asked to thoughtfully reply to "how do you show respect?". Hypothetical scenarios were tossed while true, continuous thought was provoked. Students that act out of line or deliberately paint glue on the tabletop are asked, "are you being respectful to the table?" I have realized the easiest way to maintain the integrity of new supplies is to personify their existence. By giving an eraser a feeling, students are able to understand the golden rule as it applies not only to people and animals, but supplies and things. "Now class, do you think this eraser with pencil marks and holes was respected last year?" I don't know whether personifying objects in a secondary art room would be appropriate--students may begin to think you're crazy--but the idea remains the same. Show respect to all-- including every thing.

September 8, 2010

As an art teacher, it is assumed that our lessons will deal primarily with art. Our ideas, our motivations, our experiences and our challenges are to be devised around the promotion of art in the lives of our students. In order to attain a quality of control and reciprocity between student and teacher, a high degree of expectations need to be established from the beginning. I greatest fear as a teacher is not being able to provide high enough expectations for students. I know what I must do, and I know I will be able to do it, but I also can see the importance of maintaining expectations. It's not enough to merely set expectations. Students must hold and continue to hold a degree of accountability in the classroom.

When I reflect on influential classes I have taken, one teacher stands out above the rest for setting high expectations. That teacher was my piano instructor. I remember the first day I met her. We had a preliminary lesson where my brother and I played songs we already knew. The lesson posed as an interview. We were either good enough, not good enough or showed potential. Initially, my piano playing techniques were mediocre at best. She was unsure whether I was at the level needed for her teaching. She dealt mostly with students who received honorable mentions or won statewide competitions. I felt deceived, cheated, but mostly, challenged. I knew where I needed to be, and I was not about to let someone tell me I couldn't do something. So I practiced. And practiced. And practiced. And practiced. I knew what my expectations were. I knew what Anita wanted from me. I knew what I could become. Although I was able to succeed against her uncertainty, I realize this technique of establishing expectations will not work for every student. In order to make this technique a success, there must be a certain amount of confidence already in a student. They must know who they are and rise to challenges. Working with students who have a low confidence and who never rise to the expectations that are set will be the most difficult and the most rewarding. Once a student's confidence is built, expectations can be met.

I find the classroom community established in my current placement is one that encourages creativity, cooperation, confidence and security. It is built with rules that don't inhibit a student's ability to create, but acknowledges the expectations that are intrinsic throughout the school. Students know how they are to behave, and they understand the consequences when they don't. Students seem to want to do their best, and my cooperating teacher is equipped with techniques that build a student's confidence, that challenges a student's actions and abilities, and that manages a classroom efficiently.

Student Teaching: End of First Week

So it's the end of the first week and I'm exhausted. My body aches and has yet to adjust to this new 6 am lifestyle. It is a challenge that requires far more attention than any job I have ever done. The thing I find most daunting after graduating and student teaching is missing college classes. I never thought I would be the one to say this, but I do think I will miss the 10 am class schedules and staying long hours into the night at the art studio. There is a sense of creativity that continues throughout college, and I fear loosing touch with the creative focus that embodies every coffee shop and classroom in Iowa City.

The pivotal moment that helped me realize I wanted to become a teacher was the summer I was teaching an art class at Clear Lake's Art Council. I was the art instructor for a summer art class that was geared towards children from ages 5 to 11. My mother aided me throughout the summer and was the first to realize I could be a teacher. Having come from a family of teachers, I was hesitant to follow the footsteps of my mother and her mother and her mother's father. Initially, I thought I wanted to be different. But after that summer when I was able to teach a classroom how to enjoy art, I realized this is the profession I am meant to pursue. I noticed the enjoyment that surrounds you when a student has caught on to what you've instructed. There was a sense of reward after I received a drawing from a student saying thank and "gotta love 'ya."

My wardrobe has already changed into a more comfortable yet professional look. As I proceed into the professional realm, my wardrobe will undoubtedly change further as a professional. I want to be taken seriously by students, faculty and parents. If I were to continue dressing as a college student, no one would be able to regard me as a teacher/professional. I already look young. Dressing young will establish a presence that promotes immaturity. I want to be viewed as prepared, orderly, and professional.

If I could add any item of clothing to my wardrobe it would be a suit. I have plenty of tops that are flattering and professional, but I do not possess a suit. After the student teaching orientation, I realized how important dressing for the part, owning a suit, and looking like a professional can be. Therefore, I want a suit- but not a black one. I think black tends to be too drab for an artiste.

Collaborative Project

I found the collaborative projects present at Mt. Vernon for science and art to be impressive. I would like to incorporate a similar mode of collaboration in my classroom.

I propose a collaborative project that combines art of the students with art of a senior center. I would like this project to be an examination of cultures, young and old, and how the two cultures intersect, differ and relate to one another. The medium used will be paint or collage. Students will create an artwork that exposes what they see as a portrait of the city in which they live. Senior citizens will, in turn, create a portrait of the city they have known. The pieces will be collected and exhibited together in the community's Art Center. The voices of both the seniors and the students describing their city or neighborhood will be played in the background of the exhibition. There will be photographs collected from both the seniors and students on display during the exhibition as well.

Sourcing Inspiration: 2.a and 2.b

2.a

I circled:

heart, mind, imagination, intuition, conscience, soul, intellect, memory, intelligence, sensuality, thought, spirit, brain, vision, psyche, wit, feelings, pulses, recollections, instincts, apparitions, ideals, research, scruples, impulses, opinions, sensitivities, delusions, reveries, inkings, anguish, indignation, aspiration, despondency, rage, joy, glory, serenity, desire, misery, sorrow, bliss, kindness, humiliation, sympathy, ecstasy, grief, distress, boredom, resentment, jury, panic, elation, ethics, ambition, heartache, fear, meditation, dream, prayer, travel, trance, perception, hallucination, rumination, observation, revelation, privation, encouragement, splendor, activism, comfort, security, grandeur, beauty, excess, deficiency, order, chaos

I crossed out:

muscles, nerves, deadlines, fame, antipathy, bitterness, apathy, competition, frustration, trauma

2.b

I circled:

solo, collaborative, sustained, instantaneous, systematic, constructive, evolutionary, passionate, predetermined, cyclical

I crossed out:

spontaneous, destructive, lackadaisical, trial and error

This is a print I made for a friend's baby shower. I had used a systematic approach that included an observation (she was rather large and due a week after the shower's date), and I wanted the card to exhibit an amount of humility.

Methods Reflection

This course was influential in regards to the amount of information that was given about artists, lesson ideas, local art departments and how to incorporate contemporary artists into the classroom from In The Making. I found the blog was a good idea, although I fell behind far too often. I think it is important to build a community between colleagues, and to grasp the advancement of technology as a form of communication. I regret I exhibited a lack of promptness and motivation to stay on top of the blogs. I have learned that I am far too busy and continue to experience this senioritis bug that has plagued my incentives to do well and work hard. I am near the end of my college career that has taken six years to fulfill.

I have learned much throughout the semester in this class. For one, I have been introduced to a series of new artists that I have never heard before. In The Making has and will continue to be a book that I refer to often. It is fabulous. The lesson plan ideas that are listed are impressive and thought provoking. I intend on using this set further in my teaching. The lesson ideas in From Ordinary to Extraordinary are impressive as well. I am grateful for the sources we have been introduced and used throughout the semester. They will be highly appreciated throughout my teaching endeavors.

When teaching secondary art, I initially was under the assumption that students would be performing at a lower rate than college. I soon found out from Jill’s classrooms and the classrooms at Mt. Vernon and Clear Creek Amana, that students are far more capable to do extravagant things than they are given credit for. I found the style of teaching that promotes a student’s growth individually as an artist is one that expresses high expectations while giving the students room to explore on their own. After witnessing classrooms of different teachers, I have culminated styles of teaching that suit me. For instance, Rachel’s use of recyclable material is impressive—find ways to use everyday objects as substitutes in art (hangers for puppets). I found Jill’s room to have an extensive amount of individual projects that require students to develop their own creative voice. The classrooms in Mt. Vernon and Clear Creek Amana are centered on individual advancement with unique projects that are both educational and inspiring.

One idea I would like to implement into my classroom is cleaning. I would like the students to be responsible in helping me clean at the end of every trimester or semester or quarter. I realize this is probably easier said than done, but I do want to make a concerted effort in giving students responsibilities that help maintain the dignity of the classroom. By implementing a cleaning routine, I hope students will have a greater respect for the supplies and the room in which they use to create.

The areas I wish to explore are glass art, photography in high school settings, pinhole cameras, graphic design, illustrating, and performance art implementations into the classroom. I want to know how a teacher is able to explore most, if not all, of these forms of art. With the Internet as a mode of communication, I want to explore the concept of using technology to connect students as colleagues where information and ideas can be shared.

How can you help students foster a positive sense of self-identity in the art room?

I believe the most important role you have as a teacher when fostering a positive sense of self-identity is by showing respect. Every student needs to feel accepted when establishing a positive self-identity. The simplest way you can administer a positive sense of self is by showing you care about their specific situation, about their interests, about their well-being, and about their artwork. The second facet includes establishing a high sense of accountability in students, their work and their actions. Students need to know that their work and their actions are held at a high standard. Without showing students that you believe they can attain a difficult task, you run the risk of students becoming less and less motivated. Students want to be challenged. It is important to remember high school-- how our experience was and how a teacher who established a positive experience had aided our advancement. It is essential to expose yourself as a real, approachable person who makes mistakes and finds a way to improve.

On The Rocks - Bad Romance

OFF Topic: Lady Gaga spoof

Here's something I think you all will enjoy watching... male a capella group from Oregon singing Lady Gaga.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp_TBm3Gwq0&feature=related

So great.

An Advocate for the Arts

My purpose as an advocate for the arts extends further from only studio arts. I think the most important job as an art educator is to support the arts in the school district as well as the community at large. I intend to be an advocate by assisting forms of art in their production, by raising awareness of the importance of art in education and humanity, and by exposing my own art as a form of motivation for students. Currently, I struggle with the concept of showing my own art. I don't have the confidence needed to put myself out there, so to speak, and I rarely have the time needed to produce substantial amount of work. I hope for my dilemmas to disintegrate as I begin teaching. The perk of being an art teacher is having different mediums at your demand. I realize the importance of continuing my relationship with art when teaching. It is important that any educator continues to perform and produce in their areas of interest. For instance, a music teacher must continue making or building a relationship with music while a science teacher involves oneself in the advancement of science. It is pertinent for teachers of every subject to allow their love of the medium to grow alongside the new and the past realms of society. One way for art teachers to continue their relationship with art is by making art on their own and showing students that it is possible for anyone to build a relationship with art.

Another way to advocate art is by raising awareness of the importance art plays within school and society. It is our duty as art advocates to stand against the disbelief that plagues art classrooms in relationship to the core subjects of our society. Without a visual, emotional, and social success within and outside the classroom, people will not believe in the importance of art education. We are in the technological age of civilization. Science, math and reading are areas of focus within our national education. It has been disclosed that art serves a minor role in the three subjects previously mentioned. As art educators, we must acknowledge the scrutiny we face as we forge the fears of budget cuts. Incorporating science, reading, math, and technology into the art room is one way to alleviate the general disbelief. As we saw with the coral reef project consisting of crocheted microorganisms, art is just as much a part of science as paint is to a paintbrush. There is an art to the way words are placed in a sentence. Inferring meaning from a text is much like reading a painting-- what does this phrase mean? What information from the text or artwork exposes facets of the author/artist and his or her intent? You see, if the general public were more aware of how art is inherent in the other core subjects of today, there could be hope that art will become a standard in education.

Thirdly, I hope to promote every form of art by getting involved. Art surpasses the visual in forms of music, theater and dance. I am grateful to have a devout interest in all forms of art. With a background in music, theater and dance, I have had access to the overwhelming capacity of art. As a musician, actor and artist, I hope to continue my involvement with every facet of art and aid students in becoming advocates on their own. It is an integral part of my classroom to expose the beauty that surrounds every form of art.

Mostly, I hope to be an advocate by supporting all forms of art while helping the public awareness and continuing my own art. It is important for me to continue doing what I love as well as educating myself with the new possibilities that surround my areas of interest. It is dire for educators to set examples of advocates within their field. Furthermore, isn't it exciting.

How do you build confidence for a person with a disability?

It was a beautiful morning. The art classroom at City High was packed with students working on their clay cake project. They were occupied with developing their designs towards a grand scheme while there were other students working on their own projects. These students had a disability of some sort. That sat among a couple of aids and worked on clay balls and pinched pots. They were occupied with the tactile nature of kneading, rolling and smashing the clay. Their shapes were incomparable to the cakes that were built at the connecting tables, and yet, they continued without anxiety to pound, roll and knead the clay into lopsided bowls and clay balls. I stood next to their table forming a piece of clay into a window for a castle while watching. I couldn't detract myself from watching their movements, their interactions, and how the aids were helping them achieve the task of working with clay. The aids were wonderful. They assumed their position beside them-- kneading, pounding, pinching, as the students had. I was amazed by their patience and how relaxed they were while the students struggled to make a pot. They were there for support and guidance while students worked on their own, developing tactile and problem-solving skills. As the rest of the class was occupied with making clay castles and tornadoes, the students with disabilities were content with their own. I was aware of our differences and wondered whether the students with disabilities understood their positions.

Michael was the larger boy with a disability. He sat at the end of the table and paid no attention to the rest of the class. He was devoted to molding the clay into round balls of increasing sizes. While everyone was occupied with their own projects, he raised his head and began singing "the hills are alive.... with the sound of m-u-u-u-sic" in an expressive falsetto. I was amazed. It was sang beautifully.

During the period, I realized how wonderful it was for these students to be working on their own clay projects while building a tactile skill and confidence.

Communicating Through Inexpressiveness

I was first introduced to Van Der Zee's photographs while looking through a book on the art of the Harlem Renaissance. There was something about his photographs that had me drawn. At the moment, I had not known what it was until now. It is the essence of the photographs, the contradictions, the fabricated nostalgia. I love Van Der Zee because of his ability to juxtapose American society with glamorized nuance.

The photograph I most enjoy is A Couple Wearing Raccoon Coats with a Cadillac. This photograph embodies every part of the fabricated nostalgia Van Der Zee is known for-- the shiny black cadillac and long, fur jackets representing black America during the 1930's is in sharp contrast with the society that was truly prevalant during that era. This is a "return" to a highly glamorized, sensationalized, and mostly unexperienced home.

Photographs by Sebastiao Salgado speak of lamenting a passing era. His collection of photographs from Sahel: The End of the Road speak of the horrific living qualities during a drought in the 1980's that swept through central Africa. The pictures are haunting. The figures are mere skeletons. The photographs speak of the horrors that accompany a society when they are stripped of everything.... literally everything. It is difficult to look at the photographs without feeling ill. For this reason, I do not believe it was Salgado's intent to glamorize this passing era.

Similar to Lorna Simpson, I believe he was using his photographs as a projector in which to voice the hardship and to lay to rest an era that so many have already forgotten.

LGBT

A teacher's subtle efforts in helping a student can be the most beneficial. When I say subtle, I mean in private, quietly, and inconspicuously giving help. I experienced an event in the eighth grade that warranted help. I was told by my family not to tell anyone for fear it would change the perceptions of others. I went to school the next day-running through the monotonous tasks, hoping not to break down in front of my peers. I found it difficult to perform well in class. My body was walking through the hallways, but my mind was elsewhere. Although I was surrounded by classmates and faculty, I felt alone. I am not the type of person who can keep emotions hidden. I needed to talk with someone. I spent the morning looking for someone I could trust. I resorted to writing a note to a friend. After handing her the folded piece of paper, I began questioning whether it was the right thing to do. I was screaming inside and I needed help, but could I trust my friend? Could I assume she wouldn't slip that note from friend to friend, exposing everything I was to keep hidden? I was anxious and concerned, wondering had I done the right thing? Her response was limited and indicative that she hadn't an idea how to help. In response, she directed me to the guidance counselor. The counselor provided the help I had been searching for. She gave me reading information on how to cope with similar issues. She also gave me excuses for when I needed to talk, which happened frequently. The rest of the year was difficult for our family, but I was thankful to have such help. It was the quiet, comforting, never intruding, subtle assistance that helped me overcome my issues in private.

I wrote this story as an example as how I hope to be of assistance to a student who came-out to me in private. Although I am not well-versed in the difficulties with coming-out, I can imagine how daunting the task can be. You are exposing a big secret, a revelation that could possibly change everything. If I were approached by a student, I would give him or her information about coming-out, keep the secret and help him or her to understand that everything will be okay- that by coming out could be the most relieving process. It is crucial for some people to have someone with whom to talk in confidence.

Discrimination

I have been discriminated often by men who assume I cannot do something "boyish." When I was young, my brother and I had a lawn care service. We had thirty-five lawns we would manicure with two push mowers, a trimmer and a leaf blower. We would hitch a trailer to the back of my jeep, and often I would drive. The looks I would get from men when pulling up to a gas pump, backing the trailer into a tight spot or lifting the lawn mower on and off of the trailer was hesitant and constant, as if they didn't know whether to help or stand aside. Lawn care or labor services are associated with men, not a brother and sister operation. I read their thoughts from their looks. I wasn't supposed to be able to parallel park a trailer, nor lift a push mower on my own. According to their looks, I was in need of assistance.

I was also a Tom Boy growing up and often found myself on a football or soccer field next to the boys. I've always felt the need to prove myself in a male dominated world of athletics. I don't know whether it's just my competitive nature, but I would fight until I was noticed as a comparable athlete. I was relentless, and was subsequently known as a tough girl and good athlete. It's sad when someone feels as though they have to prove their strength when they are being discriminated against because of their gender.

Although I am quick to identify moments I have been discriminated against, I am aware of how privileged I have been. I do not feel as though I have been discriminated against daily, and unfortunately, some people in this would are. I know I have been discriminatory in the past, but a moment that stands out above the rest was when I was helping students read in a high school Language Arts classroom. The two boys I was assigned with were black and Hispanic. We were reading aloud to one another in the hall. These boys were behind in their readings and I was to help them catch up. I had assumed these students were not good readers because of their position in comparison with the rest of the class, not because of their race, although studies always associate poor performance with race and socio-economic statuses. I was soon to find out, one was terribly adept in critical reading. The book we were reading was written during the Civil Rights movements of the fifties and sixties. Because of the topic, I assumed it would be difficult for the African-American boy to discuss and read aloud. I was surprised and thankful when he was the one starting and continuing discussion. While the book was centered on racial discrimination, I was discriminating against these boys because of the fear I had as a white, privileged woman to be reading about social inequities with two minority students. I wonder as a white woman who has had it pretty well, how does one get over the fear of being an unreliable source when discussing social inequality?

New Favorite Website

You must check this website out!

There are some ideas that could be incorporated into a classroom. For instance, the twist on finger paints??! Amazing.

http://lg071.k12.sd.us/Art.htm

Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan from 2.q External Source of Inspiration: Collaboration

Working with partners, take a flat piece of paper and decide as a group how to make it into a three-dimensional object.

My friend sent an attachment to me a long time ago showing the art one can make with one sheet of paper. It was amazing, and apparently, was an exhibit at Hirshhorn Modern Art Gallery in Washington D.C. The intricacy and thought displayed in the projects is spectacular. Below is an artist statement by one of the artists showcased in the exhibit.

About my paper works

My paper works have been based around an exploration of the relationship between two and three dimensionality. I find this materialization of a flat piece of paper into a 3D form almost a magic process - or maybe one could call it obvious magic, because the process is obvious and the figures still stick to their origin, without the possibility of escaping. In that sense there is also an aspect of something tragic in most of the cuts. Some of the small paper cuts relate to a universe of fairy tales and romanticism, as for instance Impenetrable Castle inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Steadfast Tin Soldier, in which a tin soldier falls in love with a paper ballerina, living in a paper castle. Other paper cuts are small dramas in which small figures are lost within and threatened by the huge powerful nature. Others again are turning the inside out, or letting the front and the back of the paper meet - dealing with impossibility, illusions, and reflections.

I find the A4 sheet of paper interesting to work with, because it is probably the most common and consumed media and format for carrying information today, and in that sense it is something very loaded. This means that we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper. By removing all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white 80gsm A4 paper as a base for my creations, I feel that I have found a material which we all are able to relate to, and at the same time is non-loaded and neutral and therefore easier to fill with different meanings. The thin white paper also gives the paper sculptures a fragility which underlines the tragic and romantic theme of the works. More photos and statement can be found here:

http://www.petercallesen.com/index/A4PAPERCUT_000.htm

I think this could be a wonderful lesson teaching students how to utilize and manipulate an object we use on a daily basis. I have always loved the process of making a snowflake, and find a similar child-like wonder when I look at the paper works of Peter Callesen. Although I revere snowflake making highly, the paper projects I expect from students will not be simple snowflakes but sculptures that provoke thought. I wonder what grade level I should center this project, and I am thinking the more mature the better. The students will need to be able to look at a piece of paper and imagine cutting, tearing, adhering and taping it back together into a solid sculpture. It might be difficult, but I think it could be insightful and illuminating.

Classroom Rules

I am in the process of amplifying my classroom rules poster. The rules I want to implement are focused on letting the students be aware of what they must do rather than what they cannot. The poster (which will be larger and more legible than the first) will be up shortly. Sorry for the delay.

3.c Self-Identification: Transpersonal

1. daughter/sister

2. Female

3. Caucasian

4. 24

5. American

6. healthy

7. wavering Christian

8. small-medium

9. middle class

10. straight

11. dating

12. Liberal

13. Art and English Ed./photo/how to be a life-long student

14. Ipod/touch screens

15. npr.org

16. boating

17. blues/indie

18. modern art

19. comfortable chic

20. Goosetown

ATC 3

This ATC is a portrait of where I come from. "Di dove se?" means "where are you from?" in Italian. The drawing is of a family portrait taken while my brother was baking in my momma's oven. The dogs in the upper right is a cutout from proofs I had made. Black dog is Roxy and white is named Brandy Alexander. I'm guessing you can tell which one craves for the most attention. Brandy is old and terribly arthritic. I love her dearly. She is my girl. The bottom row of photos are scanned photos from childhood. the first is of my brother, uncle, grandma, and myself. I would practice standing in the Model T and tap dances with my grandmother while my brother would be running around shooting Nerf guns. The center is a photo of our first Labrador, a chocolate named Hershey. She was a good girl to let me put her in a swing! The third is of my brother and I goofing off... which was, and still tends to be, a regular occurrence.

ATC 2

For this ATC, I thought about my apprehensions for my future and how I find comfort when listening to this song as anxiety surges. This is the chorus from I Shall Be Released written by Bob Dylan. I appreciate Bob Dylan's version, but adore Nina Simone's. It's soulful bluesy quality with spiritual essences is indicative to the lifestyle in which I was raised. Music is very dear to me, and I find Nina Simone's style to resonate in the halls of my memories. The photo of the man is again a cutout from a proof I had made from photos taken in Florence. I was walking behind this grandfather and was reminded of my grandmother's walk. At the moment, my grandmother was still alive but slowly dying. She was the greatest advocate of my art, and was the one who introduced me to the world of creativity. The background is a portrait of the California's coastal landscape. I was there in August and fell in love with this view.

Check out Nina Simone singing I Shall Be Released:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po_oXdzKWKw

ATC 1

"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" -Mary Oliver

This ATC is made from images I took while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. It was during that semester, I was introduced to the intimate relationships I could form with photography and subjects. The small photos are cutouts from proofs I had made. I constantly write on them, noting tonal values that need to be changed and which areas need to be heightened. The couple in the upper right were standing at the water taxi platform in Venice. I do not know them, but would like to. They have classic sophistication. I can't help but look in awe and wonder... will I look like them someday?

The image in the bottom right was near the entrance to the Duomo (also the image in the background). People were awaiting the grand procession of Easter Sunday. Most of the onlookers were tourists, but the man on the left was alone and seemed to be a native. This proof is an example of how photography can be manipulated, and the process artists make when making the perfect print. This one is no where near perfect.

Alex Meade

I just came across the G-40 Artist Summit website which had a link to Alex Meade's website. I don't know if anyone has heard of her before, and if you had feel free to comment, but her stuff is so interesting. She is an installation artist who paints on people and objects and places them in settings either painted, staged, or in public. Unique. Check it out:

http://www.crystalcity.org/artful/g40artists

or her website:

http://alexameade.com/portfolio.html

2nd part of Blog 2

I realize I have forgotten the most important aspect of my second post. How do I think my practices as an artist will help in the classroom? Like any talent or intelligence, a creative mind maintains and grows with constant practice. I feel a strong practice in what I love to do will introduce an artistic lifestyle and become a viable activity for students to undertake. Artists are able to pull from the tribulations of society a set of emotions that engage an audience. They are able to see the larger picture and introduce a dialogue that connects thoughts with humanity. By introducing my art into the classroom, I hope to give assistance to students through example. If they are able to see how an artist gathers ideas and the processes in which they work, the students will have a greater foundation of creative insight to begin their own works of art. I plan to show my mishaps and troubles in order for them to realize artists struggle with ideas as well. Who knows, their thoughts may be of benefit. Like many of us, I have had dreams of a large studio space in an old carriage house that sits fifteen yards from my back porch swing. Realistically, that won't happen for quite a while, so for me to continue my art, I need to transform a room in my house for doing the art and use my classroom as the birthplace for ideas.

I feel that in order to teach art well, you must have practice with the medium. If a teacher does not have substantial knowledge of the medium or the artmaking process, students will learn incorrectly. That is one of my greatest fears, and because I don't want my students to be given flimsy advice, I intend to continue making art from different mediums. A teacher is a vessel of knowledge that increase in volume. In order to teach effectively, our knowledge of artmaking and our own practices must grow and be seen by every student.

Scoping an Audience Response

Marcel Duchamp's urinal is an example of a radical innovation that began the fascination of Concept Art. In 1917, Duchamp bought a porcelain urinal, painted "Richard Mutt" on the sides, sat it on a pedestal and entered it in as a sculpture to the New York Society of Independent Artists. The toilet wasn't accepted in the exhibition, but the idea behind the toilet as art grew passionately from his display. It may not be as enlightening or effervescent as Thomas Kinkade's impressionistic works, but it holds value as a radical innovation because it had bewildered and upset Duchamp's contemporaries, and continues to be of much debate in constituting what makes art. Duchamp's actions have created an entirely new era in art. Photographed porcelain toilets are becoming cliches. In some respect, the concept of Concept Art is becoming a cliche. If art is of the object itself, than why should we have to constitute it as art? Wouldn't everything already be art? The audacity of Duchamp has created a culture of pop art that continues to press the standards when deciding what should be called art.

The kind of person who would rather be excluded from Kinkade's admiring audience is someone with a darker view on humanity. He or she would not view the world in an effervescent glow. They would be far more realistic in knowing and believing that life is hard and full of struggle, dismal and gray. The types of art they admire may provoke a sense of realism, dread, fear, fall of humanity, death (Ruben, Carravaggio, Sally Mann, Kara Walker). They might prefer contemporary artists who work with portraits or stories, allegories, themes and fiction to provoke feelings of uneasiness and discourse (Kehinde Wiley, Richard Avedon, Tina Mion, Alex Melamid).

Searching for Brilliance in Wooden Soles

No one warns you about the high school hallways as a freshman with a trapper keeper. Seniors brush past with little forgiveness. Lockers are decorated with cheerleading posters and magnetic mirrors. The more popular the student, the more decorated the locker. I approached high school with dreams of being noticed by senior boys. I wanted high school to be a time where all of my awkward moments could be forgotten-- where I would become cool. I was never cool, and if I ever was, I never knew it. As far as I was concerned, I was never noticed by the handsome senior boy I had crushed and swooned about. I was the gangly freshman who once baked too long in a tanning booth and came out looking like a red raccoon. Time was never on my side. The hallway was empty when I arrived. Classrooms were full and books were opened. I was perpetually late and could be heard from the other end of the hallway, running in clonky wooden soled shoes.

Our school was small with one main hallway that was impossible to maneuver through between classes. My class had 125 graduates, and it was difficult to become lost when everyone knew one another by name. I never dated in high school. I was never asked out by the dreamy senior I hoped for. I found it difficult when I barely had enough time for myself. I was always involved in multiple extracurricular activities and sang the National Anthem at sporting events. I was fairly quiet, but had little stage fright and was able to sing in front of audiences up to 900 people. I played plenty of sports and found my evenings wasted in plyometrics and bycep curls. I was competitive, but never competitive enough to be a first string athlete. I was used mainly for defense in practice. For a gag gift from my basketball coach, I was given a pompom for being such a wonderful cheerleader on the bench.

I was a junior when the drama department threw a musical. I auditioned without aim. All I was hoping was a small part that would fit into my busy basketball schedule. The cast was called and my name was listed next to the lead. I was shocked. That was the busiest season of my life. I was playing both JV and Varsity basketball with both practices (morning and evening), evening games, and play practices afterwards. There were plenty of seniors with beautiful voices and stage presence, but I was given a chance to be the star. I was given such an important role when I least expected it.

I grew immensely from that experience. I realized I could do anything when a teacher or coach gave interest in my success. I remember art being an area I was unable to fit into my schedule until I realized I needed to make it a part of my life again. Although I was fairly happy in high school, I was never happy enough. I have always fought with depression, and my busy schedule was merely an escape from feeling down. I began missing art desperately. My senior year came quickly and art class was something I had to do. I found myself spending as much free time as I had in the art classroom. I looked to my art teacher for support. It was her classes that helped me realize I needed to continue and live surrounded by art.

High school is different for everyone, and a notion I hope to apply as a teacher is that although everyone is different, most students want to be noticed. High school students are awkward, emotional, and confused. They look for support, and I hope to be of guidance when I begin teaching. Self-recognition can only be achieved with the help of others. I want to help students realize their brilliance, their talents and their future.