Week 12 - Write and reflect on the professional qualities of your dream job

The professional setting of my dream job is definitely in an elementary school. After spending time with elementary, middle, and high school students, I feel that an elementary school is my dream setting. My hope is that I will work with a principle who is interested in the arts and makes many visits to my room. I would like to be in a more urban setting, and possibly part of a larger district with many elementary schools. I want to feel like I'm part of a community, and be part of a school where there are community events and community outreach. I would prefer a job in a district where business casual dress is enforced because I think setting a boundary line between the teachers and students is important. I think that dressing professionally also sends an important message to students that you're serious about your job, and being in the students presence. I think having a diverse community is important to me as well. I want to live in an area where there are many cultures present. Growing up in a College town, I enjoyed meeting many different people from all over the world. 

Week 11 - I believe a successful teacher is primarily a matter of...

I believe a successful teacher is primarily a matter of balance. I think that to be successful teacher we have to be able to juggle a sense of humor, our expectations, consistency, and maintain objectivity. This is true because I believe each student is different, and to know your students is to know the best way to teach them.

A sense of humor is essential for dealing with difficult situations, behavior management, and relationships with other staff members. Our expectations of students must be changed to adhere to their abilities, previous knowledge, and outside factors besides school that affect them. We, as teachers, must be consistent while also being flexible, and open to discussion and change. Being a successful teacher also means maintaining objectivity. Being fair is essential. Evaluating the situation, and realizing that every rule that applies to one student can not, or should not apply to another. Juggling all of these qualities  during the school day essentially means that you have to know your students. I have to know which students are having trouble at home, are on an IEP, or have a para-educator with them. I think it really all boils down to knowing your students and balancing their needs.

Week 10 - Professional Development

Lately I have been able to attend the district art staff meetings. The topic for most of the meetings has been really useful because it has been based on technology. I have learned about calibrating smart boards, alternate uses for the elmo, and ladybug, and I have also learned a bit about stop animation. This link shows a stop animation created an art teachers and his students:

The Robot and the Butterfly

It utilizes technology in a different way to create classroom art that involves the whole school. I think that when there's a set subject for professional development days, they can be very useful for finding new, cool, fun ways to create art in the classroom.

Week 9 - Problem Solving/ Critical Thinking

How is problem solving/critical thinking taught through art? What are
some different strategies you have used to promote problem solving/
critical thinking?

So, this week has been an interesting first glimpse at the innermost workings of high school. I am still learning about the psychology involved in teaching high schoolers, because I have not had as much practice or experience with them. 

Artists are constantly problem solving. I think one of the roughest, toughest parts of being an artists is trying to create with a material that has boundaries. Glass is one of those materials. For example, you can't cut L-shapes or 90 degree angles without the glass breaking into multiple pieces. Problem solving and critical thinking has been a big topic for students in my Glass Working classes. Students this week have been creating a design for the stained glass windows that they're making. There has been a lot of problem solving so far as part of this step. Students must cut and piece together their glass pieces like a puzzle. Eventually we will sauter all the pieces together. The biggest issue with this assignment is getting students to simplify their designs, and work within the parameters of the materials (no 90 degree angle cuts, pieces must all fit together like a puzzle, no L-shapes etc.). A good stained glass design looks something like this: 

It has simple shapes, and can fit together like a puzzle. This week I have spend a lot of time trying to help students create a stained glass project that will lend itself to these qualities. I have found that the best way to promote critical thinking and problem solving is to get the students interested in a project that relates to them. If they care about the outcome of their project, they'll be more motivated to work on it outside of class. I've also paired students up to promote problem solving. There are more advanced students in the class who have already taken Glass Working. When some students were having trouble making their designs, I asked other students with insight to help them. This frees me up to continue to walk around the class and assist others, and because I haven't had any experience with glass up until this point, students are getting good advice from someone who has a lot of skill and practice with glass. 

Week 8 - Technology

How have you used technology to enhance your teaching- how do you want to in the future, and what technology is necessary?
One of the best new technological resources for the classroom is the smart board. I also use the ladybug almost every day. The smart board is a great tool for showing slideshows and images of artist's work. I love making short introductory slide shows for students to get them ready for the next unit, or what we'll be doing in class that day. For current classrooms, I think that a projector with a computer hook up are necessary. I have had to work in classrooms with less, but it can be difficult to show examples or demonstrate processes to all students at once.
In the future I would like to incorporate the use of a smart board more into my lessons. I have seen some teachers incorporate interactive smart board lessons with music and moveable elements.

As I move to my secondary placement, I am also excited to learn more about Photoshop and the operation of digital cameras. I have had a year of digital photography through University of Iowa, however, I know the students will always be able to show me more, and teach me things I could never imagine.

Week 7- Art Educators as art advocates

In what ways do the roles of art teachers and art education advocates overlap? In what ways can advocacy be used as a communication tool? What is your view of the importance of teachers' relationships with their school community, parers/guardians, and the larger community-include in your discussion the role of professional ethics and school or community projects in which you were involved.

My views on art and my advocacy for the fine arts is largely based on the writings and publications by Elliot Eisner. Elliot Eisner is emeritus  professor of Art and Education at Stanford. Here are two of his articles that I have used over time to support my argument in support of art education in public schools:

Basically I feel that as an art educator you're immediately signed up for the cause. In other words, as an art educator you're automatically an advocate- if for no other reason (and I hope you have plenty of other reasons...) than to advocate for your own job. Fine arts are constantly on the chopping block when it comes to spending cuts. I think the best way to be an advocate for the arts are to be present in your community. For me this means teaching over the summer at summer camps, volunteering with the REACH program, and being involved in Ceramic Society. The more attached the community is to your event, or program, the more potential donors you have to keep things running. This is the nitty gritty side of course, and in my opinion it's best when a school doesn't have to run like a business. I have also been involved in programs like UAY through the University of Iowa Art Education program. This worked with teens at a local after school program. These are all instances in which reaching out and involving the community can not only help enrollment in your area later, but also get community members involved.

Week 6- The Role of Assessment in Art Education

What is the role/ importance of assessment in art education? What methods of assessment have you used?

Art assessment obviously does not work the same way as most classroom subjects. In an institution that is mostly based on standardized test and fill in the blank answers, art has very different assessment and measurement. Obviously, it differs from grade to grade, with lower grades focused mostly on participation and following directions, classroom behavior and the use material expectations. Here is an example of an assessment I used for a comic book assignment:

 This is a very good example of student evaluation that I found on another art teacher's blog: Elementary art assessment

I like it because it shows her examples of project, while simultaneously demonstrating expectations. I also feel that this site author gives very good reasons why art assessment  is not only a good idea, it's necessary!

The Importance of Art Assesment