Puzzling!

Our group has amazing puzzle skills!

Even though we all have to admit Amanda is undoubtedly a puzzle queen she did not over power anyone in our puzzle making efforts. Instead Amanda was a great leader and all four of us were able to function really well as a team! We began our puzzle very strategically, by separating the colors and then by isolating the edges. I think having this strategy helped us because it gave us an idea of the space the puzzle would occupy before we even began. Once we had the edges in place this was even more helpful in conceptualizing how the puzzle would go together.

We were all really drawn to the puzzle, some might say even a little addicted, so we finished in record time. I think that this shows our group had a strong ability to communicate with one another and work as a team. These skills are great for us because as future educators we will be working with others and relying heavily on our ability to communicate in the future!

I can't wait to start our next puzzle now the new color sorting has begun!

February 10: Integration

What are the benefits and limitations of integrating the arts throughout the elementary school curriculum? What issues are you encountering as you plan your unit? How do you think these issues might present themselves in the classroom situation? How are you addressing these issues now? How will you address them in the classroom?

There are a great many benefits to integrating art throughout the elementary curriculum. Art when combined with other curriculum areas can enhance the development of children by broadening the scope of their learning as combining two subjects allows the students new viewpoints on both art and the other subject matter. They are introduced to broader more inclusive learning systems that will improve their abilities to cope with different problems and situations in their own unique ways. Integration does not only enhance creative and “arts” skills, but encourages a better use of reasoning skills and logic to stretch their understandings and look outside proverbial boxes. Finally, integrating the arts with other subject areas addresses classroom differentiation by meeting the needs of a variety of learning styles.

The only limitations that I can see are sadly some large ones, such as the financial strain of providing the supplies for integrated art programs and inexperience or lack of knowledge and motivation to learn how to accurately bring art into other areas of the curriculum.

In my classroom I will look to address these issues by constantly striving to enrich my own knowledge of the arts so I can integrate it with my lessons. Making connections with local artists and inviting them to the school and my class will make art a real and visible presence in the school. As a teacher I know I will be engaging in tactics to stretch the funding for art materials. Some strategies include: recycling, sharing amongst classrooms, finding a classroom/school supporter of the arts and fund raising by selling some of the art we create. Within my classroom I may also encourage art projects that can be taken home and integrated with other subjects to ensure the learning is complete.

February 8: Art Education and Pop Culture

Discuss the relationship between popular culture and art. Why is it important to provide children with a range of media from traditional/historic media to contemporary/popular art media?

In the world today popular culture is unavoidable as a result of the fast paced, at your fingertips media. Today’s children are even further immersed in this world than we are. Children are at ease with television, movies, YouTube, print and the Internet at large. Possibilities we could never imagine are part of our student’s lives, and these possibilities can be used to both good and bad ends. While we should have some concern over what are children are experiencing we should also embrace what we can gain from the media to educate our children. We are a click away from displaying various pieces of art and museums are accessible through virtual tours. Movies can tie into curriculum and even advertising techniques help us engage and educate.

It is important to provide children with exposure to a wide range of media, both historic and contemporary so that they are aware of the positive uses. It is no longer just a toy, an amusement or even just a simple method of communication like written letters or the phone. It is a completely new entity. It is important to provide children with an understanding of all media and its history so that they are prepared to function in the media based society. To ignore where media began would leave them without an understanding of how modern technology came to be which leaves them with no foundation for future understanding. To understand modern media is to give them even more building blocks to succeed in society. Without computer and media savvy we would all be lost. The more children know, the more we teach them to engage and utilise media in positive ways the better prepared our children are to learn, to explore and to grow.

As far as the dangerous side of popular culture is concerned, children can be provided with critical thinking strategies so that they can challenge various media messages. Students can be taught how to view movies, read literature and advertisements, and critique art in such a manner that they will be able to discern that which is harmful or untruthful. Teachers and parents can work together to make sure that children have their first experiences with various medium in a supported manner and teach viewing strategies until children gain independence.

February 3: Safe Classrooms

In Kalin’s chapter, we are given some suggestions for creating a safe (physically, emotionally, and socially) environment in which children can learn in, through and about art. Look at the guidelines on p. 154-55. Describe how you might address each of these guidelines with the child you will be working with.

Classroom Management
In this section of text the key message is flexibility. It states that no classroom and no child is the same and some experimentation and trial and error might be needed to find what class management tactics work best for each teacher and each class.
When I am working one on one with Tristan, the child I am partnering with I will have to adapt this guideline on a smaller scale. I want to provide an open and enjoyable environment for him to learn, but I also realize that guidelines and rules will be necessary to make our project successful outside of the structure of school. I can set the tone for our work together by providing rules and guidelines for our time together and ensuring the atmosphere we are working in is supportive and safe both physically and emotionally. I will be ultimately in control but as it is one on one situation I will allow for Tristan’s input and suggestions regarding things that affect our classroom atmosphere such as music or seating arrangements. I want this time to be enjoyable for him and I feel that if this is to be accomplished, a firm understanding of how we are to operate as partners in our learning and art objectives is necessary..

Discipline and Art Activities
In this section it is brought to our attention that art is different from other subjects in that it often allows more freedom and movement in the classroom, which can make the challenge of classroom discipline even more difficult. Art activities often involve students in expression through physical activity, or require students to move about the classroom and vocalize. However this should not lead to a classroom free for all. On the contrary art classes require students to be self disciplined. This takes lots of work on the part of the teacher to model and allow for practice of the ways students are expected to behave. In teaching these behaviours there also needs to be a lot of praise for appropriate behaviour. Students will gain confidence as they practice and the behaviours become habits. Once this happens students may be able to verbalize why this safe and structured environment enables them to be cooperative, active and creative learners.
To provide this safe environment Tristan and I will, as I have mentioned create some rules together. These will be three or four sentences describing positive behaviour expectations. I will write these down so that we can post them in our work space. As Tristan doesn’t read, pictures of him doing the positive behaviours would be good prompts. Being in a visible location reminds us both to review them regularly. As he knows me as a friend more than a “true adult” we will discuss how although I want him to be in control of his own project, I am the leader during our art time together and we will be following certain guidelines. We will also discuss what happens if we do not follow the rules and how the rules ft into the pre-established rules of his house. Finally, we will use some of the time together to practice the rules.

Student-Teacher Relationships
In having a positive student teacher relationship there must be security, fairness, respect, understanding, and communication. My part in this is to provide the security in the classroom by setting parameters for class interaction, by providing the students time and positive feedback, by connecting with my students on an individual level, and respecting all of my students and embracing and supporting their differences and unique personalities and backgrounds.
In working with Tristan I will address these guidelines by striving to fulfill each of the criteria to provide a secure, connected and involved educational experience.

Safety
To ensure the safety of the children in one’s class it is necessary to have a set of safety procedures that the children understand and follow as part of their routines. There are many considerations that may be summarized in three main areas. Movement is a prime concern; such as: when and where to get materials and how to do so without running or pushing and shoving. Handling resources and tools in a safe manner is important. Procedures involved with hazardous materials like hot glue or scissors must be established to protect the students. Finally communication is an important safety factor. Teachers need to have a signal by which students stop and attend to the teacher immediately. The use of a hand signal or noise, such as hand clapping is effective. To make this a routine for the students’ frequent review and practice is necessary. Students should be able to verbalize and put into action the safety rules and procedures. Once again in my one-on-one setting we will discuss our safety routines before we begin and practice them. At each of our lessons Tristan will be asked to tell a safety rule and give it’s importance.

Classroom Behavior
Along with knowing the safety rules and procedures students should also know basic classroom behaviors expectations and routines. Again it is important for the students to know why the behaviours are expected. These include guidelines on noise (is there music? Are they talking amongst themselves? How should they communicate?) movement (who gets up, where are they going, and when?), space (where do our materials go? Where do we create? Who sits/works in which spaces) and cleanup (is there a plan for clean up to ensure it gets down and they realize the importance of this last step?). These guidelines are important to the smooth running of the class as it eliminates the stress for students and teacher that a lack of organization creates. Simple classroom etiquette and routines allow students to get the most out of their class learning time in an enjoyable manner.
In working with my child it will be of utmost importance to set guidelines and routines so that the child can separate his art class time from other home activities, and fully learn and benefit from the experience. Again, practice of the routines and reward for cooperation and the demonstration of appropriate behaviours will be the strategies used.

Peer Teaching: Drawing and Painting

My peer teach was the painting and drawing lesson. Overall I think it went very well! Too make sure I stayed on track I created a lesson plan to guide me, it was a flexible plan but it always helps to be prepared and have a cue for yourself in case you get a little lost.

This was my plan:

Lesson Plan

1) Shapes Review:

How many sides does a square have, circle, triangle, etc?

2) Read:

Shapes in Art

Art and Art

3) Discuss Shapes in the classroom:

- Who can find a circle? A triangle? A square?

4) Abstract Shape Drawings Warm-Up

What You Need:

- Paper: at your discretion based on other chosen materials

- Thick black marker

- Your choice of: crayons, pencil crayons, pastels, marker

What You Do:

- Teacher will call out directions for their students and children.

- Students will draw what they hear.

- Students should be encouraged to listen carefully to the directions.

- Students should not look at one-another's work while doing this exercise.

- Teacher can use the following directions or they can make up their own:

For Younger Students:

- Draw four straight lines from one edge of your paper to the other.

- Draw five circles anywhere on your paper.

- Draw one curved line that starts at one edge of your paper and ends up somewhere in the middle of your paper.

- Color in two of the circles -- any color you like.

- Fill in two areas of your paper however you like (completely colored in, lines, squiggles etc.)

For Older Students:

- Draw four straight lines from one edge of your paper to the other.

- Draw two more straight lines from one edge of you paper to the other only this time, make the lines cross over the lines you have already drawn.

- Draw five circles - any size - anywhere on your paper.

- Draw two curved lines beginning at the edge of the paper and ending up somewhere in the middle of the paper.

- Fill in three of the five circles.

- Fill in blank areas of your paper however you would like. Try to include as much color and use as much space as possible.

Once the drawings are complete, students should sign their work.

The work should be put on display in the classroom and a discussion should take place.

Questions:

Do the drawings look the same? Different?

How are they similar?

How are they different?

Why?

Can we see pictures built from the shapes?

Where can we see shapes in other pictures?

Why do we sign our work?

How do you feel about your work? Your originality?

5) Working with shapes further: Paper and Drawing

What you need:

- Large sheet of paper

- Many unique smaller pieces of paper or pictures

- Scissors

- Crayons, markers, pastels, pencil crayons etc.

- Glue sticks

-

What you do?

Students will use paper cut outs of shapes as well as their drawing skills to create pictures. In this way the lines will work with the shapes to create complete images, for example and oval and a triangle to create a fish or a triangle and a square to make a house

- Discuss shapes again, a reminder of how things can be made op of shapes.

- Read this is not a box and talk about imagining things made from shapes.

- Allow the children to trace and cut out (with help) the various shapes and arrange them on the page and glue them down

- Then the children can use their drawing tool (pastel, marker, crayon etc. this is at your discretion) to add to the picture with lines, more shapes and symbols to complete their work.

Discuss their work as you did with the first piece.

End results:

As you can see it is just a vague guideline to keep me on track. Things I would change after my class time and our disscusion would be:

1. Add more direction to the abstract drawing. This will provide more detail and depth to the project.
2. Take into account that different children work at different speeds and have an activity such as a second drawing or a book to read to offer them as options once they finish their original artwork.
3. Warn them about time as it passes so they are aware of the pace they should keep. Perhaps extend the period of time available so they can add more detail and spend more time on their work.
4. Discuss possible subjects for the second project.
5. Provide more freedom in the shapes used for the second subject.
6. Understand both projects will fit and are beneficial together in one class.

I can't wait to try this project again with real children!

February 1: Art and Development

Discuss the role of art in children's development. How are the cognitive and fine motor skills developed in art essential to the holistic development of a child? Discuss this reading as it relates to Dewey's notions of internal conditions of the learner. How does the art educator respond to the individual needs of the learner while ensuring the continuity of experience?

Art is crucial to the development of children. It expands not only their creative and imaginative capabilities it opens them up to new thinking and new questions and explorations they can apply to the world around them when they view and create art. The fine motor skills are also developed strongly as the children must master small movements and techniques to control their tools and materials. The skills to think and question as well as explain the world around them coupled with the fine motor skill development are crucial as they allow the child to develop in other disciplines. Without them a child would be lost in the science lab where fine motor skills aid in dissection and experimentation or in English where he must take details and tie them together into a story. Art helps strengthen and grow the essential skills that are building blocks of further learning.
In regards to Dewey this idea of building blocks involvement tie in keenly to his works. Dewey feels experience comes from continuity and interaction. Who we are at a given moment in time is a result of our past experiences. Thus we are continually developing and changing as we continue to interact with environments, situations and people. And this in turn determines how we react and interpret various situations. It also explains why these reactions may be different over time.
Understanding that one’s personal experiences over time effect how one engages with new experiences provides art educators with a valuable tool for responding to the individual needs of their learners while ensuring their experiences have continuity. This “tool” is the relationship that the teacher develops with the student. It means that the educator will take the time to know his/her students and to understand their backgrounds. This information is an important factor in planning and implementing engaging lessons.