Week 11 4/5 - 4/12No reading this week, practice instead!Due end of week 111. Detailed description of, and reflections on the actual lesson you did with students. How did it go? What did you learn? What would you do differently? WHY did it work or not work? Be your own inner annoying child. Record your questions with your response. Compare and contrast with your pre-thinking. * For those of you with non traditional classrooms, contact me with thoughts on alternatives.
Well, here is how our day actually went down:
• Welcome!
We started out by VTSing, keeping our skills sharp.
• Teaching Meaning in Art-Making
Then we discussed our reading of the book. I asked "Do you think it would be a good idea to implement this (meaning the ideas in the book) as part of our practice as art teachers?" We had a short discussion of how helpful (or not) this book was at this point in their journey. The interesting thing was that some people were well beyond it, and others said it helped them to understand using big ideas in concrete terms. I then used the PMI format to dig into specifics about the ideas behind this book. This part was pretty enlightening in terms of how the book was received.
I also asked them to fill out a card, in regards to this topic, completing the statement, "It would be interesting to see…"
Then we tried out developing some Big Ideas by creating some mind maps. In partners, each group came up with a Big Idea. Then the tricky part was, without speaking, they were to create the connections. I was hoping that by not speaking at first, each person would be able to then take it in an individual direction and not be led by a preconceived notion of what the big idea was all about. After a little while working on it, we then came back together as large group and did a gallery walk, adding to each other's maps. I got to see where their thinking was at in terms of teaching in big ideas. I think if I was to do this again, I might have people work individually first, then in partners, then as a group. This way, the ideas might take off in various directions, not just a linear line.
• Unpacking the National Core Visual Arts Standards
We then discussed how standards can be translated into Learning Targets for daily use. This is a rephrasing of a standard so that it makes sense to students (using student vocabulary) and breaks down what it is that will be done that day in class. Most Learning targets start out as "I can…" statements. Most of our schools ask teachers to post their objective or learning target so it can be seen by students. We also discussed how this sets how deep you are going to go, or in regards to the Depth of Knowledge, how you will address the standard.
We looked at some standards and discussed ways to elevate the DOK and how to integrate contemporary artists.
We spent some time creating some learning targets and discussing them before breaking for lunch. • Lunch!
• Technology Integration
After lunch, I had a surprise for the group. I was able to get permission (and secure some funds) to purchase an iPad for each team member! The purpose was to get them thinking about how we can start to incorporate digital media into our lessons. They were so surprised, they thought I was joking. :)
We started talking then about how we could possibly group the standards and how to address the issue of creating a curriculum that was equal parts tight and loose. How can we be sure to be at the same point of learning (in order to collaborate and have common assessments) and yet, offer teachers (and students) choice in developing their lessons. The recurring theme in our era of standardization.
We weren't able to really get to the last two parts of our agenda:
• Looking at a Spiraling Curriculum
• Upload Step 1 Artifact
But we decided, we wanted to meet again to shore up our thinking and get some work down on paper. The next meeting would then be to discuss overarching big ideas that would encapsulate what standards would be taught in what order.
So compared to what I wanted to do, not too off topic.
1) Discuss our reading of Teaching Meaning in Artmaking
2) Write Transfer Goals for this course.
3) Unpack the Core Arts Standards for High School Art level I & II.
4) Determine possible combinations of standards as well as opportunities to spiral in order to develop common units.
5) Identify Priority Standards (in order to help spiral the curriculum.)
I would also like to include an opportunity to practice a VTS discussion and share some more contemporary artists (two needs & goals identified by the group.) Oh, and I wanted to discuss the shifts in art practice as defined by the CCSS. yikes!
I think the PMI was very useful and in retrospect, the unpacking was VERY necessary in order to really understand what was being asked in the standards. It was also a way to focus them into looking at each standard. Too often this is seen as a chore and may actually not be done very thoroughly (or at all really.) After seeing how they used the standards to think about the new curriculum, (or rather how they didn't use them at all at first) in our next meeting together, I am really glad that at least some where in the back of their minds they had them rolling around. I'm still not sure I did a very good job at addressing my goals, however. (Goal #1- By the end of the year, I will raise my score on helping students process new information from a 1 to a 3. Goal #2 - By the end of the year, I will raise my score on organizing students to practice and deepen knowledge from a 1 to a 3.)
I am finding this to be very hard with my group of adult learners. They are somewhat resistant to formal strategies to learn new information. Or maybe I am not very comfortable with using them yet. Either way, it is hard to get them to formally incorporate new knowledge. Other than encompassing the general change of philosophy in the Core Arts standards, I am not sure they have truly learned them. Perhaps this won't really happen until they have written the curriculum, having applied it to a specific task and therefore giving them meaning.
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