ART: Week 7 - Gude Read & React

Week 7: R & R : Read; Gude: Playing, Creativity, Possibility; & New School Art Styles: The Project of Art Education; Post Modern Principles:

Although Gude’s articles speak to art teachers, the underlying message about all learning is present. Apply the reading to what you teach and to whom you deliver instruction.
Consider the following questions: -Summarize & -Where /when do you notice “discomfort” when you are teaching? Please illustrate with a teaching example. -What do you think accounts for the discomfort? -What (if anything) inhibits your creative development. Think internally, the obvious things like schedules most of us are stuck with, but sometimes internally there are ideas and perceptions we can let go of which open us to new possibilities. 

     Gude's articles outline her educational philosophies that diverge from the typical standards that focus on the formal elements & principles and Discipline Based Art Education construction. She has evolved over the years, tightening her own understanding of what exactly was lacking in a strict formalist based curriculum and offering various incarnations of what type of principles or themes would better suit students in their place. I have been inspired by the "original OMG" for many years and have read many of her articles as they are published. Reading them in succession really highlighted for me how, although the message is consistent and along the same lines, how Gude has solidified her thinking and can really support it through its application in her Spiral workshops. I really loved how in the 2010 article she was able to articulate how a teacher might feel if transitioning to a new method of teaching (her described bricolage method, the new NCCAS standards…or maybe that was just my interpretation as I am thinking so much about it at the moment.) I also felt like with the earlier articles I was wondering how transferable her principles of possibility really were, how universal. With the 2010 Playing, Creativity, Possibility article, I feel this was achieved more realistically. 

      Discomfort. I feel like I really hit my stride with teaching around year 8 or 9. Funny enough, this was around the time I had logged about 10,000 hours of teaching (minus college field work and student teaching.) 10,000 hours is significant in that it is theorized by Anders Ericsson (and others) that this is the amount of practice needed for someone to become an expert in something. It stood out to me because that is when Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers really became popular and this theory was popularized. Made since to me in my experience! I was finally comfortable with teaching, how I wanted to teach,  how I would connect with students to build relationships, and how to create a creative, relevant studio like class structure. I had already started to transform my teaching style to more of a bricolage curriculum and was working through those hurdles. I was finally comfortable with discomfort! It felt good because I felt my students (and some of my colleagues) were in it with me. That helped tremendously. Before I had this epiphany of feeling like a confident teacher, I remember the tightness in my chest and nervousness that being "unprepared" caused. I had to know everything about what I was about to present to my class. More than that though, I needed to know exactly what my outline for class was going to be. That helped immensely to relieve the discomfort. I was able to think on my feet, but it made me uncomfortable to realize, "OH! I haven't prepared for today! Things, supplies, materials aren't ready! I forgot to make copies!" or some such other realization. And that would still totally happen from time to time, but it happened less when I finally made peace with letting some of the control go to my students. 

       It is hard to look back at what gave me discomfort when I taught since I am not currently in the classroom. It is not readily available to peek out its head. Something that I realized I had to let go of as I started on my journey of relinquishing control and exploring creativity and creation with my students was my ego. I had to stop thinking that getting my students to create something technically masterful (in media skills) to hang in the hallway was the mark of being a good teacher. Although that is super great to see a student excel, it looks different when you are witnessing growth. Not just in media skills, but in the ability to think critically and creatively; to be able to explore their own thoughts and opinions freely. Being able to display proudly what my students were learning in those areas looked completely different. And it was not always show worthy. I could feel the judgement from some of my fellow art teachers. But as I became more confident that my students were learning (by reading their self-reflections and artists' statements, as well as looking in their sketch books) I didn't care, and being able to show what cool stuff they were doing as a class was worth way more than a grade could ever mean. It motivated those who didn't try very much (b/c they knew they were ALL going in the hall, finished or not.) And those changes in our studio eased that discomfort tremendously. 

     My creative discomfort lies in not being able to execute my ideas in a way I want to visually. I think the more I 'art', the more I am able to smooth out the clunkiness. I can get into the flow of things easier, but I have to continue to practice.  Ego also gets in the way here. I want what I see to flow out like spilled ink, effortlessly and smoothly with little more than a bump from my mind. But that's not the way it works…artists sweat and toil and W-O-R-K at it every day. My head knows this, but my artist's heart is still shackled by these restraints. I need to work more, sketch more, and silence my jailer. Stop the excuses and "just paint." I need more time to allow myself to play and give myself permission to see what comes and not treat everything as precious. Like I have to make the most of it because I get to do this so infrequently. I need to embrace the moments and string them together like pearls. Eventually I will have something beautiful. Whether it is "show-worthy" is not the point. It is the experience I need to engage in more. 

ART: Week 7 & 8 - Post Modern Principles Portrait

Post Modern Principles Portrait

Constraints:Your portrait should embody the following ideas:
-Illustrate your creative process (can be symbolically/metaphorically/literally…) 

-playfulness
-spontaneity
-what empowers embody Gudes’ ideas in some way
-anything else you want
-Post on blog: Final image; size, materials. Comment of how the process FELT as you worked through this. Comment on ah ha moments, symbolism etc. Finally comment on where you see this vision of yourself reflected in your teaching.

Fountain 742, objet trouvé (Found Objects), 6" x 8" x 4"

Reflection on the process:
I found this assignment to be somewhat difficult. I had in my mind at first a different assignment than what I think Amy was asking of us. Then when I checked back to read what was in the post, I had a hard time interpreting it. I decided not to get too caught up in the "what" and play instead with creating with Gude rolling around in my head and focus on how I felt as I created. So here's hoping...

   I started with this idea of myself in a surrealistic landscape, a wilderness of sorts that I find both unfamiliar and yet completely comfortable in it's woodsiness. Like when I would be invited along to go camping as a kid, completely unfamiliar with where we were, I was still at ease in the woods or around creeks or lakes. I was lost without being scared. In the middle of an adventure, I had no reason to be scared. I would find my way back again.
   I saw myself as this whimsical, throwback figure with tapering fingers. (I realize here as I write this that much of my creative process is through intuition. I think about an idea or concept, and try to envision what does that look like or feel like to me...I literally close my eyes or let my vision go soft and see what floats in. Then I have to decipher why I think about what I saw and peel back the layers of my unconscious. Artists are weird...and deep.) I love to explore self-portraits that don't include an image of the subject's likeness. The idea of representing self through alternative images is fascinating to me. How we see ourselves, versus what we look like is so intriguing.

original ideation, pencil in sketchbook, 5" x 8"

Thinking about me, I saw myself as a lepidopterist, a collector collecting these floating thoughts and ideas represented as butterflies. I think this is also reflective of myself as a learner. I love to collect facts and tidbits of information for use at some later date. I am a collector (as many art teachers are) of stuff that I can use for a "project" at some later date. I find ephemera enticing and can't quite let go of it all. I also see the chasing of butterflies as a playful, whimsical adventure. Simultaneously a serious scientific pursuit and a fun tromp through the fields and forests, lazily batting at the floating wings. That made me think of collecting fireflies as a kid. Playfully chasing them, catching them, and sneaking a peak at their light between the spaces of my fingers. Hoping to figure out what made their light, but too respectful of their light to keep them in captivity too long. How comforting it was to see those lights start to flicker as the sun went out.
So if I am a collector of thoughts and ideas (and those thoughts and ideas are butterflies and / or fireflies), where are they gonna go? Into my head which is of course a lightbulb ( I mentioned this was surreal right?) At first I saw this executed as a pop-up  book with a door in my ribcage to let the butterflies in (through my heart to my head...I know there is more to unearth in that, but for now I'll leave it.) As I started to execute this idea, I got very frustrated with the way it was looking. I imagine much like my students must feel. I am so terribly out of practice. When I was in the classroom, I didn't get to make much of my own art apart from the assignments I was giving, but at least I was drawing something almost daily - - on the board, for a demo, showing how I do something for a student, creating an exemplar. Little things, but wow, that kept what little skills I had at least at a blunt point. So I tried finding some source images to help me (working like artists do) and sketched out my figure, scanned it into the ol' computer and created a rough digital sketch of what I was hoping to accomplish. It still didn't feel quite right. Edit - I was completely frustrated with myself and lack of skills. It has never come easy, but I felt like I had taken some steps backwards. Things were not coming together as I hoped. Playing around was not working in 2-D media. I wanted to construct something, to feel the little bits I collect and assemble them together.

Digital Sketch

 That's when I realized the process was speaking to me. I'm not a drawer (that word always bugs me...illustrator? someone who draws?) even though I would LOVE to be. I see in design, but can not always execute in the way I see. SO exasperating. I love the idea of letting experience mold us and recording life through a series of small objects. Like a touchstone, objects can hold so many different meanings for people and very specific meanings for individuals. I've always wondered if as I grow old and my memory starts to go, what will I remember when I pick up some of these little treasures I've saved. Will I know them? or will it be, "I've got no idea what that is." Is memory fleeting or will it jolt in me a memory I've saved for when I need it most in old age? 

 I am definitely starting to get lost in my head at this point and have been editing my crazy narrative rambles, so at this point I will jump to how this reflects my teaching. I've always likened my teaching to sharing my passion for art with my students. I like to take them on a trip and share what I've always found so neat and inspiring about art. This idea that imagination can take us anywhere and that it is fascinating to see how other people see the world. That we are always taking it in, letting moments fleetingly go by and capturing others. That we can be awed by the beauty all arounds us even if it is short lived. That with very small movements we can make change that affects others and that we are all connected in this big world. That what we do matters and that it can be felt by others. I think learning should be a discovery, an investigation, and so my teaching is based on inquiry and helping students find their own line of questioning. Aiding in their investigations, but never making them the Watson to my Sherlock. 

Last note: I see lots of connections in my creation and process to those principles of possibility OMG likes to refer to: Play, Identity, the idea of not knowing. I definitely saw myself go through steps like she used to structure her article "Playing, Creativity, Possibility." I was first anxious at what I was being asked to do, what I would be able to do, what others would think. Then I was resistant - I procrastinated, I sketched and trashed, and fretted. Until finally I pictured Amy with her hands all gooey with yellow, and lime green, and turquoise oil sticks saying, "just do it - get in there and get dirty." She wasn't talking to me this past summer, but her bravery and wherewithal stuck with me, collected as a tiny specimen and when I needed it, it came floating out to help me cultivate my creativity.

ART: Week 5 Video #1

Video Reflection:

Before viewing, set aside a chunk of time where you can sit make a few notes about how you THOUGHT the lesson went. 

1.) Pre-viewing:

My lesson is atypical because I no longer have a traditional classroom with K-12 students of my own and I instead normally facilitate curriculum teams. In this case, I am transmitting knowledge and facilitating the learning of our new NCCAS Core Arts standards in preparation for writing curriculum for our year long HS Intro to Art Class. There is a team of 6 teachers, all of who currently teach or have taught the Intro class. Two of the teachers teach the AP Studio, and two have taught AP Art History at some point. The combined years of teaching experience equal 40. I was really kind of nervous about how to teach this group of teachers about the new curriculum standards because it is going to be a paradigm shift and a new way of thinking about art. 

I thought ultimately it went fairly well. Honestly it was hard to judge since it was an atypical transmission of information. And since it was intended to not just get the learners to memorize the new standards, but more of an attempt to familiarize them with what was going to be included in the shift in thinking. Since that was my objective, I think it went fairly well. There was some great conversation and what I loved (but it also kinda scared the heck out of me) was that when one of the students didn't understand the purpose, she asked straight up, "why are we doing this?" What was refreshing about it was that unlike adolescents, I knew it wasn't an act of defiance, or disengagement, or apathy. She truly didn't understand what we were doing and its purpose. I hoped I answered her question well enough, but that was what was hard. I hadn't made it that clear to myself, I was almost just trying it out to see if it stuck because this was a new way of thinking for me too. I was trying out a method of instruction that I was hoping would be useful as we teach through these new standards. I was trying to keep my goals in mind: 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; and 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 think I did a better job but would like to get some feedback from my learners to be sure. Normally I would do a formative assessment, maybe something more formal to see how concretely it stuck. That felt a little weird at this point in our learning though, since it isn't a class. I will check in with them between now and the next time we meet to see how they are processing the new core arts standards. 

How were your ideas on what you thought happened, and what you saw happen, the same and/or different? What surprised you? 1.) Post-viewing: I think because I had such a limited hand in the transmission of information, and it was more discovery based learning where I stood back and observed, my pre-viewing observations are very similar to what I saw afterwards. I did get to focus on one conversation in its entirety and then focus on the other however, which was nice. That way I picked up more details of each conversation than if I had only depended on what I heard at one time. I was surprised at how little or how much some people talked during the discussion. In some instances I think it was very beneficial because the person talking was able to clarify structure when others were confused. In other instances, it makes me think about the kind of follow up I may need to do with the less talkative. 

2. Watch again with the goals you've set for yourself in mind. How are you meeting them? What are you doing already to support them? Are there things happening that are getting in the way? Share some realizations you made about what you can change and why you believe this is important. 2.) To support my goals, I was very purposeful about allowing space for my learners to process with each other in a larger space of time. I structured a couple of activities with "deliverables" that would help the learners better retain the information (visual representations.) I think the process the learners are involved in is very messy, and can result in several outcomes. So although I am wanting them to learn the new core arts standards, I also want them to design a way for them to be embedded into our curriculum structure. 

3. Imagine you are one of your students. (One you can see in the video, ideally one you have some familiarity with) Empathize with them as much as you can and from their perspective, as best you can, write how you imagine they perceived your lesson. Have them comment on how you feel about the content you are teaching, what are you conveying beyond the content? What distractions might they have? How is the content connecting to who they are? You can have fun with this, speak in first person from their point of view. Imagine they are telling a buddy in the hall about a lesson in your room today. 3.) "Oh my gosh, my head hurts! We looked at the new standards we are going to be using to write the curriculum and they are TOTALLY different than the old curriculum. No elements and principles. It is great in that it seems more like the way an artist really works, but this is going to be so hard to teach like this. There isn't a specific pathway with the particulars in the way they should be taught. I don't know how some of my teachers are going to react to this. Benny* is for sure going to be so lost and asking me every day what he should do and what he should teach. He is going to need a lot of hand holding. He exhausts me. And I'm glad Monty will be retired by the time this is implemented because there is no way he would change the way he teaches to incorporate these skills. Whoo! This is exciting but it is definitely making me nervous!"

ART: Week 6 - Peer Reactions & Reflections

Katie Amos - (http://ktjane1008.blogspot.com/2014/03/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html?showComment=1394303427980#c5374227359325456749 )


Hi Katie!
I'm a little behind and catching up on reading others' blogs.
I always wondered what grade it was that the right/wrong answer awareness was really established. Since I taught MS & HS I knew they had it by that time, but was really wondering how long it took for them to learn that. And probably only because I am concurrently taking Human Learning and discussing the psych part, I wonder if it is due to conditioning through reward or punishment. That may be different based on the individual, actually. (sorry thinking "out loud" as I type!) My question for you is, where do you start seeing this with most of your students? Is there a particular grade that is jumping out at you? Do you see it at different grade levels in certain types of students? Do you think using Ken RObinson's method of divergent thinking would help students step away from this right/wrong mentality and open up their creativity?

ART: Week 6 - Read (watch) & React

Week 6: 2/23- 3/1

1.View TED videos. I realize many of you have watched Ken Robinson, but with all this new insight, you may hear something in a different way than before :) Watch and reflect on your blog. What stood out for you in these talks?

"We should be waking them up to what is inside of themselves." I often think this needs to be done with the majority of the adults I'm around. They work in one mode, and 'live' in another. Waiting for that precious time (5:00, vacation, summer, whatever) when they can be their real selves and relax or be energized. I look forward to summer because the weather is warm and we can grill outside and have extended time to go places, but not because I no longer have to work. I look forward to the challenges at work, to thinking, to engaging my senses. But I am increasingly aware that I am a minority in this aspect. I look for ways to engage my day, not make it through the day. (although, I won't lie sometimes I have rather crap days.) I think it is more of a chosen outlook or philosophy that drives life choices. It helped me choose my career path, my content area, my district, my building, etc. And if I didn't like something, I made change. I work towards making things better, not accepting the way things have always been. 

Part of what I am always discouraged about with listening to Ken Robinson, is that he gets me (and others) all charged up and inspired, but he doesn't necessarily lead us to any action or provide a solution. Granted on this go around, and after a few years of these ideas bouncing around in my head, I am seeing that he may be proposing and endorsing the use of more divergent thinking. In fact, it does seem like the CCSS are encouraging this more and more, (such as R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words; and R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.) getting students to consider multiple points of view and to propose their own way of thinking (W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism; and SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.)  I think we are starting to think differently about "human capacity" but that seems to come down to a more individual level. It also seems like this would be helped along by changing the public perception of schools, schooling, and teachers. All the hubbub about CC is one example of how misinformation about schooling and the changes taking place can dismantle the positive change that is possible. I think changing the structures of schools will be hard, but asking teachers to embrace and attempt divergent thinking in their instruction is a good step forward. More exploration into the socio-constructivist or cognitive apprenticeship model could also help us make this paradigm shift.  

2. Then, search around for a TED talk or something similar which you find inspirational and caused you pause for reflection. POST(upload) to the Lore site with a comment about its emphasis and your reflection on it. (short, under 100 words)
Some of you may wish to explore the appendix in Reflective teaching, there are many resources there which may lead you to some interesting places.

http://youtu.be/-ZKiJejNRtw

 I saw this Fish! Video as a second or third year teacher and it has stuck with me through the past decade. (Although I don't remember it being as cheesy as it seems  now…) To me, it really coalesced with my life philosophy of doing something meaningful and joyful for a career since I was going to be spending most of my life (or at lease a good chunk of it) doing it. I have never been one to scrounge up motivation to do something un-meaningful. I have to be able to see the purpose. So, after watching this when I was a traveling teacher between two middle schools (one I particularly loved, and one I particularly loathed) I decided I was in control of my attitude and that would determine how my day ultimately went. I ended my days at the school I didn’t care for, with the students who were cruel and unruly. But I decided I could choose to let them keep me down, or I could pick myself up. So I chose to have fun or at least I would fake it until I made it so, and if I was  down at the end of the day, I blared a song I couldn’t help but sing along to and “car-dance” as I drove home.

  

ART: Week 5 - Reactions & Reflections

From Sheryl:
I have loved this book. I think it should be required reading for all teachers. I've already offered to loan my copy to my administrator. What's more, he sounded like he wanted to read it! As the authors say, teaching is a complicated business, we blend different traditions, and "...we(as teachers and adults)change over time." (p 52) For me, it was clear to see that I tend to value a progressive approach, it's just the way I am. However, I would say that it's been a growth process to reach this point where I can look back and actually see it and give it a name. Right now I am struggling to refine my blend. I'm picturing a scale with meaning on one side, and a balance of skills, social justice, and ah ha moments on the other side. As much as I strive to perfect the equation, it's always changing. I think I'm hardwired to appreciate achievement, to strive for excellence. The more I learn about this messy business though, the more I realize that my satisfaction has to come from the process, not an end product. The day I think I've got it all figured out will be the day I need to hang up my teaching smock for good! (For some reason this brings tears to my eyes...teaching is a messy business indeed!)

Sheryl,
I, too, have really loved this book. I was wondering how many of my colleagues have read this. Especially after seeing it in the ELA content leader's office across the hall. I thought to myself, OH! other people have read this! That is why they are brilliant at times! But then in asking her about it, she barely remembered it! I hope that it was a case of it-is-so-embedded-in-the-way-I-think-now-I-can-hardly-tell-remember. I'm really hoping I don't let it slip my mind as easily.
I keep reading of people's ah-ha moments and I think of Kathy's postcard moments that I've heard her refer to. I wish I had been in one of Kathy's undergrad classes when she introduced these. I wonder if it would have crystallized some of those moments in my journey and transformation of teaching styles. I think I am too becoming more progressive. In fact, maybe I was more progressive at first, but then in trying to figure out how to fit our subject into the standards and test mold became more conservative  (which has a place, just not in the way I had started to move.) I often wonder what I would have been like if I had been teaching middle school when we adopted the GLE's and wrote a curriculum around them. It would have been quite the departure from "teach whatever you want" & "What standards?" I organized my middle school classes around some fun themes, and we traveled the world looking at art and artists. Hearing from my students they really enjoyed it too.
I am definitely still in the middle of growing as well, especially as I take in more about choice based lessons and thinking about the new core art standards. I don't have my own set of students or an art room of my own, but I am working collaboratively with teachers to figure it out together. I am enjoying that side of it, but boy, do I miss those daily art interactions with kids!

ART: Week 5 - Read & React & Reflect

Week 5 2/16-2/22
Read Chapters 5 & 6, “Reflective Teaching” Chapter 5 Marzano.


Reflect on your blog.
1. Before watching any lesson you film, which tradition do you most identify with? (please explain)Why do you think this is? How does it show up in your teaching?
2. How would you describe your teaching self? Share a teaching experience which illustrates this. 

1. I find that I often identify with parts of each tradition. I see value in each of these points of view, and if we are creating a whole child I feel it is important to address each of these areas. Not only nurture the child, but provide knowledge and content to enrich the child. Part of my impulse to teach is to craft a world citizenry that makes the world a better place for everyone, so of course I see value in the social justice angle as well as getting students to see what makes living so worth while (spiritual.) As an artist and creative, I see the need for these contributions to our world and see that fitting into the spiritual tradition, too. I think because of where I was taught, and how I was taught I am not as skilled at teaching through the social justice lens, but feel that my spirit embodies it and it may come out in my interactions with students. I think I would fall somewhere in the middle of a progressive and a conservative, knowing that without caring for the social, the content is harder to come by. 

I am definitely a collector. A collector of information as well as stuff. So I feel compelled to share the cool stuff I've found. This comes out in my teaching style for sure. I love sharing ideas for projects, but I also like to cultivate the ideator in my students as well. I want them to be able to identify and collect their own ideas and inspirations. I often wonder if I hadn't been trained in the time of Madeline Hunter, DBAE, and standardized testing what kind of teacher would I have been? Where would I have leaned if I had been formed in a vacuum? I have definitely been shaped by these traditions, but am also able to stand back and recognize their shortcomings in an area such as art that is driven by the un-testable - creativity, originality, community. 

I am driven in my teaching to share content, or have students explore content. Be a guide but not always the driver. To be able to vacilate back and forth in different roles for what is needed for each student. To provide information but also to ask questions.  

In my intro to art classes, there is content that is more delineated in our curriculum, so I have a stronger hand as I lead. However, I was also interested in seeing how students could get themselves there so I was willing to do some action research and see how my students would raise to the challenge of guiding their own learning. As I got further and further into our upper level courses, I was able to let go more and see how they would apply their skills. I taught Printmaking so in the first level, I would teach them different methods of creating a print (the media skills) and then challenge them to use them creatively. I loved how in Printmaking 2, I was truly able to match their interests because they would design their learning within that medium. They had learned how to make prints now it was up to them to design and innovate and communicate within the medium. If they wanted to go deeper in a particular technique that was when we would pull out other information. You like relief printmaking and are really into anime? maybe you should look into woodblock printing…why might that interest you? You love to experiment with color? let's talk about monotypes and chine colle. You like graffiti? How does street culture and printmaking intersect? (man, I miss that class!) It was much more like a college level studio where students would weave in and out of each other's learning and bounce from my class to the other teachers' classes weening information, experience, and inspiration.