The grades are in - and I was confident I had a 4.0 this semester. Again, I missed it by one grade - one I thought would be an "A" turned out to be a "B".
"B" is a great grade, and I am happy with it. I earned the "B"... but maybe I could have worked a bit harder to earn the "A". I was a little cocky in this class - being repelled by some of the attitudes from my fellow students (future History and English Teachers). Much of the time I heard comments and snide remarks directed to the Art students: "ha ha, now you have to actually work for a grade". (I beg YOUR pardon?)
I tuned them out. It wasn't that important for me to work hard in that class and impress those people. I earned the "B".
During a recent visit with family, we discussed the local art goings-on in their community. Recently, the local art center hosted a juried competition. Someone expressed disappointment that there were no jurors who are not directly involved in the community art center. Since it's a small community, all the entrants know the judges.
Those who had not been accepted felt that they were slighted on a personal basis, and those who were accepted now question whether it is because of the quality their friendships - or their art work.
Nobody is looking at the quality of the art, and letting it speak for itself. The tourists buy whatever is placed out (sometimes).
An unbiased point of view is key in these situations. My instructor worked off of an unbiased point-system. Apparently I didn't earn enough points for an "A" - but it was because of my work, and I have the work to review, and improve for the next time.
An unbiased juror for the local community art show would have been a blessing. Those not accepted could work their wares further, and bring a higher quality for the next time.
Sometimes, in art and academia, "no" means "no, not yet - work harder". You find that you can do better than that, ...and then you do.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Friday, December 15, 2006
The students from Y2K
A few of my fellow new and seasoned educators were chatting about the students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades this year - mostly the 9th graders from last year who are now (mostly) 10th graders.
Now, 9th graders are a species of their own, granted. Last year, there was something especially unusual about these kids. Something in their attitudes led most of the teachers to wonder why they were so jaded and indifferent - much more so than the typical teenager. A common thread among this particular bunch - across all schools and districts in our region - was that they seemed to be indifferent to consequences. We educators wondered what about the kids from this year was so different.
These are the Y2K kids. These students are all about 14, 15 years old this year. Nearly seven years ago, according to the media and computer 'experts', the world was going to end. Maybe not literally - but there were times when it seemed that way. Everywhere you looked, the Y2K was coming! Banks sent out notices about their preparedness for impending disasters. Every company hired whatever computer tech available to update their hardware in a panic to retain their data. People built bomb shelters and cleaned out old, forgotten fallout shelters from the cold war era. Emergency preparedness kits were flying off the shelves just as fast as people stock piled canned goods, batteries, and toilet tissue.
We all watched with a morbid curiosity as the ball dropped over Times Square.
Then nothing happened.
The world didn't end.
Imagine being a 7 or 8 year-old child when all of this is going on around you.
While these students as 9th graders made teaching quite difficult last year, they all seem to be doing well this year - especially in their service-learning projects. It would appear that having first-hand experience in affecting (positively) someone else's environment through service learning projects, is helping these students to learn about consequences - both positive and negative ones.
Anyway, it will be interesting to follow these students in the next few years.
Now, 9th graders are a species of their own, granted. Last year, there was something especially unusual about these kids. Something in their attitudes led most of the teachers to wonder why they were so jaded and indifferent - much more so than the typical teenager. A common thread among this particular bunch - across all schools and districts in our region - was that they seemed to be indifferent to consequences. We educators wondered what about the kids from this year was so different.
These are the Y2K kids. These students are all about 14, 15 years old this year. Nearly seven years ago, according to the media and computer 'experts', the world was going to end. Maybe not literally - but there were times when it seemed that way. Everywhere you looked, the Y2K was coming! Banks sent out notices about their preparedness for impending disasters. Every company hired whatever computer tech available to update their hardware in a panic to retain their data. People built bomb shelters and cleaned out old, forgotten fallout shelters from the cold war era. Emergency preparedness kits were flying off the shelves just as fast as people stock piled canned goods, batteries, and toilet tissue.
We all watched with a morbid curiosity as the ball dropped over Times Square.
Then nothing happened.
The world didn't end.
Imagine being a 7 or 8 year-old child when all of this is going on around you.
While these students as 9th graders made teaching quite difficult last year, they all seem to be doing well this year - especially in their service-learning projects. It would appear that having first-hand experience in affecting (positively) someone else's environment through service learning projects, is helping these students to learn about consequences - both positive and negative ones.
Anyway, it will be interesting to follow these students in the next few years.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Resources to explore
In my research of Art Education and Home-Schooling throughout this past semester, I have compiled a list of links and books to peruse. I am currently writing up a few reflection papers on the topic to submit to my professor. I am including my list here for your interest, too. Some of the books I have read, and many are on my to-do-list.
With Student-teaching approaching for next semester, I probably will be taking a short recess from research and developing the thesis project. The experience will demand most of my attention and time. I intend to continue the blog, though. I hope to add insights and reflections from the public-school teachers' perspective.
I hope this helps some people out. Here goes:
Books:
1. Patricia Lines: “Homeschoolers: Estimating Numbers Growth”
2. NCES: “Issue Brief: 1.1 Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2003”
3. NCES: “Projection of Education Statistics to 2013”
4. Brian D. Ray: “Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling; Facts and Stats on the Benefit of Homeschooling”
5. John Cloud & Maggie Morse: “Home Sweet School”
6. Michelle Duggar & Andrea Cooper: “
7. Mitchell Stevens: “Kingdom of Children; Culture & Controversy in the Homeschooling Movement”
8. Howard Gardner: “Multiple Intelligences”
9. California Alliance for Art Education
10. Linda Jewell Carr: “Instructional Programs Used in Five North Carolina Counties”
11. Brian D. Ray: “Strengths of Their Own; Homeschoolers Across America”
12. Brian D. Ray: “Homeschooling on the Treshold”
13. Chris Jeub: “Why Parents Choose Homeschooling”
14. Jane Van Galen & Mary Ann Pittman: “Homeschooling: Political, Historical, and Pedagogical Perspectives”
15. Pat Farenga: “Teach your own, The John Holt Book of Homeschooling”
16. Suzanne Stephens: “The New Pioneers: Black Homeschoolers”
17. Chris Klicka: “The Right To Homeschool”
18. John Holt: “How Children Fail: Revised”
19. William Upski Wimsatt: “No More Prisons”
20. Genevieve Vaughan-Jackson: “Sketching and Drawing for Children”
21. Mona Brookes: “Drawing With Children: A Creative Method For Adult Beginners Too”
22. Kat Rakel Ferguson: “Creative Kids Artistic Drawing”
23. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences”
24. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World”
25. Alexandra M. Terzian: “The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book: Art & Craft Experiences From Around The World”
26. Arlette N. Bramen: “Kids Around The World Create!: The Best Crafts and Activities from Many Lands”
27. Jennifer Tjomas: “Masterpiece of the Month”
28. Kinghorn: “Let’s Meet Famous Artists”
29. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Style of the Maters”
30. Joy Evans: “How To Teach Art to Children”
31. Darcie Clark Frohardt: “Teaching Art With Books Kids Love: Teaching Art Appreciation, Elements of Art, and Principles of Design with Award Winning Children’s Books”
32. M.L. Libby: “Using Art To Make Art”
33. Eric Booth: “The Everyday Work of Art: Awakening the Extraordinary in Your Daily Life”
34. Helen D. Hume: “A Survival Kit for the Elementary/Middle School ArtTeacher”
35. Nancy Beal: “The Art of Teaching to Children: In School and At Home”
36. Helen D. Hume: “The A rt Teacher’s Book of Lists”
37. Barbara Mc Nally: “Complete Art Curriculum Activities: 150 Easy-To-Use Art Lessons in 8 Exciting Creative Media For Grades 1 – 8”
38. Angela Kesselring: “The inclusion of visual art in home education : a qualitative microethnographic case study”
Websites:
1. “A History of Public Education in the United States” by Deeptha Tattai
www.servintfree.net/~aidmn-ejournal/publications/2001-11/Publications.htm
accessed 10-16-2006 at 8:35 a.m.
2. “Federal Requirement for Homeschoolers Seeking College Admission and Financial Aid” author – HSLDA staff
Home School Legal Defense Association Website
www. Hslda.org/docs/news/hslda/200306200306190.asp
accessed 10-30-2006 at 9:48 a.m.
3. “American Education History: A Hypertext Timeline” by Edmund Sass, Ed.D
www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html
accessed 10-19-2006 at 12:50 p.m.
4.”A Brief History of Homeschooling” by Patrick Farenga, Copyright 2002
www.hsc.org/professionals/briefhistory.php
accessed 10-19-2006 at 1:16 p.m.
5. www.homeschoolarts.com
6. www.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/art/38701.html
7. www.homeschooled-kids.com/hssart.html
8. www.homeschooling.about.com/od/fineartsa/freeartsnews.html
9. www.homeschoolartvideos.com
10. www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/art.html
11. www.cricketchurping.blogspot.com/2005/08/nada-on-art-for-homeschoolers.html
12. www.homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/drawing
13. www.homeschoolcentral.com/resource/art.htm
14. www.christian-parenting-source.com/home-school-art-curriculum.html
15. www.windycreek.com
16. www.thejubileeacademy.org/blog/2006043w.html
17. www.thejubileeacademy.org/blog/2006073w.html
18. www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/show-activity.asp?which+882
19. www.creativeartsinaction.com
20. www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?s+8threadid+364572
21. www.robinsoncurriculum.com
22. www.homeschool.com/bookstore/art.asp
23. www.artistshelpingchildren.org/artsarticles.html
24. www.homeschooling.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_art_at_home.html
25. www.teachathome.com/HSO/?group=TRLHSG
26. www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/waldorfgallery.html
Many thanks to CSULB Graduate Angela Kesselring for such an excellent thesis to start from, and also to blogger "Cricket" from whom many of the books on the list comes from. (#11 on the web links list). Of course, I welcome your input and resources, also. I will post them here if you like.
With Student-teaching approaching for next semester, I probably will be taking a short recess from research and developing the thesis project. The experience will demand most of my attention and time. I intend to continue the blog, though. I hope to add insights and reflections from the public-school teachers' perspective.
I hope this helps some people out. Here goes:
Books:
1. Patricia Lines: “Homeschoolers: Estimating Numbers Growth”
2. NCES: “Issue Brief: 1.1 Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2003”
3. NCES: “Projection of Education Statistics to 2013”
4. Brian D. Ray: “Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling; Facts and Stats on the Benefit of Homeschooling”
5. John Cloud & Maggie Morse: “Home Sweet School”
6. Michelle Duggar & Andrea Cooper: “
7. Mitchell Stevens: “Kingdom of Children; Culture & Controversy in the Homeschooling Movement”
8. Howard Gardner: “Multiple Intelligences”
9. California Alliance for Art Education
10. Linda Jewell Carr: “Instructional Programs Used in Five North Carolina Counties”
11. Brian D. Ray: “Strengths of Their Own; Homeschoolers Across America”
12. Brian D. Ray: “Homeschooling on the Treshold”
13. Chris Jeub: “Why Parents Choose Homeschooling”
14. Jane Van Galen & Mary Ann Pittman: “Homeschooling: Political, Historical, and Pedagogical Perspectives”
15. Pat Farenga: “Teach your own, The John Holt Book of Homeschooling”
16. Suzanne Stephens: “The New Pioneers: Black Homeschoolers”
17. Chris Klicka: “The Right To Homeschool”
18. John Holt: “How Children Fail: Revised”
19. William Upski Wimsatt: “No More Prisons”
20. Genevieve Vaughan-Jackson: “Sketching and Drawing for Children”
21. Mona Brookes: “Drawing With Children: A Creative Method For Adult Beginners Too”
22. Kat Rakel Ferguson: “Creative Kids Artistic Drawing”
23. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences”
24. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World”
25. Alexandra M. Terzian: “The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book: Art & Craft Experiences From Around The World”
26. Arlette N. Bramen: “Kids Around The World Create!: The Best Crafts and Activities from Many Lands”
27. Jennifer Tjomas: “Masterpiece of the Month”
28. Kinghorn: “Let’s Meet Famous Artists”
29. MaryAnn F. Kohl: “Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Style of the Maters”
30. Joy Evans: “How To Teach Art to Children”
31. Darcie Clark Frohardt: “Teaching Art With Books Kids Love: Teaching Art Appreciation, Elements of Art, and Principles of Design with Award Winning Children’s Books”
32. M.L. Libby: “Using Art To Make Art”
33. Eric Booth: “The Everyday Work of Art: Awakening the Extraordinary in Your Daily Life”
34. Helen D. Hume: “A Survival Kit for the Elementary/Middle School ArtTeacher”
35. Nancy Beal: “The Art of Teaching to Children: In School and At Home”
36. Helen D. Hume: “The A rt Teacher’s Book of Lists”
37. Barbara Mc Nally: “Complete Art Curriculum Activities: 150 Easy-To-Use Art Lessons in 8 Exciting Creative Media For Grades 1 – 8”
38. Angela Kesselring: “The inclusion of visual art in home education : a qualitative microethnographic case study”
Websites:
1. “A History of Public Education in the United States” by Deeptha Tattai
www.servintfree.net/~aidmn-ejournal/publications/2001-11/Publications.htm
accessed 10-16-2006 at 8:35 a.m.
2. “Federal Requirement for Homeschoolers Seeking College Admission and Financial Aid” author – HSLDA staff
Home School Legal Defense Association Website
www. Hslda.org/docs/news/hslda/200306200306190.asp
accessed 10-30-2006 at 9:48 a.m.
3. “American Education History: A Hypertext Timeline” by Edmund Sass, Ed.D
www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html
accessed 10-19-2006 at 12:50 p.m.
4.”A Brief History of Homeschooling” by Patrick Farenga, Copyright 2002
www.hsc.org/professionals/briefhistory.php
accessed 10-19-2006 at 1:16 p.m.
5. www.homeschoolarts.com
6. www.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/art/38701.html
7. www.homeschooled-kids.com/hssart.html
8. www.homeschooling.about.com/od/fineartsa/freeartsnews.html
9. www.homeschoolartvideos.com
10. www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/art.html
11. www.cricketchurping.blogspot.com/2005/08/nada-on-art-for-homeschoolers.html
12. www.homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/drawing
13. www.homeschoolcentral.com/resource/art.htm
14. www.christian-parenting-source.com/home-school-art-curriculum.html
15. www.windycreek.com
16. www.thejubileeacademy.org/blog/2006043w.html
17. www.thejubileeacademy.org/blog/2006073w.html
18. www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/show-activity.asp?which+882
19. www.creativeartsinaction.com
20. www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?s+8threadid+364572
21. www.robinsoncurriculum.com
22. www.homeschool.com/bookstore/art.asp
23. www.artistshelpingchildren.org/artsarticles.html
24. www.homeschooling.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_art_at_home.html
25. www.teachathome.com/HSO/?group=TRLHSG
26. www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/waldorfgallery.html
Many thanks to CSULB Graduate Angela Kesselring for such an excellent thesis to start from, and also to blogger "Cricket" from whom many of the books on the list comes from. (#11 on the web links list). Of course, I welcome your input and resources, also. I will post them here if you like.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Portfolio Review - I am an artist
I have passed the portfolio review which is required prior to student-teaching. I have a spot waiting for me at a local school, and I'm really looking forward to the experience. It was grueling, almost, to show all my best works, stand in front of strangers and familiar faces, introduce myself, and wait for the challenging questions to begin. And they made me go first. "Set the tone" Liz said. Wow.
Overall, I feel like it was successful. Something opened my eyes, though - a few of the questions that were posed to me were very broad... so non-specific that it took me a few seconds to narrow down a feeble, yet intelligible response. I actually thought some of the questions posed to my colleagues were far from insightful - one of them was what I would call a DUMB question.
One of the questions related to how I would incorporate Art Criticism in my lessons. I was struck dumb for a few seconds because I include all 5 points of Art Education in every lesson (art production, aesthetic valuing, art history, art criticism and interdisciplinary relations). I don't compartmentalize them - they all go together, and all aspects are addressed. I felt goaded into agreeing with the reviewer when she suggested I use the "old Masters" to demonstrate a successful art criticism. Ugh - three years of being thrust willingly into the arms of multi-culturalism, only to be shoved back into relying on the dead white guys for the "true" example.
So after considering the experience a bit, I have somehing to watch for when student-teaching: how teachers compartmentalize aspects of lessons. I'm not sure this is as good an idea as some others do. I would be naive to think that I could do anything without categorizing and compartmentalizing things.. but isn't it stealing the creative thinking process from the students when you don't present all aspects of art as inter-related? Something to look for.
I got to hang my paintings in my own home, and put my ceramics back up in my cupboard. They've been in my garage for years, now, and have stock-piled as I have made them. Now I can receive enjoyment from my own works - every day. My home reflects more of me.
That has me thinking more about seeing myself as an artist. I know (logically) that I am an artist. There's something that has been engrained in most of us - that your art is what you do on the side, and you are what your occupation is.
I am myself.
I am also an artist.
I'm also now officially a teacher.
It seems like it would be tiring trying to compartmentalize all the aspects of myself - I am all of those labels, and much more. All those compartmentalized things are inter-related.
Shifting focus a bit: the thesis project is evolving, and I now have tons more tools at my use, and at the ready. I'm anticipating a great experience in assembling this project. I hope it won't be too long before I can share it with you all.
Overall, I feel like it was successful. Something opened my eyes, though - a few of the questions that were posed to me were very broad... so non-specific that it took me a few seconds to narrow down a feeble, yet intelligible response. I actually thought some of the questions posed to my colleagues were far from insightful - one of them was what I would call a DUMB question.
One of the questions related to how I would incorporate Art Criticism in my lessons. I was struck dumb for a few seconds because I include all 5 points of Art Education in every lesson (art production, aesthetic valuing, art history, art criticism and interdisciplinary relations). I don't compartmentalize them - they all go together, and all aspects are addressed. I felt goaded into agreeing with the reviewer when she suggested I use the "old Masters" to demonstrate a successful art criticism. Ugh - three years of being thrust willingly into the arms of multi-culturalism, only to be shoved back into relying on the dead white guys for the "true" example.
So after considering the experience a bit, I have somehing to watch for when student-teaching: how teachers compartmentalize aspects of lessons. I'm not sure this is as good an idea as some others do. I would be naive to think that I could do anything without categorizing and compartmentalizing things.. but isn't it stealing the creative thinking process from the students when you don't present all aspects of art as inter-related? Something to look for.
I got to hang my paintings in my own home, and put my ceramics back up in my cupboard. They've been in my garage for years, now, and have stock-piled as I have made them. Now I can receive enjoyment from my own works - every day. My home reflects more of me.
That has me thinking more about seeing myself as an artist. I know (logically) that I am an artist. There's something that has been engrained in most of us - that your art is what you do on the side, and you are what your occupation is.
I am myself.
I am also an artist.
I'm also now officially a teacher.
It seems like it would be tiring trying to compartmentalize all the aspects of myself - I am all of those labels, and much more. All those compartmentalized things are inter-related.
Shifting focus a bit: the thesis project is evolving, and I now have tons more tools at my use, and at the ready. I'm anticipating a great experience in assembling this project. I hope it won't be too long before I can share it with you all.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Changes are underway
Dear readers,
I have begun constructing a website which will eventually offer interactive lessons in studio art and art history, and forums to improve resources and links to fostering the arts in your teaching/learning setting.
So far, that website has been a class assignment for a course I am enrolled in. I have been able to practice the presentation of the content, and I hope to present to you some exciting changes once I am able to publish the new site. Once this semester is over, I will transfer the information posted here to my own website. I will continue to blog - but I will probably abbreviate the articles here, then attach links to the new site.
I have been researching the world of homeschooling, with the intent of writing my MA thesis (or project report) on the topic. My original intent is to write a standards-based curriculum in the visual arts and art history focused toward people who wish to include these topics in their teaching and learning experiences. My focus narrowed further to a target audience of home-schoolwork, and I have researched many issues related to homeschooling and the arts, and home-schooling in general.
I have decided against writing the thesis, and instead continuing with the project (writing the curriculum) and writing the project report. In all the data and information I have found - I am having considerable trouble distinguishing credible sources of information that are not author-biased for or against home-schooling. Writing the curriculum lends itself toward the project report. A thesis would require me to promote and defend a narrow idea which may or may not be beneficial in the scope of learning. While a Thesis (capital "T") will provide me with a publication behind my name on my resume, a project report (lower-case "p", lower-case "r") will allow me to focus on building a strong and relevant curriculum.
I'll follow a particular idea I read a few years ago (I'm sorry I can't recall the author) - that most theses in Art Education are written about what most people already know. Down with redundancy. Down with redundancy.
I have begun constructing a website which will eventually offer interactive lessons in studio art and art history, and forums to improve resources and links to fostering the arts in your teaching/learning setting.
So far, that website has been a class assignment for a course I am enrolled in. I have been able to practice the presentation of the content, and I hope to present to you some exciting changes once I am able to publish the new site. Once this semester is over, I will transfer the information posted here to my own website. I will continue to blog - but I will probably abbreviate the articles here, then attach links to the new site.
I have been researching the world of homeschooling, with the intent of writing my MA thesis (or project report) on the topic. My original intent is to write a standards-based curriculum in the visual arts and art history focused toward people who wish to include these topics in their teaching and learning experiences. My focus narrowed further to a target audience of home-schoolwork, and I have researched many issues related to homeschooling and the arts, and home-schooling in general.
I have decided against writing the thesis, and instead continuing with the project (writing the curriculum) and writing the project report. In all the data and information I have found - I am having considerable trouble distinguishing credible sources of information that are not author-biased for or against home-schooling. Writing the curriculum lends itself toward the project report. A thesis would require me to promote and defend a narrow idea which may or may not be beneficial in the scope of learning. While a Thesis (capital "T") will provide me with a publication behind my name on my resume, a project report (lower-case "p", lower-case "r") will allow me to focus on building a strong and relevant curriculum.
I'll follow a particular idea I read a few years ago (I'm sorry I can't recall the author) - that most theses in Art Education are written about what most people already know. Down with redundancy. Down with redundancy.
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