Weekly Discussions

Week 1

I learned many important and interesting concepts in class today. To express something you need technical skills. In a slide show, we were shown young student work and how powerful it can be. In the first sculpture of a hand and leaves, we discovered that even children have mental consciousness on social issues. The example we were shown today focuses on deforestation through the artwork. The next artwork we were taught about next was The pink house. another creation of students that expresses the world would be different with a female president. An example in the slideshow showed us that children can even show solid arguments and future consequences in their pieces. If a controversial artwork is accompanied by an artist statement is can make all the difference as well as connect to the younger generation's culture which can reveal hidden symbols. Time is very important to visual culture. In the chapter readings, Nude detecting staircase, a series of images are compiled to suggest movement, which was performed even before the invention of movies. Another historical event happened when designs were needed for wallpapers. This caused the skill of copying an image to be taught in schools which was a big step for art education. This was an example of the disciplined art era. Described as Learning skills such as copying the master's work, practicing philosophy, and learning critique. The concept of not copying the teacher and pursuing the student's interests instead of adult rules was later developed. Encouragement is key to helping children reach their full potential. So much can impact a child and their development, even toys and television documentaries. Barbie in this instance implies to children how they should look. Our teacher conveyed to us students today that Barbie sets unrealistic beauty standards.

Week 2

In our college lesson this week we were given a sort of outline to follow when we perform a lesson plan. The main objectives include Idea or concept, Example, Review, and practice. These missions can be done in any order. Teacher art and understanding visual culture were recurring themes throughout our day. Interest and heritage communities definitions, as well as examples for each, were provided. We were advised to find at least one good thing about the work we are critiquing. The art of critique was extensively explained. It is also important to relate the work to the topic they were assigned in class or the objective the artist gave themselves. It was also interesting to dive into the multiple types of critique like peer pairs. This type helps shy students express their ideas without the pressure of addressing the entire class. Having students write their answers down is another way to help shy students. More advice for teaching would be waiting longer for students to answer questions and not accepting incomplete answers. At the end of class, we focused on types of questions such as Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthetic, and evaluation questions.

Today I took notes on how to give effective explanations. I recorded to give an effective explanation, one must not make it too complex or long. One should also use the appropriate language according to the audience. Lessons should be built off previous knowledge, be well organized, easy to follow, include time for practice, be reinforced with examples, attention-grabbing, and allow questioning. Dramatic stories can help students understand parts of a whole. A classroom should ensure that everyone can see. When a teacher explains something they should consider: attention span, the exact objective, key parts and elements, repetition of important concepts, and examples. The visualization shows the imagination of students. New knowledge is made by connections. Feeling what we see is very important. Art can help us understand things no other way can. It can also really upgrade the status of a subject. Location is important to content and feelings. Sometimes different cultures can look unusual to an outsider until it is properly understood.

Week 3

This week we learned the importance of taking pictures or documenting children’s artwork. Following through with this action will result in a better understanding of the stages children go through. How children are taught or the culture they experience will both impact them. Not all people are the same. They can be set into groups but they will always have their mind and unique attributes within that group. The act of making art can act as a tool to embrace these facts. Art connects ideas to feelings. Psychologists recognize that children go through stages of development. (novice to expert). There was a study conducted in which thousands of child drawings were collected and recognized as stages. Almost all children do not care about finishing an artwork, as long as the narrative is there, they are satisfied, The first stage to be recognized was the scribble stage taking place ages 2-4. The second stage occurs ages 6-10 and is known as the figurative stage. Midlines, see-through houses, exaggeration, repetition, and elevation, are all utilized by children in this stage. Thirdly, the artistic decisions stage transpires when children are 9-12 and overlapping, sizing, detailing, and copying are seen. This is a tipping point for some children. If they get too frustrated, they will quit and their skills will be stuck at the stage they gave up in.

Week 4

Today in class we learned about lesson planning. Lessons should be clear in their points and objectives. This should answer why the lesson is being taught and what it has to do with everyday life. Positive and negative examples should be provided either visually or verbally so students can further grasp the subject being taught. After the lesson, a review should be conducted. This allows the teacher to check in on their students for understanding which can be completed with questioning. Encouraging students to practice will ensure they have retained this new knowledge. An introductory lesson must have proper motivation to get its point across. Also, a clear and well-thought-out explanation would be necessary. Reviewing and summarizing both help reinforce the lesson. Allow students to work and observe them. Offer to help them if needed. Tell students in the future how they can use what they learned to solve a problem. Think about where the finished pieces will be kept. A working lesson builds off a previous lesson. The teacher may need to revisit the central themes and tell the students how they involve the current lesson. When students are working, check their work and evaluate their progress. The culmination lesson displays work students can view. Objectives must be reviewed and supported with critique. A written cringe is most effective. The classroom discussion is also known as the criticism. This is defined as a plan of key outcomes from the discussion. Listing them as well as comparing them will ensure the students the best education experience. The student’s review will consist of questions within their criticism. The film, video, slideshow, and gallery visit should have an advanced system of organization. These activities should be accompanied by an engaging activity to follow. The room or location must be well thought about and rehearsed beforehand. This prevents disorganized thoughts from surfacing. The technology used in the lesson should also be well understood as well as the role it provided in the lesson.

Week 5

Today in class we discussed the word theme and what people have defined it as as well as examples that can help us further our understanding of it. The theme creates meaning throughout the art. Everything has a purpose and it is up to us to determine what an artist is trying to say with their work. Artists can be inspired by a variety of different experiences. Some experiences can be grouped which involve cultures within an artist’s life. Some common themes include the topic, research, qualities, media, intent, strategies, style, and techniques. Science fiction and fiction are these examples. These two concepts are always related. Fiction can create something that will later be made real when inventors are inspired. Nature and environment involve what we can find outdoors. This subject can inspire the preservation of nature. Local communities such as family and friends always surround artists. These exposures can develop common interests. Murals for cities, social issues, and history can all be found within this idea. Fantasy, history, and legends have influenced the world and will continue to do so. Mythology or icons in films prove this to be true. Nonobjective art and design will house the ideas of abstraction, protest, and hidden messages. Interdisciplinary knowledge will always be a characteristic of the theme. As long as artists are interested in their subject their beautiful processes will flow naturally and easily.

Week 6

Today in class we were given feedback about our lessons and what we can improve upon for next time. I for instance was advised to demonstrate on the board instead of just pointing at my slide show. Now I know that for a crayon transfer I should already have crayons without the paper prepared. We also learned about Aims, which exercises control, routine, including eye contact, having a constant spot in the room, and demanding attention. Goals were the next concept we learned and includes what the teacher aims for the students to understand by the end of the semester. Objectives would be the last of the three ideas and would be what the students should learn by the end of the day.

Aims, Goals, and objectives all make up the curriculum of a visual culture philosophy. The planned and enacted ideas of a lesson are all intended. Null is everything not taught. Hidden would be everything unintentional. when teaching a lesson, wait to start until everyone is listening, establish rules, and try not to stare at a student as if you are expecting them to misbehave again and act surprised if they do. A closed objective is a noncreative one and proves students learned and completed their tasks. An open objective enables students a choice to make differences in their work and allows them to explore different things to show what they learned

Week 7

Today in class we learned about the visual qualities in education. We started with some feedback on the lessons we taught at St Mary’s. I learned that we need to be more patient with our students and remind them to follow along and not skip ahead. We were told that a real object being displayed in the classroom is much more effective than only teaching how to draw the object with no real reference. Visual qualities relate to art and how elements and principles are arranged. More specifically ideas, formal qualities, and technical skills related to Visual qualities. Visual tools include objects, space, light, and time. Arthur Wesley Dew came up with the elements and principles we know today. We also learned that abstract art does not make connections with the real world or represent content. More elements and principles of art should be added when evaluating art. This is because art is evolving with time and new types are emerging. The old ways do not explain the full range of qualities. Some new ones to consider would be objects, space, light, time, and sound, music, or language.

Week 8

Today we had a very short class. We started by discussing the chapter as well as how modern technology affects art lessons today. We then began an activity to come up with lesson plans that would include this new technology in a lesson plan. My partner and I can up with: animating figures in PowerPoint, photo manipulation (face-swapping), a website that acts as a Pictionary game for the students, tracing pictures in computer programs, and making animals in Microsoft paint. The last idea was inspired by my childhood which involved my sister and myself making monkeys in Microsoft paint on our old computer. After our activity, we discussed what we learned so far in our clinical experience. Our new knowledge ranged from patience to know what age group we would like to teach in the future. Our professor then gave a great example of how a teacher included technology in a lesson. In the example he provided, the teacher had the children put all of their pictures on a floppy disk. This impressed the parents with their child’s artwork as well as their new ability to understand technology. I lastly received feedback on my lesson and was encouraged to keep all my ideas in one day. I was also encouraged to include real examples of fruit for my still life slideshow.

Week 9

Today in class we learned when teaching a new concept to think of what the students already know and build off that knowledge. An example of this would be when teaching about printmaking, remind the students about stamps, newspapers or comics, or other things the students might already know. This is what is known as situated learning. Multimodal learning strategies present different methods to explain a lesson. This can be something as simple as a PowerPoint. This PowerPoint can include examples from teachers, students, or even other famous artists. Discovery methods lead to learning through experimentation, kind of like following a puzzle. A teacher should set a problem or design problem for their students. This leads to problem-solving skills being developed. Inquiry learning or investigating a hypothesis can also be useful. Students in your class might enjoy helping other students with special needs. A teacher can help them by using clay on their utensils or other tools that can be used to benefit them. Rehearsal and repetition are very important. Field trips should be paired with activities. Synectics happens when connecting unalike things to make something new. An example would be two bowls having a pile of words. One contains animals, and the other contains descriptive words (fluffy alligator). Debating roleplay, coaching, displays, field trips, games, brainstorming, and questions should all be used in the classroom.

Week 10

Today we learned interpreting a test is an assessment. Criterium refers to one and criteria refers to multiple. Both would initiate the writing necessary for a rubric. Another tip we learned was to start judgment with a pick of the best and worst artworks done by students. Objectives must be clear during a lesson. For our next lesson plan, we must include objectives, criterium, and rubrics. We did an activity with photocopies of student work. We were assigned to organize work based on how well the students performed their tasks. I think we all generally agreed on the organization from best to worst. Grouping similar works was a useful method we used to do this.

Week 11

Today we learned interpreting a test is an assessment. Criterium refers to one and criteria refers to multiple. Both would initiate the writing necessary for a rubric. Another tip we learned was to start judgment with a pick of the best and worst artworks done by students. Objectives must be clear during a lesson. For our next lesson plan, we must include objectives, criterium, and rubrics. We did an activity with photocopies of student work. We were assigned to organize work based on how well the students performed their tasks. I think we all generally agreed on the organization from best to worst. Grouping similar works was a useful method we used to do this.

Week 12

Seeing everyone else’s lesson printed out and having them discuss their lessons was very inspiring. I’m glad to see just how well we are all doing and hear that our students are getting a great education. It was very bittersweet that we compared our last lesson. It is sweet because we don’t have to stress about planning more lessons for the rest of the semester. It is better because we don’t get to have fun with our students anymore. Everyone has a successful rubric and I agreed with the placement of the levels of success. We all received feedback and advice on how to further strengthen our lesson. I already have so many ideas for the next time I teach my Rock cave lesson. I am very interested to see how our middle school clinical will go and if I will prefer middle school over my elementary school experiences.

Week 13

Today we learned about standards in visual arts education. There are some weaknesses in them such as taking risks not being directly mentioned. Standards were created by a group of people and provided a universal reference. These do not provide a measure of performance. Not everyone from a group agrees in every situation. Standards are either student knowledge and approach to context or a clear expected level of performance. Categories of structure include: creating, presenting, responding, and corresponding. Teachers need to remember what it is like to make art and then apply the standards. Standards need to be addressed, promote risk, creativity, minimal, clean, and consistent.