MY DANCING ALPHABET

Presenting...My 4 Letters! L Q F & U!!!

 

This weeks class made me uneasy as well.  We started with a topic of what does an Art Teacher make of a problem student.  One that is creating drawings of sensitive topics that raise concern.  I felt nervous about this, not that it has happened to me, but that I feel I'm not that qualified to make that call.  I would argue along side Aileen, if I was in such a situation, of weather this is a problem student or a problem paper, or a problem of violence, for an example.  It comes down to where do I feel alarm.  I guess I might have the best insight, but it's trudging on thin ice.  I think about accountability and getting sued; I try to make conscience decisions as to not put myself in these kind of situations.  I'm nervous.

And then as if this is a lighter topic, the conversation segues into abandoned wastelands.  We continue with our graphic novel assignment where we are asked to consider the oil spills, our wrecked economy, and collapsed structures.  What haunts me?  

I'm not sure of a story or characters, but I started to think about images of a broken down Paterson.  I felt the need to take photo's and then do important outlines of environments on transparencies.  I also thought I'd want to use metal in my book somehow as a coldness, or as to keep protected/ keep out.  I went for a drive with my husband, clicking photo's of possible scenes.  I normally have no reason to ride through Paterson, but one time in daylight, I and many other cars, saw a man getting beaten.  This left an imprint on me, and my husband, who has seen plenty in his life, told me that he felt nervous driving around the town.  He asked if I was that naive to think we would be fine because the sun was out.  I felt find until he said that.  I don't like feeling nerved up from residual nerves of someone else. 

I Appreciate...

-the idea of teaching children, not training children - and that you teach expectations I found so well thought out.  What a great outlook to have in assisting in developing a young person. 
-the idea of a responsive classroom with an emergent curriculum.  I feel though, this comes easier with experience in teaching, after knowing a group for a while.  I believe this isn't for the new teacher like me.  I would find it necessary to have a plan to work off of, and adjust according to the individual.  Elements of an emergent curriculum are:

• a loose plan of work
• an energy in the room to pursue something
• to solicit responses from the students

and that:

• it doesn't seem appropriate to determine all that's going to be taught before the class assembles
• the more casual it looks, the more conscience it is

-I also love the idea of 'if you tell everything all at once, what is left to discover.'  I really hope I can create this environment for my students.

-the idea of going over sketch books, but it was too much.  I admit, I checked out, I didn't want to hear so much about everybody's.  Maybe an intensive overview for 30 minutes, when people are rushing to get in their thoughts because they are being timed.  Or only doing half the class every other week.  I used part of the time to really enjoy Vitamin 3-D by Phaidon Press.  The sculptures were what I like to do, and what I like to see.  It was really motivating.

-the feeling of being smart.  I don't read much because I've always been a slow reader, coupled with being relaxed by reading, equals someone who takes a while to read two pages, and then falls asleep.  I still haven't finished a book a great friend gave me years ago, but I had read about synesthesia in an Opera Magazine, and had discussed it with him, which intern he gave me the book, Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens by Patricia Lynne Duffy.  I was so glad I could contribute to the class in a real academic way, and that I could reference a book, by title, in a conversation.

-the idea of using a wax resistance technique with a white/clear candle.  I had tried to do a self-portrait in oil pastel over a hammock in watercolor.  NOT SUCCESSFUL, you need more then just a waxy material.

-I also desperately felt the need to have an idea of what we would be doing with this creation; I just felt I could make a better choice if I knew more about where it was headed.  I just didn't want to leave the project to chance and then deal it into the projects' focus- is that so wrong?  Hi, I'm Cheryl & I'm a control freak.

-the idea that we are going to work with a theme of an apocalypse.  'Contemporary Ruins' is going to be the theme of a graphic novel we will be making.  Likened to the movie The Road with Cormac McCarthy, we are to think about when everything comes tumbling down, economically, environmentally, the DIY Movement.  After a week of thinking about this, I felt worried and talked about it with my husband multiple times.  Thanks for such a great bedtime story at the end of class Aileen!

Oh Good Heavens

   I don't know what I would do if I was facing the daunting task that Romina is.  I need to have a plan, I need to plan out many worst case scenarios, I base this on the norms of a typical high school class, room, and for an allotted 45 minute period.  I don't know what I would do with 45 students for 5 hours in an auditorium like setting!  The ideas talked about in class of moving the bodies to different stations, signage to the different locals, lot's of breaks and assistants is a great start, but God, this seems daunting for a young twenty something to handle!  And THIS is the experience that will contribute to her make-up as a teacher.
   I feel like I could handle the situation with variables.  45 students for 1-2 hours perhaps.  I would have an opportunity to work on projects from start to finish.  Things with construction like chicken wire and paper mache.  Things like teaching design problem solving: posing a question, brainstorming, thumbnails, sharing, and then creating.  Work that can be made into a performance would also be fun for a large group.  But this is providing there is cooperation, quiet to concentrate, and assistance.  I once had the pleasure of working with http://greatsmallworks.org/, a puppet theatre group that helped put together a pageant that was derived from the students.  Maybe there are other organizations that can come in and work with a group, and your time with them is used as mini-lessons to prepare them for this adventure.
   I feel like I could also handle 20 students for 6 hours.  I remember that was the make up of my painting and drawing classes in undergrad.  We worked from about 9-12, took an hour lunch, and then worked for another 2 hours.  It seemed manageable for both the teacher and student.  It was setting up a still life after settling in, and then at the day ended with sharing work, or homework.

   Maybe looking at it as an ideal situation with some tweaking can make it a positive, exciting time, that when you look back on it you can think, "Wow, if I could do that, I can do anything!"  Or maybe "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"

It Must Be Convincing

   So interesting this week that a thought that started in one class a week ago, would be then spun by another class.  The idea that behind a work of art, is the artist's intention, but the "object in the world" has to be convincing.  A week later, a non-judgmental element was brought up when describing a work of art (in this case by the artist) to a viewer without the sense of sight.
   Now I understand that this population is a small percentage of the viewing public, and the aim of all artists isn't to create work for people who can't see it, but it does make an even playing field for a master of the arts whose work is admired, and where more words

• Is it expecting too much from the viewer to read from bottom to top? 
• Does this read as a wedding cake with bride & groom?

can enhance this view of the world.  The rarity of the artist  presenting their own work to the viewer does throw a monkey wrench in this train of thought.  But how interesting if an artist would be able to describe what we are looking at, and describe their thoughts behind the picture, as well as what was going on in their life at the time in a conversation.  How much insight wold be gained from this verbal view of art. 
   This brings me to my art students, integration is huge.  Whenever we look at art (my clients and I) I ask "what do you hate, what do you like?"  Followed by why and what do you see in this image, etc, until after a while, they know the routine.  The young artists are on the look out to see what the art is about.  Similarly, this is the same method I would use with typical students.  Age and ability will effect the process in a way of being a richer conversation, but would not disable the ability to talk and look at the art.  How fantastic would it be for a youngster without sight to see work from a typical child of their own age.  What an exciting prospect of making leaders out of the sighted, and instructors out of the visually impaired.
   I feel a similar connection could be made with a relationship with typical third grade student and some of the adults with cognitive disabilities that I work with.  I see this in the way their hearts are so open, in their sense of humor, and in similar play interests.  What better way to educate the future then with this exposure in their youth.  The acceptance would be so beneficial to the community at large, as well as by the individuals with disabilities.

I Don't Want to Limit Materials

• I love the freedom of a visual diary to work out and try new things.  I want to use this class as a place to find out answers to all my last minute questions before landing an Art Teacher position.  I want to experiment and try new materials.  I want to be an inventor.  These answers are the proof to my art equation.

PS- I loved making one of the two pieces both last week and this.  No doubt it's the inventor in me, not the experimenter.  Left is a part of a fountain from a trip to Quebec this summer made of self-hardening clay on paper.  Right is a sharpie made dancer on an acetate print out of a printed photo of a fruit bowl from a drive to Ringwood Manor last weekend.  It overlays stitched paper with ballet positions.

• I am ready to advertise and do a performance piece.  It's something I have thought about for years.  Without cursing, I'm going to write messages to other motor vehicles on the road, inspired originally by the Blue Man Group and rekindled by Jenny Holzer, http://www.artnet.com/artwork/425958219/702/blue-blue.html on a led sign strapped to my ski rack.  I'll write things like:

1. PLEASE LET ME BY, I'M LATE FOR SCHOOL
2. NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, THAT WASN'T NICE
3. I'M SORRY
4. THANK YOU
5. WAS THAT NECESSARY
6. MY WATER BROKE

What a coming out that would be!  And I figure, if I get pulled over, I'll just show my Pratt ID, right?

• I had a fantastic High School Art Teacher and Mentor named William Graziano.  He told me, while I was working with students in the school play, organizing the costume closet, when I came across an old wooden New Years Eve noisemaker, that these are the things I should get inspired by, these are the things to develop into lesson plans.
• Finally, to get a teaching job, it occurred to me from this last thought during class, how much does a billboard cost?
• I love this advertisement from design forward Anthropology.  Practically all type, and it made me think of the previous weeks braille solution to the in-class assignment.  PS-the candle was tied on with what appeared to be wick string, actually a candle necklace- ya!

"Always on the Side of the Learner"

• How do I solve problems with a visual answer-  This time, I just saw the solution in my head, immediately.  Maybe something in an image that was passed that involved sewing got it all rolling.  Usually I list make, brainstorm to my maximum, and by doing so I get the best of the best.  But this time my creative juices were just bursting, that I had an answer I was excited about and satisfied with before I put in the research.

• Speaking of why I love Googly Eyes-  The SNL sketch with Christopher Walken in INDOOR GARDENING TIPS -from- A Man Who's Very Scared Of Plants, makes you unable to have any other visual for these 2 words ever again!  http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/googly-eyes-gardener/1119102/

• & common place materials for installation pieces-  My mind went straight to Canadian artist Brian Jungen.  I fell in love with him on a trip to Ontario and Quebec in Spring 2006.  http://www.wdw.nl/event.php?act_id=114

• Cooperative Learning-  Please forgive me, but I just had gone on an interview the week before with the Union City District.  The Assistant Superintendent's interview went well and great, as did the Principal's interview over the phone, but it was much tougher.  Thought I might share some question/topics asked of me.

PS- Cooperative Learning BING BING BING I think is a great answer to how you would manage your classroom.

1. Different Theories of Learning
2. Project Based
3. Howard Gardner
4. Bloom's Taxonomy
5. Learning Centers
6. Portfolio Assessment
7. Multiple Intelligences
8. Differentiated Learning
9. Philosophy on Education