Ever since I have started this class it seems that technology is integrated into so many things in my day to day life. Of course technology is a huge part of my curriculum and the class that I teach but it seems that these "extra" activities that keep coming across my plate are technology integrated. My district has just "recruited" myself and three other teachers to demonstrate innovative technology to another district. It seems that my art education degree is getting pushed to the side and technology is taking over...
I try to keep my class as much of an art class as I can, but there is constant pressure of focusing on the software, and how technology is helping the students, that the art is getting lost. I had an advisory committee meeting last week and the industry could not stress to us enough the importance of drawing and that they are looking for students with fine art skills. I would love to teach drawing but unfortunately that is not a part of the standards that align with the curriculum that I must teach. The funding is better in the Technology strand and so my class is coded under "Information Technology". So something that the students need to know is something that I can not "technically" teach them. It feels like such a double standard that I have to carry an art education degree and yet art is not a part of my curriculum.
This is a back and forth internal struggle that I go through very often... that's my rant for the evening!
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Group Presentations
I wanted to reflect tonight on group presentations. Group presentations in a classroom setting and most recently a group presentation coordinated all online. The group assignment and class discussion that I participated in last week was such an interesting experience. I have done many group assignments but none that were all online and working with people I have never seen! I was nervous at first as to how the communication would work and if that would cause the group to crumble. I was pleasantly surprised that it was quite easy to communicate and coordinate what we were doing. Everyone expressed their thoughts and ideas and got along great!
As usual, this is reflected right now in my classroom. My students have just started a group assignment and I have already received parent emails and student emails of silly drama and conflicts. I try to explain to my students that they will have to learn how to work with people no matter what they pursue for their future. They think that they can just "work with friends" and that is not always the case and honestly not realistic. I hope to be able to resolve the conflicts and maybe split up the groups and comfort the parent...
Group projects are always something my students dread and I hope to turn their attitudes around. I have had wonderful experiences with group assignments and of course I have had the latter. Managing groups and working in groups seems to be the theme of the week for me.
As usual, this is reflected right now in my classroom. My students have just started a group assignment and I have already received parent emails and student emails of silly drama and conflicts. I try to explain to my students that they will have to learn how to work with people no matter what they pursue for their future. They think that they can just "work with friends" and that is not always the case and honestly not realistic. I hope to be able to resolve the conflicts and maybe split up the groups and comfort the parent...
Group projects are always something my students dread and I hope to turn their attitudes around. I have had wonderful experiences with group assignments and of course I have had the latter. Managing groups and working in groups seems to be the theme of the week for me.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
5 Image Stories
Thoughts on the 5 image story assignment...
This assignment was something I was excited for! I was looking forward to being creative and taking pictures. I have seen this assignment before but I have never attempted it myself. I was torn on what I wanted to do and had some different ideas... My first idea was to take my nieces to a pumpkin patch and show the story of them picking out their first pumpkin. Then I started thinking of other things to photograph with them and I ended up just playing with them and documenting an average day, I was disappointed at first because I didn't get to do my original idea but it ended up being beautiful in its simple kind of way.
Then I was thinking about throwing clay on a pottery wheel and documenting the cycles that the clay takes to go from clay to finished piece. Ceramics is a personal hobby of mine and I thought it would be nice to show something personal and also a different art form.
I ended up using the glass blowing because it was such an amazing opportunity and something so unique. I love the process and it is also something that looks really sweet in photographs!
So I was kind of all over the place with this assignment but really enjoyed it! I found it so interesting to see other classmates and how they approached this project. Some students told a sports story, others were more serious topics such as smoking and their pregnancy stories... It is always fascinating to see how people approach a project. I would have never thought of those ideas and it was really nice to see all the different solutions.
This assignment was something I was excited for! I was looking forward to being creative and taking pictures. I have seen this assignment before but I have never attempted it myself. I was torn on what I wanted to do and had some different ideas... My first idea was to take my nieces to a pumpkin patch and show the story of them picking out their first pumpkin. Then I started thinking of other things to photograph with them and I ended up just playing with them and documenting an average day, I was disappointed at first because I didn't get to do my original idea but it ended up being beautiful in its simple kind of way.
Then I was thinking about throwing clay on a pottery wheel and documenting the cycles that the clay takes to go from clay to finished piece. Ceramics is a personal hobby of mine and I thought it would be nice to show something personal and also a different art form.
I ended up using the glass blowing because it was such an amazing opportunity and something so unique. I love the process and it is also something that looks really sweet in photographs!
So I was kind of all over the place with this assignment but really enjoyed it! I found it so interesting to see other classmates and how they approached this project. Some students told a sports story, others were more serious topics such as smoking and their pregnancy stories... It is always fascinating to see how people approach a project. I would have never thought of those ideas and it was really nice to see all the different solutions.
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