Final Post

It is hard to say what I gained most from the student teaching experience. I feel like I have learned so much from the experience in terms of classroom management, dealing with students and working with others. In terms of classroom management, I learned how to juggle many things at one time. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming when there are a million questions being flung at you at one time. I gained the patience and resolve to work through the questions till they are all answered. I have also gained the insight into working with students. Most importantly, feeling comfortable saying no and asking students to keep working on their projects when they think they are done. Keeping all of these other things in mind the thing I gained the most would be confidence. All of the time spent in the classroom reassured me that I choose the right profession and that I can be a confident and capable teacher. I can now enter a job feeling like I’m prepared for the challenge ahead.
The student teaching experience exceeded my expectations. I feel like I was lucky two have two great cooperating teachers who I could go for support and ask questions. I did not expect that I would build such strong relationships with the students and miss them so much when it was time to leave. This has by far been the most enjoyable semester in college for me and I’m pleased that my experience turned out to be so great.

Professional Qualities of My Future Job

Ideal Qualities of My Future Job:
Supportive staff
A mentor who can provide me with sound advice and encouragement
The chance to meet with other first year teachers
Encouragement to seek additional schooling
A strong art department where ideas can be shared

I would like to be at a school where the environment is collaborative and the teachers socialize both professionally and personally. I have found that this builds a community in the school and it allows you to feel comfortable asking questions and for help. I would also like the ability to communicate with other first year teachers and art teachers who share similarities in experiences. I have enjoyed the ability to communicate with classmates during student teaching and would hope to have a similar experience in the district I join. Finally, I would like to be encouraged to seek further educational possibilities for myself. Continuing my education is important to me and I would like to feel supported in that decision.

Successful Teacher

I believe that a successful teacher is primarily a matter of hard work and dedication to the students and ones subject area. If you put a lot to time into getting to know the students and listening to their interests you are more likely to create content that is interesting and engaging for them. If they see that you are willing to put in the work and that you are always prepared it gives them more incentive to participate and be ready to learn. I also think that if work hard at designing and planning lessons you are more likely to be successful at reaching the students. For example, by completing the project yourself first you can get an idea of where students may have problems and look for solutions. I also think that a well developed and delivered lesson is easier for the students to understand and for them to complete. I know that I will make many mistakes along the way as I learn to be a successful teacher, however, I believe that if I work on fixing those areas where I'm lacking I can improve myself. Though the work may be hard the reward of a successful project is well worth the trouble.

April 12th Post

During my first year of teaching I foresee that I will need a lot of support from the rest of the staff. I believe I will need support in learning the ropes of the school, like who to ask to get things done. I will also need advice on how to run my classroom and how to deal with students. I have no doubt that there will be many instances in which I will need to ask for help from others. I expect help to come from my building principal, my mentor, other teachers in the building, and other art teachers in the district. During student teaching I have enjoyed working in a collaborative environment with my cooperating teachers and hope that in my first position as a teacher, I will have someone that I can share my ideas with in a similar manner.

Standard J

To enhance my teaching I have used technology in a variety of ways. For elementary I used power point presentations to provide the students with information about artists and their work. For secondary education I have created a digital photography assignment that requires the use of a digital camera and Adobe software. My students will also be creating a podcast to explain their work for another assignment. Finally, all classes are using Google docs to turn assignments into me. In the future, I hope to integrate more technology in my class. There are numerous resources to enhance the learning environment and make learning more fun. In order to integrate more technology in my classroom, it would be helpful to have a smart board or projection system. There are also programs that the district could provide that would be beneficial to my ability to teach the students and to prepare them for their future.

Standard D

Critical thinking and problem solving are integral in the art classroom. Students are given basic directions on how to complete a project and the rest is up to them to decide. This freedom allows students to come up with their own ideas and work through problems that may arise. Since their artwork is unique to them, the problems they encounter must be solved by them. Art in the upper grades provides opportunities to problem solve with new materials and deal with feedback. In order to be an artist one must be able to take advice and criticism and use it to solve the problems they are having with their work. I think the best way to support critical thinking in the classroom is to provide assignments that challenge the students to think on their own. These projects have no right answer and they allow students to move beyond black and white thinking. I also think it is important to ask students questions to get them thinking about the choices they make with the art they create. As an art teacher it is important to push students to improve their work in terms of quality and the ideas that they have.

Standard H

I see professional development as playing a large role in my future career as an educator. I want to always be learning new techniques and information that will be valuable instructing my students better. An important part of this will be keeping up with the new technology that is available both inside and outside the classroom. As this new technology becomes available it is important to know how to use it and how it can improve one’s ability to reach students. In addition to technology, the art world is also constantly changing and as an instructor it is important to keep up on what is happening. As for my own education, in the future I hope to pursue a master’s degree in art education and possibly even a PHD. I believe that it is important for a teacher to remain enthused about their subject and professional development is the key to achieving this goal.

Standards Fand I

I believe the role of art teacher and art education advocate are one in the same. Art teachers need to constantly be promoting their courses and their programs to students, faculty and the community. Often times when there is a need for cuts in the budget, fine arts programs are the first on the chopping block. It is important that you have built up a group of people who believe that the arts are important and can support your cause. Advocacy can be used as a tool during these times and when there are no concerns about cuts. Artwork done by students and the teacher can communicate the importance of the arts when hung in schools and out in public. When people see what is going on in schools and all of the projects that are being done they are more likely to understand the importance of art in schools. I think that the art teacher serves as a representative to the arts for students and parents. Most people do not know artist and understand all of the possibilities that art degrees provide. The teacher is a liaison between the general community and the arts community. They can get people involved in art projects easier than anyone else by promoting events at school. So far I have been involved in the creation of a piece of art that will be hung in the elementary school I’m student teaching at to promote the schools anti bullying initiative. This serves a purpose of communicating a message to the parents and students, while demonstrating the presence of the art program. I also believe that school district art shows are good community projects which make parents to get out and look at the art work of their students and their peers.

Standard G

I think that assessment in art is as important as assessment in any other subject. Assessments in art provide motivation for students to learn the content and execute what they are taught. Without grading there would be no reason for them to follow the directions or even participate in class. At my elementary school they do assessment for learning. This means that you provide examples and non examples of correct work throughout the process of the project. Students are also ask to give input into what grade they believed they earned based on the criteria given to them. I have used assessment for learning in my fourth grade lesson by providing students with examples of how the project should look and examples of what would not meet the guidelines. I also had them do a self assessment to see if they understood the concepts that were emphasized by the lesson.

Post 4, Standard K

I think that the impact of subject knowledge on the teachers ability to be successful is immense. If you do not have a background knowledge of the subject it is hard to expand on the projects you present and the questions that students ask. I think there is also a link between the interest that a teacher has in their subject material and their ability to teach. If you have a great understanding of your subject knowledge you are better able to make content interesting for students and encourage higher thinking learning.

When I begin to plan a lesson there are a variety of resources that I turn to generate ideas. I first think about my own experiences with art education. This may be when I was in elementary school or possibly even college assignments that I could translate to an elementary/high school setting. Next I look to the lessons that I observed while visiting classrooms throughout my college coursework. The teachers that I spent time working during practicum and student teacher are also excellent in providing lesson ideas. I have also found during my student teaching that all of the elementary art teachers in the district get together and share ideas about what projects their students are doing currently and have done in the past. Finally, there are a number of websites that have excellent resources for lesson planning. Some that I have used are dickblick.com, princetonol.com, kinderart.com and deepspacesparkle.com. Often times I get a basic idea from these sites and build upon it to fit the needs of my students.

Student Teaching Post #4

When creating a positive learning environment it is essentials to have rules to support the teacher’s expectations for students. The most important rule in any classroom is to treat each other with respect and listen to others, including the teacher, when they are speaking. Other rules that I think are important are that students respect classroom materials and complete their projects to their fullest capability. I plan to create a positive environment by first setting rules and routines for the students to follow. I think that establishing standards is a good way for students to become comfortable in the class and focus on the work that they are making. I also think that a positive learning environment stems from the teachers attitude towards the students and content. By modeling a positive attitude and being excited about the lesson, teachers can influence how students perform on projects. Other ways of creating a positive atmosphere is by allowing a free exchange of ideas and allowing students to listen to music while they work. All of these things build rapport with the students and cut down on the need to enforce classroom rules.

Student Teaching Post 3

When approaching planning and teaching diverse learners I first think about the strengths that the students posses. This guides me in picking lessons that I think that they can not only complete but excel at. I think that a lot of the lessons in the art room can be modified to meet the needs of diverse learners. This could mean providing modified tools or changing the standards for completion. Thus far in my student teaching experience the accommodations I have made for diverse learners is providing them extra assistance with projects. I want these students to know that they can accomplish just as much as every other student. The lessons that I create also allow for plenty student input so that variation is championed not discouraged. As I approach diverse learners in the future I will look for ways for them to actively and equally participate in class projects.

Post 2- Standard A

When I think back on the most influential classes that I have taken both in college and high school what they all have in common is that content was presented in an interesting and thought provoking manner. The expectations that the teachers set were supported by their ability to make the content interesting. I think that when students are engaged in the material it is easier to expect more from them in return. Expectations such as regular attendance become less of an issue because students are more willing to attend on their own. My hope that as a future teacher I can make the class so interesting that the students will want to come and to participate. The end goal of this would be making expectations for student behavior and participation less of an issue.

My student teaching setting is in a district that has high expectations and achievement standards for both students and teachers. In the past they have been one if not the highest achieving school district in the state in terms of ITBS scores. In order to maintain this reputation the administration pushes their teachers to do their best and create an environment conducive to learning. One example of this is requiring teachers to place daily goals on their boards to guide their teaching and to hold them accountable for reaching curriculum goals. While the district may have high expectations for their teachers, this translates into a sense of pride for the job they are doing and a pride in the students they are teaching. In my cooperating teachers classroom she has high expectations for student behavior and for the work that they produce. That being said my cooperating teacher has created a community that is open to sharing and requires students to be creative. To balance high expectations for performance the art room has a community that allows students to relax and express themselves as an individual.

Student Teaching Post #1

The thing that I find most daunting about finishing student teaching is finding a job. I have already graduated and have felt the anxiety that comes with being unemployed. Due to this past experience I worry a lot about finding a job and being able to be independent. This time around I also feel more pressure because teaching art is something that I really want to do. Before I was unsure of the path I wanted to take with my degrees and it made it easier to face rejection during my job search.

The event that influenced me to be a teacher was being unemployed after graduating from college and working an office job. During this period I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted my future to be like and what kind of job would make me the most happy. I was better able to asses my needs without the pressure of needing to decide to pick a major, like I had in college. During this time I realized that my interest in working in the arts and my love for helping people would translate well into being an art teacher. Though it was difficult to go back to school a year after graduating, I knew that this would be something I could do the rest of my life and be happy.

My wardrobe has begun to change in several ways since I have thought about and started student teaching. I now think about what clothes would be appropriate to wear in school and make sure that all parts of me are covered that might be distracting to students. I also try to focus on clothes that are professional looking, but won’t break the bank. I can be as careful as possible and still end up with paint somewhere on my clothes, so it is important to me that if this happens I won’t be losing out on a significant investment. Finally, I focus on clothes that I know I will be comfortable wearing all day long. The last thing that I want to worry about when I’m teaching is what I have on and if I am comfortable.