Teaching and Assessment
Planning and Preparation:
~ Planning and preparation is key in achieving student success within the art classroom. Being over prepared is also part of your professional responsibility as an employee of the schools.
~You are a role model for your students and if you are not prepared and ready for the day, how can you expect them to be?
~ Flexibility is also extremely vital. If you are over prepared it allows you to be flexible while teaching. When I have taught I have found many times that an idea I think is engaging and fun, students may not find interesting at all. When you gauge your student interest and involvement with the idea, then you can alter it once you are actually in front of your students. You can make alterations to create more engagement for students while keeping the initial objectives of the lesson.
~ Confidence: Being very prepared allows you to teach confidently. I think that teaching with confidence is vital and students are much more apt to learn and be engaged if you know what you’re talking about and if you present it with confidence.
Classroom Environment:
~ Mutual respect: I am a real person and so is every student. Students will respect the classroom, other students, and me. This allows trust, understanding, patience, and more learning to occur. Requiring respect in the classroom also promotes ownership for the students. If you give them more responsible and ownership of their classroom and school, they will be more apt to take control of their own learning and hopefully their lives.
~ Fun/positive outlook: I require the students to come to class prepared to be positive about the lesson for the day and to have fun with what they are doing. It is my responsibility to do the same. I have to present the information with energy, humor, a positive attitude, and I have to have fun too, or else the students will not. If you approach art and creativity with a positive outlook you will be more engaged and successful.
~ Productivity: Students are expected to be creativity productive throughout the entirety of the class. If they are not feeling like they are engagement in their projects they can take a break from them, but must work in their sketchbooks. Every artist (myself included) needs mental breaks from their work.
Assessment:
~ Formative/Summative Assessment: Having students answer questions, reflect and sketch in their sketchbooks can be a great formative assessment. It teaches them how to utilize their sketchbooks, and it is a way to check their understanding on certain subjects and specific topics and questions. Collecting sketchbooks each week is a good way to assess individual and group progress. Having students create a portfolio I think is one of the best ways us summative assessments in the art classroom. It shows their growth over time, and it teaches them a skill that most artists use.
~ Providing feedback/role of reflection: Feedback must be given in various forms in the art classroom. It should be given by other students, the teacher, and done individually. Conducting self and group critiques is I think the best form of reflection and feedback for the students. They get multiple perspectives and ideas this way and can better improve their artwork and ideas for future assignments. Having them reflect on what they could improve on what they learned will help them better remember what exactly they did and learned. I have found that students forget what you tell them a lot, especially if you only say it once. Repetition and reiteration is key in getting students to retain knowledge.
~ Standards-Based/Depth of Knowledge/Experiential/Inquiry based: Utilizing all of the various forms of assessment in some way, throughout your class is very important. Students respond in very different ways to different way of instruction and assessment so it is important to use a variation. Grading off of various inquiry questions can be a good way for students to learn how to further reflect and critique on their work, and learn more about the big picture and how art relates to the world. Utilizing the standards in standards based grading helps you as a teacher keep the big picture in mind as well, and help students understand WHY they are doing what they are doing.
~ Personal: Artwork must involve choice and it must be personal. Students always have themselves to utilize in their artwork and that is one of the most readily available subjects for them to use within their work. It only makes sense that the most engagement comes from allowing them to choose what they want to do so the work is stronger and more personal. Showing them how art can relate directly to them also gives them an immediate understanding of how art can be applicable to them and the world around them.
Professional Responsibilities:
~ Produce art! Be creative! I believe that it is my professional responsibility to continue producing artwork and being creative as an art teacher. How can teach art if you are not practicing what you preach? This gives you credibility with your students and keeps you inspired and energized to teach art.
~ Be on time, prepared, and professional: This applies to any professional job in my opinion, but your students are counting on you to be there. If they come to your class, they expect to learn and to be engaged. It is your responsibility to cater to this need to the best of your abilities.
~ You are an employee: I think that reminding yourself that you are still an employee of a business is important to keep in mind. Sometimes I find myself relaxing or not being as strict on certain roles and responsibilities, because you get caught up in what’s just happening in your classroom. Reminding yourself that you still are an employee, helps keep you responsible, professional, and prepared for your job.
~ Role model for students: One of the biggest responsibilities of a teacher is to be a positive role model for the students. A teacher should exemplify the person they want their students to become. You have to be respectful, prepared, empathetic, patient, understanding, successful, productive, organized, and a good communicator as a teacher. All of these qualities are needed in order to be a successful teacher, student, and member of society so I think that exemplifying these as much as I can, is a vital responsibility and requirement and a professional within the schools.
~ You are a public figure: While student teaching I have run into a couple of families and multiple students around town. Before student teaching I didn’t realize how much of a public figure you are and how much parents and students look at you in the schools and within the community. You must carry yourself as a professional at all times, even when you are not in the classroom.
Management Plan:
Importance of IEP/ALP/RTI:
ALP (accelerated learning plan): I think that providing programs and plans for students that need accelerated learning is great because it helps better differentiate for all students. This helps even the higher achieving students grow.
IEP (individualized education program): Reading your students IEPs as soon as possible is extremely important so you can better know your student’s abilities and needs and so you can better differentiate and accommodate for them.
RTI(response to intervention): following a set of instructions for academic and behavioral interventions is key. I think creating your own system for the classroom, and following the schools when needed for office referrals is very important. If the students do not see structure in the way you handle problems I think it is likely more problems will occur and their trust in you as an authority figure will be affected.
Differentiation and accommodation:
I have found that when you plan and prepare for your lessons in depth, and you know your students really well, accommodating and differentiating for students becomes much easier. Whenever I give directions and requirements for a lesson I give choice and variation in the requirements. Students for the most part know if they need alter the assignment to make it more appropriate for themselves and they will choose the other option given to them. In certain cases, when there is just one student needing a variation on an assignment, I will go up to them once directions have been given, and give them a choice of altering their assignment slightly. By giving them a choice they do not feel excluded or different from their peers.
~ I have also found that students accommodate for themselves sometimes. There are times where they ask me if they can work on a smaller sheet of paper, or work in a different material, or trace something because they are uncomfortable with the assignment. Most of the time I let students alter it because I know they are being honest and I know their abilities and work habits
Classroom design:
~ I think that organization is extremely important in an art classroom. You have to have a system of organization down, and your students need to know what it is. I think you have to spend quality time getting your students familiar with your classroom and your expectations so they can responsibly utilize the resources within it. Teaching students how to use the classroom and where supplies and materials are kept will save you time as well because students will be able to get supplies without asking where they are.
~ Safety: Safety will be explained within the classroom expectations. Safety means learning in a safe environment and also using materials safely and appropriately. Whenever there is a safety concern with materials or tools within a lesson the precautions will be explained before and during the lesson multiple times. The students and I will be expected to create a safe environment for each other based on understanding and mutual respect.
Creating Community:
~ I believe that creating a community starts the first day of class. Spending at least two day getting to know each other, the teacher, the classroom, and the expectations for the year is vital. If there is no community built, no learning can occur.
~ Being open and honest and kind from the beginning will help your students trust you as a teacher and aid in better communication.
~ Also truly listening to your students and using their input in the classroom and in the curriculum will empower and engage them further and it will make their learning meaningful.
~ I think that being in contact with parents and setting up communication from the beginning is vital as well. This sets the tone for the rest of year. Also if a parent or students emails me, I try and email them back as soon as possible.
Planning and Preparation:
~ Planning and preparation is key in achieving student success within the art classroom. Being over prepared is also part of your professional responsibility as an employee of the schools.
~You are a role model for your students and if you are not prepared and ready for the day, how can you expect them to be?
~ Flexibility is also extremely vital. If you are over prepared it allows you to be flexible while teaching. When I have taught I have found many times that an idea I think is engaging and fun, students may not find interesting at all. When you gauge your student interest and involvement with the idea, then you can alter it once you are actually in front of your students. You can make alterations to create more engagement for students while keeping the initial objectives of the lesson.
~ Confidence: Being very prepared allows you to teach confidently. I think that teaching with confidence is vital and students are much more apt to learn and be engaged if you know what you’re talking about and if you present it with confidence.
Classroom Environment:
~ Mutual respect: I am a real person and so is every student. Students will respect the classroom, other students, and me. This allows trust, understanding, patience, and more learning to occur. Requiring respect in the classroom also promotes ownership for the students. If you give them more responsible and ownership of their classroom and school, they will be more apt to take control of their own learning and hopefully their lives.
~ Fun/positive outlook: I require the students to come to class prepared to be positive about the lesson for the day and to have fun with what they are doing. It is my responsibility to do the same. I have to present the information with energy, humor, a positive attitude, and I have to have fun too, or else the students will not. If you approach art and creativity with a positive outlook you will be more engaged and successful.
~ Productivity: Students are expected to be creativity productive throughout the entirety of the class. If they are not feeling like they are engagement in their projects they can take a break from them, but must work in their sketchbooks. Every artist (myself included) needs mental breaks from their work.
Assessment:
~ Formative/Summative Assessment: Having students answer questions, reflect and sketch in their sketchbooks can be a great formative assessment. It teaches them how to utilize their sketchbooks, and it is a way to check their understanding on certain subjects and specific topics and questions. Collecting sketchbooks each week is a good way to assess individual and group progress. Having students create a portfolio I think is one of the best ways us summative assessments in the art classroom. It shows their growth over time, and it teaches them a skill that most artists use.
~ Providing feedback/role of reflection: Feedback must be given in various forms in the art classroom. It should be given by other students, the teacher, and done individually. Conducting self and group critiques is I think the best form of reflection and feedback for the students. They get multiple perspectives and ideas this way and can better improve their artwork and ideas for future assignments. Having them reflect on what they could improve on what they learned will help them better remember what exactly they did and learned. I have found that students forget what you tell them a lot, especially if you only say it once. Repetition and reiteration is key in getting students to retain knowledge.
~ Standards-Based/Depth of Knowledge/Experiential/Inquiry based: Utilizing all of the various forms of assessment in some way, throughout your class is very important. Students respond in very different ways to different way of instruction and assessment so it is important to use a variation. Grading off of various inquiry questions can be a good way for students to learn how to further reflect and critique on their work, and learn more about the big picture and how art relates to the world. Utilizing the standards in standards based grading helps you as a teacher keep the big picture in mind as well, and help students understand WHY they are doing what they are doing.
~ Personal: Artwork must involve choice and it must be personal. Students always have themselves to utilize in their artwork and that is one of the most readily available subjects for them to use within their work. It only makes sense that the most engagement comes from allowing them to choose what they want to do so the work is stronger and more personal. Showing them how art can relate directly to them also gives them an immediate understanding of how art can be applicable to them and the world around them.
Professional Responsibilities:
~ Produce art! Be creative! I believe that it is my professional responsibility to continue producing artwork and being creative as an art teacher. How can teach art if you are not practicing what you preach? This gives you credibility with your students and keeps you inspired and energized to teach art.
~ Be on time, prepared, and professional: This applies to any professional job in my opinion, but your students are counting on you to be there. If they come to your class, they expect to learn and to be engaged. It is your responsibility to cater to this need to the best of your abilities.
~ You are an employee: I think that reminding yourself that you are still an employee of a business is important to keep in mind. Sometimes I find myself relaxing or not being as strict on certain roles and responsibilities, because you get caught up in what’s just happening in your classroom. Reminding yourself that you still are an employee, helps keep you responsible, professional, and prepared for your job.
~ Role model for students: One of the biggest responsibilities of a teacher is to be a positive role model for the students. A teacher should exemplify the person they want their students to become. You have to be respectful, prepared, empathetic, patient, understanding, successful, productive, organized, and a good communicator as a teacher. All of these qualities are needed in order to be a successful teacher, student, and member of society so I think that exemplifying these as much as I can, is a vital responsibility and requirement and a professional within the schools.
~ You are a public figure: While student teaching I have run into a couple of families and multiple students around town. Before student teaching I didn’t realize how much of a public figure you are and how much parents and students look at you in the schools and within the community. You must carry yourself as a professional at all times, even when you are not in the classroom.
Management Plan:
Importance of IEP/ALP/RTI:
ALP (accelerated learning plan): I think that providing programs and plans for students that need accelerated learning is great because it helps better differentiate for all students. This helps even the higher achieving students grow.
IEP (individualized education program): Reading your students IEPs as soon as possible is extremely important so you can better know your student’s abilities and needs and so you can better differentiate and accommodate for them.
RTI(response to intervention): following a set of instructions for academic and behavioral interventions is key. I think creating your own system for the classroom, and following the schools when needed for office referrals is very important. If the students do not see structure in the way you handle problems I think it is likely more problems will occur and their trust in you as an authority figure will be affected.
Differentiation and accommodation:
I have found that when you plan and prepare for your lessons in depth, and you know your students really well, accommodating and differentiating for students becomes much easier. Whenever I give directions and requirements for a lesson I give choice and variation in the requirements. Students for the most part know if they need alter the assignment to make it more appropriate for themselves and they will choose the other option given to them. In certain cases, when there is just one student needing a variation on an assignment, I will go up to them once directions have been given, and give them a choice of altering their assignment slightly. By giving them a choice they do not feel excluded or different from their peers.
~ I have also found that students accommodate for themselves sometimes. There are times where they ask me if they can work on a smaller sheet of paper, or work in a different material, or trace something because they are uncomfortable with the assignment. Most of the time I let students alter it because I know they are being honest and I know their abilities and work habits
Classroom design:
~ I think that organization is extremely important in an art classroom. You have to have a system of organization down, and your students need to know what it is. I think you have to spend quality time getting your students familiar with your classroom and your expectations so they can responsibly utilize the resources within it. Teaching students how to use the classroom and where supplies and materials are kept will save you time as well because students will be able to get supplies without asking where they are.
~ Safety: Safety will be explained within the classroom expectations. Safety means learning in a safe environment and also using materials safely and appropriately. Whenever there is a safety concern with materials or tools within a lesson the precautions will be explained before and during the lesson multiple times. The students and I will be expected to create a safe environment for each other based on understanding and mutual respect.
Creating Community:
~ I believe that creating a community starts the first day of class. Spending at least two day getting to know each other, the teacher, the classroom, and the expectations for the year is vital. If there is no community built, no learning can occur.
~ Being open and honest and kind from the beginning will help your students trust you as a teacher and aid in better communication.
~ Also truly listening to your students and using their input in the classroom and in the curriculum will empower and engage them further and it will make their learning meaningful.
~ I think that being in contact with parents and setting up communication from the beginning is vital as well. This sets the tone for the rest of year. Also if a parent or students emails me, I try and email them back as soon as possible.