It was my last day in the Mrs. W's classroom today. Today the 2nd grade had art, along with the 7th grade and high school pottery class. The 2nd grade was a lot of fun, as they have been working on abstract printmaking and today they started applying ink and printing. It was fun to watch the expressions of the 2nd graders when they lifted their print plate to reveal the work. I also had the opportunity to work one-on-one with a student that had been absent the class before and try to catch him up to where the other students were.
The 7th grade are also working on printmaking. They are using a rubber plate and today they began to carve away some of their design. The 7th graders are also really enjoying this. They started to reduce, but they did not reduce the whole thing at once, just a small portion, and then did some prints, and next class they will be doing the same thing. This was one of my favorite projects when I was in school, and I can see that some of the 7th graders are enjoying this as much as I did.
In the high school pottery class, the kiln had just been fired. Therefore, many of the students were busy glazing their pieces. There was not a lot of building going on, although there was some. Towards the end of the period they watched a video about southwest pottery and its history. It was a very informative video that introduced students to a different style of pottery.
Overall, this was a great experience. It was great being able to see K-12 all in one observation experience. This experience has really helped to prepare me for student teaching, which I am now VERY excited for!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Class Speakers on March 22
For class on Tuesday there were two speakers from Elk Mound Schools. One individual was an at-risk teacher and the other was a special education teacher. Listening to their experiences was great and they really gave some great insight. The at-risk teacher and her experiences was something completely new to me. Coming from a very small school this wasn't something that we had at our school. I have heard of this program, but didn't have a very good understanding of it. It was very informative. And even the special education teacher had a lot of informative things for us. She shared her biggest pet-peeve, which is for teachers to see each individual as an individual and not as their disability or not as a group of students. I totally agree with her. The stories that were shared gave me a good oppotunity to think about how I might react in these situations and what the appropriate reaction would be so that I can prepare to be the best teacher possible.
Friday, March 18, 2011
In the classroom...(cont.)
I got to teach to the first graders again today. We finished our Picasso pictures, adding color...the kids were excited that they got to paint again. I worked with Mrs. W to tie this in to a previous project they did as to which colors they were going to paint their pictures with.
In the high school pottery class there were some really neat things going on. I assisted one student on the wheel which was a great opportunity to teach a student in a one-on-one setting. I'm glad Mrs. W let me do this, it was a great experience and the student made a great looking piece by the end of class.
Mrs. W and I talked about grading the last few days. For the younger students she grades them based on certain criteria that each class is graded on. For example, the kindergarten and first grade students she might focus more on motor skills, versus the third grade she focuses more on following directions. There are other things that come in as well, but there is set criteria which she is supposed to focus on. For the high school students she has a rubric in her head, when she first started teaching she had actual rubrics, a lot of the grade is focused on effort. She wants the student to come in during free time to work on things, students need to go above and beyond expectations in order to earn an A in her class.
I had also asked Mrs. W about how she is evaluated by her principal yesterday, and today she brought in an evaluation that her principal had completed a few years back to show me. The evaluation consisted of different categories including classroom management and lesson criteria. Mrs. W admitted that when a principal would come into her class to observe she would always prepare differently, actually writing a lesson plan, which she no longer does and including special activities that she otherwise may not.
Overall, today was a great learning exerience for me in the classroom. I have one more day to observe (next Thursday) which I am excited to see some the projects as they will be much further along!
In the high school pottery class there were some really neat things going on. I assisted one student on the wheel which was a great opportunity to teach a student in a one-on-one setting. I'm glad Mrs. W let me do this, it was a great experience and the student made a great looking piece by the end of class.
Mrs. W and I talked about grading the last few days. For the younger students she grades them based on certain criteria that each class is graded on. For example, the kindergarten and first grade students she might focus more on motor skills, versus the third grade she focuses more on following directions. There are other things that come in as well, but there is set criteria which she is supposed to focus on. For the high school students she has a rubric in her head, when she first started teaching she had actual rubrics, a lot of the grade is focused on effort. She wants the student to come in during free time to work on things, students need to go above and beyond expectations in order to earn an A in her class.
I had also asked Mrs. W about how she is evaluated by her principal yesterday, and today she brought in an evaluation that her principal had completed a few years back to show me. The evaluation consisted of different categories including classroom management and lesson criteria. Mrs. W admitted that when a principal would come into her class to observe she would always prepare differently, actually writing a lesson plan, which she no longer does and including special activities that she otherwise may not.
Overall, today was a great learning exerience for me in the classroom. I have one more day to observe (next Thursday) which I am excited to see some the projects as they will be much further along!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
In the classroom...(cont.)
I was in the classroom at Alma again today. This time I got to teach a lesson to the first graders! I read a story which they all seemed to enjoy. I thought this was a good way to introduce a new artist to students at such a young age level. We then drew our own Picasso-style portraits. We only drew the outline today, but tomorrow we will continue with the project and fill it in with color! So far they look really great...so proud of the first graders.
After teaching the first graders the 2nd graders came and we worked on print making. They did printmaking on a Styrofoam plate. Today, they created their own abstract designs and wrote into the Styrofoam. Some of the designs are pretty interesting...it will be interesting to see the final pieces.
Finally, the last class today was painting. The students in this class had finished a project last class...so many were begining a new painting, a human or animal painting. They are able to use a projector to trace their pictures onto their canvas, so there were a few students wanting to do that today, and only one projector. Which made for a few kids doing a whole lot nothing. I feel that there had to have been something for these students to do so they weren't wasting a whole 90 minute class period. I can tell this is a difficult group of students to motivate and after talking to Mrs. W it sounds like she is really struggling with this.
After teaching the first graders the 2nd graders came and we worked on print making. They did printmaking on a Styrofoam plate. Today, they created their own abstract designs and wrote into the Styrofoam. Some of the designs are pretty interesting...it will be interesting to see the final pieces.
Finally, the last class today was painting. The students in this class had finished a project last class...so many were begining a new painting, a human or animal painting. They are able to use a projector to trace their pictures onto their canvas, so there were a few students wanting to do that today, and only one projector. Which made for a few kids doing a whole lot nothing. I feel that there had to have been something for these students to do so they weren't wasting a whole 90 minute class period. I can tell this is a difficult group of students to motivate and after talking to Mrs. W it sounds like she is really struggling with this.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
In the classroom...(cont.)
Today I observed the seventh grade class, sixth grade class, and high school pottery class. It was a very fun day. The seventh grade is working on a printmaking project, and today they transferred their designs onto a rubber plate using carbon paper. Once they had that done they colored on the rubber plate with washable markers and made prints. It won't be until later on that they actually carve their design into the rubber plates.
In the sixth grade class they are working with clay. They are making pinch pots and adding legs and a head to make it into an animal of their choice. This is a very neat project that the students seem to enjoy. They each get to choose their own animal, some even come up with imaginary animals. I think that this is what they enjoy most about this project...making it their own.
In the high school pottery class, the kiln was fired so their were some pieces that were finished and many pieces that needed to be glazed now. So most of the students spent their class time glazing their pieces and writing in their journals. Their journals are used to record the processes used to create each piece, the building technique and glazes that were used. This is a great way to have students reflect on pieces.
In the sixth grade class they are working with clay. They are making pinch pots and adding legs and a head to make it into an animal of their choice. This is a very neat project that the students seem to enjoy. They each get to choose their own animal, some even come up with imaginary animals. I think that this is what they enjoy most about this project...making it their own.
In the high school pottery class, the kiln was fired so their were some pieces that were finished and many pieces that needed to be glazed now. So most of the students spent their class time glazing their pieces and writing in their journals. Their journals are used to record the processes used to create each piece, the building technique and glazes that were used. This is a great way to have students reflect on pieces.
In the classroom...(cont.)
Yesterday was my second day in the art classroom at Alma Schools. I was there during the third grade art class and the high school painting class. The third graders were working on concentric circles and overlapping. Some of them really understood the concept, while others were a little bit confused. It was fun to be able t interact with the young students and help them try to understand these new concepts.
The high school painting class was interesting because it consists of just five students. The teacher gave a 1/2 hour talk on art history and some of the well known painters, such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas. There were a few students that seemed to have a short attention span and had a hard time working on their project for the whole 90 minute class period. This sounds like something that Mrs. W is struggling with in this class. However, there are some really fun projects going on in this class.
Can't wait to see this class again!
The high school painting class was interesting because it consists of just five students. The teacher gave a 1/2 hour talk on art history and some of the well known painters, such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas. There were a few students that seemed to have a short attention span and had a hard time working on their project for the whole 90 minute class period. This sounds like something that Mrs. W is struggling with in this class. However, there are some really fun projects going on in this class.
Can't wait to see this class again!
Monday, March 14, 2011
In the classroom...
Today, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple hours at Alma Schools in the art classroom. I was there during a fourth grade art class and a high school pottery class. The fourth graders are making pieces of pie. They are making them out of paper and cardboard templates that they cut, fold and glue together. It's a very fun project and each student is able to pick what kind of pie they want to make. This is the first time Mrs. W has done this project so she has said that she isn't quite sure what will happen, and she also said that the students may shape this project and give her ideas that she has not yet thought of.
In the high school pottery class, they students knew what was expected of them. They all had their own projects going and needed little assistance from Mrs. W. She assisted one student on the wheel, as there is one student every class period that works on the wheel. There was a group of students that were working together to make whistles out of clay, and the other students were busy either building new pieces or glazes other pieces.
I had the opportunity to ask Mrs. W why she chose to become an art teacher. She replied that she found a passion for art as a high school student. She then chose to go to college and major in art. She graduated in 1979, and took jobs doing bookwork and other jobs that did not deal with her major. Once she became a mother she stayed at home. It wasn't until later (1999) when her daughter got older and there was a job opening at Alma, she felt it was the perfect opportunity for her. She had previously been doing some substitute teaching, and this helped her feel comfortable in the school.
In the high school pottery class, they students knew what was expected of them. They all had their own projects going and needed little assistance from Mrs. W. She assisted one student on the wheel, as there is one student every class period that works on the wheel. There was a group of students that were working together to make whistles out of clay, and the other students were busy either building new pieces or glazes other pieces.
I had the opportunity to ask Mrs. W why she chose to become an art teacher. She replied that she found a passion for art as a high school student. She then chose to go to college and major in art. She graduated in 1979, and took jobs doing bookwork and other jobs that did not deal with her major. Once she became a mother she stayed at home. It wasn't until later (1999) when her daughter got older and there was a job opening at Alma, she felt it was the perfect opportunity for her. She had previously been doing some substitute teaching, and this helped her feel comfortable in the school.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)