Today I received word I have been nominated by our principal for Outstanding Art Teacher of the year award for the Arts in Ed Council. I just finished writing a $8000 grant (actually a sum of two different grants, one used as a matching grant for the other) and it was intense. The photographer is working with our kids to create a permanent photographic collage on metal on campus and cyanotype journal books to be used in writing classes.
Here's to a great weekend after a truly hectic week of collecting signatures, writing endless letters, and late night perculating of yet more writing. No wonder I'm a little behind in my Master's writing homework - I'm all written out. Next week I have it that I can finally focus on guess what - writing for my Masters and doing the reading for that. The two grants have been huge for me and the school and being done gives me mental space to take on the next big giant.
Two weeks of intense data gathering, then analyzing. I am pumped.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
AIMS Week
This week has been a nice break from routine. I am proctoring my Advisory (think Homeroom) kids in AIMS, and then we have alternating 3 period schedules for the remainder of the day. There are teachers showing movies all week long and basically resigned themselves to zero instruction. Some are bringing in popcorn, chips, and games to add to their mix, slipping this under admin radar. I wonder if this is also a contributing factor in complaints that students have already "checked out" after AIMS and are on summer holidays in their minds; or is it perhaps AIMS is scheduled in April instead of marking the end of the school year?
My students, walking in, take out their work and carry on working, and it seems as though many of them are truly happy to be involved in doing something concrete, and mind engaging, except for Ryan who wanted to check out, be in the next hour class and watch movies. The student teacher walked around giving them candy while they were working.
I enjoy the mix up of schedules, routines, different faces and classes switched brings a freshness to the day and it's interesting how I feel towards classes because of how they are staggered. I noticed this in the last class where 2nd hour walked in rambunctious, lively, and highly social x10. They had a whole different energy and were still highly functional.
Next week we are less AIMs and I pick up 2 of classes. The student teacher has 3 weeks left and is already interviewing for jobs in our District. I am looking forward to being back in the rhythm of teaching and directly working with students. Life is good.
My students, walking in, take out their work and carry on working, and it seems as though many of them are truly happy to be involved in doing something concrete, and mind engaging, except for Ryan who wanted to check out, be in the next hour class and watch movies. The student teacher walked around giving them candy while they were working.
I enjoy the mix up of schedules, routines, different faces and classes switched brings a freshness to the day and it's interesting how I feel towards classes because of how they are staggered. I noticed this in the last class where 2nd hour walked in rambunctious, lively, and highly social x10. They had a whole different energy and were still highly functional.
Next week we are less AIMs and I pick up 2 of classes. The student teacher has 3 weeks left and is already interviewing for jobs in our District. I am looking forward to being back in the rhythm of teaching and directly working with students. Life is good.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
The Real Research
My real research is about Ian, smart, gifted, fast working, likely quick start, attention needy, leader, born with opportunities, who finishes 2 weeks in advance of everyone else. He epitomizes my gifted, advanced student who can go two ways in his behavior and pull the class along with him. I also have a difficult time getting into the head of the bright 8th grader and knowing what will best motivate this artist. Ian is vocal and happy to be the focus of a paper. I trust he is also able to be reflective and share his feelings and thinkings about the way he works. This paper will give me an insight into how the student approaches art and based on my findings I will better prepare and plan meaningful and appropriate interim lessons.
The research question is: What don't I know about how this student I approaches art?
Collecting data: have interviewed him initially and discovered he loves art and draws/doodles at home, and now am observing how he works with his painting project. On Monday I will request he records his reflections (via tape) about why he is making the choices he is making in painting, and how he feels about his process, or perhaps ease him into the process with a reflections check list approach. There will be a month's worth of data collection and analysis.
The process: I have already documented his progress in terms of the interim assignment: blind, 1/2 blind, and contour line drawing, and now I will compare that to how he approaches his regular classroom assignment: painting the Major Impact on my Life. The readings related to the paper will be Viktor Lowenfeld, Michael Day, Betty Edwards, Pamela Taylor and multiple drawing process books.
Time Frame: The paper is due May 5th ready for editing and handed in complete on May 17th. Journal entries are continuous, initial interview is done, then one when Ian picks up the interim project again, and the final one when he is complete. I have copies of his work sample.
The research question is: What don't I know about how this student I approaches art?
Collecting data: have interviewed him initially and discovered he loves art and draws/doodles at home, and now am observing how he works with his painting project. On Monday I will request he records his reflections (via tape) about why he is making the choices he is making in painting, and how he feels about his process, or perhaps ease him into the process with a reflections check list approach. There will be a month's worth of data collection and analysis.
The process: I have already documented his progress in terms of the interim assignment: blind, 1/2 blind, and contour line drawing, and now I will compare that to how he approaches his regular classroom assignment: painting the Major Impact on my Life. The readings related to the paper will be Viktor Lowenfeld, Michael Day, Betty Edwards, Pamela Taylor and multiple drawing process books.
Time Frame: The paper is due May 5th ready for editing and handed in complete on May 17th. Journal entries are continuous, initial interview is done, then one when Ian picks up the interim project again, and the final one when he is complete. I have copies of his work sample.
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