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We continue to share the voices of our Black and Brown students as they process the current events. Please reflect upon and share their voices.
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While some schools are no longer in session for the summer, others are still finishing up their last days of remote learning this spring. Elizabeth Osborne and Matt Milkowski, both art teachers at Kenwood Academy, a Chicago Public Schools neighborhood school on the South Side of Chicago, have provided their 7-12 grade students opportunities to reflect and respond through artwork and written art forms. Students had the option to process and share their personal responses to the murder of George Floyd, the protesting and looting that is occurring nationally, globally, and in their neighborhood, and the overarching issues that these students are faced with daily. This week we will continue to share, with permission, the voices of our youth. Please take a moment to hear their messages, reflect from their perspective, and help spread their voices far and wide.
One year ago, Deanea Boykins submitted her AP Studio Art Portfolio to the College Board. She did not create this in response to the current events today; it was created in response to the events she was witnessing and experienced throughout her 18 years of life living in the western suburbs of Chicago. With her permission, we share with you her portfolio in its entirety. While Deanea's Concentration specifically engages with our ongoing dialogue of systemic racism, we have included her breath work as well; her entire portfolio is entitled to be seen. Our friends of color experience constant injustice, but it is not their whole being. Deanea's photography illustrates how she sees the world, through beauty and injustice alike. Deanea attends Xavier University of Louisiana and is currently pursuing a degree in photography. You may follow her on Instagram @jean.marie_photography. Please note: The following images may be triggering to some.
The Art Ed Collective would like to provide you with an ongoing list of resources (compiled by Janell Matas and Elizabeth Osborne) for your classroom. This list is certainly not exhaustive, so please comment below and email us any resource suggestions you have. Some of the information was pulled from our own resources, from internet searching, and from all of you who have also worked to collaboratively share resources and continuing the dialogue. We all need to do better to include POC in our list of examples. We all need to work harder to educate ourselves, our students, and our own children and communities.
As teachers, it is our responsibility to address the needs of our students. Not tomorrow, but today. Elizabeth Osborne, photography teacher (and Art Ed Collective Contributor) at Kenwood Academy in Chicago, responds to the needs of her students by adjusting her Remote Learning lesson plans to engage in a conversation and to share her grief with her students. Through the power of images, Osborne asks her students to visually share their feelings and responses to these events that impact these students each and every day of their lives. Below is Osborne's teacher example; student artwork due soon, that we hope to share. Create a photo journal in response to recent events.
You can title it however you like and you can use images of your own or ones you find. You should have 5 slides (that include some type of images and writing). There is just so much to say about this topic, but I did attach a sample with just some of what I'd like to say. I am writing it to all of you. I love you all. Historically, art has never been anything short of political. As artists, we have an innate desire to create and express. As art educators, it is our responsibility to teach our students how to use the medium of art to use their voice. We teach art literacy and visual art aesthetics. We teach technical skills. We teach history and the impact it has on what we create today. We teach how to combine it all to express ourselves with nuance and intention. We teach the power of one image. As educators, it is our responsibility to be educated, continuously, so that we may teach. We teach love. We teach compassion and empathy. We teach responsibility. We teach respect. As art educators, it is our responsibility to provide safe spaces for our students to express, process, and share their stories through visual means. As human beings, it is our responsibility to use our voices for those who cannot, our bodies to protect those who need protection. Over the next few weeks, our collective will be sharing our own responses to the horrific events that have taken place to our friends of color for far too long. We will be providing resources to share with students, share with educators, share with others to educate and provide support. We stand with our friends of color. Edited 6/8/2020 to add the following: While we are working hard to provide resources and amplify voices, we want our audience to know that we are all sitting in this struggle together with you. We believe it is our responsibility to aggressively educate ourselves. We are listening and researching. We are educators who teach students of all colors from all origins. We often don't have words, don't know what to say, worry how we might be perceived. We know we will make mistakes. We know we have a lot of work to do both in our classrooms and within ourselves. We know we need to listen and ask difficult questions. Ultimately, we know we can do better and we are committed to sitting in this complex, challenging, and emotional work together. As always, but now especially, we welcome your responses, research, questions, and comments to how and what we are sharing.
There are a lot of great articles coming out from AOEU about elearning. Here are just the ones written by Janet! Looking for some support as you transition to eLearning? Janet presented for AOEU's new weekly webinar with some creativity challenges and going remote. Use the buttons below to access that content.
March 24-28, 2020 Join NAEA Art Educators in this virtual conference through #NAEA20. The schedule is packed with incredible art teachers and lots of content for in and out of the classroom. I will post a link to all the shareable resources when the content is updated! 3 February Articles by Janet Taylor via The Art of Education University It's hard enough for students to generate ideas, but trying to get them to think below the surface can be extra challenging. If you're starting your Sustained Investigations in AP Art & Design, or maybe just trying to get your advanced students to dig deeper through inquiry, try this activity! Trying to scaffold your curriculum with more low-stakes practice? Take a look at some ways to do this in ceramics, photography, and jewelry/metals. Don't teach those courses? No sweat- some overarching ideas to transfer to your media. School can be stressful for both students and teachers! Take a moment to play! Whether you are integrating play in the classroom as a creative exploration, de-stressing after final exams, or scaffolding low-risk practice to build skills, everyone will appreciate these 3 strategies! Myths about Choice, Using the SHoM for goal setting, and why you should go to a conference!2/3/2020
As of January 1st, I started writing for The Art of Education University! This is an exciting opportunity and thrilled to be able to share whatever I can. I still plan on writing posts for the Art Ed Collective, of course, especially because I'll be able to write more in my personal voice. In between articles from all of our Collective voices, I thought I'd link all three articles per month that will be published through the Art of Ed. I'll make these in one post at the end of the month once they've all been released. We have some great topics here at the Art Ed Collective to share with you all, as well. Please stay tuned! Curious about Choice, but feeling nervous about what you've heard from around the art-ed pool? Check out the top 5 myths I hear all the time, and some responses to get you thinking. Feeling burnt out on your teaching? Bored with your old assignments and prompts? Feeling isolated and missing your educator community? Unsure of a new technique, media, or educational philosophy? Check out these reasons why attending an Art-Ed Conference is for you! Wondering how to wrap your head around the SHoM? Looking for strategies to support executive functioning? Trying to teach goal setting to your students and need a boost? Check out this article that will give you some strategies and ideas to consider using in your classroom structure. By Matt Milkowski Q: What’s the difference between a duck? A: One of its legs is just the same. This was my grandfather’s favorite joke. Don’t get it? I think that’s the point. This joke may not be busting bellies, but it does have one advantage over its chicken-crossing-the-road counterparts: originality. Originality is often cited as a core value of the art room, but are we confident we know what it is, and why it’s important? Let’s take a quick spin through this tricky concept and share a couple visuals along the way that will make it easier for students to understand, improve, and accept their artistic relationship with originality. Follow me! What is originality? I loosely define originality in the art room as the degree to which an idea, process, or approach is unique. In short, originality asks how different an artwork is from other people’s work. To demonstrate this notion with your students, consider the Family Feud approach: ask them to draw the first image that comes to mind when they hear the word “love." Typically, you will get an overwhelming number of hearts, demonstrating imagery that is not super original. However, we know that assessing originality is not that simple. For example, how does a red symbolic heart compare to a teal one? What if the same heart is crumbling into pieces? Now imagine that it is expertly rendered as a human anatomical heart. Or what if the heart is collaged, made from the real red feathers of a sandhill crane, a species known for its long term monogamous relationships, glued onto your parents original hand-written wedding vows, soaked in tears from your last breakup, and ceremonially burned with a How to Find Love guide book? The point that I am belaboring here is that we mustn’t consider originality in binary yes/no terms, but rather on a spectrum. Why must we be cautious when discussing originality? Originality is connected to many other important art concepts, but teachers should be wary about equating it directly with creativity, artistic success, or higher level thinking. All three of these can be developed independently of originality. At the recent 2019 IAEA conference, Chris Sykora’s excellent presentation on creativity addressed this point, and debunked some myths about originality that many students (and adults) believe. Citing other creativity resources, such as the powerful Everything is a Remix video series, he reminded us that original ideas aren’t magic light bulbs that spontaneously appear above the heads of a select few “born” creatives. Originality stems from spending lots of time engaging in the creative process, and stretching the ideas of our predecessors. Sykora also noted the tangled ideation theory, reinforcing that all of humankind’s ideas are connected to each other. Every single thought we have ever had individually, is by nature a recycled version of someone else’s. We can not invent that which we have never first observed, experienced, or known. Not that the world needs more dead white guy quotes, but Charles Baudelaire summed this one up neatly: “Nearly all our originality comes from the stamp that time impresses upon our sensibility.” Taking time to explain to our students that originality is a learnable skill (not a preordained gift) will help them buy into the process of progressing along the spectrum. What is the role of originality in the classroom? A secret wise teacher (Janet Taylor) from a mysterious distant land (Naperville, IL) once said, a teacher should root their curricular and instructional decisions in response to two key questions: What do I value? and What do I know? I think every teacher must think about these questions, as well as the goals of their course, department, and community when reflecting on the role of originality in their art class. All teachers value originality in their class on some level, from personal essays in English, to unique hypotheses in Science. However, we must reflect on the needs of our students, and consider the degree to which we emphasize originality in our curriculum and assessments. Training our students to increase originality has loads of obvious upside. This includes fostering ownership, creative thinking, and having a more insightful understanding of visual culture. Originality is also a trait that can help students in all disciplines, so it has good lasting power for non-art majors. On the flip side, teaching students to be more original requires a lot of scaffolding and support, and can sometimes backfire, in which the high risk nature of generating original ideas or processes can result in a lack of confidence if not structured with care. Also, one could argue that while high-functioning originality is a universally helpful trait, it certainly isn’t required to succeed in a number of careers, including some art and design careers. Where do I stand in my own classroom, you gingerly ask? I still wrestle with the right ratio of originality, and definitely have higher expectations for the advanced level courses that I teach. I also raise a concerned eyebrow towards teachers who bash or belittle student artists for lacking originality. What I know is that I want to help my students demystify originality in the classroom. I want to help them accurately identify where on the spectrum their own artwork lands without attaching broad-stroked judgment. An emerging artist shouldn’t be shamed for mimicking, as it is a natural and necessary part of artistic growth that all artists engage in. Mundane value scales, copying manga, and ripping off Pinterest ideas all lack substantive originality, but have immense value in other areas. No one expects musicians to jump into songwriting before learning a couple other songs, nor a chef to invent a new dish before mastering other recipes. I do, however, want them to become self aware of their originality footprint, and track their growth over time. You may now be asking yourself: How can I help my students identify and track their degree of originality? Over the years, I’ve noticed that I constantly repeat myself when providing student feedback regarding ways to increase originality. This year, I made 2 new resources that students and teachers can use to tighten up and pinpoint the various levels of originality we commonly see on the spectrum. Before we take a looksies, let’s take a disclaimer break: Disclaimer 1: These spectrum resources do NOT address plagiarism or cultural appropriation, which are important and should be discussed separately. Disclaimer 2: I am primarily a drawing and painting teacher. These resources target students that make artwork inspired by other visual imagery. Hopefully this applies to many other artistic disciplines, but alas, it may not. Disclaimer 3: I haven’t used any of these yet in my own practice. I JUST made them, and am excited to roll them out, especially as my AP students begin their Sustained Investigations. However, I have not yet tested these formal spectrums, and have no evidence to support their effectiveness. Adventure Awaits! OK, let’s dive in: Resource 1: The Simple Originality SpectrumThis basic spectrum provides a numeric originality value of 1-7 with light subjective descriptors. It is bookended by general terms that separate less original content from more original content. Of course the numbers can be modified to any quantity, but students can use this quick tool to evaluate the level of originality of a given piece. This could be presented as part of a rubric, as a resource for consideration throughout the year, or even projected or posted during critiques. I encourage you to tinker with the numbers, descriptors, and format to find a fit that’s best for your students. Resource 2: Targeted Originality SpectruMThis spectrum is also used as a diagnostic tool. However, it focuses on targeted questions and processes that students must consider holistically if they aim to improve originality. Here, I move away from a numeric scale, and instead sink into more descriptive criteria. I split the spectrum into 3 connected, but separate questions:
How can I use the originality spectrums? Depending on your needs, you may prefer one spectrum over the other, or use both for different reasons. Even better, make your own unique version. Regardless of the format, here are some activities and applications of the spectrum(s) to consider:
Conclusion
So many other fine arts courses are praised for evidence of technique, yet they are not often expected to demonstrate originality. Band and chorus perform songs written by others. Drama performs plays written by others. Culinary cooks recipes made by others. Only in the visual arts are students frequently expected to master technique and high degrees of originality. While we know that this is what makes our rooms so special, we must also give ourselves and our students a break for taking on this difficult challenge. By removing punitive judgement, busting light bulb mythology, and helping students track their growth with spectrums, the originality challenge can become a little easier to tackle. And you know what they always say: you can’t spell “trying aioli” without “originality!” by Janet Taylor NOTE: You can find a condensed version of this article published in the NAEA Choice Interest Group Journal, October-November 2019. Ten years ago, I fell in love with teaching. This was after already spending ten years prior as a successful working scenic artist, painting for theatre, film, and television. I quit my high paying, somewhat "glamorous," or at the very least exciting and interesting career to pursue a Masters in Secondary Education. After just giving birth to my first child, I also now held a certificate that allowed me to teach art to high schoolers. I was pretty thrilled to start my career right away, landing a job at my alma mater (familiar and endowed) teaching 5 classes of level 1 traditional photography. Amongst those huge life transitions, I found comfort in the repetition of my curriculum delivery, perfecting my teaching strategies by the end of the day. This curriculum, that had been developed and synthesized between the photo teachers at all three high schools in the district, was provided to me to regurgitate. There was a framework in place, units and expectations were provided; all I had to consider was the daily delivery. As a new teacher, and a new mother, I floundered to create balance between work and home, regardless of the ease of my curriculum. That year, I was RIF’ed (Reduction In Force) from the suburban school and began a new job in Chicago Public Schools, teaching Photo 1 and Art Survey. The curriculum that I was so comfortable teaching, simply no longer fit. My class sizes were almost double, my resources were a tenth, my students emotional needs shifted, and the values of the department and the goals of the school were just not the same as my prior school. I spent extensive time collaborating with my colleagues to ensure that the curriculum we delivered was highly structured to develop executive functioning skills, build confidence in creating, was relevant and innovative to our student body, and provided rigorous but supportive expectations, collecting data through assessment to drive our next problem-solving team meeting. To this day, I still refer to this group of colleagues and friends as the “dream team”; the teachers at that school are the hardest working teachers, pushing ahead of the trends in education regardless of the obstacles and challenges that comes with the student population to which they serve. Eventually, my family grew and we moved to the suburbs, leaving me with no choice but to seek out employment outside city boundaries. Lucky to land a job, once again, at a large, affluent district 20 minutes from my new home, but this time teaching nine different course preps. As before, I began delivering curriculum that was deemed highly successful and already packaged from my previous school. I quickly realized once again that while this was stellar and innovative curriculum, it just didn’t quite fit at this new school. My students didn’t need as much structure because they were provided this type of support their entire lives. Instead, they seemed to be missing out on opportunities to make decisions and take risks. This is when I started seeing posts in the Art Teachers’ forums about TAB and Choice. I spent a fair amount of time sifting through threads, thinking, “Yes! I think this is the direction I need to go!” I asked for support and clarification, and teachers were more than happy to share and help. I slowly began my transition into Choice, transforming one course at a time. I’ve now been teaching Choice and TAB for the past five years and have spoken at multiple conferences about this journey. I found my peer teachers skeptical to my approach, and questioning how I was teaching any different than before. After five years of implementation, I clearly see the changes taking place in my students’ work, artistic thinking, and the shift that has now occurred within our art department. Teachers outside my classroom question my teaching strategies, arrive to the party with preconceived notions as to what my teaching looks like, how my students learn, and if their artwork is subpar. They struggle to wrap their heads around why and how I teach the way I do, and honestly I believe they feel judged. Why change something that is fine as it is? I wondered why I kept hearing these negative voices that made me feel uncomfortable and defensive; I'm doing my best to teach my students, so why am I feeling attacked? In the last 2 years, I have seen a shift in teaching discourse on social media forums, a shift in stigma of teaching pedagogy and methodologies, and an exclusivity present at conferences. Perhaps I’m feeling sensitive to our current political climate, but I’ve been carefully observing polarization occurring amongst art teachers in regard to current and past art education trends. In politics, I believe the largest faction is caused by ‘absolute thinking.’ Absolute thinking occurs when we, as human beings, feel uncomfortable, threatened, or attacked. It is simply human nature: we have a right to believe and feel, and we ultimately feel that when others question these feelings, or that which we have worked so hard to instill, we are being attacked, and so we must defend. At this time of discourse, it is even more essential that we take a breath and come from a place of curiosity and empathetic understanding. It has been unfortunate to witness teachers make snide remarks that (however charming) attack a particular teaching practice, and ultimately perpetuate polarizing stigmas. Whatever philosophical approach you hold, is there truly no value in “cookie cutter” projects? And is it true that my TAB or Choice classroom is a “free for all” with poor technical competence? When we stop listening to one another… experienced teachers who come from a place of love for our students and our passion for art, the very same people who are constantly being ridiculed and attacked by voices outside our industry, who are paying out of their own pockets for supplies for their students and conferences for their own intellectual interests, and work long hours that take away from their very own families and their own children… I can't help but wonder, what is happening? Discourse is uncomfortable; disagreements push us to be better teachers, constantly questioning our own practices. When we come from a place of defensiveness, whether from our own insecurity or from our ego, we ultimately shut down our fellow teachers from listening and trying something new. The seeds of change cannot be planted if the earth will not accept them. Not every teacher, department, school, or community values the same; not every teacher has the resources, small class sizes, or collaborative and supportive environments. It is not up to us to judge another teacher’s intentions, especially when we do not know their circumstances. Instead, we need to remember that every teacher, is doing the best they can with what they have. Let’s work to open the dialogue to allow teachers opportunities to develop curriculum that works best for them and their students. Let us ask the hard questions, instead of declaring statements, that allows us to deeply reflect on our practices, so that we may come to conclusions as experts in our field and in our educational communities. As for my teaching practices, I am often asked by my friends back at the CPS school: Do you think your curriculum would be as successful back at this school? I have no answer for that except: I’d sure like to try, but I’m sure it wouldn’t look the same! We’ve all struggled with students taking practice of skills and techniques seriously. Oftentimes supplies are wasted, students dawdle unsure of direction, or rush right through the practice work to get to the artmaking, or even worse, find no value in it at all that they won’t even do it. However, I believe that if you keep in mind these few easy tips , you will find that more students can improve their skills, their work, how they feel about their art, and ultimately what they are able to achieve. Here are eight important strategies that I have picked up in my 20-some years of teaching. #1 Practice, Practice, Practice and Explore. Time is limited, but students should always have a chance to practice and explore media and surfaces before they get started. For many of my high school students, their intro art class may be their first since 6th grade and the last art class they may ever take. In order to set them up for as much success as possible, I try to give them ownership in practice. Practice can range from structured to loose, but always spend some time allowing them to familiarize themselves with what materials are available to them to make art. One of my favorite strategies is more loosely structured play and practice. In my intro drawing class, I give them pencils of various softnesses and have them figure out when is the hardest, softest, and have them brainstorm what they think what each pencil is good for when drawing. They remember H and B and the number system by learning it themselves rather than me just giving them a pencil. #2 Do not print practice sheets on copy paper unless that is the same surface the artwork will be made on. If you’re going to have students use color pencil on illustration board, why would we ever have them practice color pencil techniques on copy paper, (or even in their sketchbooks) if the surfaces/tooth are completely different? It just leads to frustration on the students’ parts because the tools just do not work the same way; that paper is cheap and the kids know it. If you’re going to have students create meaningful practice, you’re going to need to make sure that they’re using the same surfaces and supplies that they will use on their artworks. I either print on a same/similar tooth paper or have students work on board slightly larger than their artworks and have them use the excess to practice. It’s a pain in the butt cutting paper to 8.5”x11” and feeding it into the copy machine or printer, but it's well worth the effort to see less frustration for students. I even print on both sides when possible to allow students to practice more if they struggle. When money is an issue, I would rather make artworks smaller to save on paper, rather than give them the opportunity to give up and even hate shading (for example) before they even get started with their drawings. Here’s an example from my school YouTube channel. #3 Practice small and make it manageable. We all know that students want to get to making their art as fast as possible, so make practice small and manageable so it doesn’t overwhelm them or feel like it is a waste of time. I spend anywhere from half a period to 3 days depending on what we are doing. When I first started teaching I remember creating worksheets where students would have to complete a value scale from one edge of the paper to the next. Usually, they rushed through it because it was large and bored them. Instead, now I give students a value scale that is probably only about a half an inch to 2 inches in size. Either I print them on the same paper as their artwork (like the back or the edges), have them draw out with ruler, or even skip drawing borders for scales all together. If students are able to have success with tasks, they get to move on. If not, I have them repeat it over and over again until they have it correct. It is so small that it does not waste their time and I see less frustration and refusal to complete. #4 Allow for different approaches to teach skills. As an artist, many of the techniques I use now are not how my instructors taught me. There was nothing wrong with them, but through practice, research and a lot of mistakes, I learned what works best for me. When I teach graphite shading, for example, I teach them my way, but I also show other ways to manipulate graphite as well as provide online demonstrations of other artists so that they can discover works best for them. Likewise, when teaching composition for painting and drawing, I teach various strategies, such as having students compose using cameras, sketching, creating still lifes, considering lighting techniques, and trying different angles and viewpoints, for example. #5 Record your demonstrations. Making videos of your demonstrations may seem like extra work, but these are indispensable for absent students, and a great reteaching tool for students to rewatch them in order to master the skills. ( I use them a lot in my piggybacked classes. I teach Painting 1-4 all together and they have saved me a lot of time in the long run. When I have no time or a quiet place to record, I will just record my demonstration in front of my students and upload at lunch. My videos are not highly edited or perfect, but my students have resources I trust that they can access through our Canvas site/Google Classroom, and YouTube. (I can even monitor if my students have watched them on our web-based learning management system.) I now have a recordable document camera (Link,) but I have used my i-pad and phone on a stand in the past. They might not look pretty but they do the job. (Feel free to look through some of my Videos through this link.) Students watch on their laptops, phones or I can project in my classroom screen as review. #6 Assess and give feedback. It’s important to remember to provide formative feedback on practice to make sure you are addressing easy to fix issues before students jump into their artwork. Often, teachers give a score without any explanation or skip grading all together. I find that if I just take a few extra minutes to jot down strengths and weaknesses for each practice piece, students have much more success. I do give points for practice, but it is minimal and does not drastically alter their grade if they fail to do it or mess it up. I use a simple 4-3-2-1 scale. I usually have them redo the small practice if they get a 2 or 1 before they move on. #7 Move past traditional practice. Instead of worksheets, scales, and geometric solids, have student’s make mini artworks that are formative, small, and quick. These works should not be precious and I allow students to restart when necessary. I call these practice artworks, “media exploration” but other teachers call them Boot Camps, Technique Toolbox, Workshops, Challenge Projects. I usually proved a prompt by suggest subject matter, give them compositional strategies, but give them some variations of choices. Students spend at least one day practicing media in sketchbooks or on scraps of similar surfaces and sketching composition. Then, they work in an appropriate size for media, but it should not take more than 5 days to complete. In an intermediate class, they may complete 5-10 of these before they begin assignments based on themes or teaching prompts, but allow for student choice in media and imagery. Here are some examples from my Drawing/Painting 3 class. These works range from 4”x5” to 18”x24.” Smaller sizes for time consuming or tight media, larger for looser or more physically large medias. #8 Make practice low risk. Missing practice or a sketchbook assignment should not kill a student’s grade. Show value in doing through routine, meaningful practice, allowing them to restart if needed and make it worth reasonably minimal points. Allow them to redo the part that needs to be fixed rather than the whole thing. Remember, the point of practice is to improve skill. Make practice as pain free as possible for them and you, and I’m sure you’ll see a shift in your students’ artworks, too. In what ways do you implement practice in your classroom?
Share your strategies and thoughts below! Educators everywhere are fighting back the feeling that the summer is slipping away and the pressure of creating the perfect artist studio is on. What I have learned from the many years of teaching art in all levels and in different school setting is the following:
Last bit of advice is to BE YOURSELF! Don’t strive to replicate someone else. Plus, stash some emergency chocolate in your desk and keep a folder of positive notes you have received over the years. Trust me you will need that boost every once in a while. You are the biggest asset in the studio and you need to be kind to yourself. Don’t get wrapped up on spending unnecessary hours decorating your studio spaces. Be prepared to welcome your students with warmth, high standards, and knowledge ready to explore. Keep yourself refreshed with exercise, healthy food, and plenty of sleep. How do you prepare your classroom for the first day of school?
What strategies have you implemented to help combat perfectionism? Share your strategies and thoughts below! You scramble to the end of the year with final projects, AP exams, final exams, final grading, accommodating schedules for seniors graduating early and the three months of celebrations (eyeroll) prior, and of course the dreaded packing up of the classroom. It’s time for summer, and surprisingly… you. made. it. Summer has begun. Maybe you made vacation plans to travel, or sorted all your mail that has sat for “the 9 months of crazy,” or decided to clean out your basement (thanks for THAT pressure, Marie Kondo) of the mounds of boxes Tetrised into a closet, never unpacked from your move to your house 6 years ago. Or maybe, just maybe, you decide now is the time to sip some coffee and enjoy some fresh air for a whole 5 minutes on your porch. Regardless of your plans, it doesn’t take long before the 4th of July pops up and Back-to-School sucker punches you in the side of your head. How does this happen, each and every year? We all know what everyone thinks of teachers getting the summers off (#soblessed), and we all know the reality of our teacher life-cycle (#ifitwerentforsummersidbelyingonthesideoftheroadsomewhere). So what exactly is going on and what can we do to help dampen the effects of the rollercoaster of emotions? Transitions are hard. Transitions for toddlers are hard: “It’s time to go” is one of the worst phrases you can say to a kid that’s having a great time. What’s in motion, stays in motion. Ripping the toy out of the hands, jerking someone from there constant go, or reminding them that their finally found peace of vacation must end, inevitably causes a meltdown (external or internal). It has taken me years (seriously, years) to understand and acknowledge why, mid summer, I unexpectedly find myself bursting into tears and impulsively and randomly shouting about never having enough time. When we are in go-mode all school year long (constantly planning, reassessing, responding, problem solving), it simply takes a long time to allow yourself to stop and decompress. By the time I finally have a hang of that (which usually just means moving from two full time jobs of teaching and mothering, to just mothering with a smattering of attempting self care), I start receiving those emails about start-of-the-year institutes, thinking about when I “get” to go in to school to unpack my packed up room, and how to rewrite my already (finally?) solid AP Studio Art curriculum because we just found out that the curriculum has completely changed (don’t get me started on THAT, AP Art & Design!). This is also the time that I begin to dread working at all. Why can’t I just become a beach bum with zero responsibilities and endless funds? I realize these are all irrational and unachievable thoughts, and regardless of me actually loving teaching, I still wonder how to balance out the rat race. Managing the anxious brain. Thanks to these transitions, my brain goes haywire.
As teachers we are so programmed by the bell, but the period, by the start and end of our days, the beginnings and ends of each quarter, semester, year. Again, toddler analogy… but when that structure is no longer set into place by an outside force it can feel both incredibly freeing and also destructively overwhelming. As a parent, we are warned: “kids thrive in structure.” But man, does my inner Aries buck that for the chance to let loose; “No one gets to tell ME how to live my summer freedom!” The struggle is definitely real. Setting the bar low. What I’ve learned (and continue to work on), is that it’s best to be PROactive instead of REactive by setting attainable or, even, low expectations. I know, not rocket science, but this is really hard for me to do.
What have you learned about yourself in
conquering the summertime blues? Share your strategies and thoughts below! About 7 years ago, there was a shift in how educators in Illinois would be evaluated, and the state moved to the Danielson Framework. 80% of the teacher evaluation would come from this framework, while 20% of your individual teacher evaluation be comprised of student growth. At that time, it was determined that individual districts would be able to decide how or where the additional 20% of student growth for this overall assessment evaluation would be collected, given a few options. Some districts decided that this growth should be tied to the individual teacher (if your particular students demonstrated growth or not), while other districts, like the one I work for, decided that student growth would be tied to the school's overall state mandated SAT scores, which in theory holds the entire school accountable for student learning, or in this case demonstrating standardized growth measured by a for-profit group. This is not to say that I’m making any judgements here (cough cough). But, turn back time those 7 years ago when the districts were still looking at which data to inform where student growth should be measured. I could say that that was truly when I started thinking about student growth in a larger sense. As I’ve spent the past 5 years exploring TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behaviors) and developing Choice in my classroom, I decided it was time to dig in to collecting authentic evidence of student growth, because regardless of what the evaluation stated, student growth was truly what I was most interested in anyway. At that same time, our school went 1 to 1, each student receiving a Chromebook, and while CANVAS (our learning management system- LMS, which seems to be similar to Google Classroom) had existed prior, now our school was moving lightening speed into the world of technology. Perfect timing! As always, there are a thousand ways to do this that may work best for you, and if we wait 5 more minutes, something new and better will be out there to use. In the meantime, here are a few that we have tried. Q: What are some ways that we can use technology to document evidence for student growth in our classroom? STILL SHOTS: iPad, phone, camera, screenshots, Chromebook camera Most students need to know what to document, how to document, and how often to document their process. Since they have their phones on them all the time, the phone is a great resource and students can upload to their Google Drive (with the App), or plug their phones into their computers/chromebooks and upload. Once you give them reminders, or expectations of how often, most students will continue to document on their own… and then post to their Instagram accounts. It’s up to you and the pace of your class as to how often. It also works great when you give the students specific expectations on what you are looking for in their documentation, or what it will be used for (demonstrate how you used repetition in this artwork; ask your peer a question about your work; explain how your chosen materials impact meaning; demonstrate planning through your sketches and research), students do a better job of documenting their process to hit those specific expectations, and not just some random shots. When using Google Slides (see portfolio below) and Docs, students can add these process shots, and actually annotate them with circles and arrows and text, or can screencastify themselves talking about their process shot and link it right in the portfolio. I (Janet) have spent time teaching my kids how to use a DSLR to photograph their work, but honestly, the iphone works great and is all that is really needed at this level, and the kids will just use their phones anyway. DSLR training (in my opinion), for the purpose of documenting artwork other than photography, is a worthwhile “good to know” and not a “need to know” skill. Our classes are semester long, so I really don’t teach DSLR photographing techniques until AP… and even then, I don’t feel like we have time to truly make sure they are getting those documenting and editing skills as they are also trying to assemble their portfolio. There are also really creative ways to create iPad stands with PVC and such (just google it). If you have a class or department iPad (thanks to grants!), you can set one up and have the students document their process or finished works, and then you’ll have all photos in one place. Janet has also created several different types of DIY light boxes and display areas for students to photograph against or in. That’s probably a different post, but if you make spaces for your students to access to document, you’ll find that they will indeed use them throughout their process. VIDEO RECORDING: Done on the chromebooks (there’s no excuse when the district provides- but we have run into quality issues for sure), on their phones, or renting or borrowing video and time lapse cameras from our school tech office/library) students can also use this easy to access option to…
Janet absolutely loves having students take timelapse videos of their process (especially longer processes like a multilayered painting or subtractive carving from a block of plaster). They can quickly review their results and bask in their achievements (from block to… something!). Some students become obsessed and now seem to timelapse all processes and share them on their own volition. To that, Janet says, “mic drop, I’ve done my job.” SCREENCASTIFY Screencastify is an extension/app to allow you to screen-record (I personally use Quicktime as I’m a Mac user). Also a great way to provide feedback to students. You can scroll through a document, and Screencastify can record your feedback, or students talking about their work to walk you through their thoughts. Joy uses screencastify to record the computer screen and the students voice while they are presenting their work in class. She then has a MP4 recording of the students so they can view it to improve their presentation skills and future content in their Sway (see below). This is also a great tool to use when you are making the transition to portfolio assessments. Q: What are some ways to organize the collected process evidence to demonstrate growth? GOOGLE SLIDES: Janet: I create a template for my students (they copy and paste) that has required information that they need to include, but I allow them to aesthetically do whatever they want to it. Level 1 templates are more structured (process, end product, specific reflection questions), and by level 3 and 4, I expect them to create a Google Slides portfolio that demonstrates their learning in their own framework. I still have guiding questions and such, but don’t provide an actual template for them to copy. Google Slides can be shared with me directly, where I have them moved them into a folder for that class so I can access at any time. I’ve also made several different submission links on Canvas for them to submit when they are ready, or when I provide an in-progress check. They can also just add to this portfolio each semester as they move into advanced levels, or into other art classes/media. Another goal is to support students who move into AP Studio Art, so that they are used to the process of documenting process, but also then have a collection of past works for their college application or scholarships and we aren’t trying to dig around last minute. In AP Studio Art, student Google Slides portfolios are created throughout the year, building including planning, process, and finished artworks. I keep all of these in one folder, to which all ap students have access to and share. When peer or group critiquing happens, they all have access to just open up their portfolios and create a slide right in the portfolio to comment to that artist. I also love that you can insert recordings, or photos, or whatever to show process. Downside? A lot of times the kids will insert videos from their personal Google accounts and I have to remind them to use their school account, or have to request access, which is just a little bit annoying. BLOGS OR WEBSITES: Joy- I have tried blogs and websites and my students were not into it. I started using Google Sites to create a file for resources and videos but we had a paid platform for the whole school so I was fine with staying with the paid platform. One thing to know is when you create a Google Site the content doesn’t stay year to year. You have to build it over every year. I would have too much content to keep redoing every year. Janet re Google Sites- I don’t use this but have looked into it… another teacher attempted this, but I think it takes up more time to do than is worth. SEESAW: Janet- I’ve not used this, but a lot of TAB teachers use it. My own children’s school/classes started to use this last year. As a parent, I LOVED THIS! I was able to see snippets of what the kids were working on in the classroom, I enjoyed hearing teacher and student interactions, and my kids would send me little learning videos which absolutely MADE. MY. DAY. (Working mom for the win with this app!) But, unfortunately, like all good things that are too good to be true, it lasted about two months, and I never heard a peep from my kids or their teachers again via Seesaw. This app is blocked in our district, and I personally found it not super user friendly on the teacher end of things. But, maybe I’m also just a creature of habit. SWAY: Joy- It is a Microsoft product that works like a “dressed-up” Powerpoint. I have always emphasized to my students to document and show your progress. I tried many different platforms but I have found Sway to be a wonderful way for my students to create a digital sketchbook and documentation of growth that can be made visible or kept for selective viewers only. “Making learning visible is key for reflection.” My students maintain a Sway for the whole semester that starts with the students submitted Artist Proposal. I do recommend that my students create a Sway first and do some searching for concepts/ideas based on a selected Theme. I have a standard based rubric that students have that helps guide the content they curate for each idea they propose. (Use a Google Form for Artist Proposal with a place to insert link to Sway.) Students can use the search bar provided in the Sway link to find content plus they can organize and design the slide layout to suit their style for presentation. Photos, YouTube videos, music, and websites can be uploaded to the link. My students are required to provide written reflections in a text slide in the Sway about the progress they have achieved and what problem-solving they have done and what do they think they need support with or need to change for a future project. *If the student adds you as a collaborator you can use a text slide and comment directly on the Sway link. My students present their Sway to the class and show the digital portfolio as a tool to explain and show the techniques, progress, and outcome. When the semester is complete the student has a portfolio to use for future references and technique building. I also like this platform because my students can share a link on college applications or share on social media platforms if they so choose. *side note I use screencastify (see above) *If the students use the school email to set this account up they will lose access to the links after they graduate. I recommend they copy the entire Sway and send it to their personal email or begin using their personal email. (Sway has a Copy option that sends the link to a selected email) This is their content and should be able to have control and access to it at anytime. Many of my graduates continued to use their content in college and impressed colleges when they shared the links they established that demonstrated their research, process, growth, and reflections. However YOU decide to document process, you will find a million options out there and you will have to figure out what works best for you and your students. Regardless of how you document, this data is so beneficial: it's eye opening to students to see their own growth, it's a fantastic start to showing your community what happens in your classroom, and it will support your students in their learning process as to WHY the make the choices they make. Remind your students and engage your community with how hard your students work in your classroom, to provide their amazing end products for consumption. What ways do you document your student’s processes?
Comment below to share in the dialogue! By All Contributing Authors (minus Todd who will join in when his Master’s Thesis is done-zo!) As mentioned in the AEC description, the main reason for this collective is to have a place to create positive discourse regarding what’s actually happening in the classroom, all the way to the bigger picture of art ed, and back to balancing work/home life. Below, our authors chime in on a few questions to start us off with this discussion. Q: If you could teach only one media, what would it be and why? Joy: Photography/Painting because I feel like they blend well together and teach composition, balance, etc. There is a beautiful mashup between a photography/painting student. I encourage my students to utilize their own reference images to compose their work. Composition is so vital to deliver an esthetic work of art. Matt: Since board game design isn’t really a media, I will go with the magical power of drawing. The skill sets connected to drawing, including hand/eye coordination, careful observation, compositional consideration, experimentation, and tactile expression, are all capable of influencing and assisting other media and artistic endeavors in both overt and subconscious ways. Janet: One. One media? Who came up with this question, anyway??? Being a jack of all trades and master of none, I will pass on this question. UPDATE: Ok, I got harassed by the collective, so I'll choose. I would choose Mixed Media. Does that work? I'd love to have a class that incorporates various media to create artwork. I love the exploration part and seeing it come together. If that's still a cop-out, then I would choose darkroom photography. Janell: One media: can’t choose, but class would be painting. I am always at peace holding a paintbrush. (Even when I painted the garage in high school.) This is my most mellow classes each semester. I teach oil, acrylic and watercolor and love the brushwork, the color, the layering and the problem solving (because there is always a problem.) Students are forced to practice, play, revise, and edit. I find it so much easier to get students to change and fix work in this class over drawing or ceramics. Frank: My brain can’t handle staying focused on one medium for too long (SQUIRREL!!). However, Painting/Drawing are my preferred media to convey ideas. A close second is ceramics because I love the therapeutic effects of the potter’s wheel and process of hand building. Elizabeth: I would definitely choose Photography. It is the medium I was using when I discovered and fell in love with art and it is definitely the language I am most comfortable speaking as a teacher. However, I fell in love with analog photography and I primarily teach digital photography, so it has and continues to be an epic and forced learning curve for me.. Regardless, I also love teaching composition, especially through collage. Q: When you think of the word “PRACTICE,” what does that mean to you? Joy: To just experiment and run with it. Explore and challenge yourself… Practice is an invitation to challenge yourself to move beyond what you are comfortable doing. Matt: Choices, procedures, and structures that students and teachers use to teach, create, and reflect upon art making. Janet: Failure, persistence, repetitive attempts, safe risk, confidence building. Janell: Persevere: Keep trying until it's better. Don't be afraid to try again and in another way. Art is work. There is so you much work before you get the results you want. It might take years, and that's ok in art making and teaching. Frank: Identify something you want to learn or explore. Try it. Reflect on what went well and where you can improve. Try it again...and again...and again. Be fearless in every attempt and approach. Understand that every “failure” is bringing you one step closer to “mastery”. Elizabeth: For me it means the endless, continuous love and struggle of trying to decide on the best way to deliver information that makes my students want to make something worthwhile. Q: Do you create on your “free time?” If you had a few hours to yourself every day, what would you create? Joy: I paint. And I collage. And I photograph daily. I just do. Matt: I write and record music about space and animals, design board games, paint, and make fun crap for my wife and kids. Janet: I have to sign up for an art show (mostly local art educator shows), giving me a deadline, in order to really “make myself” create. In the summer I try to work on a large oil painting, but when time is short, I typically create with collage (watercolor, ink, pencil, found imagery). Also- I find that my creative energy shifts depending on what I’m working on. If I’m doing a lot of cooking or curriculum writing, I find it harder to have creative energy to create artwork, for example. Janell: I would love to say YES, but it’s a no. This time in my life it is really hard. I have to balance a very demanding job with the raising of my kids. Before kids and when they were small, I made a lot of art, but once they became school age it became harder for me, not easier. I know this time with my sons is for only a short time, so I prioritize them. However, I usually make work during breaks, try to make work for teacher art shows, make a lot of student samples and of course make new lessons. (There’s an art to that, too. It’s a great creative outlet.) Currently, my work is mostly watercolor and mixed media, but I usually allow the idea to dictate the media. Most of my work is autobiographical. Frank: “Free Time”? What’s that? I wouldn’t say I have created artwork in a while but I continually practice my skills to keep them refined and develop them. I continually learn new techniques and media looking for ways to apply them. Elizabeth: I would probably make some sort of collage, whether through old magazines or photographs already taken. It is easiest and most satisfying for me to work with existing imagery and arrange it in a pleasing composition. I also like to create constraints for myself when I start an artwork, otherwise it gets too overwhelming. Q: Process or Product? Joy: I LOVE the process, and I’m actually sad when I get to the end of the creation because I’m so in love with the making process. Matt: My heart and classroom discussions want to vote process, but being honest, my classroom is probably heavier product. Janet: I think that since most of my artwork for me is all about the process- being in the process, the journey, the frustrations and exciting ah-ha moments- that I now teach process far more explicitly than I ever did before. But, that doesn’t mean to say that product or outcome isn’t as important. So, I’ll be a cop-out and say that both are equally important for different reasons. In my mind, PROCESS DRIVES PRODUCT. Janell: I agree with Matt. If there is a bad product, students feel defeated. I offer a lot of risk free practice to gain confidence. I work really hard to get them to see that it's a process of growth and they have gotten better. My high school art teacher, (Shout out to Mrs. Blake) taught me to be pushy and I get good results with the mindset. Students feel successful with their product. I don't think most of my student’s value the process, but I should ask them this upcoming year. Frank: I have been accused of being product driven because I typically have a VERY clear image of what I want to create. However, I find the greatest joy in the process of creating, the challenge of exploring techniques to create desired effects and experimenting with new processes. I am always left with a sense of pride when I have completed an artwork which quickly turns to sadness because that journey has ended. I then reflect on my experience and start to plan my next journey. So, you decide, am I process or product driven? Elizabeth: I wish I could say process, but I know that product is something people outside of my classroom understand most, which get sour department more money and more autonomy. And I ultimately want my students to be able to create something they never imagined they could have without actually applying themselves, so product for sure. I am definitely a “show me visual evidence of what you learned” type of teacher, but “process” teachers are who I admire most. I realize this is conflicting information and I’m working on my ability to “let go.” Q: What is something you are most afraid might happen in your classroom (ie what’s your worst teaching nightmare)? Joy: I hate it when anything explodes. PERIOD. Drop a slip bucket, a glaze container… anything that is expensive or hard to clean up. Matt: Uncontrollable student apathy Janet: My room exploding or a student getting seriously hurt… you know, accidents happen. In my room we work with acetylene torches, kilns, saws…you name it. (I’m literally cringing right now). Janell: Students will begin to think there is no value in taking the arts. They all become robots. Frank: LOL! I’ve had so much happen in my classroom that I am honestly rarely fazed. My room has caught fire, I’ve had students pass out, I’ve had students confide suicidal thoughts, helped find homeless students help, had my room flooded, materials stolen, power outages, had a student swear in front of the Superintendent, I’ve been stabbed by a student...on accident (she was blind and literally didn’t see me standing there when she quickly turned around with a needle tool in her hand...we both agreed I deserved it). I guess my nightmare would be not having these experiences. Elizabeth: That none of my students give a shit about what I’m saying or trying to teach and that nothing I say or do will matter. Maybe what Matt said. Q: What is one tip you have learned in order to create (maintain, help, provoke, attempt) work/life balance? Joy: It’s instinctual in me. It’s like breathing. The only way I can breathe is to feed my creative side of me. Matt: Ensure at least one prep a day has no students in the classroom/office. It’s hard to turn down their academic/social/emotional needs out of instructional time, but the productivity sky rockets, which means more time for family after work. Janet: I’m still constantly working on it. It’s taken me years to feel “comfortable” with my teaching practice, enough that I can come home and focus solely on my own children. But the problem-solving aspects of teaching truly excites me (*nerd*) so sometimes it is hard to say “no.” I’ve also been someone who has always been wound super tight around the idea of “work” and working. I’m still working on allowing myself to have downtime, and take care of myself. It’s a marathon, people! Janell: Set boundaries and take time for yourself. Say no when you need to, don't respond to parent, student or work emails on your own time, don’t work past a certain time for yourself and family. I try to limit what I bring home. (I go to work early instead.) take walks, have fun with my kids and go on dates with my husband. Frank: Balance is ongoing and requires trial and error. Set boundaries but don’t be so rigid. Schedule time but allow for spontaneous experiences. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority so be honest when setting priorities. Elizabeth: I haven’t had much choice in the matter recently as I have had two babies in two years. However, now that I am fully back, this is (without a doubt) the thing I am striving towards the most. I’m trying to figure out a way to be most available to my students during the hours I’m actually paid to be because I just don’t have the luxury to stay late anymore. This is a day to day struggle for me. Q: When did you know you were an effective, inspirational teacher? At what point do you feel like you moved from being a teacher to being an educator? Joy: I felt effective as an educator when I no longer worried about the basics of the class room flow. When the students and the space moved and developed organically. The organization, decor, limits, methods, and engagement was just always there and progressing forward. It’s a beautiful thing when you are a collaborator in a functional art studio with excited learners. Matt: I wouldn’t say I ever “feel” effective or inspirational. I do, however, remember a noticeable shift in my practice when I began worrying less about students liking me or the class content, and more about whether teaching and learning was occurring. Ideally it’s all of the above of course, but the decisions that drive my instruction must start with the latter. Janet: Effective? Hm. I think that when I turned the corner into developing a Choice curriculum and structure, I could see the possibilities open up for my students. When they started to learn for learning's sake, and ask to do more than the baseline expectations, I think it really started to excite me. To see what they could do that was beyond my own thinking or framework of teaching, or completing just for a grade. I have always been pretty excited to share and create elaborate lessons with innovative ideas (thanks to some extensive collaboration with amazing colleagues), and that is exciting too, for sure. Currently, I see more of my students find their own paths now, and that inspires me and truly inspires others. Janell: I became a better teacher once I had my own kids. It was no longer about me and my lessons, but about the students and then their art. I am much more considerate of their stresses, time commitments and their interests. I also admit my own mistakes and weaknesses. It makes me more relatable and my kids seem to be more respectful of my opinions. Frank: When my students told me I made a difference in their learning and life. Some days are better than others and I’m always looking to be better. Elizabeth: Honestly, it was when I went through the process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher. I always had questions like “how do I really know if what I am doing is effective or matters or makes a difference.” Doing the National Board process helped me realize a way to do that. It reaffirmed in me that the decisions I make have an impact and that I am right to be in a continuous pursuit to be better for the students in front of me. Also, there are students I’ve built such strong relationships with that have lasted way beyond their time in my classroom that lead me to believe I must be on the right track. It’s really an honor. How would YOU answer these questions?
Comment below with your own thoughts! By Elizabeth Osborne, Janell Matas. and Janet Taylor Welcome to the Art Collective's very first podcast! Trying to digest the new AP Art & Design changes? We are too! Three of the Collective Authors discuss our findings from our experience through the AP Summer Institute and what we are also grappling with as we begin connecting the changes to our classroom. UPDATED: We moved podcasts to their very own special page. But you can click on the button to take you to this podcast!
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