ART JOURNAL 3
02/10/2020
Please think about and answer the following questions
What events/moments/personal experiences change or refine my past perspective to look at art teaching and learning now?
What current learning or art education theories do I learn related to this change or revision?
How does my art piece (or the process of making this art piece) represent this change or revision?
How does my current understanding influence my path of be/coming an artist and educator?
In regards to this week’s prompt and visual requirement, I reflected upon the lessons from the required readings. The central theme was the importance of validation in classroom discussions, and learning to teach by discussion in general. This method creates an open-ended learning environment that promotes student-central learning and exploration. My assessment correlated to the importance of the audiences' experience and how I can facilitate a lesson through discussion. This allows myself to learn from the students’ experiences with the artwork, while avoiding sign posting, or leading them to a narrowly intended point.
The readings also highlighted the importance of reflecting the lessons through current events and applications that are relevant to students’ lives.
In reflection upon my past as a student, I thought about which teachers I had that embodied the techniques we learned through the readings. I realized that almost all my art teachers from elementary though high school, had a clear take-away that they wanted us to express at the end of each assignment. How well we mimicked the idea of what a “good” project looked like, or talked about artwork in the same manner that they did, was what defined our worth.
Although I received high marks in art, I didn’t feel as a student, that I was truly learning anything applicable to “real-life”. I felt as though I had to conform my beliefs and efforts to my teacher’s ideals, turn in my craft, and hope for a good grade. My projects were a reflection of my teacher, not myself, and that made being involved in the classroom feel like a chore.
As I have become a teacher, I have sought to improve upon my poor experience with the belief that art appreciation and creative thinking can improve other aspects of students’ lives. That emphasizing the importance of the process, embracing failure as a tool for developing understanding, reflection, and implementation, are all important skills for improving as an artist and a person of any profession. Through student-centered learning I hope to empower my students, ultimately taking my bad experience and flipping it into a positive opportunity.
Another element I would like to improve within my classroom is the inclusion of students belonging to multiple groups, particularly in a high school setting. I was a person who grew up loving art, but socially identified as a “jock” in middle school and high school. From my experience as a student, and what I have seen currently as a teacher, both enforce my belief that there are strong social pressures in schools to fit in. “Art” kids gravitate towards other “art” kids, “sports” kids gravitate towards other “sports” kids… I believe in reflection, we understand this sentiment, and have seen it often from all parties. However as aspiring teachers, we know that people are more multi-faceted than to be conformed into these groups. Being confined to an archetype limits eclectic growth and well-rounded development on a human-level.
That is why visually for this lesson, I depicted a bewildered student, Kobe Bryant (Professional Basketball Star), and Conor McGregor (Professional Mixed Martial Artist). I have been toying with the idea of decorating a section of my future classroom with a small celebrity portrait wall. My supervising teacher at Beattie Elementary informed me that high school students seem to have a growing disrespect for authority, and an infatuation with celebrity. I would hope that this could become a landmark to get students talking about the art program, feel included by seeing a celebrity they admire in the art room, and give me an opportunity to connect with them across multiple professional interests by showcasing my work.
Kobe Bryant is a basketball hall of famer, but also a symbol for steadfast devotion to his craft, and a person who developed a mental approach that will outlast his lifetime. I reflected to reading his book “Mamba Mentality” in a Barnes and Noble a few years ago as inspiration to cope with my struggles as an aspiring artist. I took many of his lessons to heart, but one in particular stuck out…
In the middle of his career Kobe suffered a severe ankle/foot injury. In his recovery Kobe offered to take tap dancing lessons. This was a very creative decision as the flexion of the feet, rapid movement, and rhythm would strengthen and heel his repaired Achilles tendon… but most in his profession, with the level of success he had, would have scoffed at the idea. Kobe Bryant, despite this was not above trying to find new areas to improve. Kobe took the tap dancing lessons as seriously as any basketball endeavor, and attributes them to prolonging/improving his career.
Like Kobe, Conor Mcgregor is an inspiring figure from a non-art related field, but much can be learned from his story and utilized in art making and the creative process. Conor was a poor kid from Dublin, Ireland, and had to imagine a place for himself in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Up until his teammate broke through in this American Professional fighting League, only months before Conor himself got the call, there had never been an MMA fighter represented from Ireland on the roster. I connected this notion to my future students who may not feel there is a place for themselves in the art studio, based on gender, race, ideology, personality, disposition, etc… In correlation with my principle beliefs as a teacher, I hope to translate that although the world might not see a role for you to play, you can forge a new path through creativity, problem pose, assessment and reflection. And that there is more value in those that create a path, than those who follow one…
The UFC sold for 4 billion dollars last year… Conor McGregor is widely attributed to improving the sport’s popularity to sell at that price.
Conor McGregor also boosted ESPN+ subscriptions from 6.6 to 7.6 million in 2019 alone.
The notice, that debilitating inconveniences can be turned into tools for developing a deeper understanding, from a perspective you would have never considered otherwise, is an invaluable lesson. I believe Kobe Bryant, and Conor McGregor reflect the notion that we all will be faced with difficult circumstances, and that creative thinking, problem solving techniques, research, assessment, and reflection are important skills that can improve all facets of a person’s life. I believe artists can learn from the experiences of those in different fields, and vice versa. Ultimately, in the future, I hope to create a classroom environment that is inviting, inclusive to all, and hone the ability to relate to my students through personal and prevalent ideas.
What events/moments/personal experiences change or refine my past perspective to look at art teaching and learning now?
What current learning or art education theories do I learn related to this change or revision?
How does my art piece (or the process of making this art piece) represent this change or revision?
How does my current understanding influence my path of be/coming an artist and educator?
In regards to this week’s prompt and visual requirement, I reflected upon the lessons from the required readings. The central theme was the importance of validation in classroom discussions, and learning to teach by discussion in general. This method creates an open-ended learning environment that promotes student-central learning and exploration. My assessment correlated to the importance of the audiences' experience and how I can facilitate a lesson through discussion. This allows myself to learn from the students’ experiences with the artwork, while avoiding sign posting, or leading them to a narrowly intended point.
The readings also highlighted the importance of reflecting the lessons through current events and applications that are relevant to students’ lives.
In reflection upon my past as a student, I thought about which teachers I had that embodied the techniques we learned through the readings. I realized that almost all my art teachers from elementary though high school, had a clear take-away that they wanted us to express at the end of each assignment. How well we mimicked the idea of what a “good” project looked like, or talked about artwork in the same manner that they did, was what defined our worth.
Although I received high marks in art, I didn’t feel as a student, that I was truly learning anything applicable to “real-life”. I felt as though I had to conform my beliefs and efforts to my teacher’s ideals, turn in my craft, and hope for a good grade. My projects were a reflection of my teacher, not myself, and that made being involved in the classroom feel like a chore.
As I have become a teacher, I have sought to improve upon my poor experience with the belief that art appreciation and creative thinking can improve other aspects of students’ lives. That emphasizing the importance of the process, embracing failure as a tool for developing understanding, reflection, and implementation, are all important skills for improving as an artist and a person of any profession. Through student-centered learning I hope to empower my students, ultimately taking my bad experience and flipping it into a positive opportunity.
Another element I would like to improve within my classroom is the inclusion of students belonging to multiple groups, particularly in a high school setting. I was a person who grew up loving art, but socially identified as a “jock” in middle school and high school. From my experience as a student, and what I have seen currently as a teacher, both enforce my belief that there are strong social pressures in schools to fit in. “Art” kids gravitate towards other “art” kids, “sports” kids gravitate towards other “sports” kids… I believe in reflection, we understand this sentiment, and have seen it often from all parties. However as aspiring teachers, we know that people are more multi-faceted than to be conformed into these groups. Being confined to an archetype limits eclectic growth and well-rounded development on a human-level.
That is why visually for this lesson, I depicted a bewildered student, Kobe Bryant (Professional Basketball Star), and Conor McGregor (Professional Mixed Martial Artist). I have been toying with the idea of decorating a section of my future classroom with a small celebrity portrait wall. My supervising teacher at Beattie Elementary informed me that high school students seem to have a growing disrespect for authority, and an infatuation with celebrity. I would hope that this could become a landmark to get students talking about the art program, feel included by seeing a celebrity they admire in the art room, and give me an opportunity to connect with them across multiple professional interests by showcasing my work.
Kobe Bryant is a basketball hall of famer, but also a symbol for steadfast devotion to his craft, and a person who developed a mental approach that will outlast his lifetime. I reflected to reading his book “Mamba Mentality” in a Barnes and Noble a few years ago as inspiration to cope with my struggles as an aspiring artist. I took many of his lessons to heart, but one in particular stuck out…
In the middle of his career Kobe suffered a severe ankle/foot injury. In his recovery Kobe offered to take tap dancing lessons. This was a very creative decision as the flexion of the feet, rapid movement, and rhythm would strengthen and heel his repaired Achilles tendon… but most in his profession, with the level of success he had, would have scoffed at the idea. Kobe Bryant, despite this was not above trying to find new areas to improve. Kobe took the tap dancing lessons as seriously as any basketball endeavor, and attributes them to prolonging/improving his career.
Like Kobe, Conor Mcgregor is an inspiring figure from a non-art related field, but much can be learned from his story and utilized in art making and the creative process. Conor was a poor kid from Dublin, Ireland, and had to imagine a place for himself in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Up until his teammate broke through in this American Professional fighting League, only months before Conor himself got the call, there had never been an MMA fighter represented from Ireland on the roster. I connected this notion to my future students who may not feel there is a place for themselves in the art studio, based on gender, race, ideology, personality, disposition, etc… In correlation with my principle beliefs as a teacher, I hope to translate that although the world might not see a role for you to play, you can forge a new path through creativity, problem pose, assessment and reflection. And that there is more value in those that create a path, than those who follow one…
The UFC sold for 4 billion dollars last year… Conor McGregor is widely attributed to improving the sport’s popularity to sell at that price.
Conor McGregor also boosted ESPN+ subscriptions from 6.6 to 7.6 million in 2019 alone.
The notice, that debilitating inconveniences can be turned into tools for developing a deeper understanding, from a perspective you would have never considered otherwise, is an invaluable lesson. I believe Kobe Bryant, and Conor McGregor reflect the notion that we all will be faced with difficult circumstances, and that creative thinking, problem solving techniques, research, assessment, and reflection are important skills that can improve all facets of a person’s life. I believe artists can learn from the experiences of those in different fields, and vice versa. Ultimately, in the future, I hope to create a classroom environment that is inviting, inclusive to all, and hone the ability to relate to my students through personal and prevalent ideas.