What Went Well?
On the last day we asked students to write on a large piece of mat board that posed the question "What did you learn?" At the top of the page and in his own words C wrote, "I learned that you can talk with art." It is important that students recognize that art is a way to express themselves. A huge success of our unit is students learned that they can talk with art as well as listen to what others are saying.
An area that I have really grown this semester is accommodation. It is all about finding the balance between what the student wants and what you know the student needs. When you allow students to keep their work personal while still moving in a specific direction even the most challenging students can be accommodated and accomplish great things.
Every day I made sure to lead by my own good example. A. has a huge vocabulary and loves learning new words so I began teaching her a new word each class. By bringing out a dictionary not only was I building literacy skills, I was also providing students with a positive work ethic. Now they think it is cool to always carry a dictionary.
We did a nice job of providing students with many different outlets of expression this semester. The students really responded well to the various mediums, particularly clay and plaster.
An area that I have really grown this semester is accommodation. It is all about finding the balance between what the student wants and what you know the student needs. When you allow students to keep their work personal while still moving in a specific direction even the most challenging students can be accommodated and accomplish great things.
Every day I made sure to lead by my own good example. A. has a huge vocabulary and loves learning new words so I began teaching her a new word each class. By bringing out a dictionary not only was I building literacy skills, I was also providing students with a positive work ethic. Now they think it is cool to always carry a dictionary.
We did a nice job of providing students with many different outlets of expression this semester. The students really responded well to the various mediums, particularly clay and plaster.
What Did You Learn?
I have grown immensly as a teacher and an individual this semester. Every day offers opportunity to learn a new lesson. One lesson I seemed to revisit every day is that I need to be more prepared. Every day someone will ask, "What are we doing today?" Make sure you have a good answer for these students.
Becoming a good teacher means becoming a question master. Don't give your students answers, provide them with good questions to guide them on their way. This means going beyond simply asking good questions. You also have to be ready with the next question. Too many times I found myself on the brink of a great conversation with a student but I was unable to help the student make the next step because I was not prepared with the right questions.
This semester I learned about the magical first moments of each day. The first moments of the day are special moments. Everyone is present and listening. Make sure you are prepared and have something motivational to say. It all starts here so get the ball rolling. The lesson is what you make it!
Always remember the butterfly effect. On the last day of school J gave me a big hug and made me a card that said I was his best friend. This really alarmed me. I must admit that throughout the semester he was one of my students I had to make an effort to approach each day. What concerned me was my impact on the class. I found out on the last day that one of my students who I felt distant with was actually very close to me. I have to remember that even the actions that I feel are minute make great waves.
Becoming a good teacher means becoming a question master. Don't give your students answers, provide them with good questions to guide them on their way. This means going beyond simply asking good questions. You also have to be ready with the next question. Too many times I found myself on the brink of a great conversation with a student but I was unable to help the student make the next step because I was not prepared with the right questions.
This semester I learned about the magical first moments of each day. The first moments of the day are special moments. Everyone is present and listening. Make sure you are prepared and have something motivational to say. It all starts here so get the ball rolling. The lesson is what you make it!
Always remember the butterfly effect. On the last day of school J gave me a big hug and made me a card that said I was his best friend. This really alarmed me. I must admit that throughout the semester he was one of my students I had to make an effort to approach each day. What concerned me was my impact on the class. I found out on the last day that one of my students who I felt distant with was actually very close to me. I have to remember that even the actions that I feel are minute make great waves.
What Would You Do Differently?
If I could do it all again I would spend more time discussing the art work. This means more brainstorming as well as more critiquing. This semester has shown me that making art is not an end result in itself, rather, making art is a vehicle for student thought. In general I feel we should have spent more time with the planning and reflective parts of the art making process because they are just as important as the creating.
The other change would be to be more prepared. Anyone can create a good lesson, but you have to be ready with a good plan B as well. As I move forward I will be more prepared as a question master. This first question gets students motivated. The next question should keep them engaged. The key is to plan and over plan.
This semester has also taught me that I need to be more assertive. I still struggle with transitions and taking control of a rowdy class. If I could do it all again I would do a better job of establishing myself early on.
The other change would be to be more prepared. Anyone can create a good lesson, but you have to be ready with a good plan B as well. As I move forward I will be more prepared as a question master. This first question gets students motivated. The next question should keep them engaged. The key is to plan and over plan.
This semester has also taught me that I need to be more assertive. I still struggle with transitions and taking control of a rowdy class. If I could do it all again I would do a better job of establishing myself early on.