I've used this blog to document the journey into becoming a teacher. Hence, the title of this blog, I guess.
Fact is, I am going through many personal struggles. In the past, writing that sentence would make me cry, but right now I'm feeling so defeated that I can't even muster that. I'm disappointing myself so much with school. Work? I'm feeling great at. The only thing I need to worry about right now with that getting food donations and the turkeys all set up for local families.
But it's because of work that I feel the old acquaintance darkness creeping in. I want to be down with school so bad, but I get so scared. This darkness makes appearances - making it so I can't get out of bed in the morning. Making myself feel so much guilt for not getting out a bed. And in turn, making me crippled with anxiety of the possibility of trying to explain myself of why I'm not around.
I'm sucking at school right now. There are days, I can't get myself out of bed. I DO make the effort to come in outside of class time and try to make up hours that way, but I'm missing out on things...
I used to take anti-depressants to calm myself. I was the definition of anxiety ridden. I couldn't focus, the world terrified me and everyday, I would feel this heaviness sitting on my chest and clutching my throat. Sometimes, to the point where I felt I couldn't breathe, but I had to keep trucking through it. Got to be amazing, after all.
And those feelings are happening again. Days, where I can't do anything except stay under the covers and look at my computer. Days where I get up to go to work, but at work it feels like someone is clutching my heart and taking oxygen out of the air. The other night, I was hanging with my boyfriend, and I wasn't me. I could feel that. I was someone else and in turn, I had this overwhelming terrifying feeling that I didn't know who this person next to me was. This person I have loved for over a year and has become my best friend. I can't focus. To-do lists help me, but that's if I can get myself going.
My cat just came over and crawled into my lap. Keep in mind she is not a very warm creature.
So that's what I'm going through. And I'm terrified that I can't keep this up. One part of me wonders if I could just quit my job right now, see if I can get credits to be full time and then hope that Financial Aid could offer me more money. But I just don't know right now....I'm so tired. I need to be done here.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Learning and Development & Social Influences
Ed Psych And You, back at it again, ladies and gents!
Do you know how to drive a car with a stick shift? If you do, how did you learn to do so? If you don't, why not?
All right, so this question is related to the section regarding learning and development depending on experience. Individuals are going to understand things differently in regards to what they've experienced. Example; to learn how to write effective essays, we need experiences with writing; to solve problems, we need experiences with problem solving.
So, do I know how to drive a car with a stick shift? I could say kind of, but at this point I'm just going to say "no" because it has been six years since the last time I tried. Whether it was yes, or if it was no, it all revolves back to the fact of "experience." At one point, I was dating someone who every time I saw them made me practice driving their stick. I don't now because I don't practice - meaning I don't have any experience with doing such.
You notice that your two best friends have gained a considerable amount of weight. Will this influence you in any way? Are you more likely to be careful about what you eat, so the same thing doesn't happen to you?
I, personally, feel that this would influence me in multiple ways. First, I might start avoiding them as people because I get slightly uncomfortable around heavier people. It looks extremely awkward and, is in fact, hard on the body and therefore, watching a person struggle to walk up a set of stairs or hearing them weeze heavily makes me want to run away. I would also probably start eating less because I don't want to end up like them. That though plays a part with my self body issues.
It's interesting because the chapter informs us that, "Researches have found that if your friends are overweight, you're also more likely to be overweight. And, if you go out to a restaurant, and your friends are heavy eaters, you're likely to eat more than if your friends order light meals."
Going off on a related note, positive influences exist as well! I know this from first hand experience. My freshmen, sophomore, and junior year of college I was dating a very negative individual, and I was also friends with people who were just Debbie Downers constantly. It was amazing to purge them out of my life because in doing so, I became happier!
On a more fun note, I introduced my two cats today! Well, one is a cat, and I guess, the other is still considered a kitten. It is going well, I feel. Kit (the grouchy old one) after day two has stopped growling constantly and instead just does so when Coconut gets within a foot. (This is even better than the previous days where the growling would intensify if he came within three feet.) While she swipes at him, she also jumps on top of the chair and rolls on it while swatting at him - something that resembles playing. Today, we were all able to take a nap with no cat freaking out and no growls to be heard. It was glorious. They might never become best buds, but I think we are on a good path to them getting along/tolerating each other. :)
Do you know how to drive a car with a stick shift? If you do, how did you learn to do so? If you don't, why not?
All right, so this question is related to the section regarding learning and development depending on experience. Individuals are going to understand things differently in regards to what they've experienced. Example; to learn how to write effective essays, we need experiences with writing; to solve problems, we need experiences with problem solving.
So, do I know how to drive a car with a stick shift? I could say kind of, but at this point I'm just going to say "no" because it has been six years since the last time I tried. Whether it was yes, or if it was no, it all revolves back to the fact of "experience." At one point, I was dating someone who every time I saw them made me practice driving their stick. I don't now because I don't practice - meaning I don't have any experience with doing such.
You notice that your two best friends have gained a considerable amount of weight. Will this influence you in any way? Are you more likely to be careful about what you eat, so the same thing doesn't happen to you?
I, personally, feel that this would influence me in multiple ways. First, I might start avoiding them as people because I get slightly uncomfortable around heavier people. It looks extremely awkward and, is in fact, hard on the body and therefore, watching a person struggle to walk up a set of stairs or hearing them weeze heavily makes me want to run away. I would also probably start eating less because I don't want to end up like them. That though plays a part with my self body issues.
It's interesting because the chapter informs us that, "Researches have found that if your friends are overweight, you're also more likely to be overweight. And, if you go out to a restaurant, and your friends are heavy eaters, you're likely to eat more than if your friends order light meals."
Going off on a related note, positive influences exist as well! I know this from first hand experience. My freshmen, sophomore, and junior year of college I was dating a very negative individual, and I was also friends with people who were just Debbie Downers constantly. It was amazing to purge them out of my life because in doing so, I became happier!
On a more fun note, I introduced my two cats today! Well, one is a cat, and I guess, the other is still considered a kitten. It is going well, I feel. Kit (the grouchy old one) after day two has stopped growling constantly and instead just does so when Coconut gets within a foot. (This is even better than the previous days where the growling would intensify if he came within three feet.) While she swipes at him, she also jumps on top of the chair and rolls on it while swatting at him - something that resembles playing. Today, we were all able to take a nap with no cat freaking out and no growls to be heard. It was glorious. They might never become best buds, but I think we are on a good path to them getting along/tolerating each other. :)
Monday, September 26, 2016
Physical Development
Chapter 3 of my textbook is proving very interesting!
That, and my kitten is currently trying to eat my fingers while I type. No, this isn't some tiny kitten. This is a fluffy, teenager cat that basically is going through an "angst" stage and wanting to eat every and anything that moves.
Ew. His nose is wet.
Are you short or tall? Thin or heavy? Did you go through puberty early or late? How have these factors affected your development as a person?
I am an individual that falls within the "short" category by 1". I would say I am average, if not on the thin side. Definitely not heavy or overweight. I went through puberty at a young age, but also did not develop in other areas until college - and that was also due to gaining weight.
It was definitely hard because even though in sixth grade we talked about periods and our bodies changing, I had teachers give me a hard time when I asked to go to the bathroom at the same time every day for a week. I didn't want to go to change the products in between recess because that meant people might see what I was doing. It was difficult having teachers not be there to help you. It was also tough that I go my period earlier than everyone else, but I didn't develop any breasts.
Having boys call you, "2x4, flat as a board" literally from 7th to 12th grade, was awful. It impacted me in such a way, that when I got to college and boys showed interest in me, I dismissed it because why would they like me? I don't have boobs. There were a couple that I'd flat out ask them, and they were very confused because "boobs aren't everything." It was great to have some young men that were maturing enough not to be focusing completely on one body part, but it was awful because I still wonder if I'm good enough - based off the idea I'm not pretty if I don't have a cup size over a C.
I think it was hard because having my period sooner than everyone made me kind of serious. I was dealing with body pain before everyone else. I was dealing with the embarrassment of trying to hide a tampon in my sleeve. I was gaining the understanding of what having a period meant for my body, and that thought - that I could have kids now, was terrifying.
Overall, I think puberty made me develop mentally faster, while my body was. My indicated that my body was "now a woman," and with that I felt I needed to become a grown up. It was also hard that by acting more mature and serious than others my age, they became annoyed with me.
It's really cool for me to come to college though and be able to take a step back and learn about what is and isn't important in life. And be able to pick the people you actually want to hang out with, haha. My graduating class was 42, so you really don't get much of choice.
There it is! My reflections for Ed Psych!
That, and my kitten is currently trying to eat my fingers while I type. No, this isn't some tiny kitten. This is a fluffy, teenager cat that basically is going through an "angst" stage and wanting to eat every and anything that moves.
Ew. His nose is wet.
Are you short or tall? Thin or heavy? Did you go through puberty early or late? How have these factors affected your development as a person?
I am an individual that falls within the "short" category by 1". I would say I am average, if not on the thin side. Definitely not heavy or overweight. I went through puberty at a young age, but also did not develop in other areas until college - and that was also due to gaining weight.
It was definitely hard because even though in sixth grade we talked about periods and our bodies changing, I had teachers give me a hard time when I asked to go to the bathroom at the same time every day for a week. I didn't want to go to change the products in between recess because that meant people might see what I was doing. It was difficult having teachers not be there to help you. It was also tough that I go my period earlier than everyone else, but I didn't develop any breasts.
Having boys call you, "2x4, flat as a board" literally from 7th to 12th grade, was awful. It impacted me in such a way, that when I got to college and boys showed interest in me, I dismissed it because why would they like me? I don't have boobs. There were a couple that I'd flat out ask them, and they were very confused because "boobs aren't everything." It was great to have some young men that were maturing enough not to be focusing completely on one body part, but it was awful because I still wonder if I'm good enough - based off the idea I'm not pretty if I don't have a cup size over a C.
I think it was hard because having my period sooner than everyone made me kind of serious. I was dealing with body pain before everyone else. I was dealing with the embarrassment of trying to hide a tampon in my sleeve. I was gaining the understanding of what having a period meant for my body, and that thought - that I could have kids now, was terrifying.
Overall, I think puberty made me develop mentally faster, while my body was. My indicated that my body was "now a woman," and with that I felt I needed to become a grown up. It was also hard that by acting more mature and serious than others my age, they became annoyed with me.
It's really cool for me to come to college though and be able to take a step back and learn about what is and isn't important in life. And be able to pick the people you actually want to hang out with, haha. My graduating class was 42, so you really don't get much of choice.
There it is! My reflections for Ed Psych!
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Back, But Slow
Hello fellow teachers!
I should be finishing up an educational psychology quiz right now, but for some reason this blog popped back into my head, and it caused me wanting to write! (Don't tell my boyfriend though - he thinks blogging is for hipsters. I will change his thoughts. ;] )
Since this year I'm working full time at the Family Video in time, I'm only going part time to school this year. I had to make some tough decisions on which classes I would take, simply because some are only offered during the fall, spring, etc. I'm hoping what I'm thinking so far will work out. I would hate to go do my student teaching, and then have to come back for an art class or something.
I would like to keep this blog up and going though! In my Ed Psych textbook, there's actually these small things called, "Ed Psych and Me." It basically poses questions that get the audience thinking about the text they just read. I think this would be great for me to take advantage of in my own personal time to reflect on what I am learning. :)
1. How did your parents raise you? How did this compare to your friends' experiences? How did their parenting influence your development? If you plan to have children, how will the way you raise them compare to the way you were raised?
Parenting style: general patterns of interacting with and disciplining children
Authoritative parents: set high expectations, are warm and responsive. Firm, caring, and consistent.
Authoritarian parents: high expectations, but tend to be cold and unresponsive. Expect conformity, don't explain reasons for rules, and don't encourage verbal give-and-take.
Permissive parents: warm, but hold few expectations for their children. Children - used to getting their own way - have troubles relating to their peers
Uninvolved parents: few expectations for their children, and are cold and unresponsive. Little interest in their children
All right, going forward with that information.
My parents, I would say, were a mix of authoritative and authoritarian parents. My dad was a farmer and most of the time, he was out in the fields or in the milk parlor, so he really didn't do a lot of raising/discipling. It was more so my mom. Looking back, I would say she was definitely warm and responsive, but there were MANY times growing up in the years where rules would be set and the expectation to follow them would be set - even if the rule hadn't been explained. Through such, I struggled with feelings of respect and love, and yet, also intense fear for my mother for most of the years of my life.
In comparison with friends, I would say my parents were MUCH more strict. Especially in regards to social events. We were not allowed to hang with friends on school nights. We were not allowed to stay out pass 10 o'clock on the weekends. We could only spend time with friends of the same gender. And my parents would call ahead to make sure that that was what we were actually doing. My siblings and I also had to make choices if more than one friend asked to hang out with us. On top of that, we were usually only allowed to do a special "weekend hangout" with a friend once a month or so.
I think that really impacted my development with friends because while other girls were spending almost every weekend having a sleep over, or staying up late on a weeknight to watch a show that EVERYONE was watching, my siblings and I were almost isolated when we were at school participating in drama, choir, band, and athletic events. How my mom disciplined me also affected me in a kind of negative way. Let me further explain. I love my mother, and respect everything she has to say. But, I'm almost 23 years old and up until last year I took her opinions as "the word of God." She had something to say about my life, I listened and did whatever she told me. Once I broke up with a guy I had been dating for a three years, I was able to not only step back from that, but my entire life completely and see different aspects that I didn't like and that weren't helping me in my development - my mom's stubbornness and opinionated behavior was overwhelming.
Despite that, I do feel my mom and dad succeeded in developing a strong, independent woman who is creative, unique and a leader. I do strive to be an authoritative parent - one who is loving, firm in rules, but also responsive and can explain the rules rather than just expect the child to take what I say at face value. Yeah, there will probably be some times where I would very much like that child to take what I say and no question it, but children are creative and wonderful!
So, there's my thoughts for the day. :) Peace out, girl scout.
I should be finishing up an educational psychology quiz right now, but for some reason this blog popped back into my head, and it caused me wanting to write! (Don't tell my boyfriend though - he thinks blogging is for hipsters. I will change his thoughts. ;] )
Since this year I'm working full time at the Family Video in time, I'm only going part time to school this year. I had to make some tough decisions on which classes I would take, simply because some are only offered during the fall, spring, etc. I'm hoping what I'm thinking so far will work out. I would hate to go do my student teaching, and then have to come back for an art class or something.
I would like to keep this blog up and going though! In my Ed Psych textbook, there's actually these small things called, "Ed Psych and Me." It basically poses questions that get the audience thinking about the text they just read. I think this would be great for me to take advantage of in my own personal time to reflect on what I am learning. :)
1. How did your parents raise you? How did this compare to your friends' experiences? How did their parenting influence your development? If you plan to have children, how will the way you raise them compare to the way you were raised?
Parenting style: general patterns of interacting with and disciplining children
Authoritative parents: set high expectations, are warm and responsive. Firm, caring, and consistent.
Authoritarian parents: high expectations, but tend to be cold and unresponsive. Expect conformity, don't explain reasons for rules, and don't encourage verbal give-and-take.
Permissive parents: warm, but hold few expectations for their children. Children - used to getting their own way - have troubles relating to their peers
Uninvolved parents: few expectations for their children, and are cold and unresponsive. Little interest in their children
All right, going forward with that information.
My parents, I would say, were a mix of authoritative and authoritarian parents. My dad was a farmer and most of the time, he was out in the fields or in the milk parlor, so he really didn't do a lot of raising/discipling. It was more so my mom. Looking back, I would say she was definitely warm and responsive, but there were MANY times growing up in the years where rules would be set and the expectation to follow them would be set - even if the rule hadn't been explained. Through such, I struggled with feelings of respect and love, and yet, also intense fear for my mother for most of the years of my life.
In comparison with friends, I would say my parents were MUCH more strict. Especially in regards to social events. We were not allowed to hang with friends on school nights. We were not allowed to stay out pass 10 o'clock on the weekends. We could only spend time with friends of the same gender. And my parents would call ahead to make sure that that was what we were actually doing. My siblings and I also had to make choices if more than one friend asked to hang out with us. On top of that, we were usually only allowed to do a special "weekend hangout" with a friend once a month or so.
I think that really impacted my development with friends because while other girls were spending almost every weekend having a sleep over, or staying up late on a weeknight to watch a show that EVERYONE was watching, my siblings and I were almost isolated when we were at school participating in drama, choir, band, and athletic events. How my mom disciplined me also affected me in a kind of negative way. Let me further explain. I love my mother, and respect everything she has to say. But, I'm almost 23 years old and up until last year I took her opinions as "the word of God." She had something to say about my life, I listened and did whatever she told me. Once I broke up with a guy I had been dating for a three years, I was able to not only step back from that, but my entire life completely and see different aspects that I didn't like and that weren't helping me in my development - my mom's stubbornness and opinionated behavior was overwhelming.
Despite that, I do feel my mom and dad succeeded in developing a strong, independent woman who is creative, unique and a leader. I do strive to be an authoritative parent - one who is loving, firm in rules, but also responsive and can explain the rules rather than just expect the child to take what I say at face value. Yeah, there will probably be some times where I would very much like that child to take what I say and no question it, but children are creative and wonderful!
So, there's my thoughts for the day. :) Peace out, girl scout.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Stippling Portraits - A Practicum Lesson
It seems my first page of my lesson plan is too big as an image to upload :( Keep scrolling for other information regarding the lesson! :)
A project sample I created. If going for realism, the lesson can be taught a high school level, but if you are teaching a class about gradients, contrast, and value, this project is also attainable.
Blake Lively, Fingerprints
These are the three project samples of the student's work. We taught a 7th grade class; one of these students had an IEP even! Can you tell? I can't!
Student 1: Taylor Swift
Student Two: LeBron James
Student Three: Vinn Diesel
Reflection on First Practicum
This semester provided me with my first student practicum experience. Me and one other girl in my ArtEd208 class - Lindsey - were partners over at a middle/high school about an hour away. The first day I was there, I felt pretty unsure. I didn't know anything about the teacher we were partnering with, but thankfully I knew the school from music and sporting events. That provided me some comfort.
When I met my cooperating teacher, my initial reaction was dread. He reminded me of my old band teacher - quiet, little awkward, but somehow having immediate respect from his students. There wasn't a lot of obvious positivity/pleasantness when I met him, and I worried that would make me uncomfortable and feel inadequate. Luckily enough, Mr. B kind of address it by himself. He called himself not a Type-A personality and isn't going to be smiling and outgoing all day every day. But I shouldn't take any offense. This was one of my biggest "problems" that I ran into my practicum because my biggest fear was that my cooperating teacher and I would not get along. Not the case at all. Despite us having completely different personalities, I felt I could talk to him and go to him for advice and be met with reciprocated respect.
The rest of the experience was also incredibly eye-opening. I taught a week long lesson with Lindsey, and I had many valuable lessons from it. The first day, we had struggled with time and gave our students a little too much in some areas, and so they got a little squirrel-y. That was eye-opening that even when we plan activities out for certain amounts of time, sometimes students don't need as much time as we give them.
My third lesson I learned was about the connections with the students. How I learned this was from a mistake on my part. I didn't know all the names of the students, instead, I was participating in a "no-hands" calling on method and picking three or four names to specifically call on students and in the process, know their names. I had read the seating chart wrong one day, and thought one of my students was called *Brian. His name, in fact, was *Brice. Easy mistake because of chicken scrawl. I was calling on students by their name, and then he raised his hand. I hadn't known the name, so I said, "Yes, you."
The next day, he totally called me on it before the start of class. We had a good laugh, and I proceeded to call him *Brian. I thought I was burning down bridges with this student because of my continuous errors, but he turned out to be a very enthusiastic student who both respected and enjoyed cracking jokes with me. I got to know all the students on some more personal levels. Such as, I could tell that *Alicia was a perfectionist and did not do well under time constraints. *John was a stubborn student and did not like being told how to do something, so you'd need to phrase your suggestions in ways that led him to the conclusion by himself. *Lily was a quieter student, but showed that she has a deeper understander of people through her paragraph describing why she chose the person she did for the portrait.
The last day of my teaching, I felt a mixture of pride and sadness. Pride because I had succeed at my first long term teaching moment, and sadness because I felt responsible for these children and knew that I'd probably never see them again.
The entire practicum experience taught me many things. Not only did it prepare me for edTPA and the video recording (what I had was absolute garbage), but I learned so much in regards to student interaction with classroom related and not classroom related subjects. I also observed many interesting moments and instructional skills from Mr. B that I want to carry with me in my own classroom some day. I love his idea of giving each student an art kit that they are responsible for the entire year and need to replace anything that goes missing. I love how he creates his seating charts - allowing students to write two people they'd like to sit by and one person they'd not like to sit by on a card that only he sees. I appreciated how he goes above and beyond with students he might not even have in his class to work with their parents and get these students back on track. This first experience was wonderful, and it truly reinforced my wanting to become an art teacher. Yes, there were hard times, but each of these hard times help me grow to become the amazing art teacher that I want to be.
When I met my cooperating teacher, my initial reaction was dread. He reminded me of my old band teacher - quiet, little awkward, but somehow having immediate respect from his students. There wasn't a lot of obvious positivity/pleasantness when I met him, and I worried that would make me uncomfortable and feel inadequate. Luckily enough, Mr. B kind of address it by himself. He called himself not a Type-A personality and isn't going to be smiling and outgoing all day every day. But I shouldn't take any offense. This was one of my biggest "problems" that I ran into my practicum because my biggest fear was that my cooperating teacher and I would not get along. Not the case at all. Despite us having completely different personalities, I felt I could talk to him and go to him for advice and be met with reciprocated respect.
The rest of the experience was also incredibly eye-opening. I taught a week long lesson with Lindsey, and I had many valuable lessons from it. The first day, we had struggled with time and gave our students a little too much in some areas, and so they got a little squirrel-y. That was eye-opening that even when we plan activities out for certain amounts of time, sometimes students don't need as much time as we give them.
My third lesson I learned was about the connections with the students. How I learned this was from a mistake on my part. I didn't know all the names of the students, instead, I was participating in a "no-hands" calling on method and picking three or four names to specifically call on students and in the process, know their names. I had read the seating chart wrong one day, and thought one of my students was called *Brian. His name, in fact, was *Brice. Easy mistake because of chicken scrawl. I was calling on students by their name, and then he raised his hand. I hadn't known the name, so I said, "Yes, you."
The next day, he totally called me on it before the start of class. We had a good laugh, and I proceeded to call him *Brian. I thought I was burning down bridges with this student because of my continuous errors, but he turned out to be a very enthusiastic student who both respected and enjoyed cracking jokes with me. I got to know all the students on some more personal levels. Such as, I could tell that *Alicia was a perfectionist and did not do well under time constraints. *John was a stubborn student and did not like being told how to do something, so you'd need to phrase your suggestions in ways that led him to the conclusion by himself. *Lily was a quieter student, but showed that she has a deeper understander of people through her paragraph describing why she chose the person she did for the portrait.
The last day of my teaching, I felt a mixture of pride and sadness. Pride because I had succeed at my first long term teaching moment, and sadness because I felt responsible for these children and knew that I'd probably never see them again.
The entire practicum experience taught me many things. Not only did it prepare me for edTPA and the video recording (what I had was absolute garbage), but I learned so much in regards to student interaction with classroom related and not classroom related subjects. I also observed many interesting moments and instructional skills from Mr. B that I want to carry with me in my own classroom some day. I love his idea of giving each student an art kit that they are responsible for the entire year and need to replace anything that goes missing. I love how he creates his seating charts - allowing students to write two people they'd like to sit by and one person they'd not like to sit by on a card that only he sees. I appreciated how he goes above and beyond with students he might not even have in his class to work with their parents and get these students back on track. This first experience was wonderful, and it truly reinforced my wanting to become an art teacher. Yes, there were hard times, but each of these hard times help me grow to become the amazing art teacher that I want to be.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Up and Down, Like Waves in the Ocean
The last couple days have been absolutely crazy. I'm at the point where one more bad thing is going to send me over the edge, and I'll break down crying. But hey, that's part of the college experience. Part of becoming a teacher. Oh, and once you are a teacher, you are going to cry for sure.
Today, I was inspired though. My professor, advisor, program director opened up to my class about something personal and how she overcame it. I don't believe in coincidences, and I think this story came at the perfect time. I'm feel pretty low - between school and work - but, after listening to her tell us of this kind of really awful experience and how she triumphed from it....it really hit me in a place that makes it hard to breathe.
See, I've had my fair share of awful events. They still get to me in multiple ways. I was assaulted my sophomore year of college at a Stout organized event. By a friend nonetheless which statistics tell you is the majority of the time. At the same time, I had been dating someone for a little over a year, and the event brought out his true character. He was unbalanced, childish, and emotionally abusive. It happened at the worst time because I needed someone and the one person I would have turned to, did nothing to support me and give me the time that I needed to heal.
Thankfully he is no longer in my life, and I've been able to grow from what happened to me, but there are times when I'm dealing with high stress that it all crashes back in on me and the doubt he placed in my head comes whispering back. Until just a bit ago when my professor talked to us, I was getting close to a type of down I haven't felt in months. A type of down that would consume me for a few days, which, obviously is not good timing.
What I'm trying to say is, you never know who needed those kind words, that inspirational speech, the high five. You never know when someone needed to hear exactly what you had to say. I'm still feeling unsteady on my feet, but I'm going to be okay. This too shall pass. A mantra that is good to live by. To see someone overcome something that very much was the end of the world, it gave me what I was looking for to keep pushing on no matter what the obstacles and get to the finish line. The finish line of teaching students about art for the rest of my life and changing their lives, as so many teachers - both art and not - have done for me.
Today, I was inspired though. My professor, advisor, program director opened up to my class about something personal and how she overcame it. I don't believe in coincidences, and I think this story came at the perfect time. I'm feel pretty low - between school and work - but, after listening to her tell us of this kind of really awful experience and how she triumphed from it....it really hit me in a place that makes it hard to breathe.
See, I've had my fair share of awful events. They still get to me in multiple ways. I was assaulted my sophomore year of college at a Stout organized event. By a friend nonetheless which statistics tell you is the majority of the time. At the same time, I had been dating someone for a little over a year, and the event brought out his true character. He was unbalanced, childish, and emotionally abusive. It happened at the worst time because I needed someone and the one person I would have turned to, did nothing to support me and give me the time that I needed to heal.
Thankfully he is no longer in my life, and I've been able to grow from what happened to me, but there are times when I'm dealing with high stress that it all crashes back in on me and the doubt he placed in my head comes whispering back. Until just a bit ago when my professor talked to us, I was getting close to a type of down I haven't felt in months. A type of down that would consume me for a few days, which, obviously is not good timing.
What I'm trying to say is, you never know who needed those kind words, that inspirational speech, the high five. You never know when someone needed to hear exactly what you had to say. I'm still feeling unsteady on my feet, but I'm going to be okay. This too shall pass. A mantra that is good to live by. To see someone overcome something that very much was the end of the world, it gave me what I was looking for to keep pushing on no matter what the obstacles and get to the finish line. The finish line of teaching students about art for the rest of my life and changing their lives, as so many teachers - both art and not - have done for me.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Questions (6-10)
We are so close to the end of this semester, a semester that taught me more than I thought possible. And with the end coming to a close, that means there is a whole bunch of last minute things to be done that weren't taken care of in the beginning, haha.
I will finally answer the rest of the assigned reflective questions in regards to my student practicum experience.
Question 6: "Are there rules posted? What are they?"
At the beginning of the experience, Mr. B didn't actually have the rules posted. That was something my co-teacher, Lindsey brought to his attention. It was almost like he had a, "d'oh" moment with how helpful having the rules in visible spots for the students would be. About halfway through, he got them posted on the backs of their cubbies that face the student work section. These rules talk about classroom etiquette such as picking up after oneself and not wasting materials, but it also described their discipline policy that is school-wide and has just been put into affect in the last year.
Question 7: "How does the teacher address safety issues?"
During our time with Mr. B, we never got to see him address safety issues in the class, so I asked him how he goes about doing such. He stated that whenever they start a new project, and there is possible safety concerns, he goes over with the students how to properly handle the equipment. Sometimes, the equipment cannot be handled by the students so he explains the reasons why. His number one thing is to always explain "why" about new situations or with questions. And then, if students break the safety rules the discipline plan is put into action.
Question 8: "How does the teacher handle: bathroom breaks/locker/drinks? Radio/Ipods? Telephone? Use of materials? Borrowing materials overnight? Cleaning up?
Mr. B teaches middle school and up, so the first day he has them in sixth grade he gives them the, "You're almost all adults," talk. Through this, the students are given the power to go the bathroom without needing to ask. The only way they can do such though, is if the bathroom pass is in the classroom (aka not being used). When they leave, they are expected to take no longer than 5 minutes, and if they constantly abuse that rule, the privilege of bathroom breaks is taken away.
Students are allowed music in the classroom if they have earbuds and are not doing any extra stuff such as social media and games on their phone/ipod. There is also conditions such as them getting their homework done, misbehaving, etc. They also need to have a B or better in the class to have access to that privilege. Mr. B does play music over his speakers during work time which all the students seem to enjoy.
Borrowing materials overnight is not an issue because at the beginning of the semester they are given an art kit with all the supplies they will need for that class. Items are accounted for when the kit is checked out to them, and if the items aren't there at the end of the semester/quarter, they student pays the teacher the replacement cost. That isn't an empty consequence either. He had students who did not receive their diploma because of replacement costs they accumulated throughout their art years.
With cleaning up, it is the expectation that they are all adults and he is not their parents. Students lose privileges such as music if they do not clean up after themselves. They may also lose points - when the class has gained 10 points through review questions asked they get to come to class and get straight to work. If they lose points, they have to go back to reviewing questions.
Question 9: "Does the teacher use a lesson plan, curriculum map, or a calendar to plan units? Does he/she have a written curriculum? What does the plan include?"
The teacher uses lesson plans, but does not have a curriculum map. He has something a little different which is a book of all the lessons the previous art teacher taught, along with all the art lessons he has ever taught and project examples with each one. He has done A LOT. I think it was really cool to see all the options he has created along with how he constantly looks to revamp the art program and not give the same old same old every year. We did express that it would be beneficial to create the lessons around multiculturalism and art history more, and that was something he stated he is looking into developing more.
Question 10: Ask students questions.
Lindsey and I got to know the students throughout the weeks. At the end of our lesson, I felt very much like when I had to leave the children I babysat for four years. I made connections with them, and now I will probably never see them again. Throughout the lesson, the children expressed that they really liked how they were able to do the portrait on someone they admired. We got to see why they chose the person they did through the paragraphs they wrote, and it was really interesting to see the not as shallow reasons that (I may) have expected. Other projects they had done was a clay house that got really detailed! I was a little intimidated by them in the beginning that I probably didn't get to know them as well as I could have, but come the week of us teaching I was able to see more of them and their talents from my direct working with them. I saw that the IEP student was very talented with painting and had a good eye when it came to picking out the different values. I saw the almost alarming levels of anxiety one student dealt with in regards to deadlines and wanting things to be perfect. And I saw another student that I would have pegged as a meat-head jock, do some beautiful stippling with his painting.
I will finally answer the rest of the assigned reflective questions in regards to my student practicum experience.
Question 6: "Are there rules posted? What are they?"
At the beginning of the experience, Mr. B didn't actually have the rules posted. That was something my co-teacher, Lindsey brought to his attention. It was almost like he had a, "d'oh" moment with how helpful having the rules in visible spots for the students would be. About halfway through, he got them posted on the backs of their cubbies that face the student work section. These rules talk about classroom etiquette such as picking up after oneself and not wasting materials, but it also described their discipline policy that is school-wide and has just been put into affect in the last year.
Question 7: "How does the teacher address safety issues?"
During our time with Mr. B, we never got to see him address safety issues in the class, so I asked him how he goes about doing such. He stated that whenever they start a new project, and there is possible safety concerns, he goes over with the students how to properly handle the equipment. Sometimes, the equipment cannot be handled by the students so he explains the reasons why. His number one thing is to always explain "why" about new situations or with questions. And then, if students break the safety rules the discipline plan is put into action.
Question 8: "How does the teacher handle: bathroom breaks/locker/drinks? Radio/Ipods? Telephone? Use of materials? Borrowing materials overnight? Cleaning up?
Mr. B teaches middle school and up, so the first day he has them in sixth grade he gives them the, "You're almost all adults," talk. Through this, the students are given the power to go the bathroom without needing to ask. The only way they can do such though, is if the bathroom pass is in the classroom (aka not being used). When they leave, they are expected to take no longer than 5 minutes, and if they constantly abuse that rule, the privilege of bathroom breaks is taken away.
Students are allowed music in the classroom if they have earbuds and are not doing any extra stuff such as social media and games on their phone/ipod. There is also conditions such as them getting their homework done, misbehaving, etc. They also need to have a B or better in the class to have access to that privilege. Mr. B does play music over his speakers during work time which all the students seem to enjoy.
Borrowing materials overnight is not an issue because at the beginning of the semester they are given an art kit with all the supplies they will need for that class. Items are accounted for when the kit is checked out to them, and if the items aren't there at the end of the semester/quarter, they student pays the teacher the replacement cost. That isn't an empty consequence either. He had students who did not receive their diploma because of replacement costs they accumulated throughout their art years.
With cleaning up, it is the expectation that they are all adults and he is not their parents. Students lose privileges such as music if they do not clean up after themselves. They may also lose points - when the class has gained 10 points through review questions asked they get to come to class and get straight to work. If they lose points, they have to go back to reviewing questions.
Question 9: "Does the teacher use a lesson plan, curriculum map, or a calendar to plan units? Does he/she have a written curriculum? What does the plan include?"
The teacher uses lesson plans, but does not have a curriculum map. He has something a little different which is a book of all the lessons the previous art teacher taught, along with all the art lessons he has ever taught and project examples with each one. He has done A LOT. I think it was really cool to see all the options he has created along with how he constantly looks to revamp the art program and not give the same old same old every year. We did express that it would be beneficial to create the lessons around multiculturalism and art history more, and that was something he stated he is looking into developing more.
Question 10: Ask students questions.
Lindsey and I got to know the students throughout the weeks. At the end of our lesson, I felt very much like when I had to leave the children I babysat for four years. I made connections with them, and now I will probably never see them again. Throughout the lesson, the children expressed that they really liked how they were able to do the portrait on someone they admired. We got to see why they chose the person they did through the paragraphs they wrote, and it was really interesting to see the not as shallow reasons that (I may) have expected. Other projects they had done was a clay house that got really detailed! I was a little intimidated by them in the beginning that I probably didn't get to know them as well as I could have, but come the week of us teaching I was able to see more of them and their talents from my direct working with them. I saw that the IEP student was very talented with painting and had a good eye when it came to picking out the different values. I saw the almost alarming levels of anxiety one student dealt with in regards to deadlines and wanting things to be perfect. And I saw another student that I would have pegged as a meat-head jock, do some beautiful stippling with his painting.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
A Rocky Road
The rocky road on getting my degree in Art Education has happened. When I first joined the major this year, it was perfectly possible for me to complete it by spring of next year - 2017. I thought I could handle it, but much to my disappointment having to work practically full time and go to school full time was just not possible. I was really frustrated because I felt like I had failed myself, my parents, my dreams, etc because I'm not succeeding at that goal.
I went and had to sit down and think for awhile. What could I do about this? Do I just give up? A part of me felt like that...And then, an opportunity at my work showed itself. I'm possibly going to be offered the full time manager position at my work, and it's exciting and nerve racking. I know I can do it because I've been a part of running the store for almost the last year, but it's a lot of responsibility. So a spontaneous, disheartened part of me knew that I could grow from this position in the company, and going back wouldn't need to happen. I could just manage stores for the rest of my life.
And that's where more thought came in. I looked at all the classes I have left to do. I'm SO CLOSE. I could indeed manage doing two classes while working at Family Video as the manager. I was hesitant for ARTED308, but I can get 38 hours at Family Video a week and take care of 40 hours in the field experience if I can do something early in the morning. It should be possible, and I'm hoping it happens. The whole point of doing this - staying in college part time and working full time is that for my last year (Fall 2017-Spring 2018) I will have saved up enough money that I can NOT WORK at all.
That's where all this came from. I cannot work and attend school full time at the same time. I want to be able to put in 100% effort, and having to worry about money makes it so I can't. And that is incredibly disappointing. But, I've come to that realization, and I know now what I need to do to get my degree. That is what is mattering to me right now. I've had some hurdles to jump over, I've been having some problems getting to the finish line, but I am going to get to the finish line. Whether it took me four years, or six years of college, I am going to do it. My mom might not be thrilled that I'm doing things the way I'm doing them, but I'm going to get it done. I want this more than anything, and I'll get through this rocky spot in my journey.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Topics of Discussion (Questions 1-5)
As you can see, part of the requirements of the ARTED208 class is keeping a blog. What's really cool is a lot of student continue to use the blog through the rest of their education and into their teaching, along with using it as an important example of their readiness to be student teachers in our Benchmark II interviews.
One specific requirement for my current observational teaching is to answer a certain set of questions that reflect on the students, the teacher, the classroom, etc.
1. How do the students act upon entering the class? How does the teacher act?
I definitely could see a difference as the grades moved up in age. 6th graders entered the class with extremely high energy and talkative with one another. 7th graders came in quietly giggling with one another, and 8th graders came in even quieter and took their seats while being on their phones. The teacher waited till the bell for the period to begin rang before addressing the class - unless some statement given to the first couple of students to tell the others wasn't being followed; such as students getting out supplies after the teacher stating not to do stuff.
2. How does the teacher get their attention to begin class? Is there a procedure for listening?
The teacher gets their attention for class by talking in a loud, clear voice and beginning to talk. It is expected the students will put away their phones and stop their conversations. I am assuming this is because the teacher has gained a level of respect from them. There really is no procedure for listening - it is expected that when he is talking, no one else is.
3. What is the current project? What are the objectives? What materials are being used?
Sixth graders are currently working on a painting project that involves tracing a posterized version, 3 layers, of themselves. After that, they pick one color to develop a dark, a medium, and a light of, to paint in their tracings accordingly. The idea behind this is to not frustrate the students that their work isn't perfect, but allowing them to trace - it gives them confidence in their drawing skills. They use graphite pencils, tracing machines, and paint.
Seventh graders are working on a drawing project that works to develop value. Students could choose between different categories such as, "tattoo drawings, pets/animals, things that are black and white, etc,". Learning Targets include, I know how to use a wide range of values to show strong contrast, I know how to draw with clean lines and have crips values, and I know how to create great transitions between values with my blending stump. For materials, they use a variety of graphite pencils, paper, blending stumps, and erasers.
I sadly had to leave before I was able to sit in and see what the eighth graders were learning, but I will definitely be talking about their projects in the near future in my blog.
4. Comment on the teacher's instruction.
The teacher has essentially gained the respect of most if not all of his students. They listen to him, and behave pretty well - even if some get off task and distracted. He keeps things professional with the class, and doesn't seem to have a sense of humor really. The class is technology oriented through their computers, drawing tablets, tracing lights, etc.
5. How do you see classroom management being handled? Are any students being off task or disrespectful - how does the teacher handle this? Is there a system of discipline that the school uses?
I would say classroom management is handled when problems arise. I say this because the students all seem to respect Mr. B, and disciplining issues rarely happen. Some students do get off task - especially with his 6th grade group right now, but he handles it through their discipline algorithm. The school district created this algorithm because of discipline problems, and from my understanding, it's the first one that's actually worked. How it is set up, the student gets two official verbal warnings. After that, they get sent into a quiet place away from the rest of the students. Both the students and the teacher take time to calm down, and then the teacher takes a moment to ASK the student why they are doing what they are doing. It's really question based and not accusation-like. After that, the student is let back into the classroom if they come to an understanding, but if the student continues to misbehave they are sent to the office and either get a minor or a major referral. Depending on the severity of the offense.
One specific requirement for my current observational teaching is to answer a certain set of questions that reflect on the students, the teacher, the classroom, etc.
1. How do the students act upon entering the class? How does the teacher act?
I definitely could see a difference as the grades moved up in age. 6th graders entered the class with extremely high energy and talkative with one another. 7th graders came in quietly giggling with one another, and 8th graders came in even quieter and took their seats while being on their phones. The teacher waited till the bell for the period to begin rang before addressing the class - unless some statement given to the first couple of students to tell the others wasn't being followed; such as students getting out supplies after the teacher stating not to do stuff.
2. How does the teacher get their attention to begin class? Is there a procedure for listening?
The teacher gets their attention for class by talking in a loud, clear voice and beginning to talk. It is expected the students will put away their phones and stop their conversations. I am assuming this is because the teacher has gained a level of respect from them. There really is no procedure for listening - it is expected that when he is talking, no one else is.
3. What is the current project? What are the objectives? What materials are being used?
Sixth graders are currently working on a painting project that involves tracing a posterized version, 3 layers, of themselves. After that, they pick one color to develop a dark, a medium, and a light of, to paint in their tracings accordingly. The idea behind this is to not frustrate the students that their work isn't perfect, but allowing them to trace - it gives them confidence in their drawing skills. They use graphite pencils, tracing machines, and paint.
Seventh graders are working on a drawing project that works to develop value. Students could choose between different categories such as, "tattoo drawings, pets/animals, things that are black and white, etc,". Learning Targets include, I know how to use a wide range of values to show strong contrast, I know how to draw with clean lines and have crips values, and I know how to create great transitions between values with my blending stump. For materials, they use a variety of graphite pencils, paper, blending stumps, and erasers.
I sadly had to leave before I was able to sit in and see what the eighth graders were learning, but I will definitely be talking about their projects in the near future in my blog.
4. Comment on the teacher's instruction.
The teacher has essentially gained the respect of most if not all of his students. They listen to him, and behave pretty well - even if some get off task and distracted. He keeps things professional with the class, and doesn't seem to have a sense of humor really. The class is technology oriented through their computers, drawing tablets, tracing lights, etc.
5. How do you see classroom management being handled? Are any students being off task or disrespectful - how does the teacher handle this? Is there a system of discipline that the school uses?
I would say classroom management is handled when problems arise. I say this because the students all seem to respect Mr. B, and disciplining issues rarely happen. Some students do get off task - especially with his 6th grade group right now, but he handles it through their discipline algorithm. The school district created this algorithm because of discipline problems, and from my understanding, it's the first one that's actually worked. How it is set up, the student gets two official verbal warnings. After that, they get sent into a quiet place away from the rest of the students. Both the students and the teacher take time to calm down, and then the teacher takes a moment to ASK the student why they are doing what they are doing. It's really question based and not accusation-like. After that, the student is let back into the classroom if they come to an understanding, but if the student continues to misbehave they are sent to the office and either get a minor or a major referral. Depending on the severity of the offense.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Cooperating Teacher Observations
One thing Mr. B has cooperating teachers and student teachers do at the end of the day/lesson is go over some questions he has made to help guide us and teach us things that maybe we were unclear of during our time. There's about twenty questions, we need to pick four and answer a minimum of two. It also includes a "tip of the day," or our way of expressing something we would like to be different or changed. There is also a check list of "the perfect teaching day," and it shows how we did - or how we felt we did.
Today was the second day of Lindsey's and my lesson. We are doing portraits with finger prints. The students were allowed to find someone who inspires them and then we would put the photo on a transparency for them to trace the outline of the person onto the paper. Today was the tracing portion of the day, and while we had stated a time limit to them, we didn't do a very good job of enforcing it. 80% of the students flew through it, but there was the 20% that lagged a little and even one didn't get it done. Which was disappointing.
The questions I answered were:
1) Name one area of weakness/problem you encountered today. Describe how you overcame it and how you might prevent it from happening next time.
My demo was a bit weak on what to trace of their projected image. I did a good job grabbing their attention, and going into the demo. I asked questions to specific people and explained what to do, but wrapping up was weak - I didn't have much of a conclusion. There really wasn't a way for me to overcome this. Next time, I'll make sure to prepare my demo's even more and make sure I know what to say to come full circle.
2) Which student do you feel like you built bridges with today? Why?
I felt I built a bridge with *Allie today. She was having a lot of difficulty understanding what to trace due to the transparency being too dark to tell parts apart. I showed her how to use the original image to eyeball the difficult areas. I made sure it was okay for me to draw on her paper, and then gave her a visual example on how to do such. After a few minutes of letting her gain comprehension and try and work on the tracing by herself, I came back and praised her for taking what I gave her and using it herself.
My tip of the day was: "I wish I would have jumped into interacting with the students sooner. I was a little unsure of my place in regards to the classroom, but I was also uncomfortable with how close I am in age with them! I found myself talking to them more like my babysitter years; which would may be more joking than authoritative, and I wanted to avoid that. It's hard because I listen to the same music they do! Taylor Swift!"
So far, I'd say the team teaching is going well! I did have to scold a couple boys in regards to messing around by our recording equipment. I plan on being the "bad guy" tomorrow at the start of class and taking a few minutes to remind them on proper etiquette. The recordings are part of our grade, and if we can't record because someone stopped it, that is really bad.
Today was the second day of Lindsey's and my lesson. We are doing portraits with finger prints. The students were allowed to find someone who inspires them and then we would put the photo on a transparency for them to trace the outline of the person onto the paper. Today was the tracing portion of the day, and while we had stated a time limit to them, we didn't do a very good job of enforcing it. 80% of the students flew through it, but there was the 20% that lagged a little and even one didn't get it done. Which was disappointing.
The questions I answered were:
1) Name one area of weakness/problem you encountered today. Describe how you overcame it and how you might prevent it from happening next time.
My demo was a bit weak on what to trace of their projected image. I did a good job grabbing their attention, and going into the demo. I asked questions to specific people and explained what to do, but wrapping up was weak - I didn't have much of a conclusion. There really wasn't a way for me to overcome this. Next time, I'll make sure to prepare my demo's even more and make sure I know what to say to come full circle.
2) Which student do you feel like you built bridges with today? Why?
I felt I built a bridge with *Allie today. She was having a lot of difficulty understanding what to trace due to the transparency being too dark to tell parts apart. I showed her how to use the original image to eyeball the difficult areas. I made sure it was okay for me to draw on her paper, and then gave her a visual example on how to do such. After a few minutes of letting her gain comprehension and try and work on the tracing by herself, I came back and praised her for taking what I gave her and using it herself.
My tip of the day was: "I wish I would have jumped into interacting with the students sooner. I was a little unsure of my place in regards to the classroom, but I was also uncomfortable with how close I am in age with them! I found myself talking to them more like my babysitter years; which would may be more joking than authoritative, and I wanted to avoid that. It's hard because I listen to the same music they do! Taylor Swift!"
So far, I'd say the team teaching is going well! I did have to scold a couple boys in regards to messing around by our recording equipment. I plan on being the "bad guy" tomorrow at the start of class and taking a few minutes to remind them on proper etiquette. The recordings are part of our grade, and if we can't record because someone stopped it, that is really bad.
Monday, February 29, 2016
The Decision
I enjoy using dramatic titles for my blogs. Makes it seem like something super serious, but in today's blog, it's pretty low-key!
Essentially, I had a question that needed answering - "How does my cooperating teacher decide upon the curriculum for the art class?"
I was indeed curious about this because this is an area we've discussed in my ARTED208 class. How does a teacher choose the curriculum? My cooperating teacher has been at Osseo for 6 years. When he first arrived, he based his projects off what the previous teacher had done. He went through all the lesson plans and if there was something that didn't interest him, he chose not to continue that project. From my understanding, he indicated that a teacher's interest in the project is just as important as the students' interest in the project. If you, as a teacher, are bored with what you are teaching or showing, how will you properly and to the best of your ability teach the students?
I discussed with him briefly about this, and stated my opinion that I would perhaps also teach to my strengths. If I'm not very good at ceramics, I may not teach that area very often. He understood my point, but believes that variety in the art room is good, and to keep in mind that these students are a lot younger than myself. Even if I'm not a master at the pottery wheel, I can still teach the basics and (hopefully) demo and create a project in a weak subject area that is better than what they can do.
In the end, I think when teaching a subject matter that I'm weak in, I just need to make sure I'm better than the students, haha.
Essentially, I had a question that needed answering - "How does my cooperating teacher decide upon the curriculum for the art class?"
I was indeed curious about this because this is an area we've discussed in my ARTED208 class. How does a teacher choose the curriculum? My cooperating teacher has been at Osseo for 6 years. When he first arrived, he based his projects off what the previous teacher had done. He went through all the lesson plans and if there was something that didn't interest him, he chose not to continue that project. From my understanding, he indicated that a teacher's interest in the project is just as important as the students' interest in the project. If you, as a teacher, are bored with what you are teaching or showing, how will you properly and to the best of your ability teach the students?
I discussed with him briefly about this, and stated my opinion that I would perhaps also teach to my strengths. If I'm not very good at ceramics, I may not teach that area very often. He understood my point, but believes that variety in the art room is good, and to keep in mind that these students are a lot younger than myself. Even if I'm not a master at the pottery wheel, I can still teach the basics and (hopefully) demo and create a project in a weak subject area that is better than what they can do.
In the end, I think when teaching a subject matter that I'm weak in, I just need to make sure I'm better than the students, haha.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Work Now, Work Later
So my practicum experience has been a bit of a slow starter. My cooperating teacher's kids have been sick the last week, and so he wasn't able to make it in to school. Because of such, I missed out on two days - or six hours - of my experience. Little disappointing and now there are some other factors I'm worried about.
Those factors. Well, I mean, it's not too many. It's more factors that are concerning me about how I'm going to make my hours for ARTED208. The full-time manager at my store is going to be putting in her resignation next week. This lady is amazing as a co-worker and as a friend, and I'm going to miss her dearly. Where my stress comes in is that she and I had it figured out - my schedule - for my practicum experience all in advance so I wouldn't need to worry about what days I'd have off from work; I'd have it all planned out.
Well, since she's leaving now, and before my hours are filled, I'm concerned my Regional Manager is not going to be able to respect the days I needed, and instead tell me that as the part-time manager, I need to suck it up and take my "manager responsibility" and fill in Michelle's position.
I'm ready for a talk with her though. This class is the priority, not work. That's a little hard for me because work IS how I pay for everything while I'm here at college. I have an apartment I have to pay for, insurance that needs coverage, WiFi to attend to so I can do homework not on campus, and so while this current job is important, ultimately my FUTURE job is important. The job where I'm going to be impacting children's lives till I'm sixty or even seventy. (Yes, that would be so cool to teach art that long).
This will be difficult. Heck yes, on so many levels. But, I guess if an agreement cannot be found, I'll need to perhaps leave a current job that I enjoy over any of my past jobs, for the opportunity to make sure I'm 100% prepared for my future job.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Identities
Going to be bluntly honest with you good people.
Today was awful.
Some of you may put me in my place and remind me it could be worse - I'm not dying, right? But today and the last couple weeks have been a struggle and never-ending uphill climb for me. I dealt with a case of mono that kicked my butt one week and then kept me out of school and work another. I'm still dealing with some symptoms that include weakness in my arms and legs, shakes in my hands, and then random fuzziness in my brain that makes it super hard for me to focus. (Or, maybe I just need to go get glasses ordered already.) And I'm still behind in the classes I missed that one week.
But why am I telling ya'll this?
Because of an important discussion that was held in my ARTED208 class, and a small subject we talked on - identities in today's society. Granted, that is a broad statement of what we discussed because if I was to give a step by step guide on how we got from Point A to Point G, I'm going to lose you lovely ladies and gents.
It was that topic that made me contemplate my own personal online identity. My assumption is that I probably don't know 90% of the people reading this. Perhaps more. And perhaps, I do know you very well which means shoutout to you! But, my online identity is only a partial, and mostly Cindellerized version of my life. You will probably see very little Facebook statuses from me complaining about how much I hate someone, or how hard was today (it could always be worse). And, even though it's nice to post all the good, sugar and spice, frou frou of the going ons in my everyday life, it's really not an honest depiction. And, more ironically, honesty is something I value and appreciate in people.
So time for that honesty. Today was awful. To the point where my body started to shake, and I could feel I was about to burst into tears and feel the overwhelming crippling effect of a short term anxiety attack. Yay me, right? And while I could have succumbed to that awful feeling that I thankfully don't get as much anymore, and could have planned to skip my last class of the day and go home and sleep, I took a mindful moment and have...slightly, put everything in prospective.
I came home, yes. But, I didn't crawl into bed and pray for the waves of emotions to pass. I decided I was going to write an article on my blog because, this does relate to my journey of teaching and once I finished that blog post, I was going to work on ***************. This relates to my journey of becoming a teacher because I'm in college, college is going to get me a degree, and that degree will get me a job.
Haha, that's a very vague statement of why this relates. But really.
School now, is going to get me into a school later. And my journey isn't going to be all dandelions and confetti bursts. So, every now and again, I'll post about an awful day, I'll take a moment to compose myself, and move on down the road that is going to make it possible for me to teach and impact children someday.
And in the end, HOW COOL IS THAT.
************* indicates a secret thing I'm making in case said person reads this blog - don't want to ruin the surprise!
Today was awful.
Some of you may put me in my place and remind me it could be worse - I'm not dying, right? But today and the last couple weeks have been a struggle and never-ending uphill climb for me. I dealt with a case of mono that kicked my butt one week and then kept me out of school and work another. I'm still dealing with some symptoms that include weakness in my arms and legs, shakes in my hands, and then random fuzziness in my brain that makes it super hard for me to focus. (Or, maybe I just need to go get glasses ordered already.) And I'm still behind in the classes I missed that one week.
But why am I telling ya'll this?
Because of an important discussion that was held in my ARTED208 class, and a small subject we talked on - identities in today's society. Granted, that is a broad statement of what we discussed because if I was to give a step by step guide on how we got from Point A to Point G, I'm going to lose you lovely ladies and gents.
It was that topic that made me contemplate my own personal online identity. My assumption is that I probably don't know 90% of the people reading this. Perhaps more. And perhaps, I do know you very well which means shoutout to you! But, my online identity is only a partial, and mostly Cindellerized version of my life. You will probably see very little Facebook statuses from me complaining about how much I hate someone, or how hard was today (it could always be worse). And, even though it's nice to post all the good, sugar and spice, frou frou of the going ons in my everyday life, it's really not an honest depiction. And, more ironically, honesty is something I value and appreciate in people.
So time for that honesty. Today was awful. To the point where my body started to shake, and I could feel I was about to burst into tears and feel the overwhelming crippling effect of a short term anxiety attack. Yay me, right? And while I could have succumbed to that awful feeling that I thankfully don't get as much anymore, and could have planned to skip my last class of the day and go home and sleep, I took a mindful moment and have...slightly, put everything in prospective.
I came home, yes. But, I didn't crawl into bed and pray for the waves of emotions to pass. I decided I was going to write an article on my blog because, this does relate to my journey of teaching and once I finished that blog post, I was going to work on ***************. This relates to my journey of becoming a teacher because I'm in college, college is going to get me a degree, and that degree will get me a job.
Haha, that's a very vague statement of why this relates. But really.
School now, is going to get me into a school later. And my journey isn't going to be all dandelions and confetti bursts. So, every now and again, I'll post about an awful day, I'll take a moment to compose myself, and move on down the road that is going to make it possible for me to teach and impact children someday.
And in the end, HOW COOL IS THAT.
************* indicates a secret thing I'm making in case said person reads this blog - don't want to ruin the surprise!
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Introduction Foremost
While I have already posted a couple writings already, I think it best to introduce myself not only as a person, but as a student and growing art teacher.
My name is Valerie; at the moment I'm going to omit my last name. Even though my blog profile has one listed, that is my creative made-up one since I want to monitor how easily people can find me through social media. I think that's actually very important as a person participating in daily online activity. Always be aware of what you post because you never know exactly who is reading.
The school I am partnering at is at a middle school about an hour away. I attend my 12:30-3:30 on days when I'm not in class and not working as an assistant manager at a movie/game rental store, and so far, it's been very enjoyable! There is one half hour during that time where he has a 9-12 grade class, and it's very interesting to see the difference in their behavior versus the 6th-8th graders.
Mr. B is the cooperating teacher I was paired with, and I'm looking forward to working and learning from him. I'm interested to see how we get on because today he acknowledged to me that I'm an "A-type" personality, and he is not. I like to think I can get along with anyone - you just need to know how to adjust yourself to fit their puzzle of social pieces - but I still get nervous that people will get annoyed with my loud laugh, constant smiles, and bubbly demeanor. I know it did in high school, and that was four years ago! I think he'll be able to teach me a lot and help me realize what kind of teacher I want to be since he is wise and knowing from 15 years of teaching.
The reason I've been paired with a teacher at a school in the surrounding area was for my ARTED-208 class here at UW-Stout. It's essentially our first practicum experience; getting our feet wet. From my understanding, it's a pretty open-ended experience. There are some requirements, but after that first observational day, our teachers can use us however they need to.
Today, I actually helped Mr. B find a better price for a set of paintbrushes. He has been working on buying certain new supplies for the year. It is crazy, yet awesome how much time he puts into figuring out his budget. He compares prices against four major businesses, and then, "other" stores that might include Walmart, Menards, etc. Going back to how I helped him today, as sort of an example, he gave me a catalog and told me to find a set of brushes; not coarse bristles, a mix of round and flat, and preferably a fan brush too.
I found three sets total to compare against. Two of them were ones he had already found, but then, I found one that he somehow missed. The first set came with 5 brushes and was only $2.10, but didn't have a fan brush. The second set was $6.95, set of four and came with a fan brush. The one I found was only $4.95, came with six brushes - one of which being a fan brush. After doing the discount the company offers, the set was only $3.28 and was the cheapest option against all the difference choices he had picked from the company. It felt....good, knowing I helped him save some money. My first little success. :)
It also showed me the importance of good budgeting. Mr. B gets a very nice budget for the art department, but he has shown incredibly responsibility with that money. Yeah, comparing and contrasting prices to multiple companies may take up my time, but it helps save money; and some schools definitely struggle with funding their fine arts programs enough.
So yes! That was my first day. I'll be hashing out an entry probably tomorrow or shortly after answering specific questions required of the ARTED208 class. Chip, chip, and cheer-io!
My name is Valerie; at the moment I'm going to omit my last name. Even though my blog profile has one listed, that is my creative made-up one since I want to monitor how easily people can find me through social media. I think that's actually very important as a person participating in daily online activity. Always be aware of what you post because you never know exactly who is reading.
The school I am partnering at is at a middle school about an hour away. I attend my 12:30-3:30 on days when I'm not in class and not working as an assistant manager at a movie/game rental store, and so far, it's been very enjoyable! There is one half hour during that time where he has a 9-12 grade class, and it's very interesting to see the difference in their behavior versus the 6th-8th graders.
Mr. B is the cooperating teacher I was paired with, and I'm looking forward to working and learning from him. I'm interested to see how we get on because today he acknowledged to me that I'm an "A-type" personality, and he is not. I like to think I can get along with anyone - you just need to know how to adjust yourself to fit their puzzle of social pieces - but I still get nervous that people will get annoyed with my loud laugh, constant smiles, and bubbly demeanor. I know it did in high school, and that was four years ago! I think he'll be able to teach me a lot and help me realize what kind of teacher I want to be since he is wise and knowing from 15 years of teaching.
The reason I've been paired with a teacher at a school in the surrounding area was for my ARTED-208 class here at UW-Stout. It's essentially our first practicum experience; getting our feet wet. From my understanding, it's a pretty open-ended experience. There are some requirements, but after that first observational day, our teachers can use us however they need to.
Today, I actually helped Mr. B find a better price for a set of paintbrushes. He has been working on buying certain new supplies for the year. It is crazy, yet awesome how much time he puts into figuring out his budget. He compares prices against four major businesses, and then, "other" stores that might include Walmart, Menards, etc. Going back to how I helped him today, as sort of an example, he gave me a catalog and told me to find a set of brushes; not coarse bristles, a mix of round and flat, and preferably a fan brush too.
I found three sets total to compare against. Two of them were ones he had already found, but then, I found one that he somehow missed. The first set came with 5 brushes and was only $2.10, but didn't have a fan brush. The second set was $6.95, set of four and came with a fan brush. The one I found was only $4.95, came with six brushes - one of which being a fan brush. After doing the discount the company offers, the set was only $3.28 and was the cheapest option against all the difference choices he had picked from the company. It felt....good, knowing I helped him save some money. My first little success. :)
It also showed me the importance of good budgeting. Mr. B gets a very nice budget for the art department, but he has shown incredibly responsibility with that money. Yeah, comparing and contrasting prices to multiple companies may take up my time, but it helps save money; and some schools definitely struggle with funding their fine arts programs enough.
So yes! That was my first day. I'll be hashing out an entry probably tomorrow or shortly after answering specific questions required of the ARTED208 class. Chip, chip, and cheer-io!
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
In Response to Mr. Harsh
For Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016, ARTED208 was asked to watch a video by a teacher - Mr. Harsh. The video was an excellent example of teaching aesthetic experience in our art classes. I easily became engaged with watching the video and Mr. Harsh because of his enthusiasm and love for not just the material, but also his students. Such was apparent by the end of the video when he became choked up talking about what the students thank him for at the end of the school year - that he taught them how to love themselves.
How powerful is that? Seeing a real example of how we impact our students lives.
- How does Mr. Harsh teach aesthetics?
Mr. Harsh taught aesthetics by moving them gradually into the understanding of what aesthetics mean. He turned something ordinary or "practical" as he put it, and described experiences (such as pouring creamer into coffee) in a way that was beautiful and showed his point - that aesthetics are an experience and that experience can be even something simple in everyday life.
- How does Mr. Harsh engage students? How do you know that they are ENGAGED?
He was also very successful in engaging his students. I think one way he was able to engage them successfully was the fact that he went through the class lesson and teachable moments in both English and Spanish. By doing such, he didn't leave anyone out and developed a level of respect with the students. His enthusiasm was contagious, and his energy was so positive with everything he said. It was obvious to me that the students were engaged because he had to do little to no prodding to get them to participate and/or ask questions. Students volunteered with their responses to the red dye being dropped into the water, and no one needed their arm twisted to do such.
- How does Mr. Harsh create instructional opportunities adapted to diverse learners?
This is where it was so cool he took moments in the lesson to talk in both English and Spanish! Perhaps there are students in the class that know the basics of English, but by him going and saying instructions once in English and then once in Spanish, not only is he allowing them to understand what the lesson is about, but also for them to make that connection of what he is saying and better their own language skills.
- Are there topics that Mr. Harsh touches on that you would not?
- Or would you address topics in a different way?
To define "aesthetics" at a fifth grade level:
The way a person can appreciate and experience beauty - or what one considers beauty - in not only art work, music, literature, etc - but also in everyday life moments.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
In the Beginning
So, it's not really quite the beginning. More of like a second semester in the path of beginnings. For some reason, I was terrified with the start of this semester - Spring 2016. You know how we all get filled with self doubt every now and again? Well, it hit me pretty hard and out of the blue.
I think, I'm just afraid of not succeeding again. In high school, I was that kid. The one who did three sports, choir, band, drama, oh and was an active 4-H member holding leadership positions, while doing weekly community service events with my church. And I was good at all of this.
College came around and I succeeded and achieved for about two years and then hit this wall that really left me trembling.
So, while I'm scared that I'm not going to succeed, I have so many high hopes with the Art Education program. The first day I joined in Fall 2015, I was met with warmth and smiles, and for the first time in a year I was ecstatic about school and the future. After a couple weeks, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I don't know if it's necessarily a dream for Art Ed 208, but I dream about making an impact in a person's life, just like so many teachers did for me. I want to get another "A" in the Art Ed 208. I want to put in quality time at my practicum. I want to be a better planner.
Yeah, I worry a lot, but this is such a new experience, and I'm enjoying it so much that I honestly cannot wait to see what this semester throws at me. Pushes me to be a better person, and ultimately, an amazing teacher in my development.
And for your personal enjoyment, I have a word collage in the image of a cat because I am a crazy cat lady at heart. Word representations I feel show who I am as a person. :) Another way to get to know me a little bit better.
I think, I'm just afraid of not succeeding again. In high school, I was that kid. The one who did three sports, choir, band, drama, oh and was an active 4-H member holding leadership positions, while doing weekly community service events with my church. And I was good at all of this.
College came around and I succeeded and achieved for about two years and then hit this wall that really left me trembling.
So, while I'm scared that I'm not going to succeed, I have so many high hopes with the Art Education program. The first day I joined in Fall 2015, I was met with warmth and smiles, and for the first time in a year I was ecstatic about school and the future. After a couple weeks, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I don't know if it's necessarily a dream for Art Ed 208, but I dream about making an impact in a person's life, just like so many teachers did for me. I want to get another "A" in the Art Ed 208. I want to put in quality time at my practicum. I want to be a better planner.
Yeah, I worry a lot, but this is such a new experience, and I'm enjoying it so much that I honestly cannot wait to see what this semester throws at me. Pushes me to be a better person, and ultimately, an amazing teacher in my development.
And for your personal enjoyment, I have a word collage in the image of a cat because I am a crazy cat lady at heart. Word representations I feel show who I am as a person. :) Another way to get to know me a little bit better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)