Artistic Vision
It’s a right-brain kinda thing.Archive for January, 2008
Reading assignments and art education—what’s a teacher to do?
I came home today from one of the most disappointing and frustrating days of my, as of yet, very short educational career. My students were tasked, last week to ready what is the introduction to Art History (2nd ed.) by Marilyn Stokstad. Although 17 pages, it’s packed with large photos and isn’t a huge drain on your intellectual resources. She does an admirable job communicating on a less-than-high-school level for high schoolers.
Sadly, the students complained from day until night about this assignment. First, let me say my kids are used to not being challenged in art class. Left to their own devices they would be happy doing a little craft and talking to their friends all period. They love to tell me how much better the “other” art teachers were that they’ve had at the school and gleefully run through the list of past preferred teachers. However, from what I’ve gather from talking to the teachers who are still at the school (turn over is exceptionally high), none of the teachers really did anything close to what should be covered in art history or art appreciation. The later teachers seem to have been worn down by the students to the point of letting them come up with their own projects with minimal oversight. And, I can see why!
I told the students I wanted simple notes taken (and attached to their packet) or that they could highlight the text of the xerox packet. Many said they didn’t understand what that meant. I explained that in college you’re going to be tasked with having to read chapters in a book. Your responsibility is to read it and a) take notes via pen/notebook or laptop or b) highlight what you believe to be relevant portions of the text. I deliberately left it open-ended since I didn’t want to walk them through it because the students will lazily not do the reading and wait for my before-the-test study guide.
Sadly, upon reviewing their packets—I told them they would receive a grade for their highlight/note-taking—I determined many of them were either not reading it but simply highlight pieces of the text at random, or they were reading it and not pulling out what they should have been. So, I spoke to my principal and vice-principal to seek their advice. In the end, they agreed with me that I should ditch giving them a formal study guide and re-read the article during class periodically stopping to ask them for feedback and what was salient about the short passage we just read together. That would serve as their study guide.
Well, the students in my first two classes weren’t having it. First period did poor with frequent interruptions and complaints and third period did even worse. I had to ask the VP to come down to remove two students. By the time she got there, other students had basically becoming just as talkative. I pulled her outside and we conferred. In the end, she recommended that they be held accountable for their behavior and told their notes would have to suffice and the test they were to be given on this material would take place as originally planned instead of two days later to accommodate the re-reading of the packet. The next period did better with only a couple of students periodically having side conversations.
In the final analysis, though, I know most of these students will fail this test. Not because the information wasn’t available to them, but because they don’t care and see it as being irrelevant to their life. One girl told me she just didn’t care because it wasn’t important to her; she wants to be a doctor and art is not relevant to her career. I tried to explain that in college (she’s in 11th grade), she’s going to have to read many things which she is going to feel the same way about. Just because you think you’re going to med school doesn’t mean everything is a) going to be medically-related, b) going to be interesting and c) going to be easy. These kids—even the seniors—seem very naive and I just don’t know how to break through to them.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how to handle some of the art history lessons I’ve got coming up? I know the students think that if they complain and cause enough problems I’ll just throw in the towel and only do hands-on projects. But, I refuse to do that.
Please send me your suggestions and comments.
Limited-budget art education
I was reading an article from the NAEA Advisory today that touched upon the the concept of teaching art on a limited budget. I have had only minimum exposure to this, more last year than this year when I had to shell out money to cover the expenses for stolen or exhausted art supplies. The article noted how one student teacher who “taught over 500 students every week with an art cart and no budget.” I couldn’t imagine that. I know that last year I sent out an email to friends asking for financial help (and receiving $450). But, to live in that space all year drains me just thinking about it.
NCLB is cited as the root cause of art budget issues because this Act is squeezing districts where they have to make difficult choices. Because art education is low on the totem pole funding is naturally going to be pulled or reallocated. The author noted “the quality of art instruction and learning” is impacted by art budgets. Furthermore, “how can students create art if they lack clay, paint, or paper?”
The article goes on to list a few budget-limited ideas. “Earthworks” is a genre that utilizes natural objects and the landscape to create short-term, biodegradable art. Andy Goldsworthy is cited as an contemporary “earthworks” artist. I have never explored this though I know a little of Andy Goldsworthy’s work. I struggle with trying this type of project because my students are incredibly lazy. Given my past experience with this group of kids, I can pretty confidently say that they would take the path of least resistance and throw something together versus thinking through the design and materials challenge and go with it. I’m definitely going to think about it, though, having read the article.
Another idea they put forth was creating pigments with earth materials. I like this idea because it would provide perspective for the students on what artists prior to our time period had to go through in order to create their work. Namely, they did so much with so little.
The last idea they promoted was using recycled materials to create pieces that reinforce environmental consciousness. This idea definitely has prospects for my own class as well as cross-curricular work with a science teacher who mentioned she’d like to work with me on a project. I’ll have to do some research on environmental artists who I could leverage for ideas. If you have any ideas please send them my way.
Obviously, teachers make do with what they have. I would love to know how teachers who find themselves in this space cope and make do. So, please, give me your cheap art ideas. They can be environmentally focused or not.
Struggling with motivation
I just finished grading a test for my three Studio classes. We did a simple project on Michelangelo. It had three parts: an artist-background research component, a hands-on project and an accompanying writing assignment. As a class, we spent three class periods in the library. They had ample time to accomplish this.
The artist-background research component involved writing three paragraphs covering the three sections of information I wanted them to focus upon: his life, work/mediums and the David, the featured artwork. Needless to say, I’m quite disappointed. Only six out of my 43 students in my Studio class passed. I had to speak with an administrator on how to handle the fact that the vast majority of the remaining students plagarized their papers. We worked it out, but it is very disheartening when I give them a resource and few take advantage of it.
As a final component, I gave my Studio classes a formal test on Michelangelo and the David. While one of my classes passed almost without fail, the other two classes had numerous failing scores; my third period class nearly all failed. Many of the students didn’t bother using the study guide I gave them which explicitly covered all of the answers to the test.
In both of these circumstances I had the support of my administrator and none of the parents protested once shown the resources and timetable the students had to work with. For that, I’m grateful. Unfortunately, this has capped off a difficult week or so for me but more on that later.
Feeling down
Ever since returning from Christmas break, I have found it increasingly difficult to motivate myself. Writing lesson plans, contemplating future assignments and grading papers have pushed me to a place I haven’t been for quite some time. It has become so oppressive at times that I have been struggling more recently with boredom while playing with my kids. I have to admit to feeling shame at this self-disclosure.
I know my spiritual responsibility before the Lord and I have been praying in earnest for the resolution of my depressive thoughts and feelings. I have gotten out a few of my books on cassette. Most notably, N is for Noose and C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton. They have always both entertained me and cheered me for their familiarity. My habit of re-reading (or, in this case, re-listening) to audio books, I have high hopes such “magic” will deliver me from my oppressive mood.
Chicago’s military academies raise education debate
I found the article, Chicago’s Military Academies Raise Education Debate, while on Digg and thought it extremely interesting since I presently work in an urban school and many I talk to in my own school as well as those in other urban districts think a military-like structure would be a beneficial.
Do I say this because I like to see African-American and Latino kids under stricter discipline than their Caucasian suburban counterparts? Actually, it has nothing to do with ethnicity at all. Frankly, I have been joking from last year that I think my school (and the surrounding district) should be taken over by the military. My school doesn’t deal with violence thankfully but disrespect and other discipline-related issues rank as number 1 on the list of why new teachers leave. Frankly, if a suburban school had the discipline issues my school struggles with then I’d recommend this type of solution-if you want to call it that-for those schools as well.
It makes me wonder why the discipline issues in urban schools are so different than (most) suburban schools. I know in my school we have a lot of professional development days dealing with culture and such things. Namely, the thought that whites don’t get black culture and don’t see how this divergence manifests itself in the classroom. I can appreciate that up to a point, of course. Yet, many black friends I speak with don’t get it either. They roll their eyes when I recount some of the things the professionals come in to speak with us about concerning urban culture and the differences of urban students in the classroom. Like I said, I can embrace their points somewhat but there remains a good chunk of their argument that I find untenable.
I’ll talk more about this, but I wonder if anyone else had anything to contribute to this discussion (about the issue, in general, and the article, in particular).
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