Why art is important?

Why art is important?

The arts are important because of the wide variety of skills that are developed while doing art projects in the classroom. Students develop their fine motor and gross motor skills through clay or drawing lessons. Art class is where students are able to socialize, build their self-esteem and express themselves. I personally have a lot of memories from my childhood in the art room because of all the socializing that was happening. Lastly students are able to be creative and often consider more than one solution. Students are able to problem solve through sketches or models on how their finish project will end. Over all the arts are important for the multitude of skills built and developed.

http://www.aplaceofourown.org/question_detail.php?id=235

To Teach: What you can learn from comics?

Blog:. Describe the challenges and opportunities that Bill faces in the schools and discuss examples from the comic he shares that you learned from? What examples did he share to inspire you to be the difference in schools today? (back it up with supported evidence). How can you use comics and graphic novels in your classroom to express ideas like Ayers did (look at Williams article)?

The beginning of the graphic novel, Bill discusses what is and what is not teaching. Bill’s first challenge begins with being overwhelmed by the pure curiosity of his kindergarten class, asking why this, why that (As many young kids do.) I am comforted in the thought of being an explorer, rather than a master, kind of teacher who will not have every answer but is ready to go on the journey to find the answer.

Along that journey, students are faced with a lot of labels that can hinder their learning. (On Page 30) one of Bill’s students (Quinn), addresses that he had been labeled with Hyperactive Disorder. I was inspired by the way Bill took the opportunity to talk about labels in a positive way. I like the way he puts it, saying,” We all have lots of things we’re good at and other things we’re learning to do better.” Along with students seeing the good in themselves, I think it is important for us as teachers to also see the good in our students and not just bad behaviors.

While reading this book I found there were many inspiring quotes within the book, however I found this one to be most moving. Bill discusses the up and downs of teaching and says, “Even the most committed, caring teachers will make mistakes along the way, but they won’t be disastrous. Teaching at its best is not a matter of technique- it’s primarily an act of love.” For me, I found this quote to be inspiring to me as a future teacher. To think of teaching with no clear path, there will be mistakes, but we (as teachers and students) will learn from them to become even better teachers and students.

I have never been into comics or graphic novel, but after reading To Teach and El Deafo, I am more interested in picking up another book like this. I think these books have a nice way of describing and illustrating. I think that technique could be powerful in the classroom, by not only visually describing something but also putting it in words. I think it would also be beneficially to do a comic lesson with students because they would not be limited only to the one page to express their ideas, they have lots of boxes within in the page(s). I could also see this being helpful in making a stop motion video, for students to layout the film scene by scene.

Communication and Understanding

1. What do you think the problem was with the community in the chapter 12 story that caused Mrs. Clark to have no support with her pinwheels for peace project?

I feel the issue had more to do with misinterpretation and miscommunication between school and community. I think if the art teacher was to be more clear on their purpose and reason for the art project it would have not been misinterpreted. I understand where both sides are coming from, I just wonder if both the art teacher and the community have really thought about each others point of view. I wonder if a town meeting would help, in which the art teacher could express her goal for the project. Those that disagree with the project could explain their side and maybe discuss a compromise. I like this quote, “People looking in from the outside, will almost always have it misconstrued.” I think it is important in our future endeavors that we communicate efficiently and keep an open mind to others opinion.

2. Take some time to search the for some art advocacy resources. Attach the link to a resource you think the class would find helpful in their own art advocacy efforts as an art educator.

https://www.incredibleart.org/links/artedu.html (This website has a lot of important reasons for why art is important. Also the 1st video is very inspiring, 2nd video weirdly funny)

https://www.arteducators.org/advocacy

3. What made you want to become an art teacher? Why do you feel it is important for students to have art class in school? If someone was to ask you what your students learn in art class what would you tell them? (think about those questions) Now work on your elevator pitch for why the arts are essential and post what you would say to someone in under one minute!

I have had some amazing teacher role models in the past and the impact that they have had in my life has been inspiring. I have always really enjoyed art and through many experiences in my life I have found that nothing would be more rewarding than sharing my love for art with others through teaching. Art is important because students learn ways to express oneself, ways to imagine more than one right answer, ways to tell stories, ways to promote change, it gets the viewer to self reflect and overall art makes the world a better place. With such an important role in our world, how could we possibly live without art?

Expressing Identity

The chair exhibit discussed in the chapter received great attention (both positive and negative). Have you ever experienced your art being vandalized or shamed? If yes, explain the situation and how it made you feel. If not, explain what you would do if you were placed in this situation or if this happened to you as a teacher of students (like the author of this chapter).   

           Unfortunately at times, some art, the viewer may not feel compelled to linger with long enough to understand it or give enough time to ask questions. For example, recently I went to the Des Moines Art Center, where Susan Collis has a exhibit currently displayed called Without You The World Goes On. I personally did not find it interesting to me it just looked like supplies used on a house painting job and I walked on by. However, later when our class talked about the exhibit I found I complete took the work for granted. All the little drips and scraps were all hand made, she had hand-stitched embroidery in a drop cloth to look like paint drips. I found I had missed a whole lot by thinking the work was nothing more than material for the paint crew.

I think for the Aura Art Club that they were also not understood and probably had viewers with closed minds before walking into the exhibit. Like the vandalism on the Aura Art Club posters, who wrote, “Shame on You, AAD” or the negativity for the public about the Black Widow Spider chair portraying aggression, these viewers should have asked more questions and came with an open mind. In which case, perhaps if there were articles written by the Aura Art Club before, during, or immediately after, to explain the importance of the artwork and the impact may help to get more understanding.

  “For many non-Muslim students, the only exposure they get to Islam is through the news media and the associated stories of terrorism, war, and issues regarding the violation of women's rights” (Mirza and Bakali, 2010). How will you, in a future classroom, whether you have any Muslim students or not, help to debunk stereotypes and expose your students to Islam?       

I feel the multicultural lessons could help students build a better understanding of a region and the group of people that live there. Also, if you have connections to a friend that happens to be muslim may also help students to have first hand interaction versus you the teacher talking about muslims. It would also be good to explain to the students the differences between Arabic, Muslim, and Islamic. I for one do not think I had understood the differences before this article.

 Imagine that a future student of yours has a controversial piece and other students did like it. Could you support them in the same way? How would you go about supporting them? Write a short paragraph about how you would support that student, or why you wouldn’t support that student.  Post a reputable artist who might be introduced in your curriculum to help all students see Muslims in a positive light. Here is Shirin Neshat's Ted Talk as an example.

(As long as the artwork was not breaking any school policy) I would be supportive of the student and their artwork. I would hang the artwork, however I would also be prepared to speak up for the artwork if it came in question by a parent or administration. I think, in order to build a positive relationship and environment in your classroom it is important for the students to feel safe and welcome to express themselves in the classroom. Like the Aura Art Club, with the help of art the student were able to freely express themselves and their identity. Artwork also is suppose to get people talking and that is exactly what a controversial art piece would do.

Artist listed below

Boushra Y. Almutawakel: The artist photographs the similarities between women wearing makeup and women wearing hijab (veil) are both ways to concealing their face.

http://muslima.globalfundforwomen.org/content/hijab-veil-series

Service Learning

Service learning is a great way to connect students in school with their own community. It is a great way for all students (or even grown adults) to grow and reflect in their education, while doing something meaningful for their community. By adding service learning projects in our curriculum, we can bridge the gap between school things and community things and create more unity. By doing these projects students may find something they are interested in and did not know it, like volunteer work. Service learning creates opportunities to collaborate or to work with those that are not in the classroom, building on their teamwork skills. This is a great way for students to also see issues within their community and ways small changes make big impacts. Hopeful this also gets them interested in helping out their own community. While there may be a lot of benefits for students, there are also benefits for teachers (and preservice teachers.) Such as learning about issues within their community and feeling the reward of making a change.

All through high school, I was very involved in an organization called FCCLA and we would do projects that connected us with our community. I really found these projects valuable, and learned many lessons from these projects, like being organized, being responsible, and ways to work together. One thing I will never forget from one of these projects was the impact in made on my heart. (We were collecting shoes for Soles for Souls, which gives shoes to those in other countries that need them. We did it halloween night and instead of trick or treating for candy we trick or treated for shoes. This amazing lady in our community, had not got the memo but jumped at the chance to help others. She literally took the shoes off her feet and gave them to us. If that doesn’t speak values, I don’t know what does.

Ch. 5 Responses

Choices are something we all value in our life, options are important, like what we are going to wear or who do you choose to surround yourself with. When it comes to schooling, parents only want the best for their children. The choice system is very deceiving, with the pretense that private  schools can give students a better education than basis public school. The system also does not serve students equally, due to some areas being more wealthy, giving the school a more vigorous curriculum, while those in low income areas have a more general curriculum. Private schools also seem to lack in the art department, which in turn means that the students have less experiences that would help them with skills like problem solving, being creative, and brainstorming ideas. I myself, on the other hand, may be a bit bias towards private school, due to the lack of experience with private school. Like everything there may be some cons about private school but there are still some pros, just like there are both pros and cons to public school.

Teachers are paid less even with long hours

Less qualified teachers: uncertified and unexperienced

Don’t stay at one school for a long time: charters have 136% higher turnover rate than traditional public school

Lacking in the arts department

To me I would feel used for working my butt off, with long hours to help teach kids but not being fairly compensated. I also would have a tough time making connections with my fellow staff. If my administration and or staff does not support the arts, I would fear if I even would continue to have that job.

At times in the art classroom, one may face student artwork that makes you think but is controversial. In that position, I would feel it is best for that student to continue to express themselves, this allows that student to feel that the classroom is a safe place to express themselves. In a private conversation with the student I would disguise how that artwork may be controversial, explaining that due to policies the artwork will not be able to be displayed in the hall. I would want to emphasize that this work is important to be apart of our culture to make people question certain things.

I do not have any artwork that would be considered controversial but I do really like the artist Marc Quinn. As all humans are different in their own way such as their body form. Quinn sculpts bodies that some may call abnormal. Some may not agree that the bodies are beautiful or that we need to get away from constant expectations for body form.

Inclusive Classroom

1.) The author (a former art teacher) shares her personal experiences of how she wasn’t respectful and didn’t understand what her students with disabilities in her art room needed. Have you ever felt, uncertain, scared, or even frustrated working with students with disabilities, like the author did? Describe your experience and share what you learned from it?

I have been a respite care worker for Ada about 9 months and there are still things I am learning
from her. One of her family’s goals for her is to have a lot of community exposure, which includes
going on walks, going to stores and going to the movie theater. Although I agree with her parents
that having Ada out in public is good for her, I still get a little embarrassed in different circumstances
often because of societal norms. For example, at target we often get stared at because of the noises
she is making such as shrieks, a low humming or clapping. Or even at the movie theaters, ‘normally’
you sit amongst a multitude of strangers in silence and without many distractions, just watching the
movie. However, with Ada, that is not how it goes, she may get excited from a part of the movie and
begin jumping in her stroller or clapping or many other sounds. I can’t see other people in the theater
but just guessing they are probably pretty frustrated because they can’t watch their movie in silence.
I feel bad, but also remember that Ada needs to be round other just as much as others need to be
around Ada. And many of the noises Ada is making is her talking and her way of communicating.
From these situations I have learned that patience and understanding are valuable skills that I wish
was more abundant in society.

2.) How can you adapt your lessons for students with disabilities while still keeping it aimed toward their interests and still challenge them?  What are some ways you would make your curriculum and classroom environment more adaptive for student with disabilities? List at least 3 ways.

Most importantly, I would get to know my students and build relationship. It is impossible to
accommodate a lesson for someone you do not know. Not only personally get to know them but also
if the student in your classroom has a disability and they have a para it's also important to
communicate with the para. By getting to know the student I can better plan for lesson that are one,
interesting to them or two, accommodations or adaptations to the lesson. I would plan my lessons
not to fit the majority of the class but whole class. For example, at spectrum, we noticed there was a
lot of interest in play-doh, so we had a clay lesson (which is super easy to make:
https://kidcreatestudio.com/homemade-model-magic/) where we planned for the students with
sensory difficulties, so we had gloves and zip-lock baggies as well as another activity if that too was
not appealing. Also its important to being adaptable and willing to let the lesson be altered for the
enjoyment of the students. Overall it's important to find a way to incorporate the things that they are
interested in, be willing to adapt your lesson and have a plan b activity for and alternative to the
lesson.

From the clay lesson at spectrum

3.) The author from chapter 20 discusses how she left out artists with disabilities in her curriculum, therefore not providing experiences for her disabled students to see themselves represented in art class. Find an artist with a disability who you could include in a typical art lesson as an artist example. Share this artist and tell why they would be a good choice.

Geoffrey Mikol: (a person born with down syndrome) (is someone I have met, bought work from and visited his
gallery called River Bend) Geoffrey is an amazing landscape photographer and if you are doing a
lesson on landscape photography, he definitely is a good example. He also has an interesting way of
taking photos, when he is out in nature for a while and think about what he is going to shoot, he only
take one or two shots. Also good example of a young artist able to make a living from his artwork.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqm6lgOf8xA

Niam Jain: (a person with autism and limited speech) Niam is an abstract painter who is a good example
of a young artist making a living on his artwork. For Niam painting is his way of communication and
could be a good example to students that art can be an outlet for expressing themselves and it
doesn’t have to be realistic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWN36PgvSew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnpYCF57-Jk

Melissa Mccracken: (a person with synesthesia) Melissa is a good example of abstract painting but like Niam,
it is expressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvPd3wH21z8

John Bramblitt: (a person who is legally blind) I am currently reading his book shouting in the darkness.
In his 20's, John becomes blind and very depressed, he eventually turns to painting as way of
expressing himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8BiDHmKNrw