Extra Credit

Swarthmore College has a beautiful campus. There were photographs of the rose gardens, flower gardens, and other natural things that are around the campus on display in one of the old buildings. There wasn’t much information about the photography but I enjoyed that because it left the mind open to imagination and interpretation. The majority of the photos were black and white or the normal coloring of the scenery that was taken.

It was neat to see a black and white photo of something that I knew was full of vibrant colors. I enjoyed this a lot because even though it was in colors that are typically boring to the eye, the photograph was still able to capture the beauty and incredible scenery that was all around the flowers. If the picture would have been in bright colors I don’t think I would have appreciated the old green house in the background, the old fence that surrounded the house, or the smaller flowers in the background because the colors of the flowers in focus may have taken away from the background and scenery.

There were some really neat pictures of the library, fields, tennis courts, and outside auditorium. Some were done in a thermal setting; others looked like that were edited in photo shop to have a sketched effect. There were a few that were done in the style of Andy Warhol, a series of the same picture in different colors. There were two photos that stood out to me because I thought they were old photos by the style and form they were presented in. After reading the title and information I saw that it was a picture taken last spring and the student some how aged the picture and placed it on older photography paper to have an aged effect. It was really neat and obvious that whoever took and worked on the photograph had spent a lot of time to create the final result.

Developing Criteria Rubrics in the Art Classroom

During one of our block two classes we received a number of references and a class presentation on how to make and use successful rubrics. I had used a few rubrics before that workshop and couldn’t stand them because of how frustrated I became with the wording and rewording, the scoring, and the idea of sameness. During the end of block two and my student teaching placement I was able to make and use more rubrics that helped expand my knowledge on the variety of uses for rubrics and how successful they can be.

The article mentions how “the rubric can be elastic and responsive and can be created with students and edited collaboratively with students” (McCollister, 47) which I think is a wonderful idea. The process of deciding what is the most important or what the most desirable characteristics of a final result are can take a while and often be stressful while also trying to meet all students’ needs. Working together with the students and asking questions and posing ideas during normal classroom discussion can incorporate student ideas and may keep the grading process less stressful or fearful for some students. Later, the article mentions how to incorporate ideas for or time for developing a rubric in a busy classroom setting. I feel that many of the questions about “what qualities and characteristics should be present in the finished work” would come up during normal class discussion anyway (McCollister, 48).

Developing rubrics takes practice; I still struggle with meeting the variety of levels, strengths, needs, abilities, and styles on the rubric scale. I think with practice and trying the new idea of not just incorporating student’s ideas but working together with students on the creating and modifying the rubric could be extremely useful in art and many other learning areas.

For Me...It was really...Always The Pictures

I often compare my learning styles and techniques to classmates because I’ve always struggled to comprehend certain class materials and for a while never understood why. “If you look at a picture, it puts more ideas in your head” (170). In most of elementary and middle school I rarely read, not because I couldn’t but because my teachers wouldn’t allow me to use any books with pictures. I needed the pictures to better understand the books and to have a longer lasting impression of what I read. I shared this information with my roommate and she told me about her frustration growing up because she wasn’t given the time she needed to translate words into pictures.

I’m currently placed in a sixth grade inclusive ELA classroom. Unfortunately it is not the “inclusive” classroom we learn about and strive to have in today’s schools. I understand that it is difficult for many teachers but it is not an excuse. There are a number of ways to teach literacy instruction to students with disabilities and the majority of the time, like the many examples in It Was Always The Pictures, all students’ benefit from visual learning techniques not just students with disabilities. These students are missing out because teachers are not taking the time to give students meaningful instruction that they can understand and as a result they are unable to participate in many class activities because they do not understand or they are unable to grasp a concept because they aren’t given information in a useful way.

Students like me, my roommate, the sixth graders and many other kids would benefit from simple classroom modifications or additions like graphic organizers, picture books, graphic notes, etc. The graphic organizers are one of my favorites to use for almost anything. In order for them to be successful in the classroom teachers must support and teach students how, where, and when to use them. Encouraging students to pair words and pictures is also useful for graphic organizers or any type of writing or note taking. The article mentioned mind mapping which I love to use and get excited when I see students making. Sometimes their information looks unorganized or may not makes sense to others but to the student, the pictures, words or whatever is written on their mind map paints a clear picture for the content that student is learning.

My mother told me a story about one of her students with autism who had an obsession with whales. He was loosing key learning opportunities (like mentioned in the article) in almost all subject areas. My mom found ways to incorporate his obsession into the different learning areas and helped him create picture books and write stories on different scientific and historical aspects of whales that enabled the student to learn and use his literacy skills on something he was passionate about.

Romare Bearden – Let’s Walk the Block

After looking through the first few pages and hearing the beginning of guided tour on the website I couldn’t help but think of Philadelphia. There is a picture attached of South Street, Philadelphia, called South Street Sizzle. I’ve always loved this painting and the colors and style reminded me a lot of Romare Bearden’s paintings. In “The Block” Bearden described Harlem as a young boy with energy. This continued to help me making connections. After thinking about South Street I started to think about boathouse row in Philadelphia, which would make such an incredible painting through Bearden’s eyes, I also thought about a colorful fisherman’s row that is in Italy. Bearden drew The Block from a memory and every single place has its own memory. Every person who keeps that memory sees it through a photograph, visual, song, image, etc. Memories like Harlem or South Street are seen through personal perspectives, experiences and most importantly imaginations. I believe that with a good imagination you can relive any memory or experience through the pictured painted in your mind. And like Beardens painting, each part and segment has its own representation that when put together makes the big picture clear.

Graphic Novels in the Classrooom
Gene Yang

At my first student teaching placement in Brooklyn I did a science unit project over a month. Towards the end, rather than testing them formally I gave students the options of creating a poem, rap, dance, drawing, skits, ABC book, just about anything they wanted to do. This project took more time than anticipated but it was well worth it. One of my students created a science vocabulary comic book. It was the best work I had seen from that student since I had been in his classroom. I made a copy of it because I thought it was such a neat idea and plan to use it as an example in my future classrooms. I now always include comic books as a form of graphic novels for assessment options.

“It doesn’t matter how quickly I ‘say’ the lecture. What matters is how fast you choose to read it! That rate of information-transfer is firmly in your control!”

Yangs idea of handing out “comic lectures” is a great idea. Growing up I struggled with reading and was rarely engaged because of the style of lessons that my teachers presented. As I was reading I started to wonder about how much I would have benefited from graphic novels. Some college classes are still a struggle because I am visual learner and can’t always follow at the rate a professor gives information. I’m interest to see how successful these comic lesson plans are. Hopefully they will be used in more and more classrooms and fit to the curriculum, many students would benefit from this.

Islamic Art is so interesting!! When I studied abroad I learned a lot of about the geometrical patterns of Islamic art. I was fortunate enough to see many Islamic art pieces and buildings that were designed with Islamic art. The most incredible piece that I saw was the Alhambra in Granada, Spain (picture). I spent hours looking at the architecture and all the tiny art details that surrounded me. I was able to make some connections to what I have learned about the principles of Islamic Art and what was mentioned in the article. Islamic Art is so interesting because some people find the repetition or symmetry to be simple maybe even boring but after learning about the Islamic art process I am able to appreciate each individual part as their own art piece.

Islamic Art can be connected to many areas in the classroom, social studies, history, math, science, etc. I recently just taught a symmetry lesson and after reading this article I’m tempted to teach a mini lesson on Islamic art and history and use the students examples in the lesson. The workshop described in the article explains how students quickly noticed many math concepts. Workshops like this leave long-lasting impressions on students because they are so authentic and learning not only about school but about themselves and peers. There were many activity examples, photos, and museum pieces which are great resources for the futures. Some of the activities show continuous circles or triangles and the end result is so neat and interesting to look at. It would be a great activity or lesson to show students who ‘don’t enjoy’ art or ‘are not good’ at art because it can show them that something as simple as overlapping circles can turn out to be a creative art piece.

Rube Goldberg – Inspired Drawings of How Art Is Made by Thomas A. Oakley
“What impressed me about this project was that while it is a relatively easy lesson to present, the final results will be with the students for a long time” (Oakley).

Websters dictionary defines Rube Goldberg as a comically involved, complicated invention laboriously contrived to perform a simple operation. I find comfort in the way people like Goldberg think, he uses such intense, complicated, well thought plans and ideas to describe or create a simple function. Many people can create the same outcome as Goldberg but it is his creative and long process that makes his work stand out.

The article describes how ‘good’ many students (nontraditional students) are at art. Struggling through an art project or any project isn’t always a bad thing, it is important for teachers to notice these struggles and to stay away from frustration but when we are able to get into the minds of how children think we are able to produce more creative outcomes.

I love how children can explain something in such a complicated and detailed manner but in the end it makes sense and it paints a picture of what that student is thinking or seeing. I also find it interesting how children explain things short and simple and many adults take that simple answer and fail to ask further questions. Many times what a student sees in their head isn’t always the same as how they would write or explain it.

"Chairs, Cars, and Bridges" Reflection

Lauren Wenrich
Reflection 5
February 15, 2009

“Chairs, Cars, and Bridges”

“A well-designed functional and aesthetic object will enrich the environment, foster communication, hold attention, and/or add emotional depth to an experience (Robin Vande Zande, 39).

While reading this article I thought a lot about my experience studying abroad. My class traveled to Barcelona where we studied the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. His artwork and architecture was incredible but if I wasn’t told about the history and purpose of his designs I would have thought his artwork was random (and crazy). The seven components of design were definitely a huge factor that took place in his decisions in art when designing his buildings, parks, houses, etc. At the end of the reading Zande gives the example of a bridge in Spain. He referred to the bridge as “a visual statement that enriches the environment because it blends with the surroundings yet reduces boredom through novelty.” This is exactly what Gaudi did in Barcelona.
I think design is extremely important because it is something that takes part in our everyday lives. If you don’t think about the aesthetics involved then you can’t truly appreciate the design.

Reflection 4

The Sweet Role of Art in Literacy
Reflection 4
February 5, 2009

“Why do so many students have trouble putting words on a page…Or is it because they aren’t being taught in the way they need to be taught (Shultz)?”

My favorite part about this article was the idea of using pictures to create a collage and then using their artwork and ideas from the pictures to make a story. Being a visual learner it is much easier to map our ideas through graphics and visuals and then decide what your story is going to be about. It not only helps with creative ideas but it also helps to keep these visual learners organized.

A huge problem in today’s classroom is that students are not being taught in a way that makes learning fun, meaningful, and understanding. I’m learning a lot about this in my other classes as well, along with art, music and movement is not being used enough in today’s classroom for our creative thinkers. We need to give students the opportunity to explore through art and drawing to help them succeed. “Drawing helps children make their ideas (Brooks).”

Tattoos and Teenagers

Tattoos & Teenagers

I have always found tattoos to be an incredibly meaningful and beautiful art form; I love seeing people just covered in them. I personally could never do it but I find it so interesting and for the most part, each tattoo has a significant story behind it. There has always and will always be opinions about tattoos because of cultural beliefs, personal preference, history, identity and a number of other reasons. Many people have negative feelings about tattoos because of the history involved with marking and branding.

“Studies about teenagers link tattoos with eating disorders, unsafe sexual activity, violence, and suicide, as well as low self-esteem and school failure (Blair, 40).” For many, this statement may to true but I strongly believe that it’s because of the reputation, history, and education people have and make about tattoos. I do agree that research should be done before getting a tattoo because you are “stuck with it for life” but those regretful or unwanted tattoos, whether good or bad tell a story.

I started to think about why I have tattoos while reading this article, I don’t know if I have tattoos for any specific reason, maybe just for art and self-expression. I have two tattoos (and hope to get a few more), The one is an Italian saying that reminds me of my grandmother. The other is a simple heart, no bigger than a quarter on my rib; my best girlfriends have talked about getting the same tattoo for as long as I can remember. The heart represents our strong bond; we have been together through everything ever since pre-school. One day, about a year ago, we spontaneously did it.

Reflection 2 "Not Thinking in Pictures" and "Different Types of Thinking in Autism"

January 26, 2009
Arts in the Classroom

I find it difficult to say whether I agree or disagree with either author. At the end of “Not Thinking in Pictures” Donna Williams says “I don’t care what’s autistic or not, I care what works.” I would have to agree with her because no matter what the disability or ability, each student and individual learns differently. People tend to generalize the way certain disabilities learn ‘best’ because often there are similarities in the way they think and/or learn. However, it’s hard to label a disability with a specific learning style because every person thinks and learns differently

Williams did not think in pictures, she preferred gestural signing. A man diagnosed with ‘high functioning autism’ told her “that’s not very autistic.” Maybe to this man it wasn’t ‘very autistic’ but it also could be a way of thinking that this man may not have understood. I recently read an article about a student with cerebral palsy. She got offended because a non-disabled classmate told her “you can’t and don’t think like us.” Through multiple forms of communication the student with CP explained that everyone thinks differently and wanted to know ‘how a person can think like someone who is completely different than him or her.’

This topic relates to the articles because it shows that no one thinks exactly the same. We can’t generalize ways of thinking and link it to a learning ability or level. You can group and categorize but it is important as teachers to remember that not all students under that group are going to apply.

An important concept to remember is that visual thinking (or any type of thinking) can mean different things to different people. It may be equally beneficial to different students but used differently.