Locating Self as Teacher

[vision]

      When told to lay back with eyes shut, envisioning my future art classroom, I had a mix of visuals. 

I walked into a school building in the morning with my coffee mug in one hand, car keys and a folder of various lesson plans, research, and images for myself in the other. I walk into the building and am greeted by fellow coworkers. I’m not sure if it is a public school, charter school or what, but it has a school environment with many, many students of a variety of ages. They all seem to be from about K-5. I walk into my room; which is surprisingly very large and flip on the lights. There are dim, relaxed yellow lights coming from various lamps, light fixtures and Christmas lights strung from the ceiling.  The walls are painted various colors such as olive green, mustard, cream, teal, mint, all sorts. Some walls have polka dots, pinstripes, mini murals, and a whole wall is painted with chalkboard paint. The floor is a beautiful wood floor that looks aged and covered in paint specks and spills. On the walls there are several inspiration boards full of collages, images, magazine pages, and posters. They are a mix of artists and famous paintings from art history, vintage band posters, new and old photographs of plants, places and animals. A recreation of a contemporary art installation stands tall in another corner. A mini hallway then leads you into another room that is a gallery strictly for student artwork. It has bright lighting, cement floors and plain white walls like most galleries that allow only the artwork to shine. In the gallery, I constantly hang student artwork, allow students to practice KIND critiques and sharing sessions, and every two weeks, I have a gallery showing for all students, parents and any additional family and friends that would like to attend. I want my students to feel accomplished, proud and excited about all of the work that make in and out of my classroom. There are a collection of tables, chairs and stools I have collected from various thrift stores and yard sales that both create a funky, rustic atmosphere, but also allow for messes to be made and no punishment or reprimanding to follow. There is always music playing either softly in the background or louder during work time. There is a fridge, microwave, and shelves full of snacks, drinks and meals in case any child is hungry or does not have sufficient meals at home. I need my students to have good energy and no empty stomachs! This is all in a corner that resembles somewhat of a small kitchen. Along another wall there is a row of sinks and counter space at the appropriate level for children of younger ages. The sinks are splattered with paints, inks, and all sorts of materials but they do the job for washing brushes, various materials and hands. There are big windows along this wall that allow in plenty of sunlight through the forest trees that line the building. We often look outside and admire the different seasons, which brings inspiration for many artworks. My desk is large and painted; originally thrifted as well. My name is painted on it for students that may need a reminder, not for sense of ownership. I want my students to feel that I am not purely authority. I am here to help with creativity, exploration, expression and discovery.

[interface]

     When directed to think about technology being in my room I stumbled. Of course I pictured a laptop or two being in the classroom for some research or printing off images for assignments, but I wasn't sure how else to include it. Perhaps I was merely going off of classrooms I had been taught in or even recent classrooms I had helped teach in. But no! This is my future vision! I should push further somehow. After looking through some sources and researching through the class, I came across these amazing interactive projection screens by Luminvison. These projections were being shown on walls, floors, halls, you name it! Hotels, shopping malls, why not my classroom? So I began to daydream how I could use these interactive projection floors as ways to engage my students, let them experiment with body movement, technological connections, their senses, ideas of space; the ideas and concepts kept coming! I could surely use this tool with any subject, artist or unit. 

[animation]

     Next was creating an animation using Flash and uploading to Youtube. I enjoyed doodling with little paintbrushes on the screen but also found many frustrations when I couldn't figure things out, things wouldn't resize, things were deleted, etc. I uploaded my brief animation to Youtube which made it quite fuzzy and seemed to discredit the hard work I had felt I put in. I stepped back a moment and realized, maybe technology based activities or art making isn't "my thing" but fellow students around me were creating amazing animations! Their eyes seemed to light up as they looked onto the screen quickly moving their cursors around and clicking. As a teacher I must think of my students and what is best for them, and what engages them. I should provide them with a large variety of mediums and processes and allow them to find what they truly enjoy. If my students are engaged and excited, they will feel more excited, inspired and motivated. So from this, I learned to stop thinking about what I like or want in my classroom but also what my students may want and like. 

brief animation

[five areas]

      Five areas, ideas or concepts I want my students to learn from me. These five areas would have to be very important to me and would truly only work if I believed in them and lived by them myself. How do I condense all of my beliefs, opinions and ideas I want to share with all of my future students? I'm not so sure but I will try! 

1) creativity. Not to go too generic or cheesy but let's be honest. A creative child often becomes a creative adult, and a creative adult in my opinion, lives a fuller, more successful life. To be creative, you must have an open mind, you must look both around you and inside yourself. You are excellent at problem solving, being expressive in unique ways, and you produce original work. Students should always be creative but especially in the art room. They should feel free to express inner thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a supportive, inspiring environment. I hope to push them all to think "outside of the box" and push past their own personal boundaries in the art world. 

Creativity: the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.  Creativity: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships,or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods,interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination. 

2) confidence. To be confident, you believe in yourself. You believe that you have many great qualities, and you create many great things. You hold your head high, you recognize you are unique and valuable. You are not constantly doubting yourself nor are you putting yourself down. With confidence comes healthy pride in self. I hope to not only be an example of confidence but have students learn to be confident themselves. Not only as artists so that they are proud of their works and not doubting themselves in the process, but are confident when it comes time to share and show off their work. I want them to also be confident when sharing ideas or even daily interactions with one another. Insecurities are never a fun thing, especially for young students who are trying to find their voice.

Confidence: a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something.

full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing. sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities,correctness, successfulness, etc.; self-confident; bold.

3)collaboration. Bringing together ideas, working together, creating together, integrating ideas. Being able to hear out other people, make a main/common goal, help others, let others help you, take criticism, new ideas and change well.  Combining and coming together. I hope my students often collaborate on artworks, projects and brainstorming together. There is something magical about sharing ideas, coming together and working as one without competition, judgement or ranking of ideas.

Collaboration: to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something.  

To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort. Work jointly on an activity, especially to produce or create something:

4) wonder. To be curious, intrigued, to want to know more, do more. Being amused, amazed, excited and thrilled. I would want my students to be curious, to be in awe of a work or artist, and to ponder or search further. 

Wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable. rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience. to think or speculate curiously.

5) determination. Wanting to achieve, push forward, push through and move on. To accomplish something, to challenge yourself and to desire succeeding your goals. Not throwing in the towel when things get tough, and not giving up on yourself. 

Determination: a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult. having a strong feeling that you are going to do something and that you will not allow anyone or anything to stop you, not weak or uncertain.

[landmarks]

     Who, where and what has helped form and mold me into who I am and want to be as a future art educator? Different memories, experiences, interactions with certain people, feelings; they have all had an impact in creating my beliefs about both the arts and education. I will call these "landmarks."

    My first landmark would be my grandmother. She has always been a significant part of my life, not just for hugs and baked goods but as an art guide. Growing up she was always creating and learning about art. She got a degree in Art Education then soon after graduating started her own art based daycare called "Art & Play." She then taught in both public middle and high schools as well as continuing to be her own artist. Especially once she retired, she has had many gallery showings as well as sales of her pastel drawings and watercolor paintings. I grew up walking through and playing her studios that were covered in white sheets and colorful works leaned up against the walls. She often encouraged me to have a sketchbook and took me out in fields and forests that she painted. 

   A second landmark would be the collection of my past art teachers since kindergarden. Being in the State College Area School District, I have had excellent education as well resources.

 Gloria Scaltz started my art education experience in kindergarden and take care of me till fifth grade. Gloria was always loud, humorous, slightly sarcastic but a heart of gold. She became a dear friend that I still speak with to this day. She  was always so motivating and put one of my crayon drawings in to a show in the HUB and sent it to be in a show in Boston. She was the first person to make me feel like an artist. I want to be able to give that feeling to many of students.

  

Robert Placky was my high school art teacher. I speak with him to do this day as well, and find myself emailing him with questions or popping into his room for some guidance here and there. His door is always open. That's what I loved in my ninth through twelfth grade days. I felt a bit like an oddball in my high school, but I could always go to his art room to doodle, paint, chat or even have my lunch and feel so perfectly at home. His funky style, quirky analogies and deep knowledge of art and self inspired me beyond belief. He seems to be a legend around here. People from all sorts of generations, backgrounds and personalities have a connection to him. He constantly kept pushing me to find who I was as both an artist and young adult, and it was exactly what I needed. He would get me fired up, determined as well as confident in who I am and what I do. I want  my room to be a home away from home to students, and I want to make them feel as supported as he does. He still tells me he is my "safety net" when I need.

    I could continue on and on about experiences, people and places that have shaped me into who I am as an artist, human, student and future educator, but perhaps I will close this list with just one more. My final landmark would be when I installed a sculpture with the help of my professor here at Penn State, Brook Simmons, and my fellow intro to sculpture classmates. The task was to make a sculpture in the wood shop that when then be installed in the public and would disrupt the everyday life, people or setting. Brook had always encouraged us to be daring so I decided to push myself and do something slightly controversial. I personally disagree highly with both the words and feelings the infamous "Willard Preacher" projects here on campus everyday, so I decided my sculpture would disrupt him and his preaches of sorts. One of his main concerns being sex before marriage, I decided to make a life size silhouette of two people engaged in sexual intercourse. I painted it black, made a post to stick it in the grass and marched down with my professor and class to install it in a patch of grass directly across from the preacher. So that we did! I wanted to make him feel as uncomfortable as he makes me and many others as he yells, barks and slurs things as students walk by. Large crowds of students, faculty and anyone walking through the mall of the university gathered, laughed, pointed, admired and took pictures. I was thrilled by the response! It got a ton of publicity in the newspapers, social medias and blogs across town. The feeling was fantastic. Both the support and cheering on of my professor as well as feeling I had truly pushed my boundaries was extremely beneficial for me as an artist. I wish to push, motivate and have students become daring, alive and proud like Brook had helped me feel.