Ark: Week 10

This past week was very difficult.  It started off with me being very sick with the stomach bug. I didn't want to take any days off because I missed last Monday due to car problems.  Because of my illness I wasn't my best and I wasn't a truly effective teacher for the first session of the week. Of course, it was my turn to take over the 5th grade class and I had to teach the students the grid technique. Because I wasn't feeling my best and I had little energy, I overlooked some of the basic steps with the grid technique  I thought the students would have already known how to properly use a ruler....but to my surprise they actually didn't.  The first group of 5th graders who I taught this to is typically the better group, however, they were in panic and had a difficult time with understanding the concept of a ruler.  The following day I had the group of 5th graders that are usually more chaotic and because I learned from my mistakes from the previous day I was a better and more effective teacher. I had to break down the steps and I used to overhead projector to teach the students what they had to do in order to feel confident in their work and by successful.

It's amazing how much I learned this past week. I realized that I shouldn't assume students have already mastered certain skills.  It just goes to show you that students really do learn a lot of information in the art room that they can apply into other realms of education (for ex. measuring with a ruler). It was really good for me to experience this struggle and I'm glad I went through it. This experience opened my eyes and taught me how to be a better teacher and to enhance my communication skills with the students.

Last but not least, I allowed the students to have a free-art-day on Friday. I did this to help the students release some stress from the NYS testing they went through all this week. I also brought in my quilt to show the students that I too have been struggling with my artwork but I have to stick with it---and in the end I'll be very successful and proud of my work. This was a good strategy  because I think the students really connected with me on a common level and it was good for them to see that I too struggle with art.

Overall, it was a difficult but a very educational week for me and my students. 

Ark: Week 9

Oh my beloved 3rd graders, how much I love all of you.  I remember the days how resistant they were towards me and, finally, they look up to me as an actual teacher (only took them 3 months to warm up to me). They have been so good and extremely productive! This past week the students wrapped up their Animal Camouflage unit and boy, oh boy, their projects came out AMAZING! I really enjoyed this project and admire how well Ms. Molly integrated a science unit with this project---I will definitely be repeating this project in my future classroom.

Today, the students filled out their self-assessment forms and I was amazed to see how honest the students were.  There are a few students who could improve their behavior and effort and those students  admitted to that on their assessment forms. I spoke to those students and asked them how they could improve their attitudes and effort for the next project. Today was a great reflection day and the students really took it seriously.

The students have been anxiously waiting for me to teach and keep on asking me every day when I will start the clay unit with them (oh they fill my heart with joy). I keep on telling them to be patient and before they know it I'll be teaching them everything they'll need to know about clay.

Here are a few student examples of the Animal Camouflage project.  THEY. ARE. AMAZING. Can you see the animals?!

Ark: Week 9

This week was a whirlwind of emotions for everybody because it was the first week back from spring vacation.  At first the students and the teachers were refreshed from vacation but it didn't take too long for the stress from the upcoming NYS exams to kick in.  The students are really feeling the pressure for the upcoming exams which creates a lot of tension and stress for the teachers.  I am looking forward to the week after all the testing because I believe there will be a tremendous shift in the mentality throughout the school.  The art room has been a chaotic environment lately full of mixed emotions. The students seem eager to do art work but as soon as a challenge upraises they instantly give up.  Persistence is lacking and I've noticed positive attitudes are as well... The teachers are doing their best to rise the students' spirits but it often feels as if the students resist any positive intentions. As Dori from Finding Nemo would say, we all just got to "keep on swimming, swimming swimming".

Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark are my superheros. Today, I introduced the new service learning project to the 6th grade.  I was so excited to share the good news with the students that this year we are doing something different from all the past years.  I made a fun questionnaire for the students to fill out that I thought they would like! Welp. The 6th graders flattened me right out.  I introduced the new concept to the students that rather creating another mural to hang inside the school that we are going to create something that can be placed outside the school in the playground for all to see! (The school requested that Sam and I to base our service learning project around decorating the playground.)  Boy, we're the students AGAINST that. At first, some of the students pondered about it but then were easily discouraged to not like it because of two outspoken students who expressed their extreme dislikes.  The two students were very very resistant and continued to state that "we want to make a mural just like the other 6th graders did before us!" Knowing that the students are under a lot of stress due to NYS exams I remained positive and encouraged the students that this is an opportunity for them to do something different and that they would be the first group of 6th grade to start a new tradition. The two outspoken students  were still against and continued to walk all over me and be extremely disrespectful. They continued on with their negative mindsets which others quickly caught onto.  Before the two students could do any more damage Mr. Mark (their classroom teacher) immediately stepped in and informed the students that they would be doing the same thing but this time the project will be outside for all to see! Ms. Molly also stepped in and told the students that after they graduate they would be able to see the mural outside and so could their parents! Mr. Mark and Ms. Molly continued to explain to the students that this is an exciting opportunity and they should be thankful that they are the first students to do something new! Eventually, the students relaxed and started to become comfortable with the project after I encouraged them to imagine the project as a blank billboard! Some of the students who were against the idea at first started to feel more comfortable with it once they thought of it as a billboard.  FINALLY, the students were thinking of creative ways that they could incorporate themselves and the school into this project.

Three hours later and I am still shocked how negatively the students reacted.  I truly believed they would be excited to do something new.  It's really frustrating for me because I would tell the students something and they would shrug me off. Ms. Molly and Mr. Mark would say similar statements and the students didn't resist them and were waaaaaaaaaaaaay more respectful to them.  I believe that because I introduced this idea it created a lot of tension between the students and I. I believe that if Ms. Molly introduced the project the students would have been 100% all for it! I felt as if I had the majority of the 6th graders letting out all their frustrations and stress towards me because I am a new and unfamiliar person to them.  I also believe that if the 6th graders were in two separate groups (rather than the one large group of all of them) they would have been less resistant. I really wish I video recorded this situation to prove how resistant the students were at first so I could show them after we finish the project that sometimes new and different ideas can led to amazing opportunities   I am happy that the students warmed up to it and some of the students had some great ideas!----thhannnnnkkkk goodness! Molly and I spoke afterwards and she informed me many times that students are extremely stressed and they will be grumpy until the exams are over with.  I know the students will love this project and will be extremely proud of their accomplishments -I also know the two students who were so against this project will be very happy they did it---and I can't wait to make my point of that :)