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.
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.
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