As you read this week's assignment I trust you are able to insert art when every another subject is the focus. This class is about the art of learning and how as artists we are always teaching and hopefully always learning ourselves.
The use of the word "invalidating" haunted me long after I finished re-reading these two chapters. Old memories of being shamed in a classroom or in my home flooded back. I come from an alcoholic home and after years of therapy I understand the depth of family pain from this disease. I now know that the anger was a cry for help and it was not personal. As for the classroom I still feel the insults were personal and very directed. In high school and in college, especially while working on my MFA. It seems as if it was a badge of honor to be mean and cruel and heartless. I know I too fell into this model of critical dialog at times. I carry with me the awful words I used toward others/their work as I hold on to the words said about my work.
What I try to remind myself is to simply ask "who made ruler", "who is reading the ruler" you are using to measure yourself. When I can give myself enough time to figure out the two above questions life is better and more art is completed.
I was lucky that when I entered the field of education, my first teacher was Ed Check. I was not only encouraged but supported in my outreach projects and approaches to teaching art. It is not easy to go against the norm and I would never ask anyone to risk their job over a social justice issue but l do believe you can do both.
So after responding how you felt about these two chapters share (if you are comfortable) to the following:
1. Have you ever felt invalidated in an art class?
2. Is there a person or persons that help with your self confidence?
3. Is social justice or a particular social theory part of your creative work?
4. Is there an artist who works with social issues that you admire?
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Melissa Hidalgo - My Love, Our Public Lands
This first semester of the MAE program has been inspiring due to the readings we have had. These readings have felt personal and heartfelt....
( week 2) Samuel Mockbee’ Rural Studio concept should be a standard at every university architecture program. If not architecture, then other educational departments could contribute to an “outdoor” classroom benefiting students and the community. While attending college for my undergrad degree, I was completely caught up with my new found knowledge and education. I was full of book sense. When I actually started my first day of teaching- I tried to call upon my 4 years of knowledge to help me but discovered only miniscule amounts of my education actually was useful. As I grew as a teacher and began to host student teachers in my own art classroom, I again found them handicapped by their own education. I often wondered as my career was taking shape if one day I might find myself in the halls of academia and if that opportunity ever was to come about, I promised myself to help graduates bridge the gap between the lecture hall and the halls of an elementary art classroom. I feel Mockbee by design or not found the bridge for his architecture students and the student’s price for education became priceless in their servitude to the people of Hale County, Alabama. There, their education was real and the gap between academics and the real world became smaller. Mockbee reminds me of Frederick Hundertwasser in a way- possibly because his student’s structures are organic, innovative in materials, interesting in design. Instantly, I began to think about the art classroom and how a community/rural/outdoor classroom could be created- naturally so because I am an art teacher but more so how this could be applied to other departments of education.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how materials were used- first by cost and second by stability. I found the waxed cardboard bales fascinating. I enjoy the texture from the result of the cardboard being pressed and stacked into bales but wondered if this material could be mudded or stucco over to create a smoother wall.
James, could it be possible the purpose of Mockbee’s example is to think about education outside of the box? Stretch it past the walls and halls of an academic classroom? What if we thought of another fine art discipline such as music? There are many ways music could be taught while being a service to others. In actuality, well to be honest, the education goes way past making art, architecture, music, or service-the journey, the relationships, meaning and meaningful discussions, stretching of minds, comradery just to name a few- are all part the big picture.
Thinking on what you wrote, we have gardening class for 1st and 2nd graders. One of the science teachers teaches it. I have always thought of it as a great hands-on way to see how plants grow. Doing and seeing, not just reading.
ReplyDeleteReading these two chapters together was interesting. The first chapter illustrated the successes affiliated with the different teaching methods. Then, bam!, what you may need to do in order to change your pedagogy. In the classroom the teacher is comfortable, then has to tip toe down the hall and fly under the radar?? It is sad that in education, varying approaches are not encouraged. What is more important, the job or the student? That seems like a horrible choice in education.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: (Future, you always ask the hardest and scariest questions in my book. But, they have taken me places......)
In k-12, I was usually the best "artist" in the class. When I started college, I was a little tadpole in a huge ole pond. And I did not even go to an art school. My creativity had never been challenged and I was afraid to go out on a limb. The few times I did I got beat up because it sucked. I could not talk about my artwork before, and did not want to after that. I only wanted to do what was safe, boring and got me by.
My husband tries to help my confidence, bless his heart. He tries to say the right things and sometimes he gets it right. I love the studio classes in this program. Constructive feedback I can use. Probably the girls from the seminar class in Junction are my best confidence builders.
As far as social justice, aging has been a recent topic for me. Also, the shootings bother me. The one in Dallas two summers ago really affected me. I was, and still am, mad that this happened in Dallas, where we all think everything is ok. guess not. I have done a few paintings where I used the television visuals as the subject matter because that is how I saw the events unfolding.
As for other artists, I think Brenda Goodman, a painter, is interesting. She paints self-portraits of her aging, nude body. Very raw. Right there. Here ya go, deal with it. Aging and feminism.
First thank you...it is my style of teaching to ask open ended questions that allow room for YOU, where ever you are or how you are.
DeleteAnd yes I do not understand why our professions are so often at odds with learning. I stay frustrated.
Chris, thank you so much for mentioning Goodman. The second I looked her up, the very first glance, I was hooked. I looked at her thrilling self portraits first, and then checked out some of her other, more abstract works. It’s interesting to see how seamlessly she transitions from seemingly complete abstraction to the solid, figurative works. I have only visually considered her art, but can already tell it will be extremely evocative and inspirational for me.
Delete(week 3) It seems spirituality has become the new buzz word of late. Consumerism and the American public are quick to cheapen what spirituality really is. I find spirituality to be a meaningful connection to the aesthetic, the body, the mind, and the soul. Not something that is sellable or profitable.
ReplyDeleteSometimes when I begin a book, I am consumed with my own reaction and “spiritual” connection to what I am initially reading. Soon, as the words take shape I begin to see building blocks form of each book we have read thus far and the inter connective the books share with each other. This raises my awareness of the topic therefore I become more global in my thinking as well as reflective to how it relates to my life as an artist and art educator. I see a connection with all three books even if the first two are more related to each other than the third. Possibly Rendon was envisioning a type of learning similar to Mockbee’s rural studio? The studio definitely changed some agreements concerning education always being within four walls at an institution.
I find Rendon’s comment about inner and outer life interesting as well as spirituality in teaching. I happen to believe in an unspoken spirituality in teaching. Not to be redundant using the music analogy but there is a connection while learning music between teacher and student. A relationship builds as the learning increases. I also believe this to be true across all disciplines. There is spirituality in the art room. It is a place for people to feed their inner selves. But what I really begin to wonder is how we ever lost our spirituality to begin with? The ever increasing demands on teachers perhaps? The need to keep up with other world cultures? The Japanese are ahead of us in science, technology, and math but still have spirituality in their teaching.
Response: I pray my reputation stays intact while I allow children to hug me. I never think about it. The fifth grade boys that I have taught since kindergarten still offer up hugs. Art is a huggy place. I am next in line to the counselor. If a child is having a bad day and the counselor is out for whatever reason, they come to art class. I encourage through words and touch. I am very sincere with my affection so possibly why it has never been questioned thus far. I had a student teacher once who would not allow the students to touch her. She was warned sternly from the university about physical touch being a no-no so she was on guard. It wasn’t long before they wore her down. You can’t say no to a child who wants to show affection. She also was one who said she would never teach elementary.. well she is an elementary art teacher today and feels firmly she made the right choice. I am aware for men this could look a little different-yes but there are ways to show affection without touch- building relationships where children/people matter. There are many children who are way over parented and their child’s bucket overflowed with love and constant attention then there are those who struggle to receive a kind word or an ounce of affection from their parent- these are the ones who need it the most.
Nicely put....I hug...I ask first but I hug.
DeleteThe hugging debate is so sad. To me hugging is the most important means of showing physical affection because it can happen between anyone and say and mean so much. I think that's why it's become a problem; however, it really shouldn't be. We need to move away from this terror of litigation and getting in trouble as it's causing a lot of ills in society and education. Human connections are hampered and logical moves that help vulnerable students cannot be supported by administrations--which have to approve everything these days--because of technicalities. It needs to turn around.
DeleteI always make it a point to hug my kids even when I can tell they are having a hard day, or just a hand hug! My kinder through second grade babies love it and i can see it in their faces that it just changes their mood.
Delete(week 3 cont)Response: Paige, I think you are spot in with technology. Steve Jobs would probably disagree – he wanted technology to bring people together. But we now see people not even speaking to each other at the dinner table. It is sad. Technology to me is still isolation. I also was pondering Rendon’s comments about separation. While I am in agreeance with an education with interconnections across other disciplines, our world is still vastly separated. Yes, we have a dynamic and ever changing world but correct me if I am wrong- aren’t most professions today still segregated?
ReplyDelete1. “Paint like your art supplies would disappear if you didn’t use them”-unknown. This is my mantra currently in life- I could apply this to everything I do. I use to think, “someday” well my someday is now and I am choosing to enjoy life
2. I use to be so strict when “grading” artwork. I wanted my art program to be validated. Soon I realized, no one really judged grades against the value of my program so I stopped. My “eye” for children’s art became sharper, more insightful as I gained experience and I began to look at the quality of the process of creating vs. end result. I feel by looking at children’s art this way opened my artistic mind. Their line quality is so beautiful and free- Picasso was right in his quote, “It took me 4 years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child”. I begin to think about the freedom they express while creating and try to emulate them while making my art. My art to me is good enough at that time and moment but often I am wondering how to raise my art to the next level. This is probably what frustrates me the most-truthfully knowing how to raise it but needing the time to physically work and mentally grow to that level.
3. Taking care of me is essential. The inner me needs more and more time. Travel, quiet time, reading, nurturing my creative side is paramount in me being the best person I can be. I have been on a kick of growing ME- stepping out of routines to experience something new. Having been a public servant for 20 years my inner bucket is a little empty- I look forward to discovery! Taking care of me also means to live a more aesthetic life. Life is too short not to have my favorite things around me. I choose to burn the wonderful smelling candle even if it is expensive, buy organic because it does taste better, walk in the sunshine, go barefoot, sing loud in the car, savor my mom’s fried okra, listening to nature- I feel it is the most beautiful sound, and laugh. Today, I laughed at school. The students were gathered around me while I modeled a lesson and I asked them a question. A student mimicked a minion at the right moment with the right response and I couldn’t stop laughing- we all had a laughable moment. It was greatness.:)
beautiful.....I tell my students (and this is you all) you have the "A" now lets do the work. Remember a geology class I took for Pass/Fail in my undergrad days...I loved every minute because I knew I could at least 'pass". The professor told me I had earned an "A", he was confused by why I would take it pass/fail...I said I just wanted to learn without worrying about grades. He shared he had never know anyone to do that but it was a good thin in his mind.
DeleteDebbie, the validation aspect of grading art compared to the other core courses is a constant issue for me with administrators, especially in the high school. Our college counselor continues to support art counting in the GPA, but others fight it because they think we grade too easy. A frustrating topic!
DeletePaige, maybe we grade too easy because we teach too well
DeleteI like how the author compares and contrasts the ideas of the "old" style pedagogy to the new pedagogical dream. I feel these inserts help bring a sense of clarity to the text.
ReplyDeleteThe section, p 103, which talks about building relationships between the student and subject matter, and between content and contemplation seemed especially relevant to me. I have made a conscious effort to implement practices such as this the last few years. It hasn't been an easy road, but I have noticed some positive effects.
In chapter 5, i'v enjoyed the author's take on evaluation and assessment. Our district has made some progress in the way of utilizing formative assessment, but is still heavily invested in summative evaluations.
I think it is very unfortunate how education seems so political and polarizing. Each year there is a barrage of new directives and initiatives. Most are repackaged reruns of the same old strategies. The idea of an educator having to hide trying to effectively reach students is simply sad.
Too true.
DeleteOur school has just made a turn away from the formative and summative assessments giving teachers the choice of what and how they grade. And as you said, I see repackaging reruns. At least when a problem of evaluation has developed, an attempt to correct it is taking place.
DeleteAs far as old v. new, I've found the best teachers I've had have combined the Western model with the personal, teaching on a schedule but being unafraid to develop personal connections with students. I don't mean flirting (as you mentioned below) or doing anything inappropriate or unprofessional, but having a natural understanding of how to be personable with students in a way that is conducive to their education. I think a lot of teachers in the Tech program are quite good at that. I've learned more here than just about any other school I've attended (a total of eight).
DeleteDuring my undergraduate art courses some of my art professors appeared very detached from the class. They seemed more interested in flirting than teaching. It was common for them to make an appearance, check row, have very selective conversations and then leave. I do not believe this was personal, but it did seem to invalidate my learning.
ReplyDeleteMy high school experience was quite... humbling. My art teacher however was very supportive and showed me that not all adults believed I was detriment to society. He class became my motivation for learning.
Social justice is not part of my normal artwork. I have included elements exploring social issues before, but such concerns are not a norm for my creative process.
The artist that first comes to my mind when considering social justice issues is Kathe Kollwitz. Her work has always tempered my naive notions of human interactions. The first contemporary artist that comes to mind is Kevin Williams "Wak". He creates artwork that explores civil rights and humanitarian issues.
It was hard being in classes and seeing professors flirt and pick favorites. One of the reasons I became a feminist ...for me for the women who were used. And James you are social theory everyday when you simply show up and teach...that is the real work.
DeleteI don’t normally think of my teaching as social theory, but deep down I believe that it is. I tend to be an individual person/ moment minded thinker, and although it is always in my thought process, less often focus on “big picture” concepts. To do so, I have to consciously step back and consider the whole in my teaching experience. This is similar to when I create artworks. It is too easy for me to obsess or fiddle with details without stepping back and considering the entire composition. The beauty of doing this, in art and teaching, is that it helps me better evaluate the effectiveness of my efforts. I certainly think my time in the MAE program has brought a more holistic outlook to my teaching approach. I have already seen positive gains from this vantage and know that it will continue to empower future efforts.
DeleteSo beautifully said. YES. Being present and listening to/seeing your students as individuals is the simple yet complex revolution in education.
DeleteI want to address the two following words: 1. validation, and 2. affirming. They seem simple, but the concepts they describe are pretty complex in terms of human psychology, and the use of them in communicating with others can be delicate. For example, my sisters take different approaches to parenting. One is constantly affirming and validating her daughter's worst impulses, which has led to spoiled behavior that leaves her parents chronically exhausted. The other sister is not afraid to get in her son's face and tell him he'd better shape up or he'll be in his room the rest of the night. We don't get much bad behavior out of him. When I watch them, I'm sometimes at a loss. If they fall, do I comfort, or tell them to stand up tall and take a deep breath? I sometimes think they are just as perplexed as I am. Childrearing is insanely difficult and I don't get the impression anyone looks back on their kids' childhood years without some serious regret, questioning whether they bear any responsibility for their children's adult problems. I of all people know how damaging invalidation is (spent eight months being beaten on the playground in first grade, only to be told it wasn't "that bad" by a teacher hesitant to discipline--learned not to trust my own instincts about personal safety/security; I also mentioned in a previous post what being pushed away by people I showed affection to did long-term), but at the same time, I credit my personal strength with the times I had to overcome strong emotions and tell myself (or had other people tell me) I was stronger than the adversity in front of me (mental illness, social ostracism, sexual harassment, etc). When do you draw the line between creating strength and holding hands? Between tough love and complete invalidation?
ReplyDeleteI think some of the teachers Rendon describes have found that balance. As a Christian, I loved the story about the student who went to Oasis to student teach, and that she was seen as a good person with a change to change rather than written off as a hopeless bigot. This is important in affecting the social change we want to see. It makes me sad when some of my social justice advocate friends write off entire swaths of the population, seemingly clueless as to how counterproductive that is and how bigoted they were in fact coming off as.
1. I had a generally terrible art teacher in upper elementary school, but the most invalidating experience came from my Drawing II professor, who told me she couldn't give me credit for an extra credit drawing I had done (and was happy with) because it wasn't drawn from life. She had never stipulated in the assignment guidelines that it needed to be from life. When asked why illustration was an issue, rather than saying Drawing II is about life drawing and I could branch into illustration the next semester, she said I "wasn't good enough to draw from my head yet." This to someone who had been drawing for eighteen years and done several illustrations in high school to good grades. Later on, I ended up changing my major to metalsmithing from illustration because my metals teacher knew how to strike the balance I mentioned up top and push me to become stronger and better without completely shutting me down. I've had friends tell me to stop blaming my professors for my own failings, but I think that's silly, because, especially early on, a teacher's skill really does make the difference between whether or not a student becomes interested in the subject. And that is on us, not on our students. The first experience in a classroom sets the tone, and no one is going to want to study something they are told they, to be blunt, suck at it.
Delete2. I think I semi-answered up above. My undergraduate metals professor (who is now among my closest friends) was one of the only ones at that school who believed in my natural skills, which tend toward the craft rather than the conceptual (she's the same way). I might have dropped visual art entirely (in favor of literary) if not for her classes.
3. My work is about mental illness, which, as a classified disability, is a social issue. The goal of my thesis work is to illustrate/illuminate the reality of these conditions to encourage compassion and understanding. I want to come from a place of strength, however--not pity. Pity and consolation can be quite condescending if they are given out of a belief that we need special help from someone else to live our lives to the fullest. This is addressed somewhat in chapter five: "Some educators might say these poor children cannot learn and they are unable to produce knowledge or be critical thinkers" (pg. 100). I don't think this comes out of outright bigotry, and may come from a place of compassion, but it is downright insulting to those kids and teens.
4. I have always liked Do-Ho Suh. His piece "Floor" is installed an hour north of my hometown at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and I love the way he examines issues of individualism vs. collectivism, a duality natural to his life as he splits his time between New York (an individualistic culture) and Seoul (a collectivistic culture).
I enjoyed looking up Do Ho Suh’s work. I can imagine seeing his art on display would be capturing. His piece, Karma is at the Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Too bad it isn’t on display at this date. I would make a trip to see it my next time I travel there.
DeleteI think that raising children is a 24/7 FOREVER job..teaching is reduced down to the best 55 minutes of the day. We are validating/affirming an act of creativity it is not the same as life habits...having said that I know there are times as an educator I have had to battle the end results of spoiling a child...it does not get better in college.
DeleteIt is inconceivable to think a teacher actually said that you were not good enough. I think that is such a poor choice of words. There are so many positive and encouraging ways to let a student know they need to continue growing. I believe words such as that, even from a friend, would tend to stifle growth and enthusiasm in most students.
ReplyDeleteI have a growth/fixed mindset chart in my classroom that I gave gear towards art in my room. I mostly use it with the younger students, but whenI hear negative comments about their art, I have kids referred to it and IT WORKS!
DeleteIn Chapter 4, Rendon states low income students have already been “…marginalized, stereotyped, and invalidated, a key to concern is to transform then into powerful learns able to recognize their strengths and able to view themselves as capable of consuming and creating knowledge”. Validation is key to building a strong relationship with your students. When children experience invalidation, their self-esteem decreases, as does their trust in you. I informed all my students that their feelings matter, and I am here for them if they ever need someone to talk to. Building a positive, trusting classroom environment is so important to establish when setting the tone for the school year. Students want to feel comfortable to express themselves freely and not have the fear of rejection. It's so important for teachers to develop personal relationships with their students so they can understand them as an individual, which will allow the teacher to best meet their needs.
ReplyDelete1. Back in Community college, I was taking advance ceramics with a professor that I had taken two other classes with. I don’t remember the specifics of the course, but from the very beginning of the semester she made me feel that my ideas weren’t good enough without any explanation. She continued to criticize my work, and tell me to start all over and just stick with her ideas. I will never forget the feeling of being a disappointing student. As I continue my college career in education, I always had her on the back of my mind reminding me what I did not want to be as a teacher. I hope to never make any of my students feel the way she made me feel.
4. Chris Jordan is a cultural activist and a very famous artist who is based in Seattle. His work adventures around contemporary culture like photography, conceptual perspectives and he strives to aware people everywhere of the power of our unconsciousness to the environment. Jordan’s image is on the boarder of activism and art, abstract and representation visible and invisible, and beauty and horror. His photography is absolutely breath taking, but as you look closer, thousands of smaller objects such as plastic bottles, credit cards and Barbie dolls appear. In his series, running the Numbers, Jordan explores the issues of today’s industrial practices. His work forces us to as ourselves to look both outward, inward and the landscape that went through trauma, all from the collective choices we make.
When recruiting for our undergrad program I always ask if they are in art because of great art teacher that helped you believe in yourself or because of a horrible art teacher you want to show how good your really are. The count is usually 60/40. I always wonder about the students who simply left art never to return.
DeleteI agree with Chris, Future, you make me think more than I have in a long time. And yes, I agree it is valuable, necessary, and cleansing.
ReplyDeleteFor most of my art education, I have been fortunate to have teachers who appreciated my work ethic and held meaningful critiques improving my artistic mind. I have also been extremely fortunate to take courses with other talented and skilled artists. I am in constant awe of the creativity and skill of my classmates. Even in this course, I am impressed with the eloquent writing. My own invalidation for my work would be my biggest set back. I do art because I need the process. To show my art or sell my work is difficult for me.
John Garrott has been a huge confidence builder for me. Taking his metals class my first summer with the MAE program, I had no idea what I was doing. He was supportive in every step, with my designs, building my skills, and convincing me I could start teaching metals to high school students. He welcomes my calls and gives me a push when I start to loose confidence.
The environment is always an important issue for me. I have done assignments to educate and encourage students to recycle but, until I read Linda Weintraub’s book To life! Eco art in pursuit of a sustainable planet, I hadn’t thought much about putting it in my work. Now, I use found objects, old objects or add old sentimental possessions in my work.
When I read Linda Weintraub’s book, the artist group Gelitin intrigued me. Not only do they have fun together and have a flare of humor, they take on huge installations impacting their audience. Often they use the support of the community and use recycled materials. Gelitin's Tantamounter 24/7 was an installation similar to a huge “art-Xerox”. A person would put something into their machine (the artist’s workspace) and the artists would create a duplicate from the recycled materials they had stored with them. Collaboration, reuse, and create, this would be fun.
Future, Emi, is the Emu's name. I don't know if you can tell, but my blog picture is a selfie with her.
DeleteLOVE IT!
DeleteAnd I agree John is one of the most gifted teachers I have ever met and/or worked with.