What is your teaching experience so far?
At this point in my college career, I have had quite a bit of teaching experience. I have done two practicums in different schools working one on one with teachers in order to teach elementary and high school students. At one of these districts, I completed a smaller practicum experience working with the special education department. I have also done a study abroad trip where I worked with a diverse group of students in primary and secondary schools. Last year, I worked in a P.A.I.N.T. internship at the jail teaching adults watercolor.
What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?
Since I taught this course last semester, I know what to expect as far as diverse teaching and accommodations for students. This semester, I am looking forward to creating new and different lesson from the last. I want to improve the quality of education I am providing the students/ inmates. I want to make lessons a little bit more structured for students so that they are learning different ways to utilize the medium (watercolor). Throughout these lessons, I am hoping to excel student/ inmate learning by encouraging student choice. I am most of all looking forward to getting to know the students/ inmates for who they are now and not what they have done in the past
What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?
I have never taught an art therapy class before. It is something that I have always been interested in and have even considered to pursue it as a graduate degree. Therefore, I am looking forward to exploring new and interesting lessons for the students to participate in. Most of all, I am looking forward to helping the students /inmates prosper and grow as they experience different forms of self-reflection, meditation, relaxation, expression, etc. I am also looking forward to getting to know each student/ inmate.
What do you hope to learn/gain from this experience?
I hope to learn a different form of classroom management by teaching adults with a wide range of skills. My goals are to learn how to accommodate everyone in the class and keep each individual interested throughout the entire class. I hope to grow as an educator and a professional throughout this experience by learning more about my students and by developing compelling lessons that feed off of student choice. Overall, I hope to gain a better understanding for watercolor by finding new and creative ways to use it.