How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?
I think my skills and understanding of teaching has expanded throughout this course so far because I am pushing myself to explore new lessons and techniques. Since I have taught this course before, I have been able to expand the lessons and better plan out time management. The students are responding more positively to these lessons because of the choices available for them. I have been able to use different forms of demonstrations which keeps the class interesting and not too repetitious. Overall, the growth I have found as an educator has excelled student learning.
What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?
Throughout this semester (along with last), I have found how different each class is. Every class I have taught through the jail has brought new individuals, new skill sets, new and different backgrounds/experiences, etc. Therefore, I have created an understanding on how well I need to know my students in order to have them succeed. Since I have students ranging in age, ethnic background, and experience, lessons are be difficult to plan in order to involve every student. Therefore, my professional experience is has grown because I have learned that education does not only take place in a school or classroom.
What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?
So far, I have been very excited to go to my P.A.I.N.T. location each week. The thing that makes me the most happy throughout this experience has been getting to know the individual. I am fortunate to go into this class blindsided by only knowing these individuals from their current state instead of their past. Even though they are currently serving time in a jail, doesn’t mean these individuals have nothing to offer for themselves, their loved ones, and the community. Therefore, helping them set goals and ambitions to succeed in and watching the students surpass them has been extremely rewarding.
What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?
One thing I would like to work on throughout the semester would be working on a collaborative piece. I want the students to work as a team and get to know each other while working with a medium they are not completely familiar with. Because so many projects are individual and work with self-growth, I would like to improve relationships between one another. Throughout this course, we rotate throughout 3-4 groups. I am hoping the last week of each group we will come together and work on a large scale canvas to work as a team.
How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)
I have gone out of my comfort zone in this course as an educator. I took on an internship at the jail for art therapy which is something I have never taught before. I am very interested in the topic and how art can help cope, create relationships, reflection, and personal growth. Because of my lack of experience in art therapy, my teaching experience has grown through new lessons and techniques. Art therapy is something that allows students to come in contact with what they are feeling. This experience has given me many different lesson plan ideas for my future in the world of art education.
What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?
I have a new understanding of how to teach individuals of different ages. Most importantly, I have a new understanding of how to incorporate emotion, creativity, and reflection into lessons. This experience at the jail has helped me realize how important art is to an individual and how much art communicates about a person. Every day, these students are creating visual communication with anyone who is willing to look into the conversation wanting to be had. Each student is experience different life obstacles from each other which makes my role as an educator extremely important. I am there in hopes of guiding the students toward reaching goals.
What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?
I enjoy coming in every day and seeing the students want to be in class. Being that this course is taught in the morning, many students are tired and want to be back in bed. For this class, they are ready when they walk through the door. The students love exploring new projects and have done an excellent job working throughout class and really following the project to the best of their abilities. Foremost, I am delighted to how skilled and talented these individuals are. Throughout my time teaching at the Dunn County Jail, I have seen amazingly talented drawings made from as little resources possible. These individuals are innovative, thoughtful, smart, reflective, and not to mention CREATIVE.
What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?
This is the first section this semester that I have co-taught. I really want to be able to work better with my partner in teaching lessons together rather than rotating. I think we would looked at more as authoritative or the leaders if we consistently approached the class as one instead of separate. It doesn’t play a role in the discipline or content that the students are receiving, but developing a lesson with an individual is difficult and it is something I need to work on. Again, I hope I am able to work more on my classroom management skills. It seems like the inmates are so well behaved that classroom management is not as needed as it would be in a classroom. It seems like when there is an issue in the classroom I do not always handle it in the correct way.
