I believe teaching art to children is what I was meant to do. As a child, I was drawn to all things creative. I lived in a creative household where boredom was my best friend and resourcefulness made up for the supplies I didn’t have. Art in my rural public elementary school in Eastern Canada was considered important and I lived for it. I think about these things as I review my year of teaching art.
Lessons Learned:
My "baby"
- During my first session with my little kinders, I found myself becoming anxious with their inability to settle into the class. I went home that night and found myself looking at old photo albums with my daughter. We poured over her kinder photos and recalled the different activities that her class did. All I could think of was how little she looked. Her tiny hands, her big curious eyes and then it dawned on me: Kinders are still babies. They are someone’s baby just like my Elly was my baby. The next week when my class of Kinders walked through the doors, I saw them differently. Someone’s baby. Little beings that I had the opportunity to engage. What a priviledge. To this very day, Kindergarten is the class I look forward to the most because I get it now. Each child is someone’s baby. Teach them and see them as you would like a teacher to see your child.
- I try to remember what art meant to me as a ten year-old before my rowdy fifth graders step into my art room. Sometimes, I think children don’t yearn for art the same way I did; hanging off the teacher’s words, imaging how I would make my project different. That sort of thing. I assume this because of their sometimes disrespectful behavior. But then I spot the few kids who have that hungry look in their eyes and I teach to them. You might not reach every student, but it only takes a couple to make your efforts worth it.
- I bought a little composition notebook from an office supply store at the beginning of the year. I vowed I would be better organized this year. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you probably figured out that I like to plan out my art lessons. The process of designing new lessons makes teaching exciting and rewarding. But, sometimes I forget what techniques I’ve done with each class. Just this year I noticed I did three tempera paint projects in a row with one class. Kind of forgot to change it up! Now my little notebook records it all; the date of the lesson, how many classes it took to complete, what technique we used (watercolor, collage, drawing, etc.) and what grade level. No matter how unorganized you think you are; find a way to record your lessons: on a big sheet of paper, on your computer, in a notebook. Then, REFER to it often!
It’s a great exercise in humility to think about your short comings. It’s always surprising though, that a change in perspective can make the biggest difference.
What are your lessons learned?
Next week, I’m going to list my most effective lessons this year and the biggest duds. Stay tuned….
I just had a conversation with an old college professor today. He asked how my teaching philosophy has changed in my first 5 years. I told him becoming a parent changed my teaching more than anything. When I find a struggle with a studnet, I try to think about how I would want my kids’ teacher to handle it with one of my own babies.
At the end of the year, I am struggling to see these 5th and 6th graders as someone else’s babies, they are so ready to be out of here. This afternoon I am going to try though, because my babies will be 5th and 6th graders sooner than I want them to.
I have to say Brenda…I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY!! And not that I want someone else to experience my hardships with 5th and 6th..but I am just glad that I am not alone. I have taught Art almost every grade level at this point, and I have to say that the middle school years are the toughest.
I have been teaching for about 10 years, and I too feel like I was not as effective, caring, and understanding until I had my own child. Something changes and it ismore definitely eye opening.
janine
I’m so glad I have found this world of bloggers! I have never had a “team”, someone to share ideas and discuss things pertaining art. I remember when my 15 year old was born. My whole perspective changed when I returned to work that year. I realized exactly what you are saying Patty, they are someone’s baby and someone loves them more than anything else on this earth. I also try to constantly remind myself that every parent is doing the best they know how to do for their child. I had a teacher I greatly admire say to me this year, “None of them mean to act badly”, referring to 2nd graders and I believe her. Some just have more trouble complying than others!
What a wonderful post. I could not agree more with your statement, “every child is someone’s baby.” Thank you!
Mrs. Wills Kindergarten
I love this post. My oldest was the type in school that always was lost after the first direction. Now that he is 23 I think of his learning style at least once a day and try to treat that child who asks for directions the zillionth time like I would have hoped his teachers treated him.
Hi Patty. I love the black construction paper silouettes in the background of your daughters kinder class. Do you have directions on how to do that?
Hi Rhonda, I didn’t do this project I think it’s just a projection image. Sit your child in front of a projector, tape a piece of paper on the wall and trace the shadow. Cut out onto black paper. They do this every kinder and 6th grade at my child’s school.
I love these lessons learned. Thank you for sharing them.
This has been a lesson I have had to keep telling myself all year. Don’t focus on the negative, focus on the positive. I find myself getting so upset with 1 or 2 disrespectful students and loosing sight of the students who care. And there are lots of caring students at my school. I have to keep reminding myself that they are the reason I am a teacher! Your words are very uplifting and reminds us all that we should always try to look for the positive in every situation! Thank you so much for your blog. Every time I need a little creative inspiration for a new project, your blog is the first place I look! You are an angel!
Becoming a parent has changed me utterly – and I almost think it should be mandatory for young idealistic teachers (like I was!) to be mentored by older teachers who are moms. Grace. I think this is the most important attitude to have when we work with “someone else’s baby”! Thanks for sharing and being so transparent and vulnerable.
I agree with all of you, being a mom is a life changing event – you never imagine how impacting it will be on your teaching career until the day you walk back in and they all become a version of your own child! How differently you look at grading! My son is now 4 and that lesson is with me each day. Especially with my kinders.
On top of it, once you find out your child has special needs that same chapter opens itself again. As a former High school teacher, I just was so anxious on how to grade and how to work with a population that I frankly didn’t know how to reach. It made me feel like a bad teacher, even though I worked closely with the special ed staff to do my best. When I found my child has ASD I finally got it. In some respects I was working harder than I needed to, but that’s not the pt. Just like I couldn’t have imagined being a mom before I was one, it was the same story once I found out he has autism. It’s like – ok, now I get it. And many days I ask myself – How do I know spread the message to the rest of the teaching community? I am not sure any inservice will really help the special ed community ever really get until they walk a mile. My son’s autism has made me a better mother and a better teacher.
Besides being a student of “Teaching with Love and Logic,” which I highly recommend I had a 5th grade teacher share the best system with me. It’s a point system. Here is how it works… First off the specialists all give out a star at the end of each class if student’s behavior was excellent or star worthy. This is a contest each quarter and the class per grade level with the most stars gets a dress down day (our kids wear uniforms). The reward could be anything. I keep points during art me vs. the students. If they come in really loud and start touching their supplies before I’ve given instructions then I would get a point. If they come in very nicely then they would get a point. If while I’m giving instructions I get interrupted or kids are talking, playing, etc I simply (while I’m still teaching) walk to my board and “take” a point. This is mostly effective when kids are getting too loud, I don’t have to say anything I just walk up give myself a point and the kids immediately start quieting one another. If I get 5 points they loose their star if I get less than 5 points they get the star. I keep total points and subtract at the end so we can do a math problem. It takes some time to introduce to all 28 classes but I started it last year and it works great–it works WITH the competitive nature of young children and not against it. Students learn that they “earn” their star, not “get” their star. I work at a Title I school with English language learners and high free and reduced lunch, if it will work with our kids (who are really great by the way) I think it would work anywhere! The classroom teacher that shared this with me used the point to take away recess—it can be modified and used in a lot of ways to fit your school, kids, and situations. However, it seems to work well with the developmental levels of kids.
I admire you! There would be no way I could be so organized as to monitor individual behavior. I can see how this system would work though. Thanks for sharing this as I know mnay of us struggle with classroom management.
Hi,
I really like this idea and was following along with your steps, but got confused at the point where you said that you keep the points and subtract. I am assuming if they give one of their 5 points to you that they get 4 for that art period. So each time they come you keep record from 0 to 5 points. What is the subtracting part? Wouldn’t you add all of their points together…or…are you saying to subtract the points they gave to you from the possible 5 times however many times they have come to art? Sorry for being so nit picky…I want to try this, but need to get it right!
Thanks for the advise,
Teresa