Week 8

MONDAY OCT 9 REFLECTION

Today was the big day! I did my presentation and demo for the wheel unit. I taught to 1st and 2nd period and I can say that 2nd period was more successful than 1st. 1st period I spent too much time on my presentation and giving them an introduction to the wheel which didn’t leave enough time for my demo. This group of kids was not as responsive to my discussion prompts, it was hard to get them to express some of their thoughts. They were engaged, just not verbally. Then the demo went super well. I created a notes sheet for them with two columns. The first column for them to jot down their observations while I threw on the wheel silently. I didn’t tell them anything I was doing so they could hone in on their observation skills and be more engaged in the process of creating their knowledge of how to work on the wheel instead of me walking them through everything step by step and half paying attention. I told them their goal was to make an observation that they think no one else would make during my demo. This made it a little bit of a challenge. I also said that they need to write down EVERYTHING. I said “If I put up my hair, you write that I put up my hair. If I pick my nose, you write that I picked my nose” which got a good laugh. During my first demo they were all so focused and engaged in what I was doing. When I finished the first demo, I reset my wheel and then asked them to walk me through their observations from beginning to end. When they told me their observations I was able to clarify and give additional information that they then wrote down in the adjacent column. This strategy and worksheet was such a success. It was so effective in keeping students focused and engaged because sometimes when you listen to someone talk and give a demo it’s easy to drift off in your mind and miss important information, whereas when I ask them to build the knowledge from their own observations, they were more invested in learning the additional information I had to give. I did not get all the way through my second demo unfortunately. That’s okay though because it gave me the opportunity to adjust for second period!

Second period was much more interactive during the presentation, so they fulfilled my initial expectations of it being more of a conversation than me depositing the information while I was creating the powerpoint. I skipped over two sections in my powerpoint that I didn’t feel were as important as a demo so I left a lot more time for demo which was the more successful part of my 1st period class, even though we had a great conversation during 2nd period. The demo went great and the worksheets worked just as effectively as they had the class before. I still didn’t get all the way through my second demo for second period though.

Now I am in a little ebit of a tight spot because they wont be on the wheel due to PSAT’s so they will only have three days to work on the wheel. I don’t want to take time out of their wheel days to finish my demo, but there’s also important information I didn’t get to. So Ms. O and I discussed it and we decided that we will give the remaining info to students once they get to the point that I left off on and take it on a case by case basis. That way I’m not taking away valuable wheel time because they really need to TRY it. I could demo for weeks and they wouldn’t be successful until they have time to attempt it on their own multiple times.

6th period I had the opportunity to observe Ms. Osborne teach her Ceramics 1 class so I could compare the way she introduced the wheel to how I did. The biggest change I would make based on observing her would be to do demo the whole class period on the first day and then give a “formal introduction” to the wheel (history, evolution, benefits, etc) midway through. She said she does it a little backwards in this way because she believes that once they are engaged in throwing on the wheel they will be more invested in learning more information about the wheel because it will be of value to them, whereas if I introduce the wheel before letting them see a demo or even try to throw on the wheel, the information is not as pertinent to them. It was also interesting to see how different our throwing styles were. We almost do everything the complete opposite. And no one way is right or wrong, there are just different ways to throw. Another thing I appreciated about her demo was the fact that she demonstrated the common mistakes students make when they first get on the wheel. I think that was smart to show them the mistakes they will probably make so that they are prepared for identifying those mistakes and understanding what that means and how to fix it. I would add that to my future demos as well.

So overall, I think my first time leading in class went very well! It’s hard not to focus on the things you missed or forgot so I’m trying to just accept that that is how it went and I still did a great job!

Last thing, I stayed after school for PLC’s where the art department was working on restructuring their department course maps and what the curriculum should focus on for each level of courses. This was extremely beneficial and I gathered a lot of evidence for curriculum development.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

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TUESDAY OCT 10 REFLECTION

Today students got on the wheel for the first time! I opened class by quickly having them shout out a few key things to remember for each of the three steps of working on the wheel. Then I let them have at it! This then led to a series of observations that I will remember for next class. 1. Wetting the wheel head slightly creates a more secure connection of the clay to the wheel. The students used way too much water, so their clay slid right off when they tried to center. Ms. Osborne doesn’t have her students wet the wheel at all so I am going to adopt that method. 2. I told them to use water sparingly because usually beginners use way too much water and then the clay is too soft to work with. They took my note to the extreme and didn’t use ENOUGH water to the point where a lot of them complained that their hands were burning because of the friction of dry, spinning, clay against their hands. This also posed as a problem for centering because their skin was dragging across the clay instead of gliding across it. Ms. Osborne demos with A LOT of water so I may make sure to make a point to use a lot of water. 3. We definitely are not going to be able to make cups by the end of the week. I was way too ambitious and totally forgot what it was like to learn how to throw. I’ve been throwing for 8 years and I just really got good at it the past two. So while I think that it was good for them to have something to aim for, I definitely overestimated how fast they would master the wheel. It also served a opportunity to see how assessing student's activities in the class contributes greatly to adjusting my lesson to help them succeed and to keep in mind for next semester. I addressed all of these observations and assessments the next day.

So my experiences today showed me that even when you try to compensate for mistakes you KNOW students are going to make it can sometimes create a host of other mistakes that you can’t even foresee. So it was a good learning experience! It also served a opportunity to see how assessing student's activities in the class contributes greatly to adjusting my lesson to help them succeed and to keep in mind for next semester. I addressed all of these observations and assessments the next day.

I had my first conflict with a student today. The funny thing is he’s not even a student in our class so I shouldn’t have had to deal with him in the first place. There are two rooms that are connected by a small walkthrough room. This student walked in from the other class to talk to his friend in our class. Ms. O looked at me and said that he always comes in and disrupts class. I told her she should kick him out. So she tells him “You want to get back to class?” in a tone that meant it wasn’t an option and he responded “I’m done with my project and I’m bored over there!” and then I piped in “Well our students aren’t done with theirs’ and you’re being a distraction.” And he said “I’m not distracting, I’m observing.” Ms. O said “You need to leave now.” And he said “Alright” then proceeded to sit down next to his friend and completely disregard Ms. O. This made me so mad, the fact that he could be so blatantly disrespectful and such a smart ass to her was astounding. I stared him down and firmly said “You need to GO. Get out.” And he finally went back to his class. My stomach was literally churning. I was so angry. Then he had the audacity to come back into our class two minutes before school was dismissed. Ms. O then got mad. She said “GET OUT.” And he said “I just need to tell my friend about an unfortunate event I just had,” and Ms. O responded “You’re about to experience another unfortunate event if you don’t get out of here right now.” And I verbally went “oooooooh!” Which I shouldn’t have done, but it was such a smooth comeback.

So looking back on this incident, we shouldn’t have had to deal with him in the first place because the other teacher should’ve kept him in his room and that teacher had been told several times by Ms. O not to let him come in the classroom because he was a distraction. Second, I really enjoy Toshalis’s practice of engaging student resistance, but in that moment, I did not see it as a valid form of resistance. It was just downright disrespectful. The only thing I can think to explain why he talked back to us is because we engaged with him in front of the class instead of pulling him aside so he was trying to save face in front of his peers by being rude. I agree that we shouldn’t call out our students in front of our peers, but I also feel that some situations call for it so that the rest of the class understands that that behavior is not accepted. I definitely will be coming back to this incident to further reflect and possibly use for my final project for CoT.

Last thing for today! So I went to the Networking event in the Atrium during seminar tonight and thought I would be meeting administration for HSE Schools Corporation but met with the Principle of an elementary school across from Fishers. This was a good connection though because she would like me to visit their elementary art teacher during my mentorship sometime because she is supposedly super fantastic. So I think this will be a great opportunity because I will be licensed K-12 so a good opportunity to network and learn from an elementary teacher. Then after seminar, I went back for a small group session to learn more about HSE Schools and get more one on one time with the administration. I was put into a group with the assistant superintendent and this was more of who I was trying to network with so I was happy I came back! Being part of CoT, I was SO ahead of the game. I’m so glad I am part of CoT because networking was a breeze! Then halfway through our session I looked at his nametag and recognized his last name, Beresford. Come to find out, he is a cousin of my grandma’s! He was so excited to meet me and said that I looked just like my mom. Not a bad connection to have with a future employer! We had a great talk and snapped a picture for my family!

FRIDAY OCT 13 REFLECTION

Gretchen finally made it! I’m very happy she was able to see how amazing Fishers is and how amazing the students and staff are. Today was a wheel day again. I think I mentioned elsewhere that I was too ambitious in thinking they would be able to produce a cup by the end of the week. It’s been about 10 years since when I first learned so I forgot how long it takes to get the hang of this. But because I had made it a goal to have a cup by the end of the week a lot of students were trying to save objects that should not be fired. A few of them produced something! But a lot just weren’t there so I had to tell them that it was okay if they didn’t make a cup. I’ll still bring in cookies and milk one day since I had promised I would. I was just eager to have an authentic assessment where they get to actually use was they make and determine if the lip is too sharp or thick, if the cup feels good in their hands, if it holds too much or too little liquid, etc. but we’ll just have to save that for when they have more practice! There were people still stuck on centering, and I found a method to help them understand the feeling of the amount of force it takes to hold your arm steady against the clay. A lot of them just aren’t refusing to let the clay move them, they let it wobble them. So I go on their left side and push against their elbow and force their arm to brace against the clay and then the clay becomes centered. A lot of them were like “OH!” so now that they have at least felt it they will be able to do it better the next time around. Once you feel it there’s a better understanding. I only stayed for 1st and 2nd period and then headed back to Bloomington to catch up on some work from classes I missed this week. I am so grateful for the opportunity. I’m glad Ms. O let me do what I wanted with this unit so I could fail and succeed in certain areas. She knew the cups were too ambitious but she let me figure that out on my own and helped me with enthusiasm. She loved the new ideas I brought to the table too. So I’m just glad I am able to work with a mentor so open to me trying new things.

Next week is Fishers’ fall break so I will have a break after going in three times this past week!

I also finally got an ID and I’m excited to wear it next time I go in!