Creative-Critical Reflection Part 3

 

1. Create a contribution to our digital optimal learning environment map. First, develop lists of the components, routines, resources, and materials of an optimal blended learning environment, based on this week’s research videos.

1. Materials:  bottles of acrylic paints; tubes of watercolor, and gouache; boxes of colored pencils, and oil pastels;  a variety of different papers (watercolor, drawing, printmaking, etc); canvas; pounds of clay; inks; printmaking inks and brayers; brushes; bottles of glue; scissors; pencils; and sticks of charcoals. 

2. Resources: a kiln, and a pottery wheel for ceramics; a printmaking press; easels; a closet full of props for drawing; a library full of reference books, and artist books; a small garden for botanical drawings, and relaxing; a 3D printer and computer lab for digital fabrication; 5 sink for clean up; a paper guillotine; a scanner; a box full of aprons; drawing boards; storage for student projects; and a projector for lectures/presenting projects.

3. Components of the classroom: 5 rooms = 5 stations. Working off a class rotation model, each room will act as stations. The stations are designated by what type of work gets done there: printmaking, ceramics, drawing/painting, digital-fabrication, and finally a more general classroom space. Students will rotate in and out of these spaces throughout the semester. Maybe I can make it a requirement for students to try all the stations at least once throughout the semester. 

4. Routine: 

1. Students come to the general classroom space.

2. Cover announcements, upcoming deadlines, or introduce a new project. 

3. Dismiss students and allow them to go to their stations.  

4. Periodically check-in on each room/student to answer any question/make sure they’re all on-task.

5. Remind students of how much class time is left.

6. Clean up.

7. Regroup in the general classroom space.

8. Debrief.

9. Dismiss students.

2. Reflect: How will your future blended learning classroom environment address your students’ culture, language, academic strengths, gender, ethnicity, social-emotional needs, artistic self-efficacy, and other developmental influences on their learning?

 

1. What my classroom tackles most directly is giving students a sense of self-efficacy: giving students the space to push themselves and the confidence to try different things. To act as real, thinking, artists. I will give students the space to address their gender, ethnicity, and culture through the prompts I assign; with many projects pushing them to explore that part of themselves. I will also do this  by exposing my students to a variety of different artists, from different backgrounds, and different art-making traditions. I will address their social-emotional needs by giving students projects with ambel time (no quick turnarounds), being flexible with workload/deadlines, grading based on effort and individual development. I don’t want students stressing out over my assignments, especially when they have other stuff going on.

3. Research arts-based blended learning models or tools that may be used to promote diversity of learners as they develop their literacy skills through your art class. Connect the models or tools to the issues that hinder students from experiencing success with blended learning models. Add a caption to the map and provide two tools that teachers may use as a solution for reaching learners with diverse developmental needs. 

1. Stock my classroom library with a diverse variety of artists' books and biographies. Books of varying reading levels and of artists from different backgrounds that students can read and use.

2. Have students research and read about an artist that really interests them and have them do a quick 1 page response about what they learned. I could provide a list of recommended artists that students can choose from, and/or have them find their own artist they would want to research.

   
   Classroom Map