I have always been a question asker. When I am unsure of something, or don’t understand, I have never been afraid to be the first to raise my hand. I always wondered if this was a bad thing. Does this mean I’m not understanding things the way others are? Why are others “getting it” and I am left feeling unclear? After reading the book A More Beautiful Questionby Warren Berger, I am actually starting to feel the opposite. Why aren’t others questioning as much as I am? When I am presented with some kind of problem at work or a situation where I need to make a decision, it typically must be done quickly. I usually don’t have the time to run through the methods that Berger presents in his book. After reading it though, I realize the importance of stepping back from a problem, and running through the why’s, what if’s and how’s. My days run quick and some decisions/solutions will simply have to be made just as fast but, ideally, I’d like to apply it as much as possible. There are a lot of advantages to asking “Why?” to a problem and it’s important that it is done first. It helps me understand the problem in a different way and can even help me see from another person’s point of view. It’s also a bit liberating to allow yourself to ask the why questions without judgement or the pressure of having to come up with an answer. An example of an ill-structured problem that I face in my classroom that I can ask “Why?” to is behavior and discipline issues. Like most teachers, I have certain students that are chronically more difficult behavior wise. Instead of jumping to conclusions or some kind of consequence as a solution, it would be much more beneficial to ask “Why?”. There are so many possibilities as to why a student is making poor decisions and there is a chance I will never fully know. But, asking why and considering the child’s viewpoint will at least lead me to some insight on who they are as a person and their needs as a learner in the classroom environment. In their book, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, Bransford, Cocking and Brown highlight the importance of learner centered classrooms where the teachers “pay close attention to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that learners bring into the classroom” (pg. 23). Taking the time to ask why demonstrates the fact that, as an educator, I care so much about that individual that I want to understand more. The “What if…?” stage also does not require a solution to the problem just yet but rather possibilities of what can be done. This stage helps my thinking move forward. Let’s consider the same example given above. Remember, we are talking about a student that persistently misbehaves. After asking “Why?” questions about this student, the “What if…?” create many different options. Considering as many options as possible is extremely important in this situation. Think, for example, if I skipped this stage. I decided on the first consequence that came to mind. I may regret that decision, it most likely isn’t the best choice for the student’s actual learning needs, and the poor behavior will most likely continue. In this case, the “What if…?” stage is meant to avoid those circumstances. Lastly, the “How?” stage will lead me to the best, well thought out solution possible for my problem. I think if I actually apply this whole process to the next difficult problem I come across, it would make me proud of the solution I come up with. There is a lot of time, effort and sometimes research that goes into it. It has definitely helped me become a better questioner and even look at difficult situations more optimistically because I have a great tool to guide me through. One big takeaway that I plan on incorporating into my own classroom is the “Question Formulation Technique” (p.65) designed by Rothstein and Santana and presented in the book A More Beautiful Question.I love how kid-friendly it is and the fact that it levels the playing field for all of my students because the point isn’t to know the answer – it’s to come up with a great question. References
Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.), How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368 Berger, W. (2016). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. New York: Bloomsbury.
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Kirby Ferguson created a 4-part series of videos called “Everything is a Remix”. In this series, Ferguson describes remixing as the process of “collecting material, combining it and transforming it” (2015). As an artist and as an educator, this string of videos really caught my interest. When beginning a new art piece, I am staring at a blank canvas. What should I draw? What colors should I incorporate? How can I make the background interesting? Then, my thumbs go to work… on my phone, looking up ideas on Google images, pictures of masterpieces, inspiration off Instagram, Pinterest and so on. This is not to say that I go online to find projects and photos to copy completely. I use the internet for bits of inspiration. Things that really stick out to me go into in my sketchbook. Then, when the time comes to create on a larger scale, I usually pull all of my ideas together to create something that I would consider my own. But is it really mine? In Ferguson’s point of view, it’s a remix. I would identify my process of creation the same way Ferguson defined it in his video: a collection of different material, combined or rearranged and transformed. I relate this process to my own teaching, too. I have worked for two different schools as an art educator: 3 years at a high school and 2 years at an elementary. Both times, when I got hired, I had a very short amount of time to move in, get my classroom ready and become accustomed to the new everything (schedule, students, coworkers, administration, building, etc.). At that point, some of the things that I wish could be higher up on my to-do list, like lesson planning, were pushed down. Before you know it, school was starting, and you better believe I hopped online and looked up ideas of what other art teachers were doing in a high school or elementary art class. Although I did make changes to projects and remix them sometimes, there were other times I completely took someone else’s idea and used it in my class. Even though these teachers had their lessons up on their website for the public to freely see and take, I still felt bad for doing it. Like really bad. I felt like I was failing as a teacher because I wasn’t doing my job of making something up from scratch. I was comparing myself to these expert teachers who had years of experience. Looking back on it all, I now know I was doing what I had to do to survive that first or second year at a new school. Now that I am going into my third year at the elementary level and my sixth year of teaching overall, I notice myself becoming more comfortable, learning what works for me and what doesn’t. I’m transferring the skills that I had learned from experts and creating my own projects. I am realizing that, as a brand-new teacher, I just needed a place to start and to grow into my own from. Ferguson mentions this in Part 3, when he talks about copying; “Put simply, copying is how we learn. We can’t introduce anything new until we are fluent in the language of our domain” (2015). This made me feel a whole lot better about copying other’s ideas in those first years. I was simply learning. In both cases explained above, when I taught at the high school and elementary school, I had never been in either of those positions before. Sure, I did an internship and had a degree but it was still way different. I had never had a classroom that was completely my own. I didn’t realize this back then, when I felt bad, but when I was copying off of other teachers, I was building a base of knowledge and understanding of how to teach each specific grade level art. Now that I have this knowledge, things are evolving in my own way and I’m excited to see where it goes from here. Ferguson’s ideas are also supported by the concept of transfer. In their book How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, Bransford, Cocking and Brown state that transfer is “defined as the ability to extend what has been learned in one context to new contexts” (Pg. 51, n.d.). They also maintain two key characteristics of learning and transfer: 1. “All new learning involves transfer based on previous learning” (Pg. 53) and 2. “Initial learning is necessary for transfer” (Pg. 53). If both of these key characteristics are true, then it is essentially necessary for a novice (like me as a beginner teacher) to copy an expert (like the ones who have been teaching for years) before they will be able to transfer any knowledge to create something new of their own. You can buy Kirby Ferguson's merch, too! Click on the picture above if you're interested. References:
Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.), How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368 Ferguson, K.(Producer). (2015, Sep. 12), Everything is a Remix Remastered (2015 HD) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/139094998. Accessed 5 Aug. 2019. The achievement gap is something that I have personally seen happening in my own school. The statistic I’m about to give is completely based off memory and I don’t have the proof that my principal gave me anymore but nonetheless, it has stuck in my memory and has left me feeling disturbed. In a staff meeting, I found out that, according to the MSTEP standardized testing done for 3rd-5th grade in our school, that 0% of the African Americans in our school had been rated efficient in mathematics. Zero percent. That hit hard. Until that point, as an art educator, I had never seen statistics like these. Administration has presented on school wide statistics but not on individual races, genders, etc. Truly, this was a turning point in my career. Although I have over 500 students, I connect closely with each of them and when I found out about that statistic, it was heartbreaking to know these students who were struggling so much in their core subjects. On a side note, that must be extremely difficult for the general education teachers who see this statistic and probably consider it a failure on their part. Which is awful because there really are so many factors contributing to the situation, and it is definitely not fair to simply put blame on the teachers. Which is being done anyway but that’s for another blog.
Personally, I had never done research on the achievement gap before and I really only knew very basic facts. Once I was finally exposed to hard truths occurring right in my own school (and thanks to the wicked problem unit with MAET), I felt a strong desire to understand more about it. In a TED talk titled Solving the Achievement Gap Through Equity, Not Equality, Dr. Lindsey Ott states the achievement gap occurs when “one group of students scores higher than another when they’re grouped by gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status.” (2017). If all of the students in our school – no matter what race, gender, status – were receiving the same education, standards, rules, - why were some achieving lower than others? And what can I personally do to help close the achievement gap at my school? According to another short video I watched titled How to Close the Academic Achievement Gap That’s Hurting America, there are numerous factors that (positively or negatively) impact the achievement gap but can be basically grouped into three categories: quality of education, environment at home and overall health. This is further supported in online article published by the news organization, Education Week, where these resources are referred to as “opportunity gaps” (2019) between poor vs wealthy children. The video also provides a solution to closing the achievement gap by basically stating that this could be solved by family friendly policies that ensure each child has 1. the opportunity for a good education with quality teachers 2. parents that support children’s schooling at home, have a decent income and live in a safe, diverse neighborhood 3. Good overall health and nutrition with access to healthcare. Obviously, we cannot promise all of these opportunities to every child in our country unless we seriously invested a lot of money. So, again I ask, what can we do? What can I do? Another screenshot from How to Close the Academic Achievement Gap That's Hurting America that visually represents the resources that all students need in order to be successful in school and help to close the achievement gap. This brings me back to Dr. Lindsey Ott. In her TED talk (2017), she argues that equality and equity are not the same thing. For example, equality is giving everyone a size medium uniform to wear to school, even if that simply will not fit some students. It is given to them anyway and they must deal with it. Equity is giving everyone the same uniform but in the size that fits the individual. Then the playing field is fair. I can translate this idea into my teaching by providing assignments and projects that are not a one size fits all but rather, tailor each to individual students. This is an incredible amount of work and a daunting task – I already mentioned that I have over 500 students. But the beauty of art, in my opinion, is that it can be much more easily personalized than say a math class. I also feel that as long as I am aware of the achievement gap within my own school, keep myself informed and do what I can to help close it, then I at least am doing my part.
References: Ansell, Susan. “Achievement Gap.” Education Week, 21 Feb. 2019, www.edweek.org/ew/issues/achievement-gap/index.html. Talks, TEDx. “Solving the Achievement Gap Through Equity, Not Equality | Lindsey Ott | TEDxYouth@Columbia.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 Dec. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQbu_3M0_Q. seeprogress. “How to Close the Academic Achievement Gap That's Hurting America.” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Mar. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJtMlS8Gk_I.
Good news! I crocheted a hat (and it actually looks kind of good)!
This quick video shows how I've progressed from a washcloth to a face scrubbie to a hat!
It's been interesting to blog my experience in my journey of learning how to crochet. For the most part, I have only shared my successes with you but there were actually a few frustrating times behind the scenes. Learning something using internet-based resources is incredible and I don't take it for granted but that typically was the reason for my frustration. Maybe I'm a bit old school, maybe I ask too many questions or maybe I simply didn't like the process of searching the internet for answers to my questions that could easily/quickly be answered by an actual human. It's probably a bit of all of those things combined. I'm the type of learner that needs some kind of classroom and interaction with an expert - not simply the expert talking and demonstrating. This project, however, brings me to an opposing point. If it weren't for online based resources, would I ever have learned how to crochet? There is little to no chance I would've ever signed up for some kind of class where I could have those interactions with an instructor. So, overall, I am grateful for having the opportunity to so easily access expert knowledge and learn a brand-new skill for free. I'd say the frustrating times I had experienced were definitely worth it in the end.
One other thing I'd like to point out about learning something using internet-based resources is the fact that you are essentially creating your own mini-curriculum on a topic you may have zero knowledge on. In my case, I had no preexisting knowledge of crocheting. My goal for this project started out pretty unclear in my first post because of this point exactly. I was really unsure of how difficult or how easy it would be to learn any part of the crocheting process. Would I be able to make a scarf by the due date? Is that too ambitious? Not enough? What about a hat? A blanket? ..See where I'm going here? I had to figure out where to begin and somewhat awkwardly map out a direction form there since there was no set path for me. For example, once I learned how to create a washcloth, I had to decide on my own what was the next step. So, learning something online definitely involves a lot of research, investigation, exploration and dedication. Which can be fun, frustrating and totally worth it in the end! Check out this video I created that is meant to show what I have learned on my crochet journey from the very beginning and give advice to anyone who may be starting their own journey. You could even learn how to crochet a chain, if you're up for the challenge!
If you're interested in seeing the website I used to get information on gathering materials needed to start, click here.
If you'd like to see the YouTube video I used to learn how to create a slipknot, hold my yarn and hook, to do very basic crochet techniques and to create my washcloth, click here. Want to learn how to create the face scrubbie I showed in my video? Click here. Want to learn how to create a super cool beanie? (This one was a lot of fun) Click here. When creating a lesson plan, I consider what my students will experience. I think about timing, the flow of the lesson, how students will participate, visuals, technologies, music, chants, hands-on components, and more. However, I'm not so lucky when it comes to the layout and general floor plan of my current art room. I don't really have much control over it other than moving the furniture that I have and decorating the walls. The room is one of the smaller rooms in the building, making it hard for me to rearrange desks/furniture. The furniture I have is old, used and some is falling apart. Now, this is not to say that it is in an awful state or that I am ungrateful for the things that I have. Rather, that if it were my choice from the beginning, I would have done things a lot differently, now that I can look at my classroom environment through MAET lenses. I have created a concept of what a more ideal classroom would look like for my situation. I started with a list of things I knew I wanted before I even began designing. The list includes: a larger room, more space, a lot of counter space, many sinks, a gallery wall, natural lighting, various seating, movable furniture, semi-private area for choice time and lightly colored walls. All of these things have been included. Bird's-eye view of the classroom from above The classroom from another angle. The small empty room would be for a kiln room and the larger empty room would be for supply storage and office space. ** In my floor plan, I did include an office space and a storage space (seen above). Although these spaces are absolutely essential for an art room, I chose not to furnish them because the focus of this project was on the learning space. So, let's take a closer look at those spaces. Looking at the photo above, you can see I have a group learning space on the blue and yellow rug where students can sit for lectures, demonstrations and collaborations like pairs and shares. There is a whiteboard/projector and a computer nearby for convenience. Inspired by The Third Teacher+ and Edutopia (2013), I also have included a gallery wall which is that trifold poster board. Here, I can hang student work, exemplars and "facilitate visual listening" (2013). Furthermore, the rug serves as a spot where the class comes together as a group - almost like a team huddle. This is where I see their faces and hear their voices and opinions (keep in mind, as an art educator, I typically see them about once a week). This is like our pow-wow before conquering our art for the day. In their book, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School, Bransford, Brown and Cocking (n.d.) argue the importance of learner-centered classrooms. This area is meant to nurture that concept. Another thing I'd like to point out from the photo above is that I have created a large, open-concept room, save for one area. That one area is called the Choice Time Area (see photo below). This is where early finishers come to explore different creative options with their free time. The Choice Time Area I wanted the Choice Time Area to be semi-private - like a little nook - so I put a bookshelf there that has no backing so I can still have eyes on students. I incorporated some bean bag chairs to make it a little cozier. The book shelf would hold artist and drawing books, building blocks, modeling clay, free draw paper, spirographs, symmetry blocks, and more. This is my small maker space. It is meant to encourage invention, creativity, self-discovery, problem solving and to empower learners. As Halverson and Sheridan argue in the Harvard Educational Review, "If we believe that making activities and maker identities are crucial for empowerment, then it is, in part, our job to set up situations whereby all learners have the opportunity to engage" (Pg. 500, 2014). Close up of the work space. The only way I'd be able to test this space out to see if it works and if my ideas follow through would be to run a class in it. Unfortunately, that isn't possible. Even if I tried to move furniture around in my current classroom to imitate what I have created, I simply do not have the same amount of space and resources in real life. I can, however, improvise and I could create a "gallery wall" off of the poster board I do have in my current room. I could also create a space to sit on the floor as our group "pow-wow". My point is that there are things that I can and cannot change. I cannot change the fact that my current classroom was built with an "old school" mentality and I may not be able to change the furniture I have. But I can begin to, as the George Lucas Educational Foundation would put it, "integrate tools and tactics for creative thinking" (2013) into my classroom with a little bit of hard work and thinking outside of the box. References
Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.), How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368 Halverson, E.R. & Sheridan, K. (2014). The Maker Movement in Education. Harvard Educational Review, 84(4), 495-465. “Remake Your Class: Building a Collaborative Learning Environment (Video Playlist).” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 6 Aug. 2013, www.edutopia.org/video/remake-your-class-building-collaborative-learning-environment-video-playlist. |
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