Education Fieldwork

I know we've been trying to keep the discussion postitive, but I found Gerald J. Conti's letter of resignation to be particularly moving.

Conti writes about a number of things that we have touched on in class conversations:

• systematic mistrust of teachers
• generic assessments as a detriment to creativity and critical thinking
• lack of leadership
• privatization of school programming

He writes, "STEM rules the day and “data driven” education seeks only conformity, standardization, testing and a zombie-like adherence to the shallow and generic Common Core, along with a lockstep of oversimplified so-called Essential Learnings. Creativity, academic freedom, teacher autonomy, experimentation and innovation are being stifled in a misguided effort to fix what is not broken in our system of public education and particularly not at Westhill."

Modern class with Ms B 9:00-11:45

Matisse cutout shapes

not much of a plan, plan to cut shapes out for/with students

Ms. B assumes that the project prob won't take the whole class time, wonders what we'll do when they finish. I suggest making a second piece?

The project: talk abt Matisse, look at two books with images of his cutouts. Ms B had drawn some examples of shapes on a paper (asks me to do the same before class starts) to give students ideas. Give them one large sheet of paper and two smaller ones. two smaller to be glued into the middle (as a background) wiht leftover border available to decorate later. (sketches)

As the kids glued the background rectangles, some were not perfect (sketches) Ms. B wanted them all to have a border, so we both went around helping them re-glue their pieces of paper. 

Then, cutting out shapes: provided a lot of different colored paper. When they needed help cutting specific shapes, we would help: sometimes fold paper with them, sometimes draw the shapes, sometimes cut it for them.

At some point, we both began cutting out new and different shapes outselves, offering them out to kids. "who wants a leaf?" "who wants a spiral?"

I was a bit uncomfortable doing this much in terms of cutting out shapes from my own head and just giving them to the kids. 

After school art class 4:15-5:15pm

I arrive at 4:22 (coming straight from BMC, which Ms. A is okay with, because she is thankful for the help)

8 students present (ages 6, 6, 7, 6, 6, 5, 7)

(sketch of table, students names, seats)

Clay Turtles: example turtle, components (shell, head, 4 legs/feet, tail), demo, then back to spots at table

T and R: brothers. T is very talkative

Demo: "this is the time in the class when everyone has to listen really carefully, and watch really carefully." 1 ball of clay, break in half. 1st half smush (sketch), press over crumpled newspaper, shell! (sketch). Clay tools, v special, v careful. Score the shell: a little "x" for each spot, dip fingers in water, get the shell a little wet, not super wet, just wet enough. 2nd half: break into 6 pieces, big head, medium legs, small tail

I was really happy that Ms. A asked me to join in her helping the after school class. She clearly appreciated having another adult in the room (and I appreciate being useful) but also she must have valued my presence in her clasroom. 

The afternoon class was definitely a more hands-on class that wanted/required more adult attention.

Splitting the class between the two of us meant that we could work more closely with each student and give EACH one more attention than they would have received otherwise. 

This class is with older studnets and therefore they are wokring on more challenging projects and learning to work more independently.

First Day

One of the classes I'm placed in at this art center is for two year olds and a parent or guardian. 

9:15 Arrive to get oriented/help set up. Ms. A gives me a little intro to how she sets up the class. 3 students (and 2 moms, 1 grandmother, so 6 altogether). Small for this session. Usually around 10 (or 20). 

She works in 15 minute intervals, progression of materials; if kids are focused, can be longer than 15 min. If restless, shorten the time.

Ms. A works through colors: Session 1 - black and white, 2 - white add blue, 3 - yellow and circle, TODAY 4 - Red and heart. TODAY: paint --> story (Shapes), cut and glue, model magic

Kids show up "preschool time": 9:25-9:45 (class is from 9:30-11)

9:30 S and mom B show up, we'll wait until 9:40 to start. Comes in and draws on paper that set out for her.

9:42 come to the floor. Ms. A asks S: what color did we work with last time?

B and Grandma E show up

play game on floor (to practice fine motor skills) pass pom-poms around using coffee spoons

first show shapes book (circle, square, oval, triangle, star, HEART (todays shape))

9:50 back to table to paint, S is SO excited (squealing), painting with Red, free-paint, watercolor brush or stubby brush (S and B both know the names of the brushes)

1st half of ten weeks: more PROCESS than PRODUCT, getting used to materials

B: lots of faces, her and Gma holding hands

S: stubby brush, try pouring cup of paint, when she was running low

Today I was in Mr. Takeler's Looking At Wind Instruments 4th/5th grade classes, in which a professional flutist and a professional trumpeter (both have played in the Opera Company of Philadelphia among other ensembles) gave students their first lesson in flute and trumpet. Students split and half and either stayed in the Band room with Ms. Rock to play trumpet or went upstairs with Mr. Terrible to play flute, then switched. I saw two sections of each.

Field Notes: Spring Break

So these are unofficial field notes – just wanted to share some thoughts. Last week was a great week at my placement and very informative (see recently posted field notes) but this week is Spring Break for my placement so I haven’t been there at all. And two weeks ago I was on Spring Break so I missed going to my placement then. I guess I am saying, I feel anxiety being away from my placement so often in the past three weeks especially when my students are younger and may not remember me in addition to my role in the classroom being different from their regular teachers. I hope this week when I go back things fall in place and I have not been forgotten. (Or that I have forgotten their names – given that I have a terrible memory.)

Bringing this back to education related talk – rather than just feelings – I wonder if this type of break is good for students and teachers? Yes, I think everyone is burnt out and needs a break sometimes, but if I am worried about forgetting things over these two week breaks, couldn’t students also be forgetting things that are relevant to course material? While the break is needed for the body – does the rest also help or hurt the mind? I would argue that the rest/break helps everything but that might just be my own personal experience and maybe the break can be helpful or hurtful depending on age and learning style.

Share time - S's sister has a stuffed animal eagle. When teacher does not call on R., R smacks her head and rocks back and forth. 
- all the other children just seem to ignore it -- seems like something they're used to

At least 4 children are lacking energy today, seem lethargic. With all 4 the main teacher has two methods to solve:

1.) if not ready then take a "vacation" in principal's office

2.) put marbles in jar if work

During reading center, counted how many times one boy lied - 9 times

P. gives M a kiss and while teacher was telling him that kisses "aren't given at school", F. gives Sa. a kiss

G almost lost marbles for entire reading center

This day seemed to be full of children lying about experiences, especially at the reading center. For the center 2/3 groups were reading books about Chipmunks, and the teacher asked the students what they knew about chipmunks. It was clear that they didn't know anything, and when no one would answer, the students started making things up - ie., they're giants, they can swim, I saw one in the forest of Africa, etc etc. The teacher stressed that "teacher choice time" is not the time for telling stories, but rather for being honest. "If you don't know anything about chipmunks, that's fine. We can talk about what we don't know, but no telling tales or stories". A version of this had to be said at least once at each group.  

At my last visit, I decided to focus on one specific student. Since I have a small class, focusing on one student would not very difficult.

This day, I chose to focus on Carson. He is a very quite student, whim rarely speaks out unless spoken to. The first thing I noticed was his different repetitive actions. These actions vary between students with autism and I always like to see what different students do. Their motions really reflect upon them. For instance, Carson is very quiet and timid. When he is sitting at his desk, he tends to rub his hands together or shake his foot. Sometimes he alternates between the two and he switches often. He also plays with a writing utensil. When Ms. Morrow was doing her morning coverage of the news, every time she would ask a question, his movement would pause. As soon as he would recite the answer, he woiuld go back to his preferred movement. Carson often just mumbles the answer to himself. One of the things he’s working on is communicating and using his voice. Most times, he has the answer, he just needs to be conscious of how he says it. Ms. Morrow often has to remind him to open up his mouth and talk clearly. When she understands his answer, he nods at her and goes back to his movement.

Just wanted to share an interesting segment I saw on Ben Swann's Reality Check on Ohio's recent state mandated reading laws (these laws are in place in other states, as he points out, but this news station is based in Cincinnati, OH).  He questions their effectiveness and points to the issue of teaching to the test. 

http://www.fox19.com/story/21752012/3rd-grade-reading-guarantee-means-teaching-for-the-test?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8671495