Entry #2

I think my practices as an artist will help my teaching in the classroom because showing the students my work gives them confidence in their teacher. The students will see that I'm an artist not just a teacher, I practice what I preach too. I also think it's helpful to work on the projects along with the students in class. I think including my artwork in class as examples or possibly for inspiration of some sort for the students. I could broaden their ideas. As well as mine, it would help getting feedback from my students and allow them to practice critiquing my work as well as theirs.
Some of the skills that I, as an artist, develop that help me as an art teacher are understanding and learning as I teach. I'm willing to learn from my students and I understand I dont know everything so therefore I will need to keep expanding my knowledge. Other skills would be imagination, free will and structure. It takes imagination and free will to think of new ideas, create them and free will to explore and not afraid to try new things.

FOE:
Vieth characterizes the relationship between teaching and art making by introducing our originality and enthusiasm which helps us lead and inspire our students in the classroom. Showing passion about art will create a wondeful learning environment. Being an active artist will create an updated perspective and gives our students confidence in us as teachers and artists. Keeping an open mind will allow more discussion and create an inviting environment in the classroom, students are going to challenge us as teachers and ask many questions. Being honest and understanding will make a better connection between us and our students. We need to provide support, not everything is going to workout and as artists we know this, so when our students are struggling explain to them everyone struggles but sometimes the mistakes are what make the artpiece what it is when it's done. Sharing times of struggles that we have been through will help them break the barrier and help them work through, as well as help them connect with us, in seeing we are human too and we aren't any better than they are.

I personally would balance the need to teach technical skills along with helping students make meaningful and creative art by introducing the basic technical skills and suggest other techniques while they are working, such as something that could make their project better if they used this certain technique. I would try to discuss with the student what they think they could do to make it better. To get them thinking and practicing other skills. And maybe even getting a feel of what they are trying to capture in their artwork, so I can help them achieve their idea. I would try to some how get the students to put their personal ideas in their work and express their feelings, I want the students to be creative when expressing their feelings and thoughts in their artwork. I think this includes asking questions and challenging their idea and getting them to be passionate about their art without influencing your ideas and own art techniques. It will take a lot of encouragment, praise and guidance, but after a relationship of trust and understanding is started between me and the students, then the students will be more excited and adventurous about their art, which will allow me to help them with their expressions and techniques better.

Entry #1

I went to a small high school, that included 9th through 12th graders. As a total the high school population rounded out to be about 350 students. For me, coming from a small rural area, I think there are many opportunities I've missed out on. Many of the neighboring schools and communities knew each other as well as everyone's business. I never got the chance to meet new people everyday, especially people of different culture.

With that background known, you can just about imagine how close knit our community was. I had many friends, many from multiple groups. But a select few from my sports teams. I was involved in all of the sports our high school offered as well as the majority of our clubs and groups. So I stayed pretty busy and had multiple friend connections. Being involved in art made my life even more interesting. This was my way of escaping structure and the hectic everyday responsibilities. Although I greatly enjoyed participating in my other activities, I used art as my calm escape.

I think my past experiences in high school brings out my fear of teaching high schoolers. I witinessed my art teacher struggle some days, and I've seen her be forced into someone she wasn't as times as well. She was a great teacher, and as much as I could I tried to convince other students not to be so judgmental and pesismistic about art or the class structure. This was evident in multiple other classes, and seeing the teachers deal with attitudes, laziness, and tons of drama was a bit intimidating.

In a way these experiences have brought a strength in me forward as well as many nervous thoughts. But I think my strength is thinking I can change this way of teaching and managing a classroom, because I'm younger I know what they are involved in and I'm still fresh with their ideas. This also creates a slight problem in the fact I am younger, will they listen to me since I am that much younger? There are many things to be nervous about, it's just a matter of how you handle the situations. I think I will just be strong and confident, trying not to let things bother me to much. Overall I'm excited but a bit nervous mainly for the obstacles that await me, but I'm ready to experience them.