Wow! I am So excited to get back into that classroom and start working with the students! Today was my first day going into the classroom and experiencing what it's like to be in the room with students, and boy was it fun. I didn't really get to work with the students much, but mostly watched and took notes on how my cooperating teacher ran her classroom. Even just observing I had a great time today!
First I had some one on one time with my teacher, Ms. M, and was able to ask her a few questions about her own art experience and why she became an art teacher. She told me that she had always enjoyed art throughout schooling, and that her high school art teacher actually suggested she get into art education, but she didn't really think that was for her at first. After she graduated high school she went straight into the work force not involving her art. After about a year she decided that she really wanted to pursue her education and her art, so she decided to go to school for Art Education. She graduated from the program in December, but didn't get a job right away because she was going to get married. She got married and then again decided she wasn't happy with her degree so she went back to school and got another degree. Finally after 16 years of on and off jobs, she finally made her way back into the classroom working part time as an art teacher. After a few years she was up to an 80% time art teacher and graduated into the full time art teacher at the middle school. She is so happy with finally getting her chance to use art to help others. Ms. M was very happy that she did, after a long time, take her teacher's advice and go into art education, because she really enjoys her work. However; one thing she said was that the only downside to all of her time as a teacher is that she gets very little time to work on her own art. She has some free time to work on her passion of hand building with clay, but she doesn't get to do it as much as she would like.
I found it very interesting to hear how "round-about" she came, to finally ending up teaching in the art classroom. Ms. M went through a lot of schooling and work before she finally ended up in the art classroom and I could definitely tell it is where she belongs. She has such great passion for the arts in youth and it is obvious through the fun and exciting examples and activities she should me today. I am so happy she was able to fulfill her high school teacher's wishes and become a teacher, because I know I will be learning a lot from her this semester and am very excited to use some of her awesome ideas and lesson plans.
Once we had discussed her reasoning for becoming a teacher, Ms. M's advisory hour was over, and classes were about to begin. Her 7th graders came filing in one at a time for her first hour lesson. Most of the students were fairly quiet and respectful coming into the classroom, while a few were a bit noisy and rambunctious. Ms. M quickly sat them down and they all hushed up very quickly. She had a way with them that they all just listened and sat quietly for her. It was very neat to see. She took attendance and began to discuss their assignment. They were working on upside-down portraits, focusing on form, shape, and line. Ms. M explained to the students how important it was for them to remain quiet and focused on their drawings. Once they all started working it was so peaceful. They were all quiet and you could hear the pencil lead scratching the surface of the paper. It was quite soothing actually. They all drew for about 15-20 mins, and Ms. M, my partner, and I went back into her office to look at some paperwork when I noticed a girl reading a book. Ms. M explained that she was in the Special Education program as well and that she needed one-on-one focus to keep her working. Ms. M called for the student's other teacher and had the little girl go with her into another classroom to finish up working.
As the hour was coming to a close, Ms. M announced to the class to start gathering their things and put them away in their baskets. One boy announced, "My head hurts!" as Ms. M was discussing how focusing that long on a project can get your brain tired. It was really neat to hear him say that because it was proof that he was focussing so hard on his project. As I walked around I looked at all of their works and they were all great in their own way. Some covered the whole page, while others were tucked into the corner of the sheet. It was really cool to see how each student saw the same picture so differently. The bell rang as the students were packing up and they all left fairly quietly and calmly. To me they seemed like a very well behaved 7th grade class.
Between classes we discussed our schedule for meeting and decided on our lesson plan we will be teaching. I am very excited to teach our lesson, but am also quite nervous because it is in such a short time. I will talk a bit more about that once it gets closer though. Anyways, that was my first day in the classroom with Ms. M and her students. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait until next week when I can do some more hands-on stuff with the kids!
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