Lantz Week 5 Blog post

Week 5

Blog:

The readings and module resources were actually rough for me this time around. (Mostly due to personal stuff.) However, it was also being distracted by some specific sections that grabbed my attention more than others. Specifically the parts in chapter 12 that talked about, Flow, mastery, goals, and anxiety.  Chapter 13 was having or making more time for teaching and having a good classroom for the students to learn in.

For chapter 12 Flow and mastery goals, my family always made remarks about me spacing out or being in my own little world when I would work. I could be working in a loud busy environment and would not have any idea what else is going on. This is especially if I'm working in a studio setting. Nothing else matters. I think in some ways it is a really good thing but I guess for me I have to figure out the best way to get the students motivated to get maybe not that far into the zone but enough to keep a steady working pace with pride in their work.

The anxiety is something that kind of struck me hard. I did not really have a teacher until college approaches me about my fears in education and learning. It was never really discussed but I have found that I do have bad test anxiety and an issue with trying to focus well enough on the task at hand if I cannot connect it to something I feel strongly about. I feel it is lacking. I spent a lot of time thinking about this and how I can do something like that for my students.

Chapter 13 was interesting in the sense that I am currently teaching at Trinity Lutheran elementary in Burridge IL. It is wonderful, I love the people, and my students but there is not enough time for me and them to work together for the projects I would like them to experience as well as I have no designated classroom or art supplies. It is Art on a cart but it is really difficult to make sure every class has materials when moving, especially if I continue working with each class to determine what kind of project or material they would like to learn about. The time constraint is rough too. I only work with them twice a month. I cannot grade them on such a short amount of time when I really cannot include much content for them to work off of other than modeling what can be done with the materials.

This time constraint also effects what would be considered classroom management. Art on a Cart is easier if there is a designated art program that is spaced into the curriculum. My cart does not belong to me in terms of no one is going to touch the materials on the cart or move them to use the cart for other things in my absence. Therefore the students cannot have a 100% guaranteed place to put materials or their projects in my cart if I have to rebuild it every time. Nor do I have the help of posters to remind my younger students how to take care of the materials like brushes and paints. It is rough and finding a way to organize everything in my current task while in the midst of teaching my students.

The other resources in this week's module were useful in figuring out the right way to ask questions about some things. I have realized however I am not good at asking questions on materials I am not 100% familiar with without calling it out off the top of my head. It was a lot of back and forth trying to figure out the right way to ask the question. It was rough and exhausting and I now know I need to practice and really think hard about the questions I am asking and how.  It was a great exercise as well as practicing using the google forms sheet again.