As I reflect on my first week of student teaching, I continue to think about my development as an educator. Observing the way my match-up teacher’s classroom operates and trying to understand her routine has made me more aware of just how much teachers do every day. The ins and outs of being an art teacher are much more complex than most people think. The amount of work and responsibilities goes far beyond creating art projects, to remembering more than 200 names and staying on top of the school schedule. At times, it seems almost impossible to accomplish all the work effectively. I know that in time and in my own classroom I will develop a routine works for me, as well as more confidence in lesson planning and my presence in the classroom.
At this stage in my education, I am making sense of the basics of teaching, trying to put them together like building blocks to form a stronger structure. I am at the #fundamental stage of conceptualizing all the methods and ideas in my toolbox. This reminds me of toddlers trying to fit block shapes into the correctly shaped holes or matching colors. At first, it seems complicated and almost impossible, but once I figure out where each shape fits, my knowledge and skill will grow.
Thinking about #fundamentals, my art piece this week is a simple oil painting using only the primary colors. I decided to use oil paints as a medium because of its slowly-drying nature, which I related to the malleable and flexible state I am at right now as a teacher. The primary colors and basic shapes represent the fundamental state of my teaching abilities. My painting process was fast and improvisational, similar to my current presence in the classroom as I learn how my match-up teacher’s classroom operates.
Reflection words from this week:
Fundamentals
Consistency
Balance
Withitness
Routine
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