Monday was the first day back after midterm; it’s good to be back and straight into things. I hadn’t done any substitution up until’ today. I didn’t mind this however as I got to focus solely on my own teaching. I therefore didn’t have as much time as I usually would have for setting up-this is a however good practice for teaching when I am qualified as I won’t be able to have as much time for setting up etc. I did however have all my information written on the white board prior to my 1stYear lesson and had my materials out and ready to use, I just wasn’t able to set up materials on the tables as I normally would have. I have been advised that I will have a good bit of supervision on Tuesday also; I therefore need to do as much setting up as I can in the morning and at lunch time for my classes tomorrow. I won’t let my supervision interfere with my classes or my planning. There was a good few of my 1st year learners (Print and book binding UOL) absent today unfortunately-it is always difficult to complete a unit of learning when learners’ attendance is sporadic. There was one learner who didn’t get to print as such they took approximately eight prints during lesson, this was extremely important as it wouldn’t be practical to go through a printing unit of learning with a learner and not allow them to take a print at the end of that project, it would be wholly counterproductive. The handmade books have not been completed as learners spent considerably more time than I had anticipated cleaning up their prints (i.e. cutting and remounting prints with ink or fingerprint marks). Some learners had done this in the previous lesson however there were a lot of learners printing in previous lesson so didn’t get to do this. I really don’t want to rush learners with their work as they have really put so much work into it that it would be such a shame to rush this final section of the unit of learning. Learners did however organize their prints, cut prints and remount, decided on a front, and back cover for their book. I decided to use wallpaper as the front and back cover of learners print book. I initially wanted learners to create either a drawing or use their rubbing as the front cover however using the wallpaper allows for a cleaner finish and each book looks completely different as there is only one sheet of each type of wallpaper. Learners were advised to consider their hybrid or habitat when selecting their wallpaper and chose one that echoed the same colours. Stronger learners definitely did this however weaker learners tended to select colours and patterns they liked rather than fitting into their theme. I will complete the books in Thursday’s lesson and then after that I only have one more class with learners so I may get them to write out a bibliography on the inside of their book and illustrate around it. Having one lesson next week with learners is not enough time to start a new unit of learning as host wants to start a new project with them when she has them next, I therefore will use this time to really finish off project.
I finally had my TY group back on Tuesday after over four weeks away. I had to do a lot of recapping with learners; it was unfortunate that I didn’t have learners during this time as they were really building up progress on the homelessness crisis. They had built up momentum and were very familiar with the project whereas in today’s class it seemed like work they had done last summer for some learners. This was fine though as it just meant questioning learners and pushing them to really consider what the rationale for the topic is.
I also found out I will have one more lesson with learners (Tuesday 5thof March) this is great as Learners will get to really complete their maps by using markers. I really wanted to get learners to introduce colour into their work however I didn’t think with the amount of time remaining in lesson that learners would get to do this. It really isn’t about creating a fine piece of artwork with this group; the essence of the work is heavily underpinned by what the unit of learning is addressing. Learners have completed cardboard text banners and some have been cleaned up where necessary. I need to bring in my metal 1-meter ruler to clean up some of the cuts on the cardboard lengths. I have spoken to my host AT about presenting the work Ty’s have done over their block and how I’d like to display their work. It is quite difficult to display work in this school as there isn’t sufficient space anywhere to exhibit work of this size however we have proposed the idea of presenting the work after Mental Health week next week, I know I won’t be here teaching that week however I will be in teaching a double class on the Wednesday to make up a class that I had lost with my 1st year group because of a room relocation with the Mocks.
On Tuesday evening I team teach an LCA group with my host AT was present today which was a huge help as it meant we could both demonstrate tasks one on one to absent and weak learners. Learners got a good bit done today considering that it was only a single lesson. It really works well when both myself and my host teacher are working with learners. Majority of learners were working on their birds’ wings, absent learners continued on building up their skeletal form. I’m really pleased about this as I felt that learners were getting bogged down with building up the skeletal structure. When they seen how everything begins to take shape in terms of the volume circles and the legs all being joined to form the skeletal structure, this was a great turning point for this group of learners.
There is one learner who is extremely resistant to working with wire however I am working closely with them and getting them to do additional drawing tasks where applicable and working with wire in smaller doses which they are working to. One learner is really enjoying the project and getting really involved, this is so great to see as this confidence is rubbing off on other learners who can see what they’re doing. They are also a good reference point for learners to go over and look at, it also allows weaker learners to ask this learner how they got that far in addition to one on one demonstration. There are three learners who have missed a huge amount of the lessons thus far- Based on the minimal amount of time remaining I may just get learners to make zentangle patterns in outlines of birds i.e. on a 2D plain rather than trying to start a 3D structure and for them to be absent and not finish them.
Usually on a Wednesday I have to do a big set up for my 1styear class on Thursday however as learners have finished printing this was not the case. I did however prep the whiteboards with the key tasks for tomorrows’ lesson. Hopefully all learners are in to get work completed however I will use their last class for them to complete any additional tasks that need to be done i.e. not to be included in the unit of learning. Learners will therefore get the opportunity to complete work they missed or do some additional prints they didn’t get a chance to do (for some learners this would may be the Chine Collé technique).
On Thursday morning there were more of my 1styear learners in than in the previous lesson however one learner who was out in the previous two lessons was out again today-this is challenging as I would really like them to get their book done. I have arranged with my host teacher as part of Mental Health week to host an exhibition of all the learners print books along with the class collective book. It will happen next Thursday during lunch time and all learners have to attend. I will bring in sweets as an enticement. It will be a really nice way to finish off the year with this group as they have put in so much work and it brings the end of the unit of learning nicely to an end. Majority of learners have almost completed their bookbinding print books, there was a lot of numeracy in this lesson in my demonstration with the use of rulers, fractions and measurements which was great. Some weaker learners really struggled with numeracy as such I did an additional demonstration for them working on one of the learners print books. Learners seemed to respond more to this small group and were able to mark the book binding marks independently. I will use their last class (Thursday 7thMarch) for them to complete any additional tasks that need to be done i.e. not to be included in the unit of learning. Learners will therefore get the opportunity to complete work they missed or do some additional prints they didn’t get a chance to do (for some learners this would may be the Chine Collé technique).
On Thursday evening my LCA class got a lot done today which is great. The form of their birds are really taking shape as learners indicated form in the heads of their birds and some learners have connected their wings onto their birds. Learners are taking ownership over their own birds and are making their own creative decisions rather than following exactly as I am demonstrating, this shows they are getting familiar with the material and getting confidence in their ability. Learners have two lessons left with this project so they all need to get their wings attached and then refer to zentangle patterns for ideas on ways to create pattern in the exterior of the bird. Learners have lost a lot of lessons as such the time they initially should have had with decorating their birds has been significantly reduced as such this element of the unit of learning will be altered. This being said the most important part of this unit of learning is that learners work in a new material, build up drawing skills and open up more possibilities for learners in the subject of art.
On Friday a few learners of my other group of 1styears were painting as they didn’t need to add in any more form to their mask. Around half of the learners had to build up more form however got this done just over half way through the class some of these learners then began painting. I should have a class with learners next week however there is a mental health concert on during that time and all learners have said they intend on going to it with the exception of one learner. I had previously thought that the mental health talent show was on in the morning and wouldn’t interfere with their lesson however there is a concert on in the morning for seniors not juniors. As learners will be missing next Friday’s class, I have arranged with my host AT that I am to take learners for the following Wednesday’s class. Learners will be advised of this in next lesson with host AT. Masks will therefore be completed in next lesson. Majority of learners are ready to start straight into painting / finishing off painting stage. One learner still needs to do a small bit of Modroc as they were absent for past few weeks however got a large amount of work done during this lesson.
I had my TY class again on Friday evening originally, I had thought learners were finished their art block today however I was advised on Tuesday that I would have learners for one more lesson. I therefore can get learners to incorporate colour into their large-scale collaborative maps. Learners are really working well and have completed the drawing stage of their maps and have moved onto the colour stage of the project through the use of mixed media (Colouredpencils and markers). I have also given learners black markers and fine liners to highlight shapes and figures within their maps. There were a few learners who were not participating in group activity so I had to give them specific tasks within the lesson, this worked really effectively. I will do this again in next weeks’ lesson if this occurs. These learners tend to lose focus so need to be given specific tasks either within group task or separate to this. Learners have now all done reflection worksheet as such I will discuss these responses as an end evaluation and ask learners to add to this and what else have they learned, what was the relevance of the inclusive map? What would the world look like if our world looked like this?
-E.Moran
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