What we are currently going through right now with COVID-19, and learning/teaching online has drastically shifted my perspective on education and especially art education. Prior to this pandemic, I thought there was no way that art could successfully be thought virtually. I though students needed to be given the appropriate space, and materials, and how would they understand the lessons if I was not there to teach them. Also, what about students without technology or internet access. Since this outbreak and stay at home order, I have realized that art definitely can be taught virtually and from a far, students and teachers both just need to adapt.
A huge piece that is important to making online learning work is working together and communicating needs. It is important to understand each students circumstance so that teachers can differentiate and accommodate accordingly. Another aspect that helps specifically for art is choice based learning. By providing students choice in their artwork, teachers don’t have to worry about ensuring students have to have the same materials, and they can use whatever is around them, even if it is cotton swabs or old newspapers. Lastly, having to teach virtually in the situation we are in can teach students to see and create in the every day. Art is not only for the classroom and museums, it is all around us and we are always making it.
For my embroidery this week I chose to visually represent my feelings and opinions on this current situation. The orange zig zag line represents the stem of a flower. Instead of growing straight up, it is having to take unexpected turns. The green French knots represent “worker bees” or students and teachers who are working together along this to help grow the flower and move forward. The pink star/flower is the bloom of the flower. It is not as perfect as the other starts or flowers in the previous areas of the embroidery, but it is unique and offers new elements that weren’t there before.
This situation and perspective change has really made me realize who I was to be as a teacher in and out of the classroom. I want to teach my students that art is available and possible every day. I also want to foster a community where the teacher and students all work together and support each other every day in whatever circumstances we are in.
A huge piece that is important to making online learning work is working together and communicating needs. It is important to understand each students circumstance so that teachers can differentiate and accommodate accordingly. Another aspect that helps specifically for art is choice based learning. By providing students choice in their artwork, teachers don’t have to worry about ensuring students have to have the same materials, and they can use whatever is around them, even if it is cotton swabs or old newspapers. Lastly, having to teach virtually in the situation we are in can teach students to see and create in the every day. Art is not only for the classroom and museums, it is all around us and we are always making it.
For my embroidery this week I chose to visually represent my feelings and opinions on this current situation. The orange zig zag line represents the stem of a flower. Instead of growing straight up, it is having to take unexpected turns. The green French knots represent “worker bees” or students and teachers who are working together along this to help grow the flower and move forward. The pink star/flower is the bloom of the flower. It is not as perfect as the other starts or flowers in the previous areas of the embroidery, but it is unique and offers new elements that weren’t there before.
This situation and perspective change has really made me realize who I was to be as a teacher in and out of the classroom. I want to teach my students that art is available and possible every day. I also want to foster a community where the teacher and students all work together and support each other every day in whatever circumstances we are in.