For this journal entry, I decided to use three different mediums represent differences between each student and learning opportunities I've experience over the past two weeks.
Last week was my first week taking over my Drawing and Painting 3 class where I introduced the new medium of oil paint to the students. Since this was week 3, I had a formal observation from my mentor teacher, Lisa, which was great because I could get authentic and raw feedback from her right after I was done.
The unit that I introduced my students is called "Bonescapes". In this unit, they are covering all of the basics of oil painting but in a fun and unique way where they get to use bones as their reference. For the first lesson (the lesson that Lisa observed) I introduced them to all of the materials that we would be using, the terms and definitions to the techniques that they would use, and a demonstration to get them started. To help the students remember, I made each student a sketch book and printed out a list of terms that they would be taking notes on and defining throughout the demonstration I gave.
To make sure that I was fully prepared to teach, I made three different examples of what the final product would look like for them. To start, I had one example of an indirect painting in the Grisaille approach, 1 direct painting, and 1 painting where I showed how I toned the paper and created the initial contour drawing. For the demo, I prepared 3 small 8"x8" which would coraspond directly to what they would be doing.
All the preparation work made it more comfortable for me to teach. While I gave the students their demo, I quickly noticed that we were running out of time...but I thought I needed to follow my lesson plan and continue what I was doing. What I had failed to realize was that the students were getting ansey to start their paintings because I had spent the entire time giving a demonstration. After we finished, I felt confident in the fact that I followed my initial lesson plan to the "T" but uneasy from the physical response of the students. The feedback that Lisa gave me was that the demo was great, I knew the topic, I was asking questions the whole time...yet I failed to "read the room". My reply was that I thought that I had to follow the lesson plan (mostly because she was observing me) and she told me how my lesson plan is just an outline. Yes, I was prepared for what I was doing, but I need to read my students and notice when they start to sway. It's ok to steer away from the lesson in means of making sure the students are successful in their learning. What I should have done was separate my demo into two different parts; one teaching the indirect (grisaille) method of painting, and another teaching the direct. This would have allowed the students to go back to their tables and practice that specific technique that I taught. The three paintings that I created are a parallel to this idea where I have what I think is going to happen in the class vs how my students receive the information... therefor causing me to change my initial plan.
After the class, I had 4th period which was my Drawing and Painting 2 students and I got to experience the complete attitude flip I needed to have to get through the day. Although my lesson had flaws and there were things that I could have done better, I needed to not let me emotions get to me.
4th period has been a struggle for me in terms of student pleasing. The relationships that I have built with my students have been very strong so far, expect for a few students in my 4th period class. Last Monday, I encountered what I was most fearful of... the straight up denial from a student. In our classroom, we have a rule where you are not allowed to have any food or drinks. So, when a female student brought in her drink, she got told by Lisa that she had to put it by the sink for the remainder of the class. As soon as Lisa left the room, the student stood up, made eye contact with me as she walked toward the sink and stood there. I said, " Do not drink that __(students name)__. And she replied with, " Well my throat hurts, and I'm thirsty". Then proceeded to slurp the drink in front of me and the whole class. My stomach sank. I had so many thoughts running through my head, 'What do I say?' 'How do I not single her out too much while the whole class is watching?' 'Am I even allowed to say something at all? This is not my classroom, and what if ruin any relationship that I had built with the student in the first place?'. The thoughts ran through my head as my heart was pounding and then I did the worst thing. I did nothing and I let it go. As soon as the class was over, I talked with Lisa and told her about the circumstance that occurred. She gave me two option: one, let it go and say something the next time if it happends again or two, talk to her before class on Wednesday.
Even thought this was just one event that happened, I thought about it all last week and when Wednesday came (the day that I introduced my new unit and got observed by Lisa) I was overcome with emotions that had rooted from that event on Monday and the lesson that I feel that I failed on. The one thing that I did not do though was let me emotions get the best of me and have the students see what I was feeling underneath. The student who I had the event with on Monday did bring her emotions with her to class and made it very clear that she did not care for me.
Expecting the unexpected it something that I really need to be ok with and work on. This goes for how my lessons turn out as well as the circumstances and events that occur with students. This week, I am focusing on reading the room .