Final Synthesis

It has been meaningful for me to recognize and to create "analogical bridges" between the work of art of teachers and the work of art of experts in photography, film & television, architecture & interior design, music, and fashion. I’ll admit that I did struggle at times with demonstrating my own creative ideas while using certain technology for the first time. Despite this, I found that the different projects served as excellent opportunities to begin experimenting with new ideas.

During the first week, we read and discussed two articles that left me feeling inspired and energized. Both Dewey and Jackson highlighted the important place that art holds in our experience of the world around us. Dewey delved more into what was considered art; the essence of art. I loved that he viewed art as something that we all create and participate in. We are all creators with the ability to engage even while doing what some might consider being mundane activities. Dewey felt that it was vital for people to recognize the art in everyday activities and appreciate the process. This is something that I strive to do as a teacher. I have found that it is incredibly easy to get caught up in rigid timelines and focus solely on the final product. Teachers are constantly juggling varied curriculum demands and it is often difficult to remember in those hectic moments that it is the process that counts.

Photography

I really enjoyed this first module. When looking at the work of art present in photography, I came to realize that there is more to the art of photography than just having an 'eye' for detail. Whether it is the art of composition, perspective lighting or framing; each has the potential to create immense impact and tell an original story. Taking all these elements into consideration, I found myself reflecting on the multiple 'tweaks' necessary to accommodate the varied learning styles of each student in any one of my classes. These adjustments are very similar to the Board mandated push for the use of Differentiated Instruction within the classroom. Furthermore the idea of straying from your comfort zone when experimenting with photography, reminded me of the courage necessary for teachers to adapt to new technology and take the time to learn and have fun with the tools available to them. It is very easy to get stuck in one's ways and fear change; instead of viewing a lesson or 'subject' from a new perspective.
Teaching, like photography, is not solely about technique but rather about communicating something.

Film and Television

This was a really fun module for me. It was interesting having the opportunity to watch some of the Super bowl commercials. I have to admit that I wasn't completely drawn to any of them, but after reading the articles available, I could appreciate the intended nature and design elements of them all. I personally found that the story behind each one was what determined my connection and reaction to the commercial. I could quickly judge whether I cared or not. I'd imagine students are no more forgiving in the short span of time it takes them to decide how committed they are to listening during a lesson in class.

Having to create my own video made me think about the anxiety my students feel when asked to create a story of their own. I now see that it is crucial to encourage them to give themselves permission to start with an abstract idea and then begin distilling the essence.

Architecture/ Interior Design

I also found this module to be quite enjoyable. I love interior design and have always been amazed by people who seem to have a knack for creating really compelling spaces. I was impressed by Susanka's ideas about how architecture and design affect our experiences. I found this to be true as I observed both Tim Horton's and Starbucks from a customer's perspective fotr our weekly discussion. I could quickly see that when selling education, I need to take a closer look at my packaging and delivery methods to help create a more compelling experience for my students. Susanka’s article made me reconsider the importance of the actual physical classroom environment. I now recognize that students need a sacred space as well and that it is therefore critical that the layout of a classroom be conducive to learning.

Music

Though I am not innately talented musically, I feel as though I have always appreciated and loved music. Therefore, examining the work of art in music was something that interested me. It was interesting learning about a musical ‘hook’ and relating this to teaching. Educators can only really be effective once they have hooked their audience. A good lesson plan is reliant upon the initial hook that acts as the bait to draw in the attention of the students. Then it is our hope that the rhythm of what we are explaining will develop momentum and that the students will become engaged and contribute actively to their own learning. Good songs generally have a consistent rhythm that allows listens to find comfort in the beat and caught up in the motion of the melody. Teachers also rely heavily on repetition when trying to reinforce central ideas for students.

Fashion

One thing I did learn from this module’s project was the importance of avoiding generalities and getting as specific as possible. I seemed to gravitate to stereotypes and ended up with a rather vague final product for my project that I wasn’t very proud of. Despite my end product, I found that it was easy to recognize the various ways that the elements of design could be applied to a “What Not to Teach” episode. Like fashion, education has many trends and a fluidity that evolves over time and lead to varying degrees of compelling experiences. It is not difficult to find yurself stuck in a rut. We all have our own unique teaching style in as much as students have their own individual learning style. As a teacher, I know that I have to respect these differences among my students and accommodate for them through the use of differentiated instruction and consideration of multiple intelligences. I am often trying to appeal to the wide array of tastes within my classroom and to appreciate the uniqueness of each of my students, allowing them enough room to express themselves in their own way, with their own design. I have discovered that I need to be willing to take the steps to really look at what is actually working in my closet of instructional techniques and be willing to purge outdated ideas in an effort to make room for new ones. If the primary goal of teaching is to relate the curriculum in a compelling way to students, then I believe that Wong and Henriksen made a critical point by stating that "we should begin by first looking at the kinds of situations in which students seem to be naturally deeply engaged."

My final Work of Art project was a lot of fun to do! I was quite nervous about using certain aspects of technology, but was pleased in the end with my final product. In retrospect, I’d have taken a different perspective. I think I would have explored the project from the makeup artist’s perspective instead. This was a great final culminating activity to really delve into the nature and design of something I have always appreciated. Despite the heavy demands of this course, it dealt with a content that I truly value and the process was exhilarating!