Reflection on my teaching experience

Reflection on my teaching experience
Scope and sequence

“Welcome to visual Art; motto: Creativity and originality” these are the words on a six feet by two feet yellow banner that catches your eyes when you enter my classroom G307 at C.W.Long Middle school The size of my classroom is about 24 feet by60 feet and it is all covered with students quality works and inspirational and instructional poster most of them personally made.
At Long middle school the connection classes which is made up of Visual Art, Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Spanish, Technology, Physical Education and Health works with each homeroom for a eight weeks and the students rotate to another connection class. Each student takes two connection classes every eight weeks. Mondays, Wednesday and every other Fridays are A-Days and Tuesdays, Thursdays and every other Friday are B-Days.
With only eight weeks of class per student for the year, it is very critical that a teacher design instructions that will motivate and at the same time educate them with aesthetic experiences that will in order words empower them to talk intelligent about art and culture. In order to achieve these aesthetic experiences within eight weeks in a year per student, I have designed my scope and sequence that alternate the teaching of the Elements of Art and The Principles of Design infused with studio activities, Art Criticism, meet the artist and recently Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) yearly. The sequence for an eight week session is as follows:

Week 1: Introduction to visual art and pre-test
Week 2: Art Criticism and visit to a museum
Week 3: Make a portfolio and sketchbook journaling
Week 4: Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)
Week 5: Introduction Principles of Design
Week 6: Principle of Unity, Balance and Variety
Week 7: Principles of Rhythm/ pattern, and movement
Week 8: Principles of Emphasis and contrast and Post Test

The alternate year the first four weeks activities above are the same, followed by five weeks of Elements of Art activities such as follows

Week 5: Introduction to Element of Art
Week 6: Dot and line Activities
Week 7: Shape, Form and texture activities
Week 8: Color, value and Space activities and Post -Test
I have followed this scope and sequence for the past five years with the exception of VTS that was introduce this quarter march 2010.With little modification each year it has worked very well for me and the students. It gets better and better each year but there is still more room for improvement. The knowledge of an ongoing action research will help to improve teaching and learning in my classroom. Most of the theme, topic or content of the supplemental work sheets are personally design by me base on things related to their visual culture that they can relate to. The evidence of the workability of this scope and sequence can be seen in the numerous competitions and exhibition my students have participated in each year and the awards and accolade they’ve received over the five years since I have been following this plan. An example of the success of this plan and students achievement is the winning of awards each year at the Invitational Art Educational Fair for APS k-12. In 2007 – 2008 school fair my student won the over all individual best of show award middle school division, In 2008-2009 school year my student won third price in the individual best of show and my school won the overall best of show , middle school division and this year my student won two awards. All the participating students are always given honorable ribbons too. These and many more that time and space will not allow me to mention tell me that the plan is working. Thanks to ArtsAPS for giving me the opportunity to share this experience.

Pre-Action Research Survey

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Relection, April 17, 2010

Reflection on April 17, 2010
The first session off the day was for housekeeping. The Director of the program Mrs. Cynthia Terry brief participant about the current decision on jobs situations in the APS. She assured teachers that there is no intention by the superintendent to cut any job of the Fine Arts. She reminded teachers do complete their blog entries by the due date May 8th 2010, She also gave a brief information on the D.C. trip on Friday may 15 Th, 20010 to Sunday May 17, 22010 by Amtrak train, It sound cool and adventurous, everybody was excited, more information on may 8th class. I am looking forward to it. Elementary teachers were informed about the pilot program on 5 Th grade assessments at the end of this semester.
The house was also reminded about the Invitational Art Education Fair at M Agnes Jones Elementary School on Friday April 23, 2010 at 6.00 pm.
My second session was John Brandhorst artistic class. Every action research project group informed the class on their chosen topic and how the work in research is going to be done. We then discuss the plans for the group exhibition on June 3, 2010 at the Youth Art Connection. After discussion, one of our colleagues led the class in an alternate printing idea using a stripping gel bought from the Home Depot. With this process one can print with or without a press.
The process involves:
1. Xerox picture black or colored picture
2. Apply stripping gel to the back of the Xerox with a spatula.
3. Wait for about 2inutes for the color to soak into the picture.
4. Take off the gel at the back of the pictures.
5. Place a wax paper over the picture turn upside down onto the paper on which you want the transfer.
6. Use the back of the spoon to press hard and rub overt the wax paper
7. Picture will be transferred onto the paper in the opposite.
All participants in class were given the opportunity to create a print using this process. It was very symphonic and empathic time as we all work and helped each other in the class. The prints will be exhibited as part of our show in June. My work depicts my cultural background. As said earlier in one of my postings, creating this print was not a conscious effort; it came out of the subconscious mind since I did not have any plan in mind but just doing something. I was amazed when the instructor of this print class informed me that my work has something in common with the shirt I was wearing that day.
I hope to incorporate this alternative process of printing into my lessons next school year, since I don’t have a press.
After the class a colleague and I walked to the Piedmont Park to look at the art works on display as part of the Dogwood festival. One thing we observe was that almost all the artist has emphasized texture in their work. The art show was very impressive. We took some picture of the beautiful skyline over the lake from the park; it was a beautiful day and beautiful scenery.
The attached pictures were some shorts from the class and the classroom posters.

Reflection, March 13, 2010
After two months of class cancellations I was so anxious to get it going. The day started with Courtney presentation on her Action Research about South Atlanta School for Computer and Animation. This was food for thought; it gave me an insight as to what Action Research is all about and how I can apply it to my classroom situation now. Also as a feeder school to South Atlanta I was pleased to see one of my former students as part of Courtney’s research. I talked to Courtney briefly after presentation on how to collaborate with her to give me an insight as to how to prepare more of my students for her program. Courtney’s presentation also helped me get ideas and understand as to what to do for my action research as part of my requirements for thus program.
It is my intention to start my PhD program after this course. I think the action research is going to prepare me for the PhD program.
John Brandhorst course for art production also went well for me this day. I was able to make my mind as to what I am going to create for the June Fine arts teachers show. I presented my series of sketches I am working for my art work entitled “The reawakening of the artist within me through Thinking inspired by Daniel Pink’s call for rethinking of how to prepare and change our mind set for the years to come. By applying his theory of the six senses; Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. I hope to tell a story with my sketches when the worked is finished and the design capture the minds of viewers at the show and child try to play around it. The final piece will be an abstract sculpture piece made in cement mixed with plaster, a life size figure about four feet tall and two feet wide. If time permit, I will, also create a cubism painting using the same theme.

Reflection on November 14 th, 2009

Liberation back view," liberation "front view, "The Thinker" side view, " The argony of a jealous wife"; The 'Thinker' front view


Reflection on November 14th, 2009

Assignment:
Reflect on your individual creative process. What are the sources or influences on the art works that you produce? What is the goal or purpose of your art production and why do you produce it? What are the unique cognitive skills that you employ and how do they help you achieve your creative goal? Cite specific examples for your statement.

As an art teacher and sculptor and a painter, most of my content and finished art works are based on my life experiences. By this I mean, my place of birth, Ghana, my education, family, culture, and places that I have lived or visited around the world and also activities I have been involved throughout my life.
Most of my sculpture works are wood carvings, subtractive sculpture, cement and clay all additive sculpture
Some few works are assembled sculpture involving wood, cardboard, wire and found objects. I have also done some commercial commissioned works to the specifications of my clients.
Most of my wood works depicts what the original wood suggests. In order words I perceive the imprisoned design in the wood and free it up through traditional and conventional methods of carving. An example of this is my master piece carving entitled the Rhinoceros (Rhino) this work was carved from the root of a big tree that fell after a storm. As soon as I saw it, I perceived the rhino imprisoned in the roots and went for it to carve. It weighs about 150 pounds and about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. It is currently among the Ghana National Museum collections in Accra, Ghana. The Crucifix is also another freed carving from a “Y” joint of a log about 50 pound weights. It was auctioned in the Bahamas government house for $10,000.000 in a fund raising for a school. “Liberation” is another master piece of a wood carving from a “Y” joint log; it is currently on display at the Virginia National Slavery Museum in the USA
The original clay and cement works are usually the product of the sum total of my way of life, hence my culture.
The goal of my works is to bring out my inner feeling usually from the subconscious mind to the outside world, (the viewers of my works). The works sometimes starts from my dreams. Followed by series of sketches in the middle of the night to clay miniature pieces and finally into cement life size sculptures.
The process and the end result of most of my creative works are magical. Everything evolves intuitively from the subconscious mind since most of the time I am not sure exactly how the end product would look like. Example of such creative master pieces are “The Thinker” a finished cements terrazzo work about 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. “The Fetish Priest”, cement, “The Acrobat” cement and “The Agony of a Jealous Wife” wood carving now on display at the Neighborhood gallery in East point, Atlanta.
In conclusion I can say that the influence or sources of my individual creative process is the sum total of my way of life, culture. My goal is therefore to express my inner feelings through a chosen medium to the outside world, from the conscious and subconscious mind (my definition of art)