Reflection # 15 Whats Next?

Where am I heading with the Arts and Arts Integration? Looking back on this sememster and thinking about this question, the one thing that comes to mind it that I am heading forward with Art Integration and the Arts. I have always in enjoyed the arts but never knew how improtant they really are until now.
I am difinatly a believer in art integration, I have witnessed myself learning more by using them to help myself study. I have seen in field how the students light up when they were able to do an art activity. Art has an amazing affect on people.
Now its up to me as I become a teacher to remember how important they are and pass on my knowledge to others around me. Not only pass it on to my students but to the teachers I work with, and the parents. I want them to know how much the arts can help them and how important it is not to push them aside. That is where I see myself heading now that I have the knowledge to do so.

Reflection #14 Arts Integration in Teaching

Going into this class one of my first thought was oh great what kind of stuff are they going to make us do. I looked over the syllabus and the outline, and thought oh no, I am going to have to sing and dance. I never thought I was going to learn so many amazing things.
First of all I learned about myself. I figured out that I could get up and make a fool out of myself while learning something. And that it really wasn't that scary to sing out loud so other people could hear me. I learned that art wasn't just drawing a picture. I learned that by using art, I learned more and that someday my students would learn more.
I learned that elementary children can do so much more with art than just draw a picture! My eyes were truly opened to how they can interpret a book or emotions through a song or acting. I was able to have my students during field act out some emotions, it was amazing and so fun!
This semester taught me that art doesn't have to be its own subject. That by pairing art with another subject you create a learning experience that is so much more than just a lesson that you tell the students what they should know. They are able to experience, and interpret the knowledge they are gaining.

Last 2 days of Field! reflection 13

Our last two days of field were sad! Sad because we weren't going to be in field anymore! On Monday, the students FINAL did an art project. They were given instructions on how to draw a turkey. They were then allowed to water color it. Tuesday the students were given poems to practise reading in different tones of voice and they would then perform it later in the day.
The students loved this activities! So did I to be honest. I loved seeing how every one's turkey turned out so different even with the instructions given were exactly the same. Listening to the students practise the poems was hilarious! Some students were using baby voices, some were using really deep voices. They were loving it.
I have talked to some teachers about the holidays and some have told me they hate holidays and the days before the break. I really hope I am not like that in the future. I hope to do what our teacher did by doing activities that were fun but the students still learned something.

Field week 3 Reflection #12

Over the past few weeks we haven't witnessed a lot of art integration but some. They do go to music a couple of days a week, but our teacher let us know the first day there wasn't much room and she wanted us to say in the room. So we didn't get to witness exactly what they did in singing.
After speciality the students would often come in singing or dance. You could tell they loved bening there! They were learning some songs about turkeys and doing the chicken dance. I had a few students tell me about it. I did find it interesting that the teacher didn't go with them all the time, but her aid did. Our teacher didn't use music in her class hardly at all. A couple of times she would put on classical music while the students were journaling but not every time.
In the future I hope to be consistent with using music in my class. I hope to expose my students to more music than just what they learn in speciality.

Field Week 2 reflection #11

November 10th, today the students worked on visualizing again. Today they read aloud as a class a poem. They would make frequent stops to talk about what they were visualing. Next Miss D. gave them a work sheet were they were to first use words to tell what they were visualizing then draw a picture.
By allowing the students to draw what they were visualizing I think the students learned about how visualizing helps them retain information. I loved looking at the students pictures and how they each had just a little bit different vision.
In the future I want to make sure I remember to let my students know the importance of visualizing and how it can help them learn. I also want to remind my self to visualize more often! It will help me in my studies.

Field Week One Reflection #10

During the first week of field we did a lot of observation! We got to see how the class worked and how the teacher integrated art in her class. While we were in the subjects that were taught were, small groups (literacy), independent reading, speciality and math.
The first week of class I didn't see alot of art activities happening while we were there. They would draw pictures to help with visualizing math but nothing that was directly integrating art. I had a lesson during this week about visualizing. This was my first lesson and I made sure to integrate art into my lesson. I had the students act out emotions. It was great! I would draw an emotion out of a hat and they would do an action when I said the word. Next I had them act out a sound, to help them visualize. One group did the word gulp, they did it with out making the noise just the action then the rest of the class would have to guess. I thought they chose an awesome word that took a minute to guess but they acted it out perfectly!
After observing and helping alittle, I can go into the next week and hopefully see more art integration. And something I can remeber to make a priortity.

Music #2 reflection 9

What did you learn from the process you engaged in to create this music lesson? What did you learn from the actual presentation experience? So What is important for you to remember and learn? Now What are your next steps?

In preparing for our song this week I learned ALOT! I think the hardest part was finding a book to go with our ideas. Once we found the book the song actually came really easy! It was alot of fun to create. And I learned that music really helps us learn! We did a song about Utah, and now there are facts about Utah I will never forget.
I was so nervous for the presentation. I don't sing in public so getting up there and singing and teaching a song was scarey! But we went like third so I was able to see that not everyone was great singers but they got up there and that gave me the confidence to get up there too. When it was our turn, I thought we did good, looking at the process though I think with kids we would need to be more direct with what we wanted them to do.
I want to now make music apart of my class and even just part of my studing so I can remember better. And now I am not afraid to use music even though I am not the best singer.

Reflection #8 Music day 1

Honestly, I was kind of dreading class this week. I am one of those people that says they hate singing. I really can't hold a note or stay on beat. I do enjoy listening to music, but I knew that in this class we were going to sing. But I have to say that I ended up really enjoying the class. When we were singing it wasn't about staying on key it was about experiencing music. Music can set a mood for a classroom, it can be used as a teaching tool, or just for fun.
Now that I have experienced this class I am not so afraid of teaching music. Music doesn't have to be about staying in key. I want to pass that on to my students. I want them to use music as a tool to learn, or even just relax. Today we talked about how some students may not be exposed to classical music anywhere besides your class room. I had not really thought about this but it is something I defiantly want to keep in mind. I won't say that I particularly love classical music but I do appreciate it. I hope to even get a little understanding to my students.
As far as planning for the future, I believe I can handle teaching kids songs and fun things like that. But as far as the classical music goes I would like to become more knowledgeable about it. I would also like to brush up on the piano and other things that will help me give my students a variety of ways to teach my students.

Reflection # 7 dance day 2

For the past few years I have been invited to my cousins schools on there dance day or field day to see them dance. Each grade learns dance and presents it. So when I thought about dance in elementary schools this is what I envisioned just a once of year thing. So since we have learned about dance, and including it in your class my whole view has changed. By letting the students experience dance they can internalize the materials they are learning through movements.
As I continue to learn about teaching, and different arts methods I think that dance will be one of my favorite ways to integrate the arts. Its not complicated and I really think the students will love it.
I want my future students to know that dance is more than just something they will do at the end of the year. I want them to know that it is more than choreograpy. I want them to know it is something they can use to experience what they are learning. I want them to know that dance can help them internalize material they maybe learning.

Reflection #6 Dance

Going into this week I thought I knew what we would be doing. I had taken dance when I was younger and remember some of the stuff I learned then. After I got out of class I thought, wow I was so wrong! When I think of dance I think of choreography and dance class. I did not expect to be able to dance a book or feelings. I now know that dance is really important. Not only is it a way for kids to express themselves but it can be away for them to connect with a text or lesson.
As we worked in class I learned that dance is much more than just choreographed moves. There were so may different ways to express dance through different movements. I really enjoyed the activity as we all did our sections of the book then made it into a play. Just having each groups activities work together was a great idea. Going into field this next week I have so many great ideas to incorporate arts into my teachings.
Now what I would like to do is get more comfortable and confident in dance. I will love incorporating it in my class I just want to be able to show my students that it is fun and there is nothing to be self concise about. I think that will be my biggest challenge, but as I continue to use dance I believe it will get much easier.

Reflection #5 Process Drama

I really enjoyed this week! I thought process drama was a lot of fun! My group did a process drama to The Story of Ruby Bridges. I learned so much from my group, how we all look at something and get different ideas and feelings about what is happening in the book. I loved how the use of process drama helps you understand the book in a whole new way. Other groups also taught me a lot, I loved that we all choose different books and each had our own take. I thought it was great that some groups used different props and others just had us imagine. In the future I hope to remember to ask others opinions and get there take to add to my lessons.
I hope to implement all that I have learned about drama in to my teaching! I know it will be hard but I really think it helps the students learn. They can experience the story or information in different ways that they can really think about the lesson and remember so much more!
To prepare for my future class and teaching and integrating creative drama, I would like to take more classes that will help me understand how the students will learn best. I would like to start now including drama in just my little lessons so that I don't forget it is such a great thing!

Reflection #4 Creative Drama

Going into this week, when I thought of drama I thought of a play and acting. I would have never thought of using it in my class for anything else. Now I am able to see that drama is a lot more than just acting in a play. Its about how you think of something, how you can figure out what others may have been thinking and a great teaching tool.
As I begin teaching I think I will use a lot of drama while reading stories, especially when it is a story that I really want the students to understand and think about. I really liked the activities that have the students answering questions as if they were the character.
Students need creative drama because it opens up a whole new way of thinking for them. Integrating drama with other curriculum will help the students process the information from different subjects and help them learn in what maybe a new way to them and help them remember the information taught.

Reflection #3- Visual Art Principles

The principles of visual art are things I never really thought about when I looked at a picture. I think even more than the elements, the principles of visual art are what draw you into a picture. They create the focus, the movement and rhythm of a picture. By understanding the principles when you look at a picture you are able to see what the artist is trying to focus on and have you see. Children's book illustrators, are a good way to introduce the principles, I think because lot of them exaggerate the principles making it easy to see what is happening in the pictures.
To prepare to teach first I need to know the principles. Second when teaching about a certain principle I can find artists that use that principle and teach that to my students. By being familiar with the principles and the illustrators it will make teaching simpler.
Elements of visual art are important to me and my students because it will help then to draw people into there art. It will teach them to emphasize what they want in a picture and create a scene.

Visual Art Reflection #2

When I think about visual art, the first thing that goes through my head is looking at a picture or sculpture. I don't think about all of the elements that actually make the picture. I think that is probably what I have learned during this section on visual art is how all the elements make up a picture or art piece. Understanding the different elements like texture and value will help me as I teach my students. If I can help then understand and how to use the different elements not only individually but together, the possibilities are endless for what they could do.
To prepare to effectively teach my students I will need to continue studying the elements of visual art.
My perspective on visual art has changed a lot. I now think of all the different elements as I look at a picture. I see how the artist mixes them to create the picture. I want my students to know that a picture has more to it than just something to look at. I want them to understand all that goes into it.

Reflection #1

My experience with art, seem really small compared to other aspects of my education. I remember doing some art projects in school, I played the piano, and danced when I was younger. It wasn't until recently that I even thought of dance as an art. Now as I watch dancing, I wonder how I didn't think of it as an art from the very beginning. I am sure my teachers integrated art at some point but I can not think of anything special that sticks out. I do remember writing stories and illustrating them. I also still have a picture of a dinosaur I drew one year along with a report I did about the dinosaur. Reading through the first chapters of the book, I think the main thing I have learned is that art doesn't have to be its own separate subject you can integrate it with any subject.
The arts have helped shape me in to who I am. Being involved in the arts helped me learn many life lessons. Dancing and playing the piano taught me about friendship, disipline, responciblility and many other lessons. Some of the best qualities that my favorite teachers had are, engaging, thoughtful, fun. My favorite teachers went out of there way to make sure each student knew that they were important. I had a teacher that when we would walk into class, he would have us pick up a worksheet and that is what we would do for the period. He would rarely talk to the class, this made him seem very unapproachable, this is not a quaility I believe a teacher should have.
I need to focus on the ideas and techniques that will help me intergrate the arts into my classroom. I am hoping to have alot of resources to help me remember how easy it really is to intergrate the arts! My goal is to have my students know that art doesn't have to be its own subject, that it can be apart of everyday life.