Teacher Quality Standard I Demonstrates mastery of and pedagogical expertise in content. Element A: Teachers provide instruction that is aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards, their District's organized plan of instruction, and the individual needs of their students. Element B: Teachers develop and implement lessons that connect to a variety of content areas/disciplines and emphasize literacy and mathematical practices. Element C: Teachers demonstrate knowledge of the content, central concepts, inquiry, appropriate evidence-based instructional practices, and specialized characteristics of the disciplines being taught.
My experience engaging with students at TVHS has given me an opportunity to recognize my pedagogical expertise in art. I believe that I am proficient in this standard based on my ability to assist students with their attainment of technical artistic skills and to reference historical and contemporary artists that might further their understanding of artistic topics. Especially in 2D design I have been able to confidently show students through impromptu tutorials and individual assistance correct methods in depicting objects from life on a two-dimensional plane and have facilitated opportunities for students to make connections between the skills they are learning and contemporary practicing artists. Because high school students have more refined motor skills than the primary aged students I have worked with in the past, I have been able to plan more technically challenging lessons and have used my pedogeological knowledge to do so. I have seen improvement in the students drawing abilities in the weeks I have been with them which is part due to their hard work and determination and, I hope, partly due to my instruction.
My experience with participating in formal critiques of my own artwork and the artwork of my peers in my studio classes at CSU have improved my ability to evaluate, interpret and assess student work which is demonstrated through my Data Analysis of student work which documented and assessed student work. It has taken years to develop my ability to observe and draw from life, but the practice has enabled me to recognize when works of art are inaccurate, disproportional, or lacking expressiveness. Not only am I able to recognize these characteristics, I have learned through data analysis how to provide instructional differentiation that will help students obtain learning objectives at any skill level.
(Blind Contour Data Analysis)
Although I feel I am developing in this standard, there are some areas where I could improve as I work towards an advanced level of pedagogical knowledge. This semester for example, I recognized my deficiencies in technical metalsmithing skills as it was the one studio class I didn’t take at CSU. This is something I will have to try to improve. I also feel that although I may feel I have gained expertise in my content, applying this knowledge to teaching is sometimes challenging. Being an artist and being able to facilitate others in learning to be an artist are two very different things and sometimes it is hard to figure out how to scaffold information in a way that is clear and understandable to students. A great example of me falling short in this arena was my last lesson which involved formally critiquing student’s grid portraits. I have done so many critiques in my experience at CSU so they sometimes come second nature to me. I made the mistake when planning this lesson of thinking that the students were also as experienced with group critiques. My lesson did little to introduce the expectations or requirements of a critique or even the format. I introduced so much anonymity to the structure of the critique that students opted out of participation rather then tackle a process they were unfamiliar with. Next time I will try to put myself in their place and design a lesson that is clear and less intimidating to a beginning art student. The following is a link to this lesson plan.