Submitted by Luke A. (not verified) on March 24, 2008 - 18:28.
I teach in a rual, small school system in northwest Ohio. I have been teaching for six years. My job is interesting in the fact that I teach mostly k-6 visual art, but also have a jr. high and high school class.
I really liked the point you made about the growth of a child beginning at kindergarten and up through high school. I can see the effects of teaching to the test. I know what you mean by saying, "...our high school students simply walk away because they no longer care what is on the test, having become disengaged years before". I completely agree. I feel part of my job is to let the students be creative in their own ways. I do have guidelines, but these students do too much memorizing and preparing for a test that they do not have time to let their minds work in creative ways. Teaching art has been great in the fact that I allow them to do that. I do not think I would call it play time, but a time to let the students take part in the process of education. They all have so many creative ideas. Movement and expression is good for them throughout the day. School should be a place that elementary students enjoy and not dread. No matter the subject: Science, Math, Language, Art, etc., students need the chance to learn from their creative inquiries.
Visual Arts - Allowing Creativity
Submitted by Luke A. (not verified) on March 24, 2008 - 18:28.
I teach in a rual, small school system in northwest Ohio. I have been teaching for six years. My job is interesting in the fact that I teach mostly k-6 visual art, but also have a jr. high and high school class.
I really liked the point you made about the growth of a child beginning at kindergarten and up through high school. I can see the effects of teaching to the test. I know what you mean by saying, "...our high school students simply walk away because they no longer care what is on the test, having become disengaged years before". I completely agree. I feel part of my job is to let the students be creative in their own ways. I do have guidelines, but these students do too much memorizing and preparing for a test that they do not have time to let their minds work in creative ways. Teaching art has been great in the fact that I allow them to do that. I do not think I would call it play time, but a time to let the students take part in the process of education. They all have so many creative ideas. Movement and expression is good for them throughout the day. School should be a place that elementary students enjoy and not dread. No matter the subject: Science, Math, Language, Art, etc., students need the chance to learn from their creative inquiries.