My Field Experiences

One thing I've come to realize this semester, is just how much being an active teacher is dependent upon one's overall involvement in the community, both inside of school and out. So with that thought in mind, here are some of the community experiences I've had this semester....

Field Trip To Arts High School on 11/29 (see previous blog)

Art Backpacks Program - Franklin Elementary School, Newark (3 visits)

This is a program that anyone who is an art education major at MSU gets involved with and consists of working with 4th graders at Franklin on projects they find contained in an "art packback". Literally, a plastic backpack, each one comes filled with informtion on one artist, suggested projects and some inexpensive art supplies.
Kids take a backpack home with them, work on projects for a week or two and then rotate them with other students. The idea is that all students will get acquainted with many artists throughout the course of the school year. The volunteers from MSU
meet with them at school, collect what they've done, start them on a new in-class activity, and restock the backpacks with fresh paper and supplies, if necessary.
While not exactly a real teaching opportunity, it does put one into the environment of an urban elementary school and provides expose to fourth graders learning about art.

Most memorable moment: In one instance, a girl complained that there was no pink poster paint. When I suggested that she mix it with red and white, she said-- "you mean you can make pink?" When I showed these children how to mix colors, they looked at me like I was some type of magician and they spent the rest of the time experimenting with mixing colors, mostly producing a lot of "mud". It was shocking to me that these fourth-graders were never told about mixing colors -- this is usually first or second-grade knowledge!


Volunteer Experience:
Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, Teaneck, NJ

I have been a member of this organization for the past several years, and in that capacity sometimes serve as "usher" (collect money for charitable works) and other volunteer opportunities. This fall I also worked with the youngest Sunday School children to create a Fall/Winter craft which was an apple pomander (an apple you stick with cloves and roll in spices to become like a potpourri you can put in a drawer or a closet). Not exactly Habiitat for Humanity I know, but it was good experience for me as an art eduation student. I found that kids easily get bored and after the initial excitement, I ended up finishing the pomanders for most of these kids.


PUBLIC MEETINGS

Town Hall Meeting/Public Forum
Topic: Random Drug Testing
Northern Valley High School at Demarest
November 13, 2007

This meeting, which I attended as both a new town resident and parent of a freshman became both the inspiration and foundation of my inquiry project and presented arguments from both advocates and opponents of random drug testing.

Teacher Meeting
ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, NEWARK
November 29l, 2007

I'm sorry, I forgot what these meetings are called, but during my day at Arts got to attend a type of staff meeting that is held regularly. Staff is divided up into teams to discuss different topics for improving teaching skills. This one was about how to ask better, open-ended questions. It was interesting to see that even when you're a teacher, learning doesn't stop and you still need to attend regular meetings to improve or add to your skill base.

That's All Folks...

Well, here we are at the end of the trail, and the most stressful part of the journey for most of us.

It's now 11:30pm and I have spent most of the day simultaneously working on four differernt projects, in some kind of masochistic marathon. And yet, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and the taste on my tongue is one of satisfaction at having made it through.

As this will probably be my last posting, I just want to say how much I enjoyed being part of this class, my experience at Arts High School and reading some of your blogs.

These last few days have made me question my sanity at going back to college at my age, but as I am now one semester closer to becoming a teacher, my committment is renewed and I am really looking forward to a month of reading great books, painting, doing crosswords puzzles and socializing with friends that I haven't even had the time to e-mail lately.

Whatever turns you on, hope you have a great vacation.