phase 04:
partner reflection
After reviewing the lesson Dave designed for me based on my funds of identity, I reflected on how well he understood me as an educator and artist, the relevance of the project for my students, and how I would bring it to life in my classroom.
Dave's lesson plan for me:
middle school visual arts
Designed by: Dave
Reviewed by: S. Kirk
REFLECTION
Running off of caffeine, I reviewed the lesson Dave designed for my 8th grade students and found myself falling down a rabbit hole of ideas. I think he did a great job taking my funds of identity and incorporating them into a lesson for my 8th grade visual art students. Dave clearly understood that as an art teacher who values student voice and authentic expression, a lesson that lets students bring their whole selves into the classroom would resonate with how I teach. What I admire the most is that this lesson was designed with authenticity in mind. It's not a cookie cutter lesson and allows students to express themselves individually.
This is a great example of a project based learning lesson that goes beyond life in the classroom and brings the community together for a meaningful experience celebrating the hard work of our children. Critical pedagogy exists from beginning to end. Students may not realize it, but they will hopefully feel they are valued by seeing their work on display whether or not they think they are "good enough" in art. I hope this will be a confidence boost for many of them, if not on the outside, hopefully on the inside. The lesson incorporates culturally responsive teaching, connecting to Gay's (2002) concept of students as knowledge creators not just receivers, and Freire's (1970) concept of students impacting their community inside and outside the school.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Students are not JUST making art for a grade. They are making art that is personal, meaningful, and holds value that is priceless. Students have a voice, THEIR voice, which is how it should be, and will have the opportunity to share that voice with a real audience, a community…their community. As the learner this project was designed for, I find it genuinely exciting. Last year an 8th grader told me, 'You tell us what to do, you don't let us do what we want.' There are very good reasons for that boundary in my classroom, but this project actually gives students the opportunity to do exactly what they want within a meaningful, structured framework. Their voice, their identity, their art. That's the balance I've been looking for.
THE RABBIT HOLE
This lesson will be implemented in the 2nd semester towards the end of the school year since there are no other opportunities to showcase work. I think this will be a great ending to the school year for students, especially for the 8th graders who will be moving on to high school the following year. I plan on turning this exhibition into an event beyond just looking at artwork. I am hoping to invite the Chef from our baking class to provide treats as well as use this as an opportunity for an end of year fundraiser for the art program. We can sell the collaborative recipe book, Volume II, as well as student made journals and notecards. Make it a gallery with a bistro and gift shop.
TWEAKS
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I don't assign homework or allow students to take work home because in my experience last year, the only thing that makes it back to class are excuses.
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We don't have a computer lab, however I do have a class set of Chromebooks students can use.
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I will need to specify allowed mediums in the classroom because students have to earn the privilege of using the messier mediums such as clay, paint, papier-mâché, etc.
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I don't have easy access to a printer. I do have three options, but in the event they fall through I will either have to print at home or go to Staples and pay for the flyers out of pocket. Waiting for district approval is ridiculous.
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I may have to adjust the time frame depending on the majority of my students, which is no big deal.
REFERENCES
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Herder and Herder.
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–116.
AI Disclosure: I used Claude (Anthropic) as a thinking partner to help organize and refine my reflection. The ideas, observations, implementation plans, and adaptations are entirely my own.