I had a very disheartening experience yesterday! I am currently student teaching in k-12. My elementary experience involves teaching under an over worked art coordinator and under the individual classroom teachers. I have developed and written new art lessons for each grade according to the state standards and the coordinators curriculumn structure. When I actually get to teach in the classrooms I get 50 minutes to present art history, aesthetics, criticism, demo new techniques and have students do the project. Any other art they get is at the descression and under the guidance of thier homeroom teacher.
This week I introduced the 5th graders to monoprinting using plexiglass plates which I supplied from my personal inventory and washable markers. We viewed and discussed monoprints created by Wayne Thiebaud. I used this to introduce the monoprinting technique and to discuss Pop art. The students had a previous lesson about the work of Andy Warhol and I was thrilled that they were able to make great comparissons between the two artists work.
For the art project the students were to create a Pop Art monoprint. We brainstormed about possible images they might depict. Everything was going so well until a couple of the kids told the teacher they didn't know what to draw. The teacher then announces to the entire class that they can draw what ever they want, because this is thier art work. So much for pop art! I got decorative names, simplistic scenery, and what I call wall paper art! When I confronted the teacher later about her taking over in the classroom and how her comments had interrupted the students actual creative learning process, she reminded me that I was a student teacher and had a lot to learn!
The monoprinting went over so well in the other 4 classes I did on Tuesday that the school is purchasing thier own pexiglass plates and will also
