Dream Big. Do Big. Be Big!

Overwhelmed working on my unit plans so I thought I'd take a quick procrastination break to blog tonight's 30-day challenge topic.

Day 7 My Most Inspiring Colleague. 

With a class motto of "Dream Big. Do Big. Be Big!", Mr. Stuart has taught many grades from high school all the way down to elementary. Currently a second grade teacher, I think breaking free from the standardized testing grades has given his innovative teaching a chance to soar.

This was his class last year. Built by his 2nd grade students, this ship carried his class to the new worlds of knowledge and exploration. 

His "Find the Hero in You!" book about Columbus inspired his students to become their best selves no matter what obstacles they faced in life. 

He is definitely one of the toughest teachers I have ever worked with. He never gives up on his students and he never lets them give up on themselves. He holds the bar high, and although he may spot a student till they reach it, he will never lower it for them.

His impact is strong and long lasting for his students, as seen when parents reminisce about the amazing growth their children had during their year with "Mr. Stuart". But more compelling than that, are the past students who are now in high school and college, still reaching out to their former teacher to tell him what a lasting impact he had on their lives.

Mentor My Inspiration

Day 6: What does a good mentor "do"?

A good mentor helps you with self-reflection

 and inspires you to be your best!

Be the MiracleBruce Almighty

It's Elementary My Dear Watson

Welcome to the Investigative Art Room of Sherlock Holmes!

Inside student's magnify their learning
as we go deeper into the connections between
art and other academic subjects.

They will do this by becoming Sherlock Holmes!

There are no rules in class this year.
But there are many things the students are
allowed and even encouraged to do.

And it is 9:00 p.m. on Friday night
and I am exhausted. 

Good night all!

I LOVE This! Can you guess why?

Day 4 asks us to reflect on what we love most about teaching.

Below my answer is illustrated.

Student A

       Student B           

Now you may be thinking:

 "Of course... The Art Teacher loves her student's ART the most"

But you'd be wrong! 

Student A is Autistic and mentally handicapped. He spends part of the day in a regular classroom, and it is then when he comes to art. For the past few years when I would would give lessons, he would quietly create his own work of art. For example, one time we were making clay snowmen and he made a "camera".

The picture above is the first time he has tried really hard to create the same project we were working on. I was amazed! You'll notice he watched me drawing so closely that he also wrote in my name.

And that my fellow teachers... is why I LOVE teaching!

The Dreaded Observation

blessedtobeblog.blogspot.com

Even though I love my principal. (Really I do!) I dread her coming in to observe me.

Even though I have completely embraced Marzano, I dread being evaluated on my implementation.

Even though I spend hours creating interactively dynamic multi media presentations that my students LOVE, I dread having evaluators see them unfold for the class.

Even though I love the feeling I get when I am "on stage" with my students, and they are completely engrossed in the lessons we are learning, where there is no world outside of my art room anymore, and it's just them and me on the most amazing journey towards enlightenment and growth and I know we are going places we have never been, I dread the thought of that intimate moment being observed and recorded.

So when I think... and REFLECT... on the prompt from TeachThought for this, Day 3, of the Blogging Challenge...

Discuss one "observation" area you would like to improve on for your teacher evaluation.

I can now say it is NOT an "observation area" that I wish to improve on for my teacher evaluation, but my ability to let go of the DREAD I feel at the mere thought of the teacher evaluation itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs

As a mother of three I thought this was a great clip from a great video of David "freaking out" after the dentist. If you haven't seen this in a while you should. And this time as you watch it think about his answers in relation to questions about teaching lol. Just click the link to the youtube video above.

Smart Boards? Yes Please!!

Blogging two days in a row! How many days till a habit is formed? This Reflective Teaching 30-day Blogging challenge may be just the thing to get me into the habit of finally keeping up with my blog.

Day 2 asks what piece of technology I would like to try this year and why. Perfect time for this topic.

I REALLY REALLY want a Smart Board!

leegreensmartboardtutorial.pbworks.com

But, I have a REALLY REALLY good reason for wanting it. And it's not just because I teach art.

www.creativeeducation.co.uk

It's because of Marzano!

funny-pictures.picphotos.net

No. Not that Marzano...This Marzano.

www.marzanoresearch.com

This year our school was chosen to be a model school, which means we get trained by the folks at Learning Sciences. It's great! Hands on training with the people who worked to create this new methodology. What could be better?

A Smart Board! A Smart Board could be better! Because with a Smart Board I can implement the new learning goal and scale with all the learning targets and clustering in an interactive, engaging, effective and efficient manner for my 40 minute classes.

www.emlii.com

Smart Boards? Yes Please! 

Learning Science you rock too! But oh the things I could do with what you have taught me if I had a Smart Board. :-)

My Goals for This School Year

This is day 1 of the TeachThought 30-day Reflective Teaching Blog Challenge. Woohoo! Here we go. Today's prompt? Write your goals for the school year.

I found this GREAT illustration on a fitness blog and love how it breaks down SMART Goals. You can click to the blog below.

jinxyjen.wordpress.com

As many of you know, my Art Room theme this year is Sherlock! Yay! So excited. Besides just loving the show and Benedict Cumberbatch, there are other "Goal Related" reasons I picked this theme. For years I have been "Hiding the Veggies" in my Art Room. It's Educational name is STEAM. 

My Goals this year are very specific. 

• To make students think! 
• To re-engage their observational skills!! 
• I want them to think again, like they did when they were little. 
• I want them to explore and investigate and question!
• I want them to discover the answers by knowing what questions to ask.
• I want them to think not just in my classroom but in ALL their classrooms and in the world.

Is this Measurable? Heck yeah!

Is this Attainable? Heck yeah!

Is this Relevant? Heck yeah!

Is this Time-Bound? This is a two part question. 

• For me yes...My deadline is as long as I have them in school.
• For the students...No Way! The "Art of Thinking" is a goal that should always be changing and evolving. Like a work of art that can always be made better. 

And that my friends is my goal for this year. 

Hope you all had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend. Let's bring on the week!!

Beth