Reflection Week #15 - Where am I heading?

I believe that I am heading in a positive direction with the arts and arts integration in the classroom. This semester I have really been able to see how powerful the arts are as a learning tool, and I cannot wait to try some of the things I have learned with my own classes. I believe that integrating arts can solve a lot of the problems that are faced in today's classrooms. The arts help children learn so many valuable and useful lessons not only about the core, but about life as well.

I will not be one of the teachers who prints off an outline of an art project and has the kids create something that looks exactly like the example. I want my students to know the joy of creativity. I know from experience how powerful the arts are and I want my students to be able to experience all forms. I have loved being able to learn about them this semester and I am so glad to have the toolbox I have created this semester. I know the lessons that have been learned this semester will help me to be a better teacher.

Reflection Week #14 - Art Integration in Teaching

Art Integration while teaching was not something I got to see very much of during my field experience. My cooperating teacher often stated that there just wasn't enough time in the day to use the arts. Even though I have not yet had the chance to observe someone using the arts I believe in the power that it holds. The arts were something that I loved while I was growing up, and when I look back on those years the things I remember most are the ones I learned while participating in the arts. I believe that if we use arts in teaching it reaches more students, and puts them on the same level. The arts turn learning into more of an experiential experience for the students. Instead of sitting in their desks completing worksheets or taking notes on lectures they become actively involved in the process and in the end they learn more.

One thing in particular I learned about art integration this semester is how long it takes to plan a lesson where the arts are integrated. If you do not have resources I can only imagine how much longer it would take. In order to integrate the arts in a meaningful way it takes a lot of time to plan. The time that is spent planning though returns full force in the understanding and learning that takes place. I want to fully integrate the arts in a meaningful way into my classroom. In order to make this easier for myself in the future I am going to continually create and search for resources. I am going to make my art journal one that will be beneficial in the future. I know how important the arts are, and I don't think it is fair to students to leave them out of the classroom so I am going to do my best to learn how to integrate them now. I am glad to have had the training that this semester has provided, but I know there are multiple resources out there. Teaching is a collaborative profession.