PORTFOLIO
WHERE TEACHERS TEACH
PORTRAITS OF ARTS EDUCATORS
& THEIR CLASSROOMS
THESIS ABSTRACT
As an Arts based educator, I am particularly interested in exploring Arts classrooms. Places tailored for teaching the Arts are so unique—they are unlike regular classrooms that have no specific purpose other than teaching students. I am so inspired when I enter pedagogically invigorating environments that educators create for their students; I feel their creativity and the excitement all around the room. Such creative potential. For this inquiry, I explored an array of Arts areas: Visual Arts, Music, Drama, Creative Writing, and Dance. Each have somewhat predictable attributes that pertain to the medium, but each hold their own individual personalities. Although the rooms themselves were radically different, each radiated the heart and dedication of the educator, each space came to signify the educator's commitment to learning. My thesis is a series of portraits of arts teachers, their classrooms, and our encounters.
MR B.
Langley Fine Arts School (LFAS) is a community that encourages students to focus on the Arts. Students at LFAS explore their passion in the Arts very seriously. Some students "need to be exposed to something deeper,” exclaimed Mr. G, Music teacher at LFAS “to let them flywhen they are ready to fly.”
Mr. G’s classroom is conducive for students to become highly proficient in their medium. First impressions of the Music room, it doesn’t look like much, the physical appearance of the Music classroom is not a primary concern. One must take time to observe the environment in order to fully engage in the ultimate purpose.
MS K.
Walking into Ms. K’s room was often an overwhelming experience with its layers of colours, textures, portraits, butterflies, icons (figure 42). The classroom is so different than any other at Langley Fine Arts School or anywhere. Every corner was filled with something to make students think and to challenge and encourage creative thinking. Because K taught Creative Writing, she often found that she needed to keep it fun and un-academic.
There were many precious gems. In a letter to Ms. K, a former student wrote: "One day, Ms. K came to class and gave us each a gem and a piece of wisdom. She said that it is important to take a gem from everything we do. We need to find something good in every seemingly pointless situation- like sitting in a waiting room".
MS D.
“There is an academic aspect to the Arts, students have to think and use their brains to create art.” (Ms. D, 2017). “Let me know how you can do Art, or Drama or Photography without a brain”.
For the majority of the kids, the attitude of their parents is that school is something to "get through”. (Ms. D, 2017). Overall, there isn’t a lot of value on the Arts. “People take art, because they are good at it, or Art is an easy elective”. Mrs. D continues “the community doesn't encourage their kids to be better at art, or to have a better awareness of art. Parents don’t value the Arts because they don't think it will make money, so students take Sciences. In Merritt, the Arts are only studied by school kids and retirees”. Mrs. D wants to change negative attitudes toward the Arts in her community starting with respectful titles.
MS L.
“Dance is physical beauty.” (Ms. L) Dance is about movement, special relationships, making connections in real time with real people, kinesthetic aptitude, choreography, observation, self-expression, to feel, perform, interpret and respond. "Dance is about taking risks, learning about your-self and others around you.” Ms. L is very proud about her program, her students experience Dance. "Some do it for the personal thrill, others take it further. There are classes where students can express themselves through movement, to learn how to be physically expressive.” (Ms. L, 2017).
MS B.
The demands from Southridge school can be visualized in the portrait of Ms. B. Her chin is up with eyebrows raised scrutinizing and judging. This gesture suggests the validation aspect to her role as a leader and educator as she constantly questions the authenticity of student’s work. Is she judging us? Although she is small in frame, she is looking down slightly. "Observation is all about where your focus is and how your brain responds.” Ms. B declared. Does she assess constantly? Ms. B's gaze is perceptive, sharp, and alert, indicative of stress from high standards of private school teaching. Her eyes are present, but thinking of thousands of ideas, hundreds of years in the past while anticipating the future. Ms. B loves teaching Art "I always have ideas swirling around in my head. I can have my idea realized by the students and I get 18 versions of my idea. I love it. So exciting.” (Ms. B, 2017)
MRS F.
Anyone entering Mrs. Fs Grade Two classroom can learn something from it. The room is packed with pedagogy from floor to ceiling: notice the incredible organization of resources, walls of learning, ideas dangle from the ceiling, foundations, every inch is meaningful.
One hundred bright yellow tennis balls were attached to the feet of all the chairs in Mrs. Fs classroom; those yellow balls initially inspired this inquiry. The balls polka dot all around the floor in uniformed rows. They reduce noise and friction in the room; the tennis balls soften resistance so the chairs can move more easily and quietly, and they look fun, quirky and cheerful. Easy, quiet slide is the philosophy for Mrs. Fs room; she works hard to create an inspiring atmosphere where the occupants easily flow in the swirl of exploration, inspiration, and big ideas.
MS M.
Anything can happen in the Dance classroom, formations and movement of students are not restricted to the organization of desks. Each class offers a new potential. Art stresses a holistic education by infusing the arts throughout intended learning experiences. For Ms. M, Dance studio must-haves were the mirrors, changerooms, and classroom storage (Ms. M, 2017). Kids used to change behind curtains; "juggling the changing rooms was comical,” noted Ms. M. "talk about classroom feuds and squabbles! It's a beautiful space now.” Though Ms. M wishes that the classroom was more square—the classroom is really narrow. “On the upswing however, the room is nice and long, students can practice jumps and long lines.
MS. U (ME)
I have learned many lessons in this room, from this room, from others who have occupied this room. I have spent years of my life here working and reworking, designing, and redesigning the space to accommodate the learning needs of new generations. So many memories, dreams, goals, plans, accomplishments. In going back to this room after being away for a duration, it is like going home again. It is comfortable, a part of who I am as a professional, as a teacher, as a human. There are still many lessons to be taught and learned in this room...