Tutorial - 21st March

This was my first tutorial and it was a chance to meet another student who was going to focus on working in the primary school. It was suggested we work together for now because we wasn’t sure on how the school wanted to go about this. We didn’t know whether we were going to work with 30 kids or 6. We were also thinking about if it was 30 then maybe one of us could lead the workshop and the other as an assistant and then swap. These were aspects that were important to think about, because we had to have control of the class and what were doing. If we have no control or confidence, the children would have control over us and the task wouldn’t be completed efficiently.  Looking further into group work would be something interesting as it may help me become more confident in a group and maybe take lead if the group is falling behind.

A significant factor was the equipment that we would be using, especially for children under the age of 16, it is an important that the children are safe and are using safe materials. Also what sort of materials would we be using, thinking about my own practice. When I produce my embroidery pieces and print works, needles and computer-aided programs are used. I have to think whether these could be used if not, what other way could they be used which would be make it suitable for children. 

Totem group work - 18th March

The task we were given was to focus on a list of themes, pick one and expand on it. We had to create a totem with the materials that each group had collected. As a group we decided on picking Manchester, we felt like we were connected in some way to Manchester because of travelling and transport. We thought about our journeys, and what type of transport we all got. We created a tree with a nest implying that Manchester is our home and the cards linked together show direction of Manchester and how we are linked together.

These were the tickets we used. We imitated the tram sign with the cards

 Due to the limited materials, we as a group felt like we could create something out of train tickets. Making something 3-D based was a skill none of us had, so doing something like this allowed us to gain new skills and experiences. It was a way of looking at materials in a whole new way. In textiles i normally work flat and so working 3-D i felt was a bit difficult but i enjoyed it. I liked this idea of using usual materials; I have always been fascinated in this aspect so I was excited to create something out of it. I felt like our materials worked perfectly with our concept, which I felt was important. Throughout my years of textiles, the meaning behind a piece has always been significant, so being able to achieve this through a group piece was a big achievement. This is something I want to attain in my new environment at the primary school, I want the children to feel and see a story coming through. Also having limited resources was something to think about and whether it was suitable for them to use.

Working as a group on this task, I felt we all negotiated and all had a chance to speak. We all had similar roles; no one was dominating which made everyone feel comfortable. Kirsteen had come around to each group and gave some people a specific role. I was given the role of being withdrawn from the group. I don’t feel like it worked well because I felt bad not interacting with people, I’m that type of person that likes to engage and communicate rather than sit back and watch. Also my group couldn’t guess that I was being withdrawn so I think I failed that task. However it made me think about my environment and if a pupil was to act like that, how would I react, how would I get them to engage in an activity and get them involved. I feel like me being confident and easy-going person I would be able to involve them in a task, however actually being in the situation would be different.

Group Work - 14th March 2013

This activity involved us all to work as a group and find out what we were all interested in and how a certain image shown to us give us ideas on group work. My mind was set on working in a primary school, and the area i wanted to push was textiles, as i felt there was an absence of it in the primary school art curriculum. We came up with ideas on what we would do in our environment and how we would engage people. I felt these questions were quite important, engaging people and maintaining their interest in the subject is key, if focus is lost especially in a primary school the children may start acting rowdy and distract others. Ive learnt that we need to establish their motivation and bring in new skills for them with from our own experiences.

We looked at a image above of a group of Ducklings. We were asked to say what we thought about that image and how it related to group work. Many ideas come over, which i never thought could come out of such an image. Ideas of leadership, teamwork and community were shown through that image. These ideas will help me once I'm in my environment, as i may be asked to work in a team or leading a group.

Research and First Impressions.

My decision for picking college one was because I wanted to be able to teach people about art and textiles. I felt like this area lacked in places like primary school and I wanted to show these students what art and textiles is really about. I wanted to open more opportunities for them and for them to see the reality of the art and textiles world. People see textiles and art as a non-academic subject; I wanted to avoid that idea and put across the view that the subject I am currently learning is amazing and has allowed me to broaden my skills and knowledge in many areas. Doing this is a way of bringing out their creative side and is different from their normal curriculum subjects.  So allowing me to attend and show these children what I do is a way for myself to understand what children are like, give me a taster on working as a teacher and how I would cope in such an environment. Thinking about future ambitions, I have always wanted to become a teacher and so this college fit perfectly in what I wanted to achieve.

There were a number of organisations that interested me such as START and Venture arts, where we were able to work with disabled and mental health patients. I felt like this was an area where I never imagined working in, so I was intrigued by it. From the lectures, I could tell the patients were very talented and on levels above me. I felt this was an area, which could educate me on illnesses that I have not come across, and it was a way for us to learn from each other. However, attending the lecture on the Northernden Primary School, I wanted to be able to open the doors of art and textiles from a younger age, so I decided to focus on this area.

Much advice was given in each lecture such as planning ahead, planning realistic aims for the weeks of what you want to teach and encouraging everyone to join in activities. Also to think about the age group you are working with and how to understand and speak to them. Equipment, materials and techniques used are very important aspect. This area was frequently discussed in lectures and workshops. For example: Disabled students may need longer period of time to complete their work and may require help. This depends on the type of organisation you are working with. 

The introductory session on the 11^th march built our confidence up as we immediately had an ice breaking game with the group and got us interacting. The task we were given was to create a drawing on mug on what your partner was interested in. I felt this was such an exciting and fun way of getting to know someone, it breaks boundaries and tension. This may also be useful, as I could use this task in my environment. We were also given a tour of Stockport; coming to a new environment was daunting because of getting lost and not knowing where you’re going. I felt like this is related to entering the world of teaching, not knowing what’s going to happen, and where you’re going to end up. Will my mind change at the end of this project and where will I turn. 

UNIT X

COLLEGE ONE

This college will introduce you to a number of different ways of working as an artist educator, be that Artist in Residence, Gallery Educator, Teacher or Independent artist delivering workshops to the general public.