Free Response 1

Georganna Greene

Jonah Ruddy

Educational Psychology 401

June 2, 2014

Free Response 1:

My Teaching Style

Studying the three major instructional strategies has prompted me to start thinking about my own preferred style of teaching in the art classroom. I find each of them, expository, interactive collaborative, and discovery inquiry, important to consider in different situations while teaching. As an art teacher, I expect I will be pushing mostly discovery and inquiry instruction in my classroom, adhering to the idea that the best way to learn art is to do it. However, I acknowledge that my students will need to be thoroughly informed of not only the medium and method being practiced, but why it matters in the world of art, to be learning a particular lesson. This is where both expository and interactive collaborative activities will come in handy.

I will now lay out a hypothetical scenario in which all three teaching styles could be effectively utilized. I am teaching a painting lesson inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical studies to a class of upper level high school art students. The project will include learning a brief biography on Leonardo and his hand print in the progression of art history, practicing his scientific techniques with drawing media, and producing a medium size figure painting as accurately as possible using the introduced method. For the initial material on Leonardo's life and works, I think it will be most effective to present it directly in an expository manner, using a powerpoint, images and visuals, and picture books of Leonardo's anatomical studies to pass around the classroom. With this primary knowledge behind them, students will be more prepared to divide into groups and brainstorm ideas for their own art work based on the techniques and concepts pioneered by the scientific Leonardo. Then, of course, the majority of the lesson will need to be spent on the discovery portion --the painting. Students will love this the most because it is hands-on, active, and actually making art. However, as the facilitator, it is important for me to be sure each student thoroughly understands the foundational purpose of the project and how to begin, before sending them off to the races. Thus the lesson would be most effectively taught using all three of these teaching styles.

While considering my approach to these styles in an artistic setting, I have also been asking myself, what other teaching elements do I see myself frequenting in the future as an art teacher? In general, I want my classroom to be the place students walk in and immediately feel lighter. I remember myself as a high school senior being drained and beaten by the stresses that come with math, science, history, and consequently the gratitude I felt toward this artistic release, this creative outlet that was Art IV each day. A big part of it was the peaceful environment and free atmosphere set up and facilitated by my art teacher. However, it was never a place to kick back, doze off, or work on other homework; that was never an option. Similar to her class, I aim to create a space where creativity is key, hard work is both mandatory and fun, and learning is a release for students. How I plan to do that is another question entirely.

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