The Last Post

Of all the subjects that I will have to teach Fine Arts was the one where I had the least confidence. While aspects of Fine Arts had been a part of my life, in varying degrees, for many years I had no idea how to approach the teaching of the subject area when the time came.

I learned, of course, that the act of teaching is only learned by the act of doing it.

By far and away the most important outcome of this course for me was the change in my disposition or attitude towards teaching art. I recognized that teaching art is about having the right approach about it so that my students will recognise the ability in my classroom to take risks and to express themselves, within limits, as they see fit. The first principle, infusing our classrooms with the spirit of fine arts, mentioned in each chapter we studied will forever resonate in my teaching of this area. Never underestimate the creative power of students, never stifle it, always welcome it in as many ways as you can, and students will derive the maximum benefits from this subject area.

As I was considering what I would say in this my last post, I thought of something I heard many years ago and I finally managed to track it down.


It goes like this:
John F Kennedy said "the life of the arts, far from being an interruption or a distraction in the life of a nation, is very close to the centre of a nation's purpose, and is the test of the quality of a nation's civilization." He also said "I look forward to a nation that will not be afraid of grace and beauty… a nation that will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft… If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free.

Q.E.D.

Live Performances

One Professional.



I was privileged to attend see the National Arts Centre orchestra when it was in Prince George the last week of October. Vanier Hall was nearly full. The orchestra began by playing a new piece by a new composer. The conductor noted how difficult it is for new composers to be recognized, especially if their style is different from what people come to expect. Sound familiar, Emily Carr? I also understand that the orchestra divided itself up into teams which travelled to schools in the area giving clinics. Were I a band student, I can only imagine the thrill of having a professional musician come to instruct me on aspects of playing music.

One Amateur

The Drama 11 class at P.G.S.S., one student of which is my son, presented the renowned classic "Dracula Baby" in early November. Most of the class had no previous experience on the big stage. While the performance had its own unique peculiarities, I was impressed by students who could go out and present a relatively complicated production with only a few short months of practice. It strongly supports the notion that if we as teachers can suitably motivate our students in the areas of fine arts, they will be able to easily surprise us with their talents.

Teaching Art

I have neglected, but now remedy this delict, to write about teaching art during my practicum.

I observed little by way of art teaching in my preparatory visits to my school. Art was a Friday afternoon subject, sometimes bumped in the name of completing other work. The art which was done by the students was, however, prominently displayed in the hallways of my school and the students were proud to see their work on the walls.

I knew I would have insufficient time to teach the unit plan I developed. When my practicum supervisor wanted to come for the first observation I decided to teach an art lesson. I introduced my students to a new medium, being crepe paper with its colour bled onto paper with water. Like painting, but not as messy, and something that not even my cooperating teacher had seen done.

The purpose was to teach the technique and not the content, so I decided that pumpkins would be our subject matter.

Great fun was had by all. The students worked diligently and were very engaged in the project. Learning a new technique was a challenge that they readily accepted.

I know I had great fun both teaching the technique and then buzzing around the classroom helping and urging where necessary.

From this lesson, I learned or had reinforced the need to constantly challenge students to keep them interested and engaged. When I have my own class, I think the first lessons will be showing the students a variety of novel techniques to do art. Once that is done, then I will give the students leeway to select subjects for their work. I know that Art is inherently interesting and fun for students, but as our Art Show proves, the imagination of students is limitless and Art can teach or reinforce aesthetic ideas and appreciation in our students as well as entertain them.

Christmas Songs and other distractions

I really enjoyed myself at the pot luck today. I forgot how much fun it is to sing songs with a group of friends. I think our class owes a great big thank you to Liesbet. She will say that we ran with the ideas about our sing along but she took the initiative to begin the planning process for this entertainment and kept everything moving along. I think we should also thank the drummers, dancers, recorder players, masters of ceremonies and would be producer/director types for their unique contributions to this and the people behind the scenes like Shayla, Sara and Kirsten (sorry, after a year and a half you would think I would know how to spell her name) for their contributions of hardware, knowledge and time.

I can well remember singing Christmas Carols in my class, during school assemblies and of course at the mandatory Christmas concert in elementary school. I know this is verboten now, but impromptu group singing does have the tendency to raise your spirits. Even the most self conscious singer can feel anonymous in the group. We should, and I will, urge students to sing something to see if they feel the same way about it.

Our Trip to the Two Rivers Art Gallery

Considering today's trip and last year's outings to the Art Gallery I must say that I enjoyed today's trip more. I do not know if it was the novelty of the gallery, as I had just moved to Prince George, or if it was because today we had discussions and were treated like educators and not our students but I got far more out of today's adventure.

I am not surprised that there was tremendous variety in the art we saw today. Artistic expression occurs in many ways, whether it be the haunting photographs of Nathalie Daoust, or the provocative photographs of Teri Herbert. It was enlightening to see the range of response of certain members of our group to the photographs of each and the ways in which photographs which some felt too dark for young students could be transformed into the playful activities of mirroring the images in the photographs. It all goes to show that artistic impression is capable of many interpretations and approaches.

All in all, it was an enjoyable diversion for me during this week of many deadlines.

Music, part II

It has always been my hope that I could use music in the classroom to instill in my students a reflective disposition. I know this is contrary to the idea that music should be used to allow students to make meaning of the curriculum they are otherwise exposed to, but when I think back on the music that I was involved in, or which had the greatest impact on me, it was not the ability of music to allow me to understand other parts of the curriculum which was of greatest importance, it was the ability of music to help me understand myself that was important. When I think back on all of the really interesting, and in some cases great, music that I still listen to, either literally or figuratively through the music in my mind, it is music's ability to calm, to inspire and to motivate that still occurs and constantly amazes me when it does. We are always urged to help our students develop and refine the skills of meta-cognition and I think that because music has an ability to make the listener stop and think that it is important to make music important to the lives of students.

The proof is in the pudding

Or in my case, the doing.

Thursday was a busy day for us all. And by busy I mean stressful. In fact, this whole last week has been busy. And by busy I mean stressful.

One of those sources of stress transformed itself into something else.

The research platform project was one of our tasks. This week, about Tuesday, my energetic and ever organized Ms. Crofts, and I were completing our project and decided, because we were focusing on Robert Davidson, a First Nations carver of amongst other things totem poles, that students would be motivated after hearing about him to draw totem poles. So, to be authentic, we designed our own totem pole.

Totem pole designers we are not. But the act of designing, sketching and colouring became to me a source of enjoyment and stress reduction. These simple acts, and the diversions they provided and the need to use our creative brains, rather than analytical or otherwise, allowed me to relax. The pride or at least satisfaction I felt when the project was completed was uplifting.

Let us be able to provide our students with the same experiences on a regular basis when we are in the classroom.