During practicum I kept a daily journal of reflections about how things went in class. I noted things that went well and things that needed to be revised or improved for next time. At the time, the reflections helped to shape the instruction for the next day. If something needed to be re-stated, or a group was stuck, I noted it in my reflections and made adjustments to my plan for the next class. Reading over them now, several months later, it’s interesting to get a broad view of what happened in class. Because I prefer to keep a physical journal, I’ve transcribed one of my reflections here.
“First teaching block of the senior art class. Double block of line drawing. Two camps of students, those who are rushing and not trying, and those who are dedicated observers.
Tried to circulate to clarify line drawing vs. shading and encouraging them to break out of the familiar way they draw. We did blind contour drawings of djembe drums and students seemed to judge themselves right away even though the mindfulness intro and talk about not judging ourselves happened.
The upside down Igor and Olga drawings went well. Students were willing to spend some time to observe. Still judging the outcomes harshly. More mindful reinforcement.
The continuous line drawing of the brass lamp and our faces (using mirrors) was less successful. A demo of continuous line drawing could help. I showed exemplars and explained the roles of continuous line drawing but students fell into drawing the way they were used to, not exploring a new technique.”