First Week:
(Above is art work done by students’…I was inspired from all of the unique art pieces, that as soon as I got home I began to paint!)
These three weeks are said to be some of the busiest days for the art gallery, as programs are coming to an end, and cleaning up has begun. I had the opportunity to be apart of the Robert Davidson art gallery this week. While going through the tour with a class of grade three’s, it was wonderful to see the students’ excitement and engagement towards the bright and vivid art pieces. Robert Davidson is one of Canada’s most important contemporary visual artists. His art pieces demonstrate his Northwest Coast Native background through the Haida detailing of his work. Furthermore, there were also various totem poles, intricately carved as well as traditional masks. His passion to revive the variety forms of Haida cultural expression is truly illuminated through his artwork, while highlighting the soft yet crisp paint strokes.
From Tuesday until Thursday I assisted Program leaders with various workshops inspired by Robert Davidson’s art. Grade’s ranging between two and five came to participate in these workshops. The leader’s were very enthusiastic and energetic, and incorporated their own teaching techniques and strategies throughout. This was useful to observe. I really enjoyed the workshop, as student’s loved creating their own Davidson inspired art pieces. I was amazed how beautiful many of them turned out. Each student’s work was unique in their own way, and many shared their stories that lay beneath the image. It was definitely a ‘messy’ process, but nevertheless, a successful one. I am glad to have learned a new art technique that involves Aboriginal tradition and culture, to bring into my own future classroom!
Furthermore, there has been a lot of different errands and jobs that need to be done around the office and art studios. I have assisted with many of these. For example, I helped with cleaning many of the art supplies and organized various cupboards and drawers. The staff have noticed that I am quite a fast worker, so at times it can be difficult for them to find jobs for me to do!
Second week:
This week I had the opportunity to do the same art program with high school students as well as a special needs group. It was a great experience to see the differences between these groups compared to the elementary group students’. We adapted the art program that suited their abilities. A hands-on experience for these students’ is very beneficial as it stimulates their brain and is valuable for their development in general. Furthermore, the various sensory experiences involved in art are positive and creates sensations that allow for a pleasurable experience. In addition, children with disabilities can build motor and cognitive skills through active activities.
Furthermore, I helped in organizing and doing small errands around the office. Staff is preparing for the summer camps, and I assisted with organizing supplies and other materials needed for the programs. As I have said previously, it is the end of the school year and art programs have come to an end and cleaning is necessary. I also had the opportunity of attending Carson highschool with a staff member who works with grade ten, eleven and twelve art students’. I was able to observe their work and noticed their artistic abilities and skills were amazing.
One more week left! Time has went fast!
Third week:
Throughout my three week journey with Artists for Kids, I have learned a lot about the teaching profession in general. In many eyes, there is a narrow minded vision of what educators do. Yes, they teach, but what happens before and after school hours? Teaching requires many hours of dedication, preparation and organizational skills. I believe this is one of the main experiences that I took away from these three weeks. I was fortunate to have lended a helping hand with the art workshops, but there was more than just the instructional aspect. The set up beforehand had to be prepared according to the students needs and ages. After the workshop, everything had to be re-organized and prepped for the next group. Therefore, there were minimal breaks between. Teaching is more than what meets the eye!
I debriefed with many of the staff members about this time of the year. Many of them felt sorry for me as it was difficult for them to find jobs for me to do. A suggestion I would definitely make for the community field experience is to double check if the dates are appropriate for volunteer work. Many of the days I left early because I completed tasks (organized bookshelves alphabetically; organized camp supplies; created posters for workshops; created art samples for students; cleaned paint out of jars; organized art cupboards etc.) very quickly. Nonetheless, the experience was great regardless. The staff was welcoming and very generous. I had the pleasure of going on a few lunch dates with members and they acknowledged my diligence and effort that I had put into the past few weeks.