Goal 3: Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
Exhibit F – Graphic Design Curriculum

Exhibit G – Pacing Guide

Exhibit H – Classroom Management Plan

Exhibit I – Feldman Art Critique Guide

Theorists: Feldman, Blankstein and Guetzloe, Shepard
Courses: EDUC 504 and EDUC 563

Teaching is one of those careers that require us to wear many different hats. We must be planners and effectively research our materials and be prepared for anything. We must be entertainers to grab the attention of our students and keep them actively engaged. We must be organizers who can stay on top of absolutely everything including any piece of paperwork our district might require, parental contact records, and any pertinent information regarding our students. This all requires the one overall skill of being a great manager. A great manager keeps the ultimate goal always in the forefront of his mind. Our ultimate goal as teachers is to turn our students who are well prepared for life beyond high school. Whether it be college students, members of the workforce, community leaders, and active members of society, if we as managers keep this goal in mind with everything we do, we will be effectively managing and monitoring our students’ success in learning.

We cannot be effective managers of learning without a well-thought-out plan. Designing our own curriculum can be a daunting task, but it allows us to specifically tailor our instruction to our students needs. As effective practitioners we know our students and can gauge their learning styles and needs. As I learned in EDUC 504 Curriculum Design and Instruction, developing our own curriculum forces us to take a thorough look at the needs of our students and district and then fill that need. I created a Graphic Design curriculum for my school district, which fills a need for not only college preparedness but also job readiness. (see Exhibit F)

Once the curriculum is developed and hopefully accepted by the district, we must implement the curriculum into the classroom. As teachers we must demonstrate and teach effective time management. In order to do this I create a pacing guide for each of my classes for each semester. (see Exhibit G) Of course, all reflective teachers allow for altering teaching plans and time lines based on whether or not learning is achieved. Therefore, all pacing guides and lesson plans are written in pencil and must be flexible.

Monitoring comes in to play in order to effectively gauge whether learning is occurring in the classroom. Of course we must assess our students and observe them daily to keep a good handle on their rate of success. However, in addition to assessment, our classroom management skills will either make or break the success of a lesson. If we are unable to maintain a well-managed classroom and positive learning environment, all of our planning efforts are mundane. As I learned in EDUC 563 Classroom Management, my classroom management plan centers around time management, organization skills, neatness and identifying creativity boosters. However, one of the most important elements of my classroom management style is mutual respect. This respect is not only expected between my students, and myself but also between one another. Respect in the classroom is supported by the theory brought forth by Shepard (1964), and cohesive groups are characterized by respect for individuals, commitment to group goals, high group morale, and resourcefulness in dealing with group problems. The more cohesive the group is, the more productive they are.

At the end of every unit I have my classes take part in a group art critique. This was a difficult concept for them to grasp at the beginning of the year. The students found it difficult to talk about their own artwork, let alone others’ work. I made it more of a rewarding and relaxing environment by bringing in treats for them to share as they viewed all the artwork in a gallery-like setting. After the group has had a chance to gather their thoughts as I remind them of the goals of the assignment, I lead the class in a group discussion on constructive criticism. I have not had a critique go badly yet and I don’t expect to. The students open up more and more each time we have a critique. My goal is to have the students leading their own critique through the second semester. My critiques are structured around the method of art criticism created by Edmund Burke Feldman. (1994) Blankstein and Guetzloe (2000) encouraged educators to help students develop “a sense of the possible.” They emphasized the complementary roles of hope and optimism. This belief ties in strongly with my effort in striving for a positive attitude toward what the student is able to accomplish.

References

Blankstein, A. M., and Guetzloe (2000). Developing a sense of the possible reaching

today’s youth. no. 4 (Summer 2000). http://www.cyc-net.org/Journals/ rty-4

4.html

Feldman, E. (1994). Practical art criticism. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Shepard, C. (1964). Small groups, some sociological perspectives. Harper Collins.