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Lesson Plans


Re: different philosophy

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Christine Merriam (ktwnldy.az.us)
Tue, 10 Mar 1998 10:02:14 +0000

Peri wrote:
I'm hoping someone out there can offer me some advice on what they've done
when their colleague has a different philosophy about art ed. than their own.
--->snip
I feel it's so important to give middle school kids a well rounded view of art
before they leave 8th gr., because some of them may never take art in high
school.
I love my job, but it gets depressing to work with someone who doesn't feel
the same enthusiasm as I feel. I'm open to suggestions so that it works out
well for me, the colleague and the kids.
**********

Hi Peri,
Our high school art teacher was very studio oriented, and did not feel at all
comfortable with "all that talk about art".
I asked him if I could see how High School students responded to the type of inquiry
techniques I was using at the elementary level. We worked out a presentation that fit
into a unit he was doing on NorthWest Tribal Art. I got up in front of his class and
did my thing... (elementary kids are more mature than HS at this ;) The teacher saw
the value of the presentation, and has since slowly incorporated more and more DBAE
thinking into his curriculum.
It was a non-threatening way of communicating with the teacher, and has paid off.
I know I hate it when someone tells me what to do, but, if I see something I like and
understand the reason "why" it is important, I have no problem including it in my
teaching.

Christine Merriam
Kayenta Intermediate School