Natalie and the Big Picture

The final post...

2009-06-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is it. My article was published in the May 2009 edition of Art Education. Very exciting and a LONG article with lots of photos. Since the research for this article evolved out of the CSUWPAI of 2007 it feels like I really am coming full circle.

Here we go again

2009-02-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, this blog will end in May - that's when my article is scheduled for Art Education. Although I have nothing new to report, and I'm pretty sure this whole posting is mute at this point because I'm the only one doing it - it's become like a list. Posting is like crossing something off my to-do list. I updated on the other two blogs so here I am.

I've been working on research for another project, and have begun work on yet another article I'm planning for Art Education. Since I've been down that route already I do feel less in the dark on the whole process. But for the time being all I have to report is my excitement for an upcoming mini-retreat to NYC. Mini because 3 of the 5 of us in my writing group will be going. We're leaving in about 3 weeks and will be in NY for 4 nights - two in the city and two on Long Island. While there we'll do research for a couple of writing projects.

How about you?

Success, finally!

2008-11-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, I feel like I can finally end this blog because I've come full circle. Just learned today that my article about this research has been accepted to Art Education, THE journal for my field of study. There are extremely minimal revisions (it will take me all of two minutes to complete) and the reviews were great. Now that I've done this I feel that my personal commitment to the project is complete. No doubt I will continue to do research, and hope this publication is merely the first step.

Crossing to the "other" side

2008-09-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well here I am again, talking to myself in cyberspace. Gosh, I do plenty of talking to myself as I clean the house, drive my car, iron, etc. - why not in cyberspace! Anyway last spring Cindy sent us an email encouraging us to submit for the "Classroom Without Borders" issue of Statement. Since I had something ready I went ahead and submitted and am pleased that I'll have an article included in an English publication come October.

Still waiting for the peer review process to give me an answer with my CSUWPAI research article submitted to Art Education, but hope springs eternal as I've gotten involved in yet another research project - nothing to do with writing this time. But another big research article is brewing in the background as I work through the artifacts and documentation from my summer FCMOCA workshop. As always my writing group is out there to support me in real life - and I can't wait to share my new writing with them come next Saturday.

Learning new ideas

2008-08-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Just completed the summer teacher workshop, Mining the Museum for Contemporary Culture: A Collaborative Approach to Professional Development that was funded by the Bimson grant I was awarded this spring. It was fabulous! The daily facilitators each brought something different and a new approach to the experience. And all of them used both writing and art as a way to acquire information. Over the course of the week it became obvious that there is another article for Art Education in what I learned - now I just have to follow up and do the writing.

Sue Doe, an assistant professor in the English department at CSU joins teacher Dolores Rowland in examining Judy Castro's altered book. Sue gave us a smorgasbord of writing strategies to integrate into our classrooms.

This must be the finale

2008-08-03T17:46:00.001-07:00

Okay, JC, you proved me wrong and I'm not alone out there in cyberspace all the time - thanks! Anyway I felt I had to add this (probably) final post. I published two articles relating to my research in the Colorado Art Education Association publication and just yesterday dropped my 'real' article in the mail to Art Education, "the" journal in my area. The image I've included shows the article, accompanying photos, the digital files on cd, publication permission slips and my cover letter.

Although I've found this whole process extremely frustrating many times, the idea of research excites me and I plan to continue. I received a Bimson Humanities grant this year and am already working on a research project related to the project. As I did research for my big article I kept a lookout for readings I needed to complete in order to properly report on the Bimson project.

Anyway, in my anal-retentive need for closure, submission of my article feels like the finale for the CSUWPAI. When I get notification that my article has passed through the review process and is accepted for publication (see, I'm trying my best to be positive!) I'll add another post as the grand finale.

I'm sorry that the blogging idea has been so disappointing, although my skepticism was rampant, I do see great possibilities and have two other blogs that are limping along (one for art the other for my writing group) and not quite on life support as yet.

Nothing like validation

2008-01-23T18:50:00.001-08:00

Now that several of my CSU students are experiencing life in the trenches, i.e. student teaching - they're getting first hand experience about the realities of teaching. They're also seeing first hand the degree to which literacy is stressed in the school. At our first seminar nearly every student mentioned the school-wide emphasis on writing - hopefully they will be equipped to face that challenge.

This post is also presented with optimism that a least one or two art educators will visit me online as a result of the recent issue of Collage. If you visit - PLEASE let me know. I welcome your input, comments and reflections on the process. And I'd love to hear what's going on in your classroom.

Final steps in a lonely place

2007-12-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

Okay, at this point in time I realize I'm pretty much talking to myself but that 'rule-following' part of my personality just won't let me quit. In fact I'm even feeling guilty about not having blogged earlier :). But I committed to the process and I don't figure it will be done until the research is really complete - analysis, conclusions and article so I plan to hang in there to the bitter end. Some company would be a delightful surprise but it seems I spend half my life talking to myself anyway, so what the heck!

Well my project is done, all but the skut-work at any rate. I know I have to compile the final survey results and correlate those findings with my anecdotal evidence, but right off the bat I feel comfortable saying that this was a worthwhile exploration. And I will continue to integrate writing into my own teaching this way. Experience has shown me this semester that it's essential for me to model the process for students, and that they will more than live up to my expectations. In fact they'll live up to expectations that haven't even been given voice as yet!

I'm hoping the new year will bring some exciting integration of art and writing in the classroom of one of my writing group buddies. Steph - if you're out there reading this I'm ready to plunge in up to my neck and do the altered book in your classroom! I have about a dozen more volumes of this encyclopedia set available to use so we just need to set the day and time for me to come in and be a guest (oh, how fun will that be!).

Preparing for the final step

2007-12-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, here we go, the final step of this particular research journey. I realize there is still much work to do, but the journey itself - the moving forward with creating data points will be done after I administer this final survey. I've learned much along the way, in particular how important it is to pay attention and make notes (both of which were often overlooked). Too often I missed things because I didn't realize they were going to be important until after the fact. Part of what I'm looking for in this final survey is an accounting of the process that will help me fill in some gaps. But the gaps are in the ancillary data, I feel confident that what I've collected is what I need. What was missed were data that could help me with all those side questions that become important.

But right or wrong, the journey is drawing to an end. Once I'm at my destination the work will continue. Unfortunately now I realize just HOW much work that will be.

Input requested

2007-11-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

I'm now thinking about the final survey I want to give my CSU students. Enough time has passed since the writing activity to allow some reflection so I think students are better prepared to respond to questions about how they've used writing. What I'm looking for is some kind of brief questionnaire that will help me understand how successful the writing project was from the student's point of view. In addition to this feedback I want them to reflect on the kinds of writing they've integrated into their teaching both in our CSU class and at the Lab School. What I feel is most important is knowing how to phrase the questions to get the most complete answer. Sometimes I think they did writing or pre-writing activities that they might not have been aware they were doing - you know, the old carrots in the spaghetti sauce scenario.

Here's what I have so far:

Looking back do you think the writing activity done earlier in the semester helped you in the process of looking at artwork; documenting details; and/or organizing your thoughts.

Do you think the writing activity helped you become more aware of how writing and pre-writing activities can be more easily used in the artroom?

Please list at least 3 different ways you have used writing activities both in our CSU class and at the Lab School (Worksheet, story, poem, sticky note comments, etc.). This may require some reflection - you've all done an excellent job of including and integrating writing, so give yourself all the credit you deserve here by including as many applications as you can remember.

Finally please list ways that you have used a pre-writing activity in which students organize their thoughts. (Sketches, timeline, webbing, etc. fit here) Again, reflect on this and give yourself all the credit you deserve.

Adding the all important flourish

2007-11-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

While I've been quite excited about how helpful blogging has been to keep in touch with everyone - I have to say that there's still nothing like a face-to-face encounter to really brainstorm. Prior to our inquiry meeting last Friday I thought my presentation for the January workshop was done. And then we started talking. What I realized is that I'm kind of like my mother. She used to say "do what I say, not what I do." Hmmm. How embarrassing to have the conversation with Renee and Rebecca and hear us all talk about how important it is to engage listeners right away. Yes! I put in my two cents and agreed with this wholeheartedly. Then I looked at my own outline and discovered I was starting with the most boring part! So, I'm not done. I'm busy now thinking of some ideas to engage my listeners immediately.

I require that my own students think of creative ways to introduce a lesson - honestly I can't believe I didn't hold myself to the same standard. How can I actually show my face in my class, the same class where Patrick (seen in photo) choreographed making a sandwich to the theme from 2001 A Space Odyssey to demonstrate registration in printmaking! So, I'm trying to take a lesson from Renee, Rebecca and Patrick and revise my plan.

My current outline makes sense sequentially so I'm thinking I might stick to it but have a brief activity at the beginning to engage the listener, break the ice and get us thinking about the topic - which is how to use writing to capture details and organize thoughts. My idea (and this is where I'd love your input) is to open with a game I used to play at baby and/or wedding showers. You begin with a tray full of objects. With a flourish you uncover the objects (the flourish is important here) and give people 30 seconds to look at the tray. Cover the objects up again and the audience has to write down as many objects as they can. Or if you will - capture as many details as they can. What do you think?

Sometimes you have to hide the carrots

2007-10-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big vegetable fan. So in order to fit more veggies into my diet I have to 'hide' them in other dishes. My spaghetti sauce for example is full of shredded carrots and zucchini. The carrots sweeten the tang of homegrown tomatoes and the zucchini soaks up the Italian goodness and makes the sauce go further. This way I get to eat my favorite food and get a healthy dose of vegetables at the same time.

Writing in the artroom is kind of the same way. Seems like the most effective writing applications are fully integrated and 'hidden' in the content of the class. A lesson taught by one of my students at the Lab School brought this idea home. Students made a dwelling and then wrote a story about who might live there. But what filled the assignment with artistic goodness was the way the student did it. It wasn't just a story, it was a story that had to reference how the dwelling came to look the way it did. It had to address the visual elements and not just be a story. YES! Full integration - veggies in the sauce!

The added bonus for me as the observer was that this particular student had been reticent to the whole writing process. When we met in the computer lab for our final assessment she lamented "But you told us we were done with the writing part!" And now here she is, hiding the writing so well I don't think kids were aware they were doing it. The room full of 6th graders was totally silent and fully engaged. The best part was they were all thinking about their artwork. What a delicious lesson.

Certainly not the path of least resistance

2007-10-21T07:58:00.001-07:00

Okay, this wasn’t going to be long but as I started writing it just seemed to take on a life of it's own. Too many of those interesting side paths just needed wandering down! Now that the majority of my data collection is complete I’m trying to organize my thoughts for that elusive Art Education article I want to get published. Here’s what I have so far, I’d love your feedback.

1. The relevant stuff we know: writing across the curriculum is here to stay; many art teachers don’t feel prepared to teach writing AND they don’t want to take time away from their program for writing activities; and pre-service art teachers often demonstrate less than adequate writing skills.

2. What we don’t know: what strategies are successful in the artoom because they take little time away from the art-making process and help students become better artists.

3. What we need to know: how much and what kind of writing exercises help students become better writers; and more importantly, become better artists.

4. Here’s what I found out to help fill the gap: my quantitative data shows that the structured activity I designed did help 76% of my students improve organization and attention to details in one structured writing activity. More importantly the qualitative, anecdotal evidence shows that many students demonstrated deeper insights to the artwork they were analyzing; and have a heightened awareness of how to use literacy as another access point to making and looking at art (this is evidenced in their practicum and peer teaching experiences).

Oh oh, I’ve just detoured off the clearly marked path into virgin territory. The thought that this is actually the heart of what I was looking for occurred to me earlier, I just didn’t realize the ramifications.

Now what I realize as I write this is what I haven’t been doing! EEK! How could I have overlooked this! I HAVEN’T been documenting this ancillary data. I was so caught up in looking at the wonders that this detour has to offer that I forgot about data collection. So far I have little documentation in regards to how students carried the literacy into their own teaching experiences. Hopefully a review of their lesson plans and conversations will fill in the gaps. I welcome any suggestions on how to go back and do this part effectively. Well, I guess I’ve just defined my assignment for the next couple of weeks.

As I wrap-up this post it also occurs to me that maybe instead of a single article I have two companion articles. The first dealing specifically with my quantitative data dealing directly with the research project (the paved path), and the second with the qualitative data defining the apparent affect of the project on student awareness (that elusive hidden treasure off the beaten path). I feel the need for two articles because of the 3,000 word article length limitation – I tend to be a bit verbose and I don’t think I can address both in an article of that length. Apart from my love of words I think the two paths deserve independent exploration. What’s your opinion on that?

A new light on the subject

2007-10-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

As Rebecca said so succinctly in last post “what a difference a day makes!” Two weeks ago I was scoring my post-assessments and agonizing over a student comment that the structured activity was not at all helpful. This comment alerted me to the necessity of keeping a totally unbiased eye when scoring my post-assessments. I’m thankful to that student for reminding me of this fact.

Last Friday our inquiry group met for the first time and my research received some much needed detailed scrutiny. My biggest desire was to tap into the expertise of these English teachers and learn if my scoring was on track. Much to my delight the determination was positive and I feel that I can move forward. This professional review confirmed that although one particular student didn’t feel that the activity was helpful, her critical analysis paper showed a marked improvement in organization. Whew, with that sigh of relief I’m moving forward.

When I started down this research path I was a little frustrated because I really wanted to focus on my bigger question - finding ways to create relevant writing experiences that would enhance the art-making process. Learning I would have to narrow this question down, WAY down, was discouraging at first. But what I’ve discovered along the way is the power of research to generate unanticipated results.

One of the unanticipated but greatly appreciated results of my own very narrow, structured research project has been an increased awareness of literacy in my research subjects. After teaching pre-service Art teachers for seven years this semester I noticed a considerable increase in literacy awareness. What I’ve found most exciting these past few weeks are the new views on literacy that students have discovered (quite without my prodding I might add!). But while I’m thrilled at these new approaches, what makes me most excited is discovering the scope of research beyond the initial inquiry. I guess this is what really hooks people on process, never knowing what kind of ripples will be generated from the little stones of inquiry they toss into the pond.

I love a good mystery and that’s just what this seems to be.

The circle of "life"

2007-10-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling like such a slacker this week after reading all the great blogs. Such deep insights ... and I've spent the last 4 days out of town soaking inspiration from other teachers at the state Art Ed conference. These beautiful women (former students) are just two of my wonderful "kids."

Days filled reconnecting with cherised colleagues; glowing in the warmth of LOTS of hugs from former students grown into teachers; soaking up information in presentations; actually MAKING art in hands-on workshops; the joy of faciliting the making of art in my own hands-on workshop; exploring new art materials and resources; sharing the accomplishments of talented friends; mourning the sudden and heartbreaking loss of a shining artistic light gone much too soon; and countless hours feeding the soul in the midst of other artists. HEAVEN.

But with the dawn of a new week I'm back to face reality. After the downturn at the end of last week I was in badly in need of this rejuvenation. Your comments to the blog were gratefully accepted and helped me look back and gain perspective. Connecting warmly with former students was another essential affirmation. As we all know it's not easy to see the positive in what we've given students. Being able to connect with former students as wonderful professionals (these were the words of their collegeaues and supervisors) helps me see that what we do DOES make a difference. It was in a presentation given by one of my former students that this really came home. Another workshop participant commented on the organization and thoroughness of her written material - and the former student looked at me with a smile and said, "well gee, it seems I have a couple of very anal professors in college to thank for that." It was a brief and shining moment!

Seriously though, I believe time away from the research is essential. One conference session I attended was specifically directed at writing for academic publication. Talking with other teachers doing action research helped me realize that many of us struggle with maintaining our distance. I need to remember that the confirmation or negation of my initial hunch is an academic endeavor and not a personal reflection. Either way I've learned something. So I wonder why was I so discouraged to get the negative feedback and feel so vindicated that the data seems to be supporting my hunch after all?

Now on to the next step of reviewing the data and looking for patterns so I'll feel more ready to face my inquiry group on Friday. The blogging has been phenomenal and has really made me both reflective and excited so I very much appreciate the experience. All in all the week has come full circle. Beginning with the student who made me question what I'm doing and ending with all the other students who help me realize what I've REALLY done - a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them!

Reality raises an ugly head

2007-10-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gosh, where to start. So much information I need to sort through and determine what I really need to share right now. First - my "stab in the heart" reality check. Students completed their final writing for my research and at the end of one essay a student made the comment that this process wasn't at all helpful in organizing and writing their final critical analysis. Ouch! Talk about a reality check. However the feedback was good to get for at least two reasons: it helped me realize that not every strategy works for every student and; evaluation of the final writing was done with a VERY critical eye because I didn't want my evaluations to be influenced by my own personal feelings. I feel that the scores I did record are more authentic because of this critical comment.

It's been several weeks since the initial writing and I've not looked at it since the first day. I've also not looked at any of the pre-writing or journal writing. I purposefully avoided looking at any additional writing in the hopes that my eyes would be brutally honest when I did the scoring.

As I did the scoring I was struck on several occasions at the degree of insight some students achieved. And although the organization wasn't exactly the way I intended the vast majority of essays had a logical flow - which leads me to believe my 'rubric' may need some refining. At any rate 76% of my students showed a gain, from 1-14.5 points on a 30 point evaluation scale. 19% showed a loss, with scores going down by 1, 3, 5 and 11 points. One student was absent and the remaining student scored the same. What I need to do now is look at the pre- and post-writing to get a better sense of the reality. And I'm very curious to compare the samples where there was more than a 5 point variation.

Two final notes. If I had this to do over again I would not have students engage in the journal writing everyday. I think they felt overloaded with writing and at some point this activity became almost a punishment for some. I would also keep the writing time to 5 minutes or less - I think a shorter time would be adequate and feel less tedious for these Art students.

On the up-side the principal at the elementary school where these students are doing an elementary practicum has been impressed with the degree and level of literacy that has been infused in the fledgling art lessons. So all in all I still believe my hunch is correct - I just need to remember to temper my own excitement with a strong dose of student reality.

Be careful what you ask for!

2007-09-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

One essential question I had when I started my research project was whether or not what I present in my methods class will carry over into student teaching, and then into the classroom of beginning Art teachers. If I threw out the idea by modeling it would it come back in the form of student practice? Preliminary anecdotal data is showing me that this may indeed be the case. So much so in fact that I've found myself reminding students that when they design a feedback activity to administer to their students it can be a visual format and not just a written format! Oh the irony!

Not only are most of my students asking the students at the Lab School, their elementary practicum location, to write as part of their Art lesson - but they're doing the same in my methods class with their peer teaching. Which leads me to the question - can it really be this easy?

I'm sure there are big steps in between where the writing will be lost, but I can assure you that my current research population seems to be fully embracing the idea of writing as another way of reflecting and/or expanding on their visual learning/expression. What I need to do now is find new creative ways to help students transition this into the classroom so their Art lessons don't appear to be more about literary narrative than visual narrative. (Okay, those of you going "what's wrong with literary narrative" - remember I teach ART!) It seems clear that I need to explore new strategies to infuse the kind of writing into our instruction that will reinforce the parallels between the various narrative forms without taking away too much Art-making time.

So my research seems to have acted as a boomerang and what I threw out as a lark is coming back to me, leaving more questions in its wake.

Just talking or are we really networking?

2007-09-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve long been a proponent of “networking.” My friend Meriam laughs at me because this is the term I like to use for “talking’ to people. But so often it really is MORE than just talking.

Since the beginning of the year I’ve been keeping Dr. Patrick Fahey, my Art Ed cohort, up to date on my research project since we both teach the same group of students. Early on I had expressed my frustration about the dearth of references for my specific topic. While we discussed various aspects of the project, he’s not been able to direct me to any new sources. Until last week. And it was quite accidental. Which brings me around to the whole idea of “networking.”

The help he provided was buried in our conversation. In one post I referred to “ideation.” On Monday he invited me into his classroom to see his students engaged in a great writing activity. Students had looked at an artwork; written a description of the work; traded their writing with another student - who had to replicate the work with watercolor following the description written by the other student; and then match the work to the original (see photo). As we were walking down the hall he discussed their active interpretation from verbal discourse to non-verbal discourse. Giving me yet another excellent reference word.

So while the “talking” I had done earlier yielded no direct references, our “networking” provided me with ideation and discourse, new terms for my reference search. Late yesterday afternoon I started digging. And to my delight I have actually found some articles that look like they might add some much needed insight to my research.

So the next time I see my inquiry group I hope to have some actual citation information. And when I see my friend Meriam I’ll have a new networking gem to share with her. And undoubtedly she’ll get her customary laugh at my expense.

Not Politically Correct

2007-09-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm going to do it - I'm going to be honest and not politically correct in this response, so gird your loins, grit your teeth and please don't throw your empty cups at me because I want to air some dirty laundry. I understand the idea of the "no guilt" idea - but at what point do we need to really commit? My concern is that the much-anticipated spring conference isn't going to happen unless we swallow our pride, suck it up and commit. There - I've had my say ... now on to the "real" prompt.

Overall my project is on track. Fortunately outside forces pushed me into submission on the timeline. If I didn't do the pre-assessment on the day scheduled it wouldn't happen at all because of scheduling issues. If I don't do the in-progress writing as planned that also will not happen because of scheduling, etc. The fact that I have NO flexibility in my scheduling has been a boon to the process - I have two choices, do it or not. Rescheduling is really not a viable option.

I had planned to get started on the journal article this month, and although I haven't written the part I planned, I have done some writing. Earlier in the year I had committed to an article for Collage, the Colorado Art Education Association journal and ended up writing about my research project. So, while I didn't do the focused writing planned earlier, I did writing that was beneficial - so I'm going to count this as an appropriate substitute.

What do I need to move forward. Hmmm, at this point I'm almost beyond the point where I need feedback for designing my research - that was something I desperately needed earlier in the process and not so much right now. I would like feedback on the scaling rubric for the pre- and post-assessment writing (it's posted earlier on the blog) - although my inner mind would hope there would be few changes since I've already done the norming. Had to do the norming to move forward so I might be getting past the feedback stage.

I do need help touching back on the issue of triangulation. Seriously, I've collected data and understand the concept of triangulation - but I'm lost as to what this should look like with my data. It's that old AGE syndrome rearing it's ugly head again I fear. So - HOW do I do this again?

Finally the question... if a teacher researcher disseminates her research but no one reads it, is she still a teacher researcher? Remember that discussion early on about the difference between a teacher researcher and a reflective teacher? I feel that without that essential, invaluable, much sought feedback, I am just a reflective teacher. How do we recapture the teacher researcher role? Honestly, I've completely lost faith in the process. I know I'm going to need feedback when I start writing for publication, but I have no faith that blogging is the way to get that feedback.

Conference outline and 50 word description

2007-09-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

Content Writing: utilizing a structured activity
Explore an easy-to-grade pre-writing strategy that can help students focus on details and organize their thoughts. Participate in a hands-on activity that will help you understand how the pre-writing process can enhance your own curriculum. Brainstorm ideas for utilizing a structured activity in your classroom.

Outline:
1. (5) Introductions
2. (5) Why write outside the English classroom?
- helps students put ideas in a different context
- practice for CSAP
- connections to pre-writing and other pre-activity cognitive activities (i.e. sketches in art, NEED OTHER EXAMPLES PLEASE)
3. (5) What does the teacher need to know?
- Pick your battles! Don’t try to do everything
- This strategy will help focus on the details and;
- focus on organization of ideas
4. (7) Outline of the research project.
5. (20) Do the hands-on critical analysis activity
- focus on the details (10)
- focus on the organization (10)
6. (7) Review the concepts of detail & organization – debrief on activity
7. (10) Brainstorm how this might work in other classrooms – determine the specific skills on which you want to work, i.e. I worked on capturing details and organizing ideas into an essay format
8. (*) If time allows – design an activity that will work for you

Woo-hoo CSAP Prep In Progress

2007-09-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Interesting that I included this pre-writing critical analysis activity initially because I needed more data to triangulate. In doing the activity I discovered that this is really an invaluable process for art students. As teachers we're always on the lookout for strategies that provide easy accountability, i.e. grading points. And pre-service Art teachers are always on the lookout for activities that can be used to 'check-off' that CSAP prep requirement on their Teacher Work Sample. Well, this activity has it all!

Using sticky notes was an easy and fun way to hold students accountable. They began by writing their name on six notes. From here they looked at the artwork and had to write six different insights, thoughts, or facts about the work (you know those detail kinds of things used in an essay). Easy to check, easy to grade, fun for students.

Once the detail capture was complete we moved to step two in the process, organization. Each group added titles to five sticky notes that corresponded with what could be paragrah content for an essay, i.e. introduction; general information; visual elements; interpretation; and conclusion. Then, yep, you guessed it - they had to categorize their comments. This step (hopefully) helped them see how these details might fit into an essay. Now we have completed a pre-writing activity to help students organize for an essay - that looks like CSAP prep to me.

What I find most fascinating is that this is the kind of valuable activity that could be used in any secondary Art classroom as a prelude to a formal critique as well as a written analysis, and I did decided to do it simply to provide more data, ironic. Guess that's what the research process is all about - helping to make us better teachers.

The roller-coaster has left the building

2007-08-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Yes I know, I'm ahead of schedule again - but I'll be spending the weekend bringing a new computer online after the motherboard of my previous desktop managed to self-destruct over the past two weeks. Don't expect to have time to do this after today. Good thing I've got the trusty notebook!

My research project officially launched Monday with completion by my pre-service Art education students of a short self-evaluation designed to collect information about previous writing experience. The structured pre-assessment activity followed on Wednesday as we trekked to Weber and commandeered the computer lab. Can I tell you, I never imagined the rush I would get watching students work. OMG! Am I a geek or what!

While they were working I thought of at least one other piece of data that I absolutely must include and I fear that I'll be drowning in information before the end of this project. Now I REALLY can't wait to see how this whole process unfolds - and whether or not my 'hunch' is valid.

And just a taste of the smorgasboard of information:

one student took 38 minutes and wrote just 8 sentences
another student completed nearly two and a half pages (these were single spaced) in 42 minutes
two students finished in 30 minutes and two took more than an hour
three of the 23 did pre-writing activities (that I could see)
and one was very stressed until I assured her this would not be graded, she also seemed excited to hear that the whole point of this was to help her develop strategies to help her own students write about art - "Oh good!" was her reply

On Monday I get to facilitate the hands-on activity where students will write on the sticky notes (to get the idea of capturing details) and then as a class we'll organize these into groups that mimic the opening, supporting and closing paragraphs of a formal critical analysis (to help establish the idea of sequence and organization). We follow this with four weeks of the preliminary writing that leads up to the final post-assessment writing.

As an artist I'm a little concerned that I'm so enamoured of this whole structured process - but then maybe it's simply a reflection of the process of making art. Pulling together what often seems to be disparate ideas into a whole that is greater than the parts.

A work in progress

2007-08-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that for me research is much like making art. Something that requires, work, reflection, work, re-inspiration, work, and more reflection. Oftentimes the reflection takes you a different direction and you're forced to start something new - not because what you were working on is finished - but because your soul directs you. Research, like art, takes on a mind of it's own. While I would like nothing better than to focus on my sculpture right now, the spirit says "mmm, no we're going over here today." So, I have something new started in both the studio and the office.

Since I started my research project I've discovered numerous other areas that need to be researched. And I've got to tell you it's a struggle to maintain my focus. However the end is in sight on this project and I'm in the planning stages of the next research project. (Hmm, maybe I'm a little ADHD myself, or is it that OCD coming to the surface again?)

Current research update: it's official, my students will be doing their pre-assessment writing on 8/22 and their post-assessment writing on 9/26 (computer labs scheduled and all). What happens in between will be interesting. There is still no evaluation rubric, which is problematic only in that it would have been helpful in defining the pre-writing questions - but I think what I have is workable (but I have to say without that "sharing" part I'm feeling much more like a reflective teacher than a teacher researcher according to the CSUWPAI definition).

Although on paper I have deadlines that define what I once thought was the end of this particular project I understand that it will be in progress for sometime. What will be finished in September is about the second "work" section, to be followed by reflection, more work, revision, more work, editing, more work, etc. Having made the analogy of my research being much like my art is reassuring. It gets me excited to know that I can start something new and instead of diminishing that which is in progress it will simply feed it in a different way.

So I'm looking forward to starting a new topic, totally different from this one (much like this new painting is totally different from the sculptures, but does bear some similarities). It's also reassuring to know that my summer travel tied to moving vans from border to border (literally!) is done for awhile. Can't wait to get started on the new project and be far enough along to have something new to share.

A revelation ... it really is about seeing the art!

2007-07-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well it was ‘test day’ at my house. I gave myself the final prompt and 60 minutes this morning to process the information about the artwork I selected. What surprised me most was the amount of information I had gathered – too much to include it all in a 60 minute writing experience. AND I learned volumes about the process of looking at the art. The process is worthwhile JUST for this experience alone. Now I just need to know if the writing is organized – I know it has the detail I was looking for. I invite your feedback, what I’ve gotten so far has been invaluable.

Here’s the prompt and the writing: (I’m also going to ask students to tell me if what they give me at the end of the time is finished or not – it was a struggle for me to finish and I think I need to know this. I timed myself at took exactly 60 minutes.)
- Write a critical formal analysis of your artwork. Use your journal notes as the basis for your essay. Remember that you need to capture the viewer’s attention immediately if you want them to read further.
- Pay attention to organization and include as many details as you can that will help the viewer understand and “see” the work.
- You might want to start by reviewing your previous writing and taking another close look at your artwork.
- Try to finish in 50 minutes to allow yourself 10 minutes to reread and edit your work. Don’t forget to run a spell check.

My final critical analysis follows:
Vibrant orange splotches draw the viewer to this silkscreen and oil stick work by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Complex images overlap and dim as they are viewed through translucent layers of color. At first glance the artwork seems very disjointed. Closer inspection reveals that there are some recurring themes in the work. I was drawn to this image by the bold white outlines of the three figures punctuated by the irregular black shape that surrounds them. I couldn’t help but wonder what the artist had in mind as he composted this artwork. The fact that the work is “Untitled” gives no hint as to his intent.

When I selected this postcard I did so thinking it was the work of Robert Rauschenberg. The work is similar to the Rauschenberg’s collages and this work from 1984 marks Basquiat as a contemporary. But closer inspection reveals a work that is more frenetic and less organized, perhaps a reflection of the artist’s turbulent life. Basquiat began his career as a graffiti artist in New York City and died of a drug overdose as a young man of just 26. Cryptic images crowd the canvas surface, and the viewer can’t help but wonder if he/she is getting a look directly into the mind of the artist.

Although the postcard reveals great detail one can’t help but be frustrated with this “secondhand” view of the original work. Canvas has a rich textural surface that is lost when viewed as a reproduction. The dimensional quality of a multi-colored print is also lost in the postcard, and I think it is important to know which parts of the image is silkscreen, and which parts were added later with oil crayon. While the composition looks spontaneous, the printing process itself dictates careful planning. The dynamic of these opposing forces may be part of what the artist is trying to convey in this work. His life, although out of control in many areas, has become something quite different than it appears.

Basquiat captures the viewer immediately with the boldness of his colors and raw nature of his shapes. His beginnings as a graffiti artist are evident in his style. There is an immediacy of imagery that is contradicted by the underlying complexity of the composition as a whole. Once he has caught our attention Basquiat pulls us into the work with his layers of information. Clearly he expects something from the viewer. Unlike more traditional artworks that provide a literal visual narrative, Basquiat challenges the viewer. This is not a “pretty” artwork. It does not tell a “pretty” story. Unsophisticated figures and the use of abstract lines and shapes will turn away casual viewers. Serious viewers only are invited in. It is essential that the viewer take the time to seriously read the artwork. Perhaps integration of text is another clue to Basquiat’s underlying narrative.

Once the viewer has submitted to the artist’s visual invitation there are insights into the artist’s life. Graffiti existed as a public nuisance long before it was viewed as an artform. Basquiat has jumbled his ideas together in a format designed to make the viewer uncomfortable. It almost seems that he is building obstacles to keep us out, an idea sure to be irresistible to the avant garde viewer. I believe the artist wants to put people off guard. I can’t help but think his mission is to give us a glimpse of what his drug-infused world must be like. But again, his temptation is intended for the serious viewer only.

Contemplating the artist’s intent brings me full circle, back to what first drew me to the work. The vibrant intensity of colors, stark figures and indecipherable text makes me want to know more. Add to this the sheer size of this work (nearly 10 ft x 8) and one can’t help but realize that this art depicts ideas that are bigger than life. I believe in part that Basquiat lived the “15 minutes of fame” referenced by Andy Warhol. A young Jean-Michel Basquiat must have cut a romantic figure during his 26 years. A larger than life artist pulled from the reality of the streets into the excitement of the high art scene. Creating artworks that assault the viewer with their raw energy. Basquiat stands-out as a snapshot of the 80’s art scene. A shocking time when artists made us question the very idea of art. During that time period this work was embraced as art, but will it stand the test of time?

Doing the activity, hmmmm, what a novel idea

2007-07-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I had an epiphany, maybe I should try to write out my questions now and actually DO the activity. I know, I know – you’re thinking what the heck, that’s a no-brainer. I agree, but I apparently I’d left my brain in the box earlier in this process and just now figured this out. At any rate it was a worthwhile and educational experience.

I’d LOVE your input! I’ve included my questions, my responses and the amount of time it took me to complete my response. Student responses will undoubtedly take longer than mine but I still believe each question can be thoughtfully answered in 10-15 minutes. My next step in the process will be completion of a written formal analysis based on these observations. If you see any glitches (and I’m sure they’re here!) that I’ve overlooked I’d greatly appreciate your comments.

1. Title of work, artist, media, and first thing you notice when you look at it, and why you picked it. Finally select one interesting thing you’ve noticed: (took 6 minutes)
- “Untitled” 1984 Jean-Michel Basquiat, born NY1960, died NY 1986.
- Three figures that appear to be female stand out most. They are outlined in white against a black background. They appear to have breasts (making think they are female) and spots in the crotch for pubic hair maybe?
- Silkscreen and oil stick on canvas.
- The orange splotches caught my eye
- I like the variety. It looks like it was done in layers and at first I thought Rauschenberg was the artist.

2. Look at any additional information about the artwork that might be on your postcard. Is there anything that gives you some insight into the work? When was this work created? If there is no additional writing, or date, take a guess as to when and where it might have been created. Does the choice of media have any particular significance? Begin one sentence with the phrase “I wonder….” And complete at least one sentence that refers to this artwork. (Took 6 minutes)
- This work is from the artist’s estate. It is fairly contemporary, having been completed within the last 25 years.
- The information on the card indicates that the work represents Banquet’s link with graffiti art and his background in NYC.
- I love the fact that this is a printmaking method enhanced with oil stick. The printmaking allows multiple prints and the oil stick allows the artist to work quickly, like he would if this were a graffiti piece done in the subway.
- I wonder how Basquiat would have depicted NYC post-9/11. The vibe of the city changed after that seminal event and I think in subsequent years artists’ work will refer to that time period in very significant ways. (Did the vibe of the city change? I don’t really know, I don’t live there. How can I know this, all I know is that post 9/11 some things in my life changed.)

3. Look at the formal elements in this artwork. Select two elements of art and one principle of design. Briefly explain how they have been used. Is there anything else of interest you want to add? (Took 5 minutes)
- Color – the orange draws the viewer to the artwork, it’s even used in some of the text (the words red and orange are written under the red and orange truck in the upper right corner).
- Shape is also important in this artwork. I saw what looks like 3 female figures immediately.
- Probably repetition is an important principle of design. There is repetition in figures throughout the composition. What’s interesting is that it’s easy to see that figures are repeated, but the figures themselves are not identical.
- I think it’s interesting that the artist has used text as an important part of this artwork. It makes me want to look closer at the artwork. I also noticed that different styles are used for the text.

4a. Select 3 adjectives that apply to this artwork. (Took 7 minutes)
- Frenetic, disjointed, uncomfortable
4b. Now look at the elements and principle of design you identified earlier, explain how the adjectives you identified fit the visual components
- Frenetic – I think the graffiti-like nature of the shapes that the artist used makes this feel frenetic. I think of how fast a graffiti artist has to work to capture their ideas before someone catches them, this is important because painting graffiti is illegal.
- Disjointed – the artist uses different styles in this artwork, making it look disjointed.
- Uncomfortable – looking closer at some of the imagery makes me uncomfortable because I think some of the images could be pornographic. The female figures are kind of ambiguous, the marks in the crotch could be either pubic hair or a penis for example. What is the artist thinking about in this?

5. Look at the composition, list at least two things think the artist was thinking when he/she completed this artwork? What is the content of the work – what is this work about? (Took 5-6 minutes)

- This artwork seems to have a lot going on. I think the artist wanted to catch us by surprise and grab our interest. His use of layers of color over some of the images makes us look closer.
- Some of the images are easy to recognize and some are more difficult.
- I think we’re supposed to think about the words that he uses.
- I think one of the reasons parts of the work are hidden is because the artist wants the viewer to bring some of their own ideas and opinions to the work. 4:55
- I think that this artwork is about the life in NYC that the artist has experienced. I think he wanted to capture the overall feel of his life, and how very turbulent it is. I also think he wants us to know that there is very much about him that is unknown. He has given us the information so we know it’s there, but he hasn’t given us the tools to decipher it because he wants to remain somewhat mysterious.

6. The simple fact that this artwork is printed on a postcard and the artist is part of documented art history tells us it is significant in some way. List and explain three reasons why you think the art and artist are notable (you MUST support this idea, think about it!). (Took 3 minutes)
- I think the fact that Basquiat did graffiti art made him famous. Perhaps it was the avant-garde nature of the art scene in NYC that drew attention to renegade artists like Basquiat.
- I think the fact that this artist was a drug addict was significant and made him perhaps a more “hip” celebrity. The drug culture in the early 80’s was viewed quite differently than it is today.
- I think his style is similar to Rauschenberg, who I believe was pretty well known during this time period. Although the work looks the same I think this artist uses very different reference points in his work, making it different enough to be significant.

7. Go back and look at what you have written about your postcard. Be the devil’s advocate and question any statement that is not posed as an opinion. If something seems to fit better somewhere else, move it. If it is awkward rewrite. If there is something obvious you forgot, add it now. (Revision/editing - do this in bold so you can recognize the changes) (Took 9 minutes)

On the road again...

2007-07-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Strands of Willie Nelson wind their way through the back of my mind as I commit words to screen this morning. As an admitted homebody, this summer of being on the road has been a challenge - but this should be the last time my tires hit the asphalt for some time. But hours behind the wheel do give one ample time for reflection, and excitement about my research (EEK! you did not just say that! Did you?) was at the forefront.

One of my tasks this morning has been the transfer of information, visual information, from one format to another. My little digital camera is always at the ready to capture those visual ideas that zoom past my window. And I had a revelation as I did my morning transfer from camera disk to computer memory.

Sometimes I see something noteworthy as I'm driving. An image that so obviously captures a feeling it's almost awe inspiring. The configuration of a stand of trees against the sky, the unique organic lines of overlapping foothills, or the way the oncoming road winds under an overpass. Whatever it is I reach for the camera. Since my eyes are on the road and not the camera I don't always capture the right image - a conundrum that isn't apparent until I download from camera to computer. Often I open the images and wonder "what the heck was I thinking?" Occasionally I discover the camera was in the wrong mode and I've captured an inaccessible video clip instead of the still image.

Now, I hear you asking as you might often do with this post - what does this have to do with writing research? Okay, here it is. I go into my classroom with the best of intentions. Knowing exactly what I want my students to learn. But too often I forget that what's captured in my brain needs thoughtful cropping. What's important to me in this image isn't the overhead sign, or the yellow line, or the hint of my rearview mirror. What's important is the nuance of mystery sparked by that tiny road snaking under the overpass and disappearing into the valley beyond my sight.

Like most of this picture, excess information, personal biases and inadequate preparation often distorts the image of my classroom instruction. Too often I get frustrated when my students don't "get" what they're supposed to get. I need to remember that the image I present to them may not be what was captured in my mind. This fact is essential because I can't see what they're seeing. All I know is what is in my mind. As I believe I've been quoted as saying before ... "we don't know what we don't know, because we don't know." That little snipet of road in this image is important for me but I fear it gets lost in the bigger picture for the secondhand viewer.

So how will this make me a better teacher you ask? My, you're just full of questions today aren't you? :) My intent is to use this reflection as a checkpoint. A reminder to rethink how I'm presenting the verbal images to my students. Brainstorm as many detours as I can to circumvent honest misinterpretations on their part. Remember that they are the secondhand viewers to my perceptions as a teacher. The process of research has helped me "see" what I'm not seeing and look at an issue from another vantage point. Maybe I need to triangulate my instruction the way I triangulate my data?

Perhaps being a better teacher means researching what seems obvious to me. Do their pictures match my edited images?

Time for the nitty-gritty: Exploring my research question

2007-07-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

My research participants and target audience are pre-service Art Education students, the group I will see this fall prior to their student teaching. Experience with previous groups has shown me that methods and strategies introduced and practiced successfully in the methods class is often carried directly into the art room during the student teaching experience. It follows that successful student teaching activities become part of the overall curriculum for these new teachers. So my hunch is that if I introduce a structured writing activity in my methods class there will be two results. My expectation is that students’ critical analysis essays will show an improvement in writing organization and attention to detail; and a number of students will try this type of structured writing activity during their student teaching placement.

My research project will involve a pre-assessment in which students are asked to write a critical analysis of an artwork reproduction (I’ll probably use postcards because they are easy to store and I already have a good selection). As a class we will complete a formal analysis discussion. During this activity students will generate questions. Students will then organize these questions into groups, and then sequence the groups of questions. From these student-generated questions and organization I will develop writing prompts to be give over the course of 8-9l class periods. Students will briefly respond in writing to these specific questions, answering one question each day. These structured responses will require 5-10 minutes of class time.

Once all the questions have been addressed students will be asked to write another critical analysis, using their prompt writing samples for reference. Hopefully a comparison between the pre-assessment and this structured activity will show an improvement in essay organization and attention to details.

3 questions I have for the group:
How to “grade” the pre- and post-assessment. Although I understand that writing shouldn’t always be assessed with a rubric, that seems the most logical and efficient assessment tool for this project.

Suggestions for specific research that will help reinforce my thesis – there appears to be a dearth of information in regards to writing in art – most of the references I get when I use these keywords deals with the art of writing – NOT at all what I’m looking for!
A major component in this class is a peer taught unit plan, should I require a writing component – or not say anything and see if students include a writing component on their own (this way would allow me to include data from unit plans from previous classes)?

Designing for the audience

2007-07-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Think about the demo – write from a point of view you’ve never tried before, that of the audience.

First I have to figure what my demo would actually be….perhaps the best would be to just do the structured writing activity. This will be my starting point. Participants will come into the room and we’ll begin with the pre-assessment activity.

When I enter the room I’m greeted by a smiling face. Looking around for a place to sit I see something on the chairs – oh good I think, handouts already. But when I get to my seat I see a sheet of paper, a 3x5 card and an art postcard. I select my seat based on which postcard I like, because I think I’m going to get to keep the card.

While I’m waiting for the presentation to begin I look at the postcards and read the back, anticipating that there will be some kind of activity involving the card. And I’m still excited thinking that I get to keep the card, because like everyone else, I love when I get something free at a conference.

The room slowly fills, perhaps 1/3 of the chairs are occupied by the time the presenter gets started. She begins with a brief introduction of herself, this is good – because I see that she is an art teacher and I want to make sure she has the credentials to give me information about writing since that’s what this presentation is supposed to be about.

The lights are dim and there is a PPT slide at the front of the room. I sure hope she doesn’t read to me off the PPT slide – I hate that. She begins by telling us everything she’s talking about will be available for us on a cd – good, I like knowing up front what I really need to take notes on.

Directions are given for us to pull out a pencil. Okay, I knew ahead of time this was going to be interactive and I like that we’re starting right away.

Here is the point at which I need to be thinking about how to proceed because I’m not sure how to handle the pre-assessment activity. My inclination is to have participants sit for a minute and think about how they would compose a formal analysis of one of the artworks reproduced on their post-card. I think we need to do some brainstorming and maybe even make a list of some of the drawbacks to this method. I’m expecting this would be a hard process and want my participants to explain WHY it’s hard for them to do. Hopefully this brainstorming will help make the transition into the structured activity…

As you can see this is as far as I got. This was a good exercise to help me remember that this isn’t about ME, it’s about THEM. Audience consideration needs to be the number one priority when outlining my presentation – thanks for directing me back on track.

Paring away for the sake of focus

2007-07-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

Since we are beginning our second week it may be useful for us to come up with a plan for the week, and an articulation of where help is needed from the group.

Time lines are an important part of tr so I think this prompt actually works well at this point in time. Speaking for myself it seems that I can’t manage to get any meaningful writing done without some kind of deadline looming over me. So, what is my plan for the week and how could I use your help?I’ve not really started on the outline for an article as yet – but feel that I have enough information to address at least 3 different topics. At least I have enough information to get started outlining an article at any rate. How do you all fit in? I’d like to review Cindy’s publication outline and really dig into it so that I know what information I’m going to need down the road.

My plan is also to clarify for myself, so that I can do my post prior to my research chair, the concept for my research. Being surrounded by so much expertise it seems disastrous to leave without sucking as much information as I can from this group. I want the English teachers in the group to help me establish a baseline pre-assessment and working post-assessment strategy, and would love for the non-English teachers to help me establish a realistic outline of how to align their recommendations with the real world situation outside the English classroom.

Although I recognize that I’ve not really addressed much of a plan for myself I think once these two areas are addressed everything else will fall into place. My needs at present are modest, the world outside the SI is in such disarray right now, that I’m savoring the structure of my days. I think probably what I need will come to pass on the final day when it’s my turn to sit in the research chair.

Clarification of every step of the process is in order. I think that I'm getting a pretty good focus on what I need to research at this point. Notice I didn't say what I want to research. Logic dictates the research process for me and I'm finding that researching my narrower question is an essential stepping stone, a process that needs to be completed before I can move on and explore the bigger picture of my original question. One interesting conclusion I have drawn is the "why" in the work of other researchers work. It seems that the work of researchers like Elliot Eisner may address disparate ideas, but the he remains true to his central focus. Perhaps he, like me, must explore the periphery before he can hone in on the core essential question. Carving away the redundancies and emphasizing the points upon which his ideas are all strung.

The fallacy of assumptions

2007-06-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

Since all of my students have completed at least 2 and ½ years of their post secondary education, one would think you could make the assumption of literacy. But remember that in education you should never make any kind of assumption. What I’ve discovered is that in spite of completion of a college level composition course many of my students cannot write at what I would consider a competent level. This is not to say that their passage of their composition class was fraudulent – but what they show me is not competent writing.

I wonder if this is because I’m asking them to step outside the box and practice a skill set in an unusual setting. Perhaps this is what we do when we ask students to write in a class outside the English room. Organization, capitalization, complete sentences and basic spelling are often totally abandoned. What is most distressing however, is the loss of coherent thought. Because what I’m experiencing all too often are students who flail violently in their attempt at composition, but also fall short in their attempt to express their ideas in writing.

So I’m not sure if their background experience is as important as it might seem at first. In my situation I think it will be essential for me to pre-assess before I set my parameters. Unfortunately just because it seems logical that all my students should be at the same place (given that they all had to pass COCC150) this is not always the case. It is what it is.

If my research topic was a tree...

2007-06-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Whew, well here I am finally blogging two hours after I started. The old laptop is now at the computer doctor and the new baby is being inaugurated right here. After two days of working just fine ole' Blue checked out just as I reached the halfway point in putting up the blog.

Loved Stacey's morning page prompt - how wonderful to begin this dreary day with a good chuckle. Thanks for letting me take off in my own direction! So, here we go...

If my topic were a tree what would it be. If my topic were a tree it would have to be an Aspen. There is no such thing as a single Aspen in the same way that writing across the curriculum cannot happen with a single lesson. We used to have an Aspen in front of our house. Although the tree was beautiful it was constant warfare between my husband and the Aspen sprouts erupting throughout the yard.Writing across the curriculum is as annoying to the non-English teacher as those evil little sprouts are to Bob.

Many teachers are like my husband, balking at the idea of writing in their classroom, doing their best to rip the idea away. The trouble is it keeps coming back because it lies at the root of education. It just needs to be corralled and directed. We loved that little Aspen grove in front of our house, as long as we could cultivate the growth in the right direction. Aspens are beautiful as long as they don't overtake everything else in the garden.

Teachers need to think like gardeners. Try to hold in the curses of the invasive roots and enjoy the beauty. Because even in the art room (and beyond) these little writing sprouts can be beautiful if the time is taken to nurture them the right direction.

Looking to the future

2007-06-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Research seems like a top-down proposition, in which the original idea saturates your teaching much like the dye in a Frankenthaler canvas. Unlike an oil painting the color in Frankenthalers work seeps into the woven surface and becomes a part of the canvas itself. Changes made through research should do this, not be something done in addition to your teaching, but something that changes the very surface of your philosophy. This is what I want to happen – now, the perhaps unanswerable question, what will happen?

My prompt asked me for the plan I have to track the progress of my students. What will happen when they move from beyond the cloister of CSU and onto the frontlines that is the public school system? It seems that the only way they will actually take the love of writing – and the potential it has to offer their students into this real world is to have made it part of who they are as teachers. My process must address this internalization. Which means the process cannot be a one-shot strategy. Because in order for an idea to become part of who you are I believe there must be interaction over time. And this is a revelation that has occurred to me for the first time now. Prior to this minute I thought of my strategies and entities separate from the rest of my curriculum – but in order to succeed I see now that the concept must become part of my own teaching. I need to face the future and model what I know.

Having addressed this philosophically I come to the trickier issue – the one my pragmatic nature cannot avoid, what concrete evidence will I have of their success? Perhaps the easiest avenue is to plan follow up surveys. Gosh, this sounds like such an easy answer doesn’t it? But how do I do this with students who scatter to the winds, in fact many seem to disappear off the face of the earth. I know there is an answer. My job is to figure it out – hopefully with the help of my CSUWPAI cohorts.

Where am I now

2007-06-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Where am I now - well this is certainly the question of the day! In this image I'm in an airplane - quite a good analogy as to where I feel I am right now. Up in the air, weaving and bobbing my way through a technological minefield the same way we were weaving and bobbing through the thermals in the air. And most of all wondering how in the world did I get suspended up here over reality - and what can I do to get my feet planted firmly back on the ground!

As far as the plan, hmmm, no time yet to get that plan done. I do, however, have data, have some of it compiled into statistics and have done a little additional reading. What do I want to get done - get an article written, edited and submitted to Art Education. And then maybe on Sunday I'll rest. :)

Digging around in the research field yeilds some interesting results

2007-06-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit at lost these days and looking forward to the expected structure of the summer institute. One week to go and I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to be doing, am I alone in this or is anyone else feeling kind of at lose ends?

Although the assigned readings have caused me to reflect on the process of research I still feel woefully unprepared to develop a meaningful thesis. I'm nothing, however, if not practical. When lost, search out some road signs. Sound idea don't you think? So, in order to prepare for the inevitable mind-shift looming on Monday's horizon I've been digging around in a few pertinent resources.

Exploring Art and Cognition by Arthur D. Efland has turned up a few "gems." Perhaps not the gems I need to be mining for my research topic, but interesting theses on the importance of Art Education. Since we're supposed to be sharing our research findings (we are, aren't we?) I thought I'd toss out one of these gems that does have a direct and significant correlation to my institute topic.

As I said earlier, research reading is hard for me. I'm pretty much a popular fiction kind of gal and although Efland's volume has a modest appearance, I've struggled with the text as I do all non-fiction information. Several hours and 76 pages into the book I came across a great passage that supports the connection of art and writing beautifully.

"...A work of art is not merely about itself; it is also a representation of the world outside of art - often the everyday social world. If it were only about itself, an analysis of its subject matter and formal qualities, like color and line, as elements that give rise to aesthetic experiences, would encompass the totality of its content. Moreover, audiences respond by talking or writing about the content of the work, using verbal language, that is, the language of the lifeworld, the world of everyday social interactions. And this is especially the case when works of art are not easy to understand. Therefore, within general education, the purpose of art education is not to induct individuals into the world of the professional fine arts community. Rather, its purpose is to enable individuals to find meaning in the world of art for life in the everyday world."

So, I encourage you to engage in a discourse about the image I've included with this post. It is not "high" art, but represents an everyday event in my own life. This recently completed piece is for my son in Houston and is intended to capture the essence of the move and the experience we shared. Having lived through this visual narrative it seems pretty straightforward - but I wonder how well any of this translates to the everyday world beyond my studio. Keep in mind the most important component, that this is truly an example of a cultural shift from Colorado to Texas - and all that baggage that goes with that!

Consider this another small invitation into the mind of the visual artist.

The many aspects of time

2007-06-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Time. What, you ask, does time have to do with this image OR my research? Well, time or lack thereof is a common component for both. Despite my heartfelt vow to work on my art for 10 little minutes a day I can't seem to pull myself into the studio for even that brief period. When I left the state two weeks ago my drawing board looked like this, and the little art elves didn't visit while I was gone. Hmm, makes me a bit sad.

Time. I'm being pulled in too many directions right now. And they all have to do with time. Both my children are fleeing the nest this summer and there isn't time enough to say all that needs to be said. If you have kids - your day will come, you'll see. Time can be the enemy.

Time. It is the heart of my data. Ah yes, there IS a connection to my research question. Although I didn't get into the studio, grrr, I did get onto the computer to take a look at my research. Earlier I had tallied the yes/no questions but I hadn't taken the time to compile and categorize the short-answer responses. While there were a couple of little twists the issue of time came as no surprize. Time away from art-making in an art class is far-and-away what art teachers (at least the ones I surveyed) feel is the most difficult part of including writing as a regular part of the curriculum. And I agree whole-heartedly. This has to be the essence of my research. My defining question, finding Time. I'm sharing this now to give you all time to reflect and come up with an answer for me! You have less than 14 days so get busy! :)

Time. Definately something on my mind these days. Tomorrow I'm presenting on writing in the artroom at an Integrated Arts Workshop at UNC and the issue of time will be at the top of my agenda. But right now time is rapidly eating away at the evening so I guess I need to stop wasting this valuable commodity and pull my resources together.

Gee, who knows, maybe I'll save enough time tonight to visit the studio later. Wouldn't that be lovely?

In the world of art it's all related

2007-06-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the whole day alone in my car, which gave me plenty of reflection time. As I figured out earlier, this research stuff is all about reflection. My only break out of the car (longer than the 10 minutes it takes to refill the gas tank and visit the potty) was a leisurely visit to the memorial for the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building.

Now I know you're asking "what the heck does this have to do with the CSUWPAI?" Fair question. I asked it myself and had plenty of time in the driver's seat to develop an answer. Because as the miles rolled away beneath me this experience and my research had plenty of time to simmer. Reflection and attending to all the details. That's the common thread. Maybe it took this grand site-specific work of art to help this artist see the bigger picture.

The Oklahoma City memorial of course has a central theme - but the idea is so broad that it is truly hard to capture it in a single word. Like all good art the site elicits a core feeling. I thought it would make me sad, but instead I felt surprisingly serene - which I think had to have been the integral idea of the artist(s) who designed it. There are benches intended for solitary contemplation; grass-covered promenades cascading down the hillside that invite people to sit together; a reflecting pond book-ended with the black walls marking our national innocence at 9:01 that is totally shattered by 9:03; the rescuers orchard; the surviving elm; and of course the chairs that each illustrate a haunting loneliness amongst a field of dozens. Each component heart-wrenching in and of themselves, that somehow manage to build a serenity when taken as a whole.

So, again you're wondering what this has to do with the CSUWPAI? Well, my research has a central theme which seems too overwhelming to describe in isolation. But there are individual components: the data; anecdotal evidence; visual examples; authoritative research examples; individual ideas; and of course my own gut feelings that must be gathered into a whole. I think my mission is to make each of these components as compelling as possible in order to transmit my idea as a whole, complete concept.

Hopefully, like the monument site in Oklahoma City there won't be words that explain what the overall idea is. Just evidence that builds the idea from within so that the reader gains the understanding as they wander through the research. As they mull over each component. As they reflect on the ideas I propose.

Reflection, this seems to be what it's all about.

2007-05-21T14:05:00.001-07:00

On the last CSUWPAI mother blog Bud asked about the process of creating/facilitating reflective art in the non-art classroom. Bud - I just wanted to let you know I did see the comment and would love to address that. Let me do some 'reflection' of my own and see if I can put words to the ideas that are so intuitive. I know there IS a structured process that works with kids - I just need to think about what that process is. It's a lot like catching a baseball - you know intuitively what needs to happen, but describing the process takes some time to figure out. I think I'll use this photo as my stepping off point, so ponder the composition while I ponder my response - and thanks for asking.

Now, just so I stay on track with my research I wanted share the following. Although many art teachers feel out of place with writing, 53% of my respondents report that writing is a fairly regular part of their curriculum, and 23% of these describe writing as integral to the art-making process. So it seems that the value of writing, or at least the need for literary mastery is not overlooked. I also found it interesting that 39% of techers responding assigned a letter grade based on getting the idea across through writing - I wonder how much of this equates to tests as oppossed to free-writing? Darn, I wish I had clarified that question.

A foray into the hard part

2007-05-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Although I’ve not yet taken arrived at the heart of my research, I have been taking little side trips. Sometimes I feel a bit like Little Red Riding Hood, aware that this is new and uncharted territory, wrought with pitfalls. But behind some scary reading I’ve uncovered a few gems upon which to reflect. Like Stacey, I've been taking the plunge into some literary sources.

First a passage from Sylvan Barnet’s A Short Guide to Writing About Art. “We write about art in order to clarify and to account for our responses to works that interest or excite or frustrate us. In putting words on paper we have to take a second and a third look at what is in front of us and at what is within us. Picasso said, “To know what you want to draw, you have to begin drawing”; similarly, writing is a way of finding what you want to write, a way of learning.” This seemed to reinforce my earlier “aha” moment from the assigned CSUWP AI reading - that writing leads to reflection, which leads to learning. And this could be important in the artmaking process as a way for the artist to learn about themselves. For so many artists the act of creation is intuitive, the inner mind directing the work in ways we may not even be aware without the act of reflection. Hmmm.

Further exploration yielded this online gem attributed to Rodin. “It is the artist who is truthful and it is photography which lies, for in reality time does not stop, and if the artist succeeds in producing the impression of a movement which takes several moments for accomplishment, his work is certainly much less conventional than the scientific image, where time is abruptly suspended.” This seems a perfect justification for an artist to write about his/her work – for I’ve discovered a deeper understanding in the work of Rodin now that I better understand his internal thought process.

So, the forest of unread research is still dark and scary, but every now and then the light comes shining through in the form of an insight. A breadcrumb that encourages me to keep following the path.

Please read the following two posts as one!

2007-05-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

A statistical query

2007-05-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I've just gone back and reread my post to the mother blog - talk about rambling! Oh well, it wasn't worth taking down, editing, and putting it back up. It makes sense inside my head so I'll move forward from there. The thing is, my aha moment was significant - and has brought up yet another topic for research. But I digress...

On to the research at hand. I've not yet had the opportunity to really look at the meat of my survey, the comments. But I felt I should be reporting at least a preliminary report on the "hard" results. While I expect most of my research will hinge on the comments an interesting pattern did emerge as I compiled the numbers.

Of the 44 responses I've received so far here are the basic demographics as far as teaching level: Elementary = 39%; Secondary = 53%; and Post-secondary = 8%. More statistical information to follow (gosh, I'll bet you're just on pins and needles waiting for this huh?).

The survey described "expressive writing" as that appearing in learning logs, journals, exit summaries, problem analyses, or peer dialogues. "Product writing" was described at that which appears in more formal products - essays, test question responses, library papers and lab reports. When students were asked which type of writing was most common in their classroom 64% reported that expressive writing was used and only 36% reported that they included product writing. Those reporting use of both were included in both areas. With a difference of 25% it seems that this might be an area of interest. Any conjecture as to why this might be? I have my thoughts - but I'd like to hear yours before I muddy the waters with mine.

Now, adding spice to food for thought

2007-05-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Finally, I wanted to try and clarify an idea that occurred to me when I did the reading this week. I'm also trying an experiment because I discovered I can't include two images in different places in the same blog - so I'm exploring the option of putting the images in separate blogs, hopefully it worked! When I talk about artwork that is literal vs artwork that captures an overall idea (thus requires reflection and internalization) I've got a visual example I hope will help.

The image appearing in the blog directly above this one shows some students from my CSU class. They are engaged in an artmaking activity, working on a problem. This is a literal example of a group of disparate people. Pretty much exactly what the picture says – but what does it really say about this class?

This second image is an abstract painting of a class. I’ll point out three components of the content. First the variety of darks and lights represent how each person holds different values in life (dark and light in art IS value); the color represents how we all add a unique color or mood to the group; and each strip represents an individual student who is part of a group beginning to work together, thus the interweaving structure.

Although the literal picture may be easier to decode on first glance, the painting actually “tells” much more about the idea of the group. Just some food for thought to add spice to the statistical query above.

The heat is on ...

2007-05-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, now I'm feeling under the gun. Stacey has raised the bar and I feel the need to use an image to explain my research - thanks for that nudge! What follows is a rambling explanation of where I'm going. Have to admit, it's really here for my benefit - to help me clarify what I REALLY want to do over the course of this institute. So please don't feel any obligation to read or respond, just smile indulgently and wait for the next blog :).

That integral connection between form (what and art work looks like) and content (what an artwork means) has always been important to me. What I really want is for art students to understand the degree to which this integration adds depth to their work. I want them to understand how words and images work TOGETHER. My avenue of delivery is through teachers.

Here is my example. This mask was created for the "Masks for MOCA" exhibit. Three years ago, during the CSUWP when I was a returning fellow, I wrote an essay about my mother and how her face started showing up in my mirror. Over time I revised the piece and turned it from an essay into a poem. Each colored ribbon holds a line from the poem. The words, the literal idea expressing how my mother's face is overtaking mine, is now woven onto this face. In this way the words have more than one meaning. They speak the idea both literally and figuratively. Each component is necessary for success of the overall artwork. There is a symbiotic relationship that (for me at any rate) infuses both the image and the words with more power.

Perhaps this marriage of words and images is a result of my feet being firmly grounded in two worlds. I'd like nothing better than help students understand the inherent power of words to bring a heightened level of content to an artwork. I understand the value of reflection in helping an artist understand the visual decisions that are made. And most important I understand the evolution that occurs when writing gives birth to images - that point at which an artist realizes that words are not enough.

So, I'm a believer in words. But I also understand the lens through which art teachers view their students. I've lived "where they're coming from." They and serve students in a world of images. They chose to teach art because this is how they access the world. My research needs to pay homage to both aspects of this issue. It is absolutely essential that I honor their view every step of the way.

Whew - now it's down on paper (so to speak). The itch has been scratched. Now I can move forward.

Ramblings, research and reunions

2007-05-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

What exactly are we supposed to be doing with this blog? Okay, there it is – right out there in the open. Perhaps I’m alone out there, but I’m really not exactly sure what I’m supposed to be at this point in time. Although sending out the survey was the official start to my research, where do I go from here?

So far I’ve developed an obsession with numbers. My original goal was a 20% return. Today my 43rd survey was returned, bringing me to a 35% return rate – which seems quite respectable, especially since many of my email addresses were pretty old. What does it say about me to admit a little thrill every time I see my familiar subject line pop up in my inbox?

There is an unexpected upside that I’ve enjoyed. Since my contacts list includes old email addresses of former students (which I figured were outdated) I’ve been pleasantly surprised to reconnect with a number of students. What fun to discover that they’re out there in the working world, experiencing their own successes. What fun!

However, the dilemma is still in place – what exactly am I supposed to be doing now. Did I miss some important instruction? I guess the next step is to start the reference search. But this leads me to my biggest question, how to find them? Okay, I understand how to pick a keyword and do a search – my problem is trying to figure out the keyword that will unlock the treasure trove I’m looking for.

Any ideas?

Not quite ready to wave the white flag yet!

2007-04-26T16:13:00.001-07:00

Okay, I see I've touched a hot spot. I think there is some misunderstanding of the issue though. I DO think it is valid for my art teacher colleague to feel a bit put-off by the idea that fledgling students who flock to his classes to learn the art of visual communication might just be turned off with the idea of writing. Especially when many students are drawn to art BECAUSE they fail in other areas.

Although I did feel that his use of all caps indicated he was a bit testier on the subject than might be necessary, I CANNOT discount his feelings - they are valid. When we're asked to integrate writing into our curriculum (and appease the literacy and CSAP gods) it's not a choice. As art teachers we seek ways to give our students access to learning through visual art - and I DO think it gives us pause when we watch our students struggle with a writing assignment in a class they signed up for because they know their thought processes are more visual than literary.

So, while I myself am totally in favor of the integration of writing and art, I can also understand where he's coming from - because much of what he says is right. His heart is with the kids, and it is drilled into us that good education is about meeting the kids where they're at, and following their lead. Well, when they sign up for an art class THIS IS where they're leading us.

I may not agree with everything my colleague has said, but if my goal is to do research that will help change his mind, I can't shrug off his opinion. That would be the equivalent of me saying that blogging is a poor way of communicating because it lacks the personal touch and vital body language that adds so much to a conversation. Isn't the blatant truth what I need? I don't have to agree with the statement, but I do feel that I have to acknowledge the value of it as an honest insight and look for ways to nudge him into a new paradigm (is that the correct usage?)

Kinda feels like I've started a little battle - not my intent. Just wanted to let you know a bit of where I'm starting from. I just gotta know my audience - and he's not alone out there.

Research brings on a perplexing reflection

2007-04-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that I've had some more time I've clarified my numbers - I guess I'm in a statistical mood :) Once I eliminate the duplicate addresses (home and school emails to cover my bases) and subtract the non-deliverable ones I'm down to 124. As of this afternoon I've had 26 responses, so I've met my 20% return goal! Anything I get from here on out will be gravy.

Reflection...having taken that big step in hitting the send button I've already learned volumes. I can reflect on what I didn't ask, what I phrased awkwardly, and why I wish I could pull everything back and do it all again - the right way. I imagine this is one of the frustrations faced by researchers everywhere. Another thing I wish is to have had more comments on the survey, thanks Rebecca for taking a look.

One of the biggest things I think I did right, was revise the survey so that most of the responses were multiple choice. I think this made it easier for my very busy audience to respond. Nearly all the respondents also answered the two questions that did ask for a short answer response.

Skimming my responses has raised many new questions. One from a teacher in Southern Colorado makes an important statement when he replied "I TEACH ART. ART CREATES AND ENHANCES THE VISUAL HALF OF US. IT IS THE ONLY TIME IN SCHOOL THAT A STUDENT RECEIVES INSTRUCTION IN USING THE VISUAL PART OF THEIR BRAIN. FUNNY, NO ONE ASKS A WRITER TO PAINT OR DRAW A PICTURE TO EXPLAIN AN EXPERIENCE, BUT THEY EXPECT ARTISTS TO WRITE ABOUT THEIRS." As a visual artist myself - I think this is a fair question...I need to reflect on this.

Finally, good luck to everyone out there getting started on their research. It's been fun so far.

And by the way, where is everyone?

News flash! The cherries are falling

2007-04-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I feel like I've at least hit two cherries, which as everyone knows is worth a couple of coins at least. Just wanted to update on the previous post. So far the tally for undeliverable emails is 32 (I hope it stops there!), but already had six responses - aren't art teachers wonderful?

I'm in the market for estimations...

2007-04-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a busy night. First I read the book club post, then I responded, then I compiled an email list and then I submitted my survey to approximately 178 unsuspecting art teachers. So far seven have been returned with bad addresses. So, I'm in the market for a statistician to give me some figures on what I might expect as a return rate. I feel like I've just plugged $25 into a Las Vegas slot machine and I'm getting ready to pull the handle.

As far as the survey goes I did a bit of refining. I included two demographic questions in regards to career status and teaching level. There were a total of seven questions, five of which were direct responses where the reader just has to mark the answer and the final two questions ask for a brief written response. I figure if I get a 20% return on my output, or roughly the return of 36 surveys I will have hit the jackpot - what do you think?

My survey list included current CSU students, former students, colleagues in the Colorado Art Education Association, teachers I know in the Poudre School District and others in the profession of teaching art outside the public schools. Many of my addresses are old so I'm not sure what the failure rate on delivery will be. As I said - I just pulled the handle on the slot machine and I'm just waiting for the cherries to align :)

Point of clarification

2007-04-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry - I was unclear on the survey expectations - what I'd love from the CSUWPAI group is feedback on the survey. Is it too long, too short, too hot, too cold - or will Goldilocks find it just right? :)

Any feedback you can offer both on format and clarity of what I'm looking for would be greatly appreciated. What am I looking for you ask? Well, I'm looking for data that will help me establish what kind of help non-English teachers are looking for as they introduce relevent writing into their classroom. Does this make sense?

And the survey can be found at...

2007-04-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

In reading the post below I realize I didn't remind readers where to find the survey - it is posted under "Step one: pick up the pencil and write survey"

Refresh my memory and heed the call for help

2007-04-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it's now been less than four days since the last post and I can't even tell you how long it took me to figure out how to add a new post. Imagine how embarassed I would have been had I emailed someone to ask for help! Oh well, I got it figured out...

I have to start by saying I need help - I really would value some input on the survey I have designed. I'm feeling more than a little under the gun to get this out as soon as I can. Unlike many of you who will have a captive audience from which to compile your data - completion of this survey will be a favor to me by teachers who are feeling more than a little under the gun at the current time. So the sooner I can collect some data the happier I'll be - which means that the sooner I can get some input the smoother the ride to posting will be.

Some reflections on the teacher-researcher role. My problem has never been in finding a problem I want to research, but in finding research that supports my thesis - or even research that refutes my thesis! What I really want to research is the way in which text and the meaning of words and/or writing about the art or the art-making process enhance the artist's connection with the work - but I also understand that for the summer institute context this topic is too narrow. But this digression expresses my major frustration with the whole writing connection for my field of study. I'm pretty sure someone out there must be doing research on this, but I don't have the magic word to unlock the treasure trove of research references I need.

But, I must focus again on the task at hand. I strongly believe that the key to relevent writing outside the English classroom relies on structure - structure that may be more important for the teacher even than the student. This is a call for help on finding appropriate research to support this thesis.

Step one: Pick up pencil and write survey

2007-04-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm quite concerned that regardless of what I do I won't be able to collect adequate research by the time the summer institute rolls around. Hopefully, these are ungrounded concerns. Step one for me was to pick up my pencil and write a survey. From this survey I hope to glean the information that is most applicable to my research question "Does a structured, step-by-step process make writing easier/better for students in a non-writing atmosphere?" Granted the question itself is pretty awkward - but surely this 'non-English' teacher deserves a bit of leeway.

Below you will find the first draft of the survey I will try to get filled out by district art teachers. It's not pretty (I am, after all a teacher who's main focus is on the visual!), but I think it may at least give me some direction for my research.

Natalie's survey:
I am currently doing research on writing across the curriculum and your input would be invaluable.. I would very much appreciate if you could take a few minutes and answer the following survey questions.

Expressive writing appears in learning logs, journals, exit summaries, problem analyses, or peer dialogues.
Product writing appears in more formal products - essays, test question responses, library papers and lab reports.

Which type of writing are you most likely to include as part of your curriculum.
Expressive writing Product writing
What do you feel is the most difficult part of including writing as a regular part of your curriculum.
Do you assign letter grades or completion grades for the writing your students complete.
What information or knowledge would be most helpful for you in regards to developing relevant writing activities for your curriculum.
Which of the following statements best describes writing in your classroom:
¨ Writing is a regular part of my curriculum and integral to the art-making process.
¨ Writing is a fairly regular part of my curriculum.
¨ Students write occasionally or only in short assignments.
¨ Students seldom write.
¨ Students never write.

2007-04-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Okay Bud, your statistic about the number of blogs that die after 2 months is astounding - what happens to all these cybercorpses? And do they stink up the internet in anyway?

First sketch of the big picture

2007-04-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Bud's voice carries pretty well over the ambient noise banging down the steps and into the basement here at Mugs. Although he hasn't given us "permission" to post - I'm assuming he would encourage this. Hmm, since when, at this age, do I need someone else's "permission" to explore this new technology. So - apologies to Bud if we're not supposed to go to this step, but - here we are!