Memory objects: chopsticks, apple, Eastern candy treat, box of origami, kimono jacket, bamboo, Eastern cosmetic case
The artwork (center): I dipped many of my memory objects into ink and watercolor to create mark-making. For example, I made prints and designs using the apple and chopsticks as tools. I also placed the hair comb that was in my Eastern cosmetic case under the paper and made rubbings to produce linear striations. Once the artwork had dried some, I drew pictures of origami sculptures onto the surface using colored pencil. My Memory: I used to work at a Chinese Restaurant (Tray's House) and learned much about myself as well as the culture/Eastern philosophy while working there. I remember being trained how to use chopsticks efficiently for the first time while being welcomed into a traditional dinner setting (after closing time). I recall learning how to "properly" cut apples for the buffet table. And during slow times or "dead hour" I was taught how to make origami creations. There are many other stories that connect to the other items mingled into my meditative circle, too. However, my focus was on how my life was changed by working at this restaurant during my young adult years. I learned how to calm and center myself as I became more at peace with issues in my life and as I was taught the importance of self-control, discipline, and respect. All of these items remind me of how important this particular point time was to my transformation into adulthood. As I began to read the section on Meaning, I immediately found myself deeply connected to the story about Viktor Frankl. Frankl stated that “man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life.” (pg. 208). As I look back on my own life, I can see how through my efforts to strive past hardships and discover happiness, I have found meaning as a result. What makes our journey in life more significant is finding out where our passions lie and holding onto those moments that inspire us to move forward. Perhaps I could have stayed in a rut whenever the design company I worked for closed. However, quite literally, as that door closed…another one opened. As I began to see how my love for art could be fueled by teaching others in a classroom setting, my purpose for existence was ever changed. So…life to me is a journey, a quest, a way to filter through trying experiences in order to find livelihood. The search for meaning led me to discover a fulfilling career. However, it has also enhanced the way I connect with my friends, family, spouse, and myself. In the classroom, I am consistently urging students to create artworks that are meaningful. I think that the holistic art educator hopes to do this by thinking more intently about the ways lesson plans are devised. Daniel Pink makes mention of meditation and exploration as a means for bringing what is internal to the surface. I would agree with his suggestions and would also add that Eisner, Gude, and other scholars have made great strides in considering how to implement essential questions and big ideas into our curriculum frameworks. As students create and view art works, I hope that they will begin to not only understand the “how” behind the creative process, but the “why” as well… Jon-
When students go out into the workforce, they are typically expected to work with others in a collaborative manner. And as our students go on to enter college they normally have access to the technology for researching and brainstorming. There is also a degree of independence needed in which these young adults have to go on find out what interests them and carve a path into the future. And yet, so many teachers still have students working in tiny little rows by themselves, they restrict the use of technology as a means to investigate, and the choices are confined to what the instructor finds important to study. I think many teachers are missing out on what TAB and other choice-based frameworks can offer. They can help to expand life skills, growth in problem solving, and talents in technology. Sheryl- The school where I work has limited technology. Although, COW carts (computers on wheels) can be checked out from the library. Also, we can go to computer labs if we need to. The opportunity to use phones has expanded student ability to research things when necessary. However, since I work with teens I do have to monitor them like hawks. With technology comes a lot of responsibility. And since technology is here to stay, perhaps we should be helping students become more aware of the pros and cons of the digital age. I feel they need to better understand computer etiquette among other things... “In A New Culture of Learning” (2011), Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown help educators get a better grasp on how our world is transforming and the ways we must change our classrooms to fit a new, modern society. In their minds, we can modify learning experiences for our students so that they can make better and more applicable use of topics introduced to them. Instead of taking a traditional stance to teaching, they suggest that we avoid the viewpoint that information is simply “transferred from one person (the teacher) to another (the student)” (pg. 39). The goal is to move away from more teaching-based methods into models that are more learning-based. Thomas and Brown make it clear that in order to engage students with the world, we need to allow youth to have digital/technological and peer-to-peer interactions. The authors investigate culture and collectives as gateways that can lead to collaboration, shared ideas, and a means to expand a network of information. The twenty first century classroom should be designed so that students can build better cognitive and cooperative skills. We should keep on urging students to think in more critical ways. Students strongly benefit from answering open-ended questions in which problem solving and communication skills become strengthened. Students need help in working as a team and lessons involving group collaboration should be a focus. It is also necessary for interdisciplinary approaches to be integrated in all classes to help bring creativity into all subject areas throughout the school day. Creative thinking increases the ability to answer questions from different viewpoints. Also, technology is a great aid in helping students become connected socially/ globally. We are a cultural melting pot and we can learn and share so many ideas through the utilization of computers and other technological devices. Schools can now literally bring other worlds into individual classrooms and embrace a wide range of diversity. Through the implementation of the above listed methods, I believe students can learn a lot about themselves, but in return they may also explore the perceptions of others in the process. I agree with McCarthy who states, “When students address concepts from diverse perspectives, especially in collaborative groups, it can lead to in-depth understanding.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract for my upcoming final project:
Sheryl-
I enjoyed your comment about how important design is to medical facilities. When studying interior design, I often researched how color theory, spatial layout, lighting/ambiance, etc. all plays a huge role in emotion and mood. I hope that more schools will begin to see how important art and design is. Like Pink I believe it gives students a chance to “enhance their ability to solve problems, understand others, and appreciate the world around them.” It’s scary to think about how much problem-solving and creativity will be lacking in STEM schools. Kaj- I think there are many benefits in attending a school like CHAD. For instance, the problem solving that is going on within classes is guiding students towards a more choice-based, open ended way of learning which drives home the idea of unique solutions. Not only are students using textbooks, but they are learning how to put hands-on design skills into action. As someone who learns by doing and making, I can appreciate that! Also, I love that the students are getting 100 minutes of design/art enrichment every day. The school isn’t just applying design projects within core classes. Whether or not art is always the magic wand in helping students stay in school and raising achievement scores, I’m not sure we can prove. What is clear is that test scores and attendance among CHAD students have shown drastic improvement. Whatever CHAD is doing, they must be doing it right!!! Intro
My first undergraduate degree centered on design. I studied within many multidisciplinary courses (interior design, architecture, fashion/merchandising, graphic design, etc.) and ended up majoring in Housing and Design. Studying within this field meant understanding how humans and their environments interconnect and trying to create new innovations that might better way of life. I began to see how recycling could be a part of architectural structures and improve sustainability. I studied how synthetic materials such as faux furs and leathers could become more humane choices in fashion. I explored the ways digital design could open up doors for those who were physically handicapped. In other words, the big focus was on creating things that moved beyond basic function. Interdisciplinary Design I ended up with a minor in art (and eventually became a post-bac student who majored in Art Ed) and often saw the overlaps occurring as I dabbled in both. However, this week I have really begun to think about the ways both Art and Design are both alike and different. I agree with Claire Gallagher from the CHAD school who says, “Design is interdisciplinary. We’re producing people who can think holistically.” (Pink, pg. 72). Interdisciplinary connections are definitely a part of both design and art as we see how seemingly unrelated things parallel (pinging back to Pink’s symphony). Recently, Tim Gunn spoke at the 2015 NAEA convention and he stressed the importance of digging deeper and looking for the overlaps that occur in design. He even said to a clothing guru once, “fashion is like sculpture for the body.” The fashion connoisseur’s reply is what struck me as he said “no!” The designer began to clarify that design was not like sculpting. He said that a sculptor has the ability to intrinsically produce a work of art that is simply a means of expression, something meant just for him alone. The difference is that a designer produces work for the masses. They think about what the client’s needs are, what the new trends will be for the upcoming season, how the public will respond to the new line, and the cost of production. Since this keynote, I have been thinking about how STEAM classes operate. My biggest concern is that design is being treated as a supplement to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Art projects may be incorporated in these classes, but I worry that there is a lacking intrapersonal relationship between what the artist/designer is creating and what they are creating. Form That Doesn’t Follow Function We’ve come a long way since Louis Sullivan’s viewpoint (and many 20th century modernists) that “form ever follows function.” Today, when you see an innovative design, you may not know what its purpose is until you start to familiarize yourself with it. Take for instance, the iPod Shuffle. It is simply a small, sleek, box that is adorned with a clip. Who would have fathomed that it could stockpile and play an excessive amount of songs? It doesn’t look like a jukebox or radio and yet it functions similarly….just on a much more advanced level. What I’m noticing about most new innovative design is that little element of surprise. People like an element of mystery. It intrigues them! It’s as if we need the challenge and the “wow factor” to give products a creative flair. Here are a few quotes that I think kind of tie into this concept: “Look for a nugget of information that you think no one else will discover.” ~Tim Gunn “Good design is a renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need, and beauty to produce something that the world didn’t know it was missing.” ~Paola Antonelli John Maeda, software designer and president of the Rhode Island School of Design, believes that our current “awkward mechanical dance” with computers will be replaced by an intuitive approach. “It will need to be more improvisational,” he said. “There will be a need for more subtlety and grayness.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/arts/01iht-DESIGN1.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0) |
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May 2015
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