CONTENTS OF 5101

On my Blog please find details on the following:

> Curriculuim Vitae

> Childrens Craft Workshop at Melbicks Garden & Leisure (diary entry format)

> Artist Interview with Jackie Mock

> PGCE sessions from BCU (diary entry format)

> Secondary School Placement at The CTC Kingshurst Academy, two days so far (diary entry format)

> Interviews at the School of Art, Magaret Street (diary entry format)

> Train to Teach Roadshow 2013, provided by the Department of Education & the Teaching Agency (diary entry format)

> Girl Guiding Publications & Communications Department based in London (diary entry format)

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In my presentation folder please find further details on:

> Curriculuim Vitae

> Artist Interview with Jackie Mock

> My own Lesson plan for a Year 9 Textiles class in responce to my Secondary School Placement at The CTC Kingshurst Academy

> My leaflets and collected information from the Train to Teach Roadshow 2013, provided by the Department of Education & the Teaching Agency

> My response to the placement at Girl Guidings Publications & Communications Department - IPad publication (found on blog) and mini leaflet (found in presentation folder)

When a plan comes together

A RAT, MAGPIE & PIGEON

 

 

 

 

 

I then started to do some photographs of of specimens at different angles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then played around with the rat wearing each bird as we discussed in tutorials

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really didnt like the fact that each bird in turn was just lying on top of the rat just lifeless and all it simply was, was a dead bird on the back of a rat. With this in mind i decided to play around with the separate elements of the birds...

 

 

  

 

 

I then made some drawings of what i thought would be success in stead of just having it in my head!

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to go with a crown style head piece (taking inspiration from previous research into tribal head wear). I used 2 magpie feet, 1 pigeon foot, one half of the magpies beak, a plume of feathers from underneath the pigeons wing & some thread. I also used super glue and a hot glue gun to attach it all together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then decided on a cape form for the wings, instead of just sticking the wings onto the body of the rat.

This element stems from the idea of having 'fairy wings' as a costume - but i wanted to make it more of a disguise so i opted for a cape.

 

I made the cape from a scrappy piece of material - so this isnt all taxidermy (which was thought to have been holding me back) so i experimented and it worked!

 

I then sewed a seam around the top wear the thread goes as like a harness

 

 

 

 

 

So as The rat stands at the moment... 

 

 

I used the whole body of the pigeon stuck onto the cape (minus the pigeon wings and the feet etc) I think it compliments the specimen very well as the colours are accurate - much more than what my testers where made out of (the grey feathers that were pre-died one colour) You cannot buy the beauty of the natural feathers!

As i went along with the idea i faced some constraints -

 

> certain items needed super glue and didnt work with other adhesives

> the angle of the head piece was debated several times - ontop of the head or the final way of lying on top of the head like a helmet rather than a hat

> some items needed more than scissors to cut

> I needed a certain amount of wire to ensure that certain items stayed in place

> I needed to have patience and concentrate on the details as the end piece will hopefully be a really nice photograph or series of

> I am in two minds whether to use the spare pigeon wings as 'another' costume - maybe keep in with the humorous element and attach them onto a scaled hanger?

> The next big step is to develop my sewer - i have brought trays for water so it is just a case of trial and error - what works best

 

P.O.A from now

 

> develop simulated sewer

> develop outcome for display options are as follows

 

1. photo & specimen

2. just the specimen

3. just the photograph

4. A series of photographs

5. same as 4 but with the specimen along side

6. a video (my original idea)

7. a stop motion animation

8. do i have the specimen physically there or not?

9. do i include the alternative pigeon costume for humour

 

> evaluate in depth

> continue to reflect on the breadth of research

Inside a drain

Today I started to make my simulated sewer/ drain from cardboard. You wont actually see whats its made from in the final piece its more of a simulation as i want in theory a photo/ video of the rat hybrid undernealth - so as ive been doing my research the light source will be above and then inside would be water reflections. I plan to do this/ recreate this by the drain slots in the cardboard and then use a tray of water inside.

Ive taken pictures of drains ive came across.

 

I have also dug out a video of inside our drain under the house from when we first moved in.

 

 

 

Taxidermy Update

Ok so here are a few shots of  my Russian Blue (grey) rat. I had help with the taxidermy and therefore didnt get chance to photograph the process. I chose to have him in a standing position as this seem more plausible instead of having him lying down. It is also very much an active pose.

I cant wait to get experimenting with my pigeon as well. Im in two minds whether to make it so that the rat is wearing the pigeon or the pigeon is apart of the rats anatomy. This is something that very much relies on tomorrow and Thursday (the days where i can fully sit down and get started without interruptions/ arrangements

 

 

 

Girlguiding Publication for IPad

So as explained on an earlier post I have decided to create a publication for Girlguiding to showcase all that I learnt during my placement. There was so much to understand and abide by as there are quite a few rules about colours, logos, font and style. I used the guideline given to me and used a professional software call indesign.

 

I have made it into an electronic ibook for IPad and have videoed it all in action. Please find photos, a video (LINK TO VIMEO) and working-in-process photos too...

 

I think it works really well as i have used the appropriate colours, the right content for the appropriate audience which is for women of all ages to get into Guiding themselves or for their daughters/ female relative. Because I used InDesign it allowed me to create vector shapes and text that doesnt pixelate - perfect for use on an Apple IPad! As most of the polulation communicate through the internet on tablets and computers. This would be a downloadable PDF/ iBook that you could get from the Guiding website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO LINK TO VIMEO

 

Train to Teach Roadshow

 

Today i went to a 'Train to Teach' Roadshow at the Millenium Point in Birmingham. It was organised by the Department of Education and the Teaching Agency.

The day started with a presentation to give some background knowledge into teaching and all the important information on salary and paths/ routes to take before and after training and how to get that imperrative 'QTS' (Qualified teaching status)

 

I learnt a great deal from the day and it has really given me an insight to a plan B as well as ensuring my plan A!

 

The path that sticks out for me, and the one i think woulds suit me best would be to do a PGCE (Post graduate certificate of education) and what makes it even better is that BCU do it! The leaflet below is one that was given to me by the BCU rep.

 

 

 

I also learnt more about the application process -

 

> instead of UCAS it GTTR

> you have to write a personal statement

> you have 4 choices

> you have to provide a portfolio of GSCE, BTEC/A LEVEL, DEGREE, and POST DEGREE work

> you have to pass the skills tests in maths and english which will sit alongside my application

> I have to apply for september 2014 this sept-dec

> Providers wont even look at the application if you dont have classroom experience before hand

 

I took part in the application clinic as well which is a sign up session lasting 15 mintute with a mentor for the teaching agency. They went trough with me how to write and taylor my personal statement to make my application stronger.

 

My Guiding experience is also benefical to my aplication and everytime i mentioned it to the appropriate person a little smile was raised on their face!

 

My target is to now get a 2:1 at least in my degree and start revising for these skills tests.I have brought the following resource...

 

 

PROSPECTIVE

For the collaboration part of this module I am working with three peers of mine. Initially I wanted to do an exhibition in the school I am at however this didn't materialise because of the fact I wasn't working with anyone from the course - I was collaborating outside and not with anyone. Another constraint was time, as it is ever present in anything anyone does this was more the case in the situation. With the schools and university being closed over Easter this was proving more and more difficult the more I tried to organise it with people.

 

Stephanie, Zoe & Kelly are in the group as well and we've spent time brainstorming - and we have finalised an idea of creating an online platform in the form of a blog that consists of online interviews from artists in different fields.

 

From photography to craft, from illustration to textiles we want to aim to cater for all. The aim is to provide questions and answers that would appeal to post and undergraduates in creative fields. Questions on how the artists got to where they are today, if failure motivates them and other useful questions about routes they took and what they would advise.

 

We have decided to call it PROSPECTIVE because of the definition of it meaning the future events =

 

definition of PROSPECTIVE:

(of a person) Expected or expecting to be something particular in the future.

Likely to happen at a future date; concerned with or applying to the future.

 

we have also decided on a very clean cut layout that is simple and easy to navigate around. The labels on the right offer direct searches for particular artists.

 

PRO SPEC TIVE (link)

 

 

P.O.A

 

the plan from now is to contact artists with questions and blog the results appropriately

 

we should also think about advertising this blog - maybe online, social networking and possibly stickers? leaflets? cards?

 

 

 

 

Academy Day 2

Today I spent my second day at a local secondary school. I attended a year 8 class, a year 9 textiles class, a year 12 fashion class and then helped with the technician for the rest of the afternoon.

 

I saw first hand the 'Behaviour 1,2,3' rule as a student was given three warnings and then was sent to another classroom as they were continuously disrupting the lesson. Once the lesson was over the teacher retained the student afterwards which was the students break time. The student expressed that he hated the way they 'were always picked on' and that 'its not fair'. The teacher then sat down and asked the student -

 

when was the last time you handed in homework?

when was the last time you sat down and got on with the classroom tasks without shouting across the classroom?

when was the last time you were on time to my lesson?

when was the last time you had a 'ready to learn' attitude?

 

the student could not answer the above and looked quite ashamed of their own behaviour. They then realised what he had done to deserved to be told off continuously and why they were 'being picked on'

 

The teacher continued to sit down and listened to what they had to say and then asked how there could be a way around not shouting his name and 'nagging' them all the time. The solution was to go on 'lesson report' which is a report that is kept inside the students planner so that the parents and other teachers can see. The report has 3 targets on and if the student doesn't achieve the targets in that lesson then more serious consequences will be chosen appropriately. The student then apologised to the teacher and a phone call home was made to the students parents as this was something that wasn't just happening as a one off - this scenario was happening every week.

 

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Another thing that i learnt was about differentiation

 

Differentiate = To make different by alteration or modification

 

There is a student in the year 8 class that is a ballroom dancer. At the start of the year when the teacher started teaching this particular class they couldn't understand why this particular student was so fidgety and constantly moving whilst he was sitting at a lower table. (note - this classroom has a couple of tables that have average seats that are average height but then the rest of the tables are higher and need stools) The teacher then found out that this student was a Ballroom dancer and was at their happiest when dancing. This initial behaviour of this student was down to the dancing forte and not down to being 'naughty' or 'disruptive' it was simply down to their make-up. As a result the teacher changed the seating plan to accommodate this students needs - they are working so much more effectively now they are standing up on a higher table and not sitting down.

 

This taught me a valuable lesson in the fact that this teacher had looked past the fact that his wasn't just 'naughty' behaviour this was down to something that could be solved through a seating plan.

 

I learnt a great deal through both of these cases and I too, one day will help and encourage young people to be creative as this teacher is already doing!

 

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I have also devised a half term plan of a lesson for a year 9 textiles class. This sadly cannot be completed for real as the teachers have already mapped out and planned until the end of term. This will appear in a separate post.

 

 

 

 NOTE- THE USE OF 'THEY' IS TO ENSURE THE STUDENTS REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND RELATE TO A SINGLE STUDENT NOT 'THEY' AS A GROUP OF STUDENTS.

Interviews for new level 4s in September

Interviews at Margaret Street

Today I helped through the interview process for this Septembers intake. We had morning and afternoon sessions and the interviews were in different  formats, the morning sessions were individual one to one with a tutor (and myself) in separate rooms or shared rooms so that there was 2 people being interviewed in one space, and then in the afternoon as some applicants didnt show so the tutors doubled up so there was 2 tutors + me + the applicant.

The first applicant was pleasantly confident and explained their work and answered questions effectively. they showed Independence through their work and demonstrated their skills and techniques. They brought a portfolio and sketchbook, they were offered a space.

Another applicant however brought the same volume but the work wasnt the same standard. The applicant was more suited to the foundation course as they still wanted to explore their practise and as a result they were declined for the BA but they offered them a place on Foundation.

Today was extremely interesting to see about what it is like to take a tutor role at higher education. I have been to a secondary school and i am going again on Friday so it is very useful to see how tutors at university are and how tutors at sixth form and key stages 3&4 are, how different and at the same time how similar they are.

Im really pleased that i signed up for today as i have learnt so much in terms of professional practise but it has also been insightful to see on a student basis and its been exciting to be on the interview team and to have an input.

Tutorial feedback (18-03-13)

Tutorial feedback (18-03-13)

> Narrative
> why is the pigeon / rat dressed up
> always check equipment before presentations (this was an unfortunate error as it my CD didnt work on mac but did at home on my pc)
> idea of taxidermy could be holding me back
> look at the map of Monday
> Hold onto the dark humor/ comical essence
> dont just use real animals
> more clarity on the task/ outcome
> photograph and experiment

> sculpy - use foil inside to make it lighter
> paper mache (already completed on larger head)
> look at Spartacus Chetwynd
> how important is the illusion of the creature being really exhisting
> how important is it that the materials are dead animals?
> think about the mix of natural and man-made materials
> think about the horror element
> the comical aspect is strong

Inside the classroom

SOURCE

 

Walter Potter (mentioned in previous posts) is one of the most famous, successful taxidermy in history. I really like this piece as my aspiration in life is to become a secondary school teacher and encourage students to for fill their potential and be creative as possible! I thought it was quite apt to share for both professional practise and negotiated.

In hindsight i would have really liked to have included key stage 3&4 somehow into my puppet project but alas it too late in the game to tailor it to that with Easter slap-bang in the middle of the project - ts already proving difficult. This is already a constraint that i have to overcome and work through.

Taxidermy gone wrong!

I came across this article on Daily Mail online. It showcases very good examples of unsuccessful taxidermy. I thought it was very beneficial to my research so that i can see how its not done! the eyes and mouths are noticeably bad, and the expression of some of the animals is just shocking - i really want to avoid this in my project and hopefully i will do the hybrid justice!

 

 

"One user failed to see the comic value of the amateur taxidermists who make a mockery of many dead beasts, that are butchered and left looking incredibly deranged. He said  'There is something very creepy when taxidermy is done badly."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014186/Taxidermy-animals-gone-wrong.html#ixzz2Nc7rcqw0
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

Taxidermy Rabbit Stop-Motion animation

This was a really interesting clip on Youtube of a interpretation of 'Alice in Wonderland' originally written by Lewis Caroll. It was very fascinating how the rabbit scenes were all in stop motion animation as it is a taxidermy rabbit and then the scenes that the rabbit isnt in are just filmed naturally. I thought it related well to my project as i will be practising this for my animation part of my puppet project. Unfortunately this video is no longer available. However I still found it incredibly useful and inspiring. This has given me something else to consider.

 

 

 

Girlguiding Publications Report

I think it would be a waste of knowledge if i didnt put what i learnt last Friday during my time in the publications and design team at Girlguiding HQ.

 

I started today working on Indesign on a A5 zine/ publication about the information and guidelines that the department follows. I followed the guidelines and used the appropriate colours and themes. I am yet to finish it but today i made a start.

 

 

I have scanned in an example of a publication that i particularly like that was given out last year. Ive done the cover and then the introduction page.

Notice -

• the distinct block style
• the raspberry pink and guiding blue colour scheme
• the Trebuchet typeface
• the clear, precise structure of text, blocks of text
• colours of typeface on certain backgrounds