Today was my first placement at the local secondary school. I completed 7 hours today (8am-3pm)
I started by joining a year 8 class for the first lesson. This was very different to what I remember. The lessons consisted of different aspects. The lessons lasted from 8.40-9.30am.
8.40am - students are welcomed in after lining up outside sensibly
8.45am - after all students had placed all equipment out the on their desks, Mrs Elwell explained and described the first task. (They had already started the topic before half term)
THE FIRST TASK
This was a group/ table task that consisted of four different examples of perspective scenes. They had to cut out the words/ key terms and stick it to the laminated examples. The words were as follows - horizontal line, vertical line, vanishing point, parallel lines and a few others. They had to show they were capable in working as a team to achieve the maximum result. Then as a class Mrs Elwell asked a couple of students to write on the white board (with the projection of an example) and to write the right terminology in response to it.
8.50am - Next they were set on an individual task
THE SECOND TASK
This was set as an individual task which consisted of a small A5 worksheet with a 2D house shape on it with a set vanishing point. The aim of this task was to make the house ‘3 Dimensional’ and to appear with ‘perspective’.
9am - The next step was to be set the main task for the lesson. Before they were set this Mrs Elwell showed the class examples of previous works by other students and what level they achieved by the grading criteria. She shown the class level, 3,4,5 example and it was clear to see the difference and I think that the students understood this as well.
THE MAIN TASK
This was to be completed on 1 sheet of A4 paper, students are required to mark their own vanishing point and horizon etc and make a street scene. And then eventually add paint/ colour.
The students were then prompted to start when I handed out the paper. Some students showed initiative and a handful was clearly showing higher than average capabilities – one student did a three-point vanishing point which caught my eye. Others on the other hand shrugged off task and needed some encouragement several times throughout the lesson.
9.25am – students were reminded throughout the last ten/ fifteen minutes that we will be finishing it for today so they knew how long they had left. At 9.25am the students were asked to join the biggest table and bring their work over. The discussion consisted of areas if what people found hard, what they found easy, how they could overcome and solve their challenges. They also had a group crit, this meant that students were able to say ‘what was good & not so good’ about their peers’ work. During this time Mrs Elwell spotted one particular student who wasn’t listening or paying attention. I saw first hand the ‘Discipline 1,2,3’ principal in place.
After this task students were prompted to put there equipment away and to help Mrs Elwell & I to collect the sheets and recourse's up. They then had to stand behind their chairs and then tables had the opportunity to go to their next lesson if they answered a simple task question, for example “name a term associated with perspective” and answer like “vanishing point” would suffice.
The Academy promotes a discipline 1,2,3 rule where students are given 3 warnings and then immediate consequences in a result of persistent misbehaviour.
They also have a ‘R.E.C.I.P.E.’ for attitudes & actions for successful learning. Teachers use this a rewarding system and a basis for behaviour. Please see below -
Today was very interesting in terms of seeing what procedures they have in place and the grades that the students work towards. It also gave me a very good insight of being a teacher and living an average day as a teacher. On the basis of today i would still very much like to become an art teacher and encourage younger generations the importance of being creative. The teachers were lovely and answered any queries i had towards the placement and the career alike.