My Virtual Field Trip
I am quite happy with the final "trip". My idea behind the trip was to have students in 4th and 5th grades interact with the file in Google Earth BEFORE we study the highlighted cultures. This will provide students with a background on each culture and allow them to discuss aspects of each in class in more depth. The students could access the file either in school or at home(at home will be encouraged). Since there is a lot of information we will view the trip in chunks before each culture is introduced. This can happen over the first couple weeks of school. Students finished early with a project can go to the computer lab and access the information. Ultimately this will save time in a class where I only see them once every 6 days.
The cultures we have highlighted are the Cuna Indians of South America, Asante People of Ghana West Africa, Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land, Australia, and the Japanese craftsman of Tokyo, Japan. Each culture is one that we study in art class throughout the year. I have included mini projects in each place mark that differ from the projects we complete in class. I think that this will give the students a deeper understanding and appreciation for each individual culture. I have also focused the video clips I have included to review different aspects and customs of each culture - not just art and artifacts.
Students can continue to develop their ethical and respectful minds by becoming aware of global cultures. Understanding and compassion stem from familiarity with global issues and conditions. By learning how different cultures live and thrive, students can develop a respect and understanding of the different cultures they come in contact with everyday. Tolerance is not enough. Understanding, collaboration, and acceptance come from an ethical and respectful approach to treating all people with dignity. As an art teacher I try to point out the similarities between other cultures and my students. By the same token we celebrate the differences as unique points of interest and creative expression essential to all people.
Google Earth provides an excellent way to provide a more "concrete" experience when studying distant cultures. The ability to embed video, text, audio and assessments are great features of this powerful program. Although I will admit it took me more time to learn than any of the other tools that we used. That will not inhibit me from using it in the future.
From a student perspective this is a great opportunity to really become globally aware. That is so important in Art class, social studies, Language Arts, and other subjects that reference "culture". Students can't help but develop respectful and ethical approaches to learning and inquiry as Google Earth provides a highly motivational and interactive environment in which to explore the world.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Respectful and Ethical Minds
Since I began teaching in 1995 I have taught in 5 different schools encompassing grades K - 8. In that time I have held true to my strongest belief: When kids speak, listen to them. Take them seriously and treat them with respect and dignity. I pride myself on treating ALL students and parents this way. I find that this attitude is reciprocal. Respect is something you learn through upbringing, modeling and schooling. When kids see and feel respect, they return respect.
To be good at anything you must pursue it wholeheartedly and honestly. My Mother always said, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well". Ethical behavior is an understanding of one's greater role in a profession and as a citizen of a global society. My personal definitions of these "minds" as Gardner refers to them are important because this is how I deliver them in my daily teaching. I am respectful and build a community within my classroom everyday. My ethical treatment of students and subject matter are important in helping students to form their own respectful and ethical views of the world.
Art education is a wonderful vehicle to examine the differences and similarities among global cultures. We search for the meaning behind what makes cultural ceremonies, legends, adornments, artifacts and artworks contextually important. In an effort to be respectful we study all cultures with the same level of inquiry and acceptance. By examining what substantive practices make cultures unique, we can develop our ethical minds in an attempt to identify with similarities and differences in our own society. I always ask students the question after we study a culture unfamiliar to them, "How long do you think it would take someone from that culture to learn EVERYTHING you need to know to live in America?" My goal by asking this question is to help students develop an understanding and empathetic response to the plight of a newcomer to our society, school or neighborhood.
Julene Reed's article takes this notion one step further and suggests reaching out to create a collaborative learning experience with other cultures. Her goal of creating Global Citizens and Global Education can be realized more readily with the advent and advancement of digital media. I have learned in this class how easy it is to communicate with people from different parts of my own culture. All while recognizing, accepting and building on different beliefs and opinions within our own subgroup. Reed suggests that knowledge of other cultures leads to understanding and compassion. This in turn helps cultivate respectful and ethical students willing to take action to recognize and help solve global issues.
My initial thoughts are to create an online art gallery of student work and exchange email or blog addresses with a foreign culture and spend time corresponding and forging relationships. A Wiki or blog could be a great tool for this application. The two parties could progress to
video conferencing via webcams and podcasting. Through the exchange of artistic products and ideas students could begin to understand and form relationships with other cultures.
More specifically, students could create a self-portrait that depicts important aspects of their life. I am thinking a GLOG would be perfect for this application. Students could embed audio files (poems, quotes, a day in the life, songs) that are important to them. Images could be a pictorial representation of their current life. Students would also be required to upload images of personal artwork and perhaps a short introductory video and tour of their favorite place to socialize. Students could use first names only as a means of security OR enable viewing for only the corresponding institution. This virtual self-portrait would allow great depth of mutual understanding and enable students to begin to build global relationships.
To be good at anything you must pursue it wholeheartedly and honestly. My Mother always said, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well". Ethical behavior is an understanding of one's greater role in a profession and as a citizen of a global society. My personal definitions of these "minds" as Gardner refers to them are important because this is how I deliver them in my daily teaching. I am respectful and build a community within my classroom everyday. My ethical treatment of students and subject matter are important in helping students to form their own respectful and ethical views of the world.
Art education is a wonderful vehicle to examine the differences and similarities among global cultures. We search for the meaning behind what makes cultural ceremonies, legends, adornments, artifacts and artworks contextually important. In an effort to be respectful we study all cultures with the same level of inquiry and acceptance. By examining what substantive practices make cultures unique, we can develop our ethical minds in an attempt to identify with similarities and differences in our own society. I always ask students the question after we study a culture unfamiliar to them, "How long do you think it would take someone from that culture to learn EVERYTHING you need to know to live in America?" My goal by asking this question is to help students develop an understanding and empathetic response to the plight of a newcomer to our society, school or neighborhood.
Julene Reed's article takes this notion one step further and suggests reaching out to create a collaborative learning experience with other cultures. Her goal of creating Global Citizens and Global Education can be realized more readily with the advent and advancement of digital media. I have learned in this class how easy it is to communicate with people from different parts of my own culture. All while recognizing, accepting and building on different beliefs and opinions within our own subgroup. Reed suggests that knowledge of other cultures leads to understanding and compassion. This in turn helps cultivate respectful and ethical students willing to take action to recognize and help solve global issues.
My initial thoughts are to create an online art gallery of student work and exchange email or blog addresses with a foreign culture and spend time corresponding and forging relationships. A Wiki or blog could be a great tool for this application. The two parties could progress to
video conferencing via webcams and podcasting. Through the exchange of artistic products and ideas students could begin to understand and form relationships with other cultures.
More specifically, students could create a self-portrait that depicts important aspects of their life. I am thinking a GLOG would be perfect for this application. Students could embed audio files (poems, quotes, a day in the life, songs) that are important to them. Images could be a pictorial representation of their current life. Students would also be required to upload images of personal artwork and perhaps a short introductory video and tour of their favorite place to socialize. Students could use first names only as a means of security OR enable viewing for only the corresponding institution. This virtual self-portrait would allow great depth of mutual understanding and enable students to begin to build global relationships.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)