aboutIn January 2015 I began my first senior semester at Colorado State University. During this semester I was enrolled in Dr. Patrick Fahey’s Concepts in Art Education (Art 325) course; an exceptionally challenging course. The course syllabus states, “The intent of this course is to introduce students to concepts of how artistic learning occurs in children, adolescents, and adults-including special populations. Additionally, students will investigate how these concepts shaped art education practice in the past and how it continues to influence current pedagogical practice. This class is meant to provide a foundation for later course work in art education and K-12 art teaching.”
One aspect of the course, Service Learning, provided the opportunity for us to work with high school and adult populations with disabilities in the classroom. I had the pleasure of working with an organization called Community Connections. We met on scheduled Wednesdays from 12:30 – 2:00pm beginning in February and extending to April. Community Connections is a program designed for students with developmental disabilities through the Poudre School District, in which the goal is to prepare students to live fulfilling lives as adults. It was my responsibility, as the “student teacher” to create lesson plans tailored to the student(s) I was working with and reflect on the experience in a journal entry which was shared with my fellow classmates and professor. As a beginning teacher this course provided me with a broad foundation of understanding regarding art education. In this course we examined art education from multiple perspectives. For example, we discussed theories of learning and teaching, we discussed developmentally appropriate experiences, the role of art education within the larger sphere of education, the role of the teacher as well as the purpose of art education to the student. This course, through the service learning aspect, also provided a foundation of experience in the classroom where I played the role of the teacher. Through my interactions with my student, lesson planning and reflections this course provided me with a basic understanding of what my role as the teacher is to my students as well as practical experience working through the challenges that arise in the classroom and working with disabled students. |
AUTHOR
Tiffany Trotter is a senior Art Education student at Colorado State University. Originally from the Cayman Islands, Trotter now resides in Fort Collins, Colorado. Within the field of art her chosen medium and area of concentration is painting and she is recently completing her capstone show. The current focus of Trotter's art making is climate change, sustainability and endangered species, issues which she is very passionate about. Trotter's main passion however is education, she believes whole-heartedly in the power of education and its ability to change the lives of students, their families and communities. Trotter looks forward to working with her own students in the future and is considering pursuing a Master's degree focusing on special needs education or art therapy. |