Today was the day of my field trip. The kids were really excited and they got to see some really awesome things. I have been so consumed by the hreb stuff and it was nice to see it pay off, and be approved the day before we went. I had the students photograph and email the pictures to me. I’m going to start graphing and noting what they photograph, and tomorrow, we are going to start to draw from these images. We were even given pieces of palette to draw on. The Green Palette wants them back to make a communal art piece with them. So far things, are going well. I’m busy, but I’m excited to start logging data and get to the finish line. Here are some images that the kids took. They liked both business’s, but I think they got different things from both. 
Category Archives: Memos
Memo 3- Lindsay W.
I currently am in the process of getting ready for my next visit to MoMA- this includes looking more at exhibitions that are on display and preparing questions to address in my next visit. I only got to go to MoMA once in March unfortunately, but I am planning on going back there at last 3-4 more times by June. Doing the 2nd visualization really got me thinking about specific observations to make/keep note of while I am at the museum and that has certainly helped in preparing me for my next visit.I am continuing to use photographs as direct observations, but am planning on visually tracking my observations while actually at MoMA.
I am also continuing to utilize the digital resources offered by MoMA and looking closer at specific ways pedagogy is based. I have found in particular that when teaching educators, MoMA encourages inquiry-based learning through open-ended questions and room for interpretation. Yet at the same time, I have also found some descriptions at the physical site of MoMA that give direct information about the work/artist and that is leading me to consider the role that inquiry-based learning has and in what type of environment it should be offered (in a formal, educator-led setting or a casual, open setting for everyday viewers). It certainly leads to thinking more about my own pedagogic approaches and when I utilize specific learning techniques/approaches versus when I do not.
Memo 3- April 3rd
I’ve been moving along with my research in my sketchbook. I have spring break coming up next week and just spent the last weekend by myself in Massachusetts painting and journaling. Its a very different experience when you are alone. Recently, I painted at a friends house and she asked “How do you do that?!” when she watched me paint. I responded with “I don’t know! It’s almost as if my brain shuts off because you’re here.” Other people distract me, they occupy my thoughts unintentionally. I can still paint, but I was painting from an image. So this was different. When I’m painting something new or from my imagination, I can’t talk to anyone. They can’t be around because I can’t separate the thoughts. They can’t be organized. Kind of like when I try to do math in my mind. It gets jumbled up and I get flustered. That’s one thing I’ve noticed since spending the weekend by myself. When creating my own paintings, I need to be alone. When recreating an image, I can still focus when other are near me or talking to me because I see it, I don’t need to visualize it. I’ve also been very stressed out lately, which got me in a painting funk. I didn’t want to create anything. But the temperature is rising and I just need to be outside!!!
Memo 2 Melissa
So I realized that I did not write my second memo correctly. I have been writing down notes that were due, but I lost my cell phone with my calendar in a bucket of water on my art cart. So please disregard the second memo I posted earlier. My research has hit some issues. I spoke with Kevin the other day, I realized the area in which I am trying to cover is too vast. I need to cut down the research area of the southeast quadrant of Rochester to the lower section of the southeast quadrant. I walked one of the neighborhoods with one f my best friends. It took us a little over two hours. There is approximately 46 in the southeast quadrant of Rochester. As we were walking I was talking pictures of visual culture under the labels, statements, graffiti, murals, signs, or flags. I have drawn maps of the neighborhoods that I am making marks to label the locations. 
Memo 2- Lindsay W.
So far, I have been looking primarily at the digital resources available from the museum and looking close at the approaches that museum takes through these resources. One resource in particular has been the online course Art & Inquiry: Museum Teaching Strategies for your Classroom (offered through Coursera). It not only gives me a direct experience of MoMA’s pedagogic approach/practice, but also provides me with numerous ways to consider utilizing such practices in my own pedagogical approach and how that may affect the way my students learn. I am planning after this course to look into another course about interactive strategies to engage with art.
I have also been particularly interested to see the lessons and slide show presentations that are offered by MoMA through their side-site, MoMA Learning. By looking carefully at how their lessons are designed, that right there is a direct indication of their pedagogic approach and makes for an interesting comparison to my own lessons. It serves as both inspiration for lesson ideas, but also makes me consider the approaches made by both myself and the museum.
I am planning on physically going to MoMA this weekend, and hopefully the next two weekends, to make direct physical observations and attend further exhibitions/events in person. I am really looking forward to really being able to explore the space and see what I am able to take away from the experiences I have at the museum itself.
Memo 2
For the latest push in my research I just sent out my first set of emails to some local businesses so we’ll see what happens. I have been working with my students on cropping information to create abstractions that also might tell us about a certain place.
This research has raised some questions about our current state of education that I didn’t realize it would. I introduced this project and the fact that we are going to go on some feild trips and some of my students became hesitant. Which I never would have expected. They felt that they couldn’t miss a day of school because than they would have to miss the work that was given in class. I never had this type of pressure before and I was so surprised that this had happened. I never remember not wanting to go on a feild trip.
This week, I am going to hand out my pre-assessment form asking the students perspectives on their community and I’m both nervous and excited to see the results.
Another thing that I think will aid my research is all of the amazing lectures that I had seen this past week at the NAEA 2017 convention. I will be posting links soon!
Memo 2- March 6th
I was able to focus a lot on painting and my process over my week-long winter break. It was so nice. I made a point to go outside to a park every morning right when I woke up and painted for an hour or two. I began every session by journaling for a half hour. The days were warm, some were cold, but overall it was a really awesome experience. One day, I wasn’t able to get to the park in the morning because of an appointment but I went later in the day. There were more people than ever before because it was later in the day and I hated it! I felt watched! People were very interested and asked me questions about my art and why I was out.
I also started to leave my paintings there. I wrote a message on the back of the paintings asking for them to be taken home to enjoy. It was interesting that people were hesitant to take them home. After the first few days, people came up to me and asked if I was the one leaving paintings around. Someone even took a picture of the first painting I left and was upset that someone else took it because she wanted it. It was cool! People said they would keep coming back to the park in hopes of finding one of my paintings to take home for themselves!
In terms of place, it was cool that this park allowed me to get outside and paint, and that the people in the place were inspired and motivated to come back because of the hidden art. I would like to keep hiding paintings in public places, just for fun, but it was a cool outcome to my initial research of getting outside and painting in different places.
Melissa Mizerak Memo 1 February 6th
My research has taken a slight turn from the original plan that I had discussed in my presentation over the winter session. I was looking into the bus schedules and found major resistance and road blocks. With that said, I have decided to still travel the roads, but I will do every road within the radius of both School 12 and School 28; taking note where murals and graffiti are located. The radius will be based off data that I collect from http://www.cityofrochester.gov. I have been looking into the city’s main website to get guidelines on neighborhood zoning. I have also been looking into which zones my schools embody; thus, keeping in mind that we have a lottery system in the district. I will then proceed to show the images to local shop and community members. I was going to give them printed images with questions. I will ask that they respond to the questions via paper or internet (assuming not everyone has internet access). Or if I can personally record responses if they do not have time to write. I will also incorporate student responses. I will show them the images, and then I will record the responses via written or recorded documentation. If I do recording, it will not be video but just audio. I have begun the HREB process. The application is very intimidating. I fear being concise might be an issue, since I feel as though my research is having many “hiccups” already at this point. Overall, I am excited for the art part of the research. I think it is actually starting to bring a little clarity to the process. The writing seems to cause me to slow down with my thoughts and rethink things. I am trying to do both at the same time.
Memo 1- Lindsay W.
I continue to look into how museums impact art education, and vice versa. I also am continuing to look into the concept of accessibility for visitors of a museum. For the museum that I will be focusing on, I have narrowed it down and have decided to focus in on MoMA. While it is an extremely well known institution, I feel that that can contribute to my research and better allow for me to see the transitions and change in approaches that it has and continues to utilize. I am already a little familiar with some of the outreach programs and teaching opportunities offered by MoMA but I still need to look more into the programs offered by the museum. In the next couple of weeks, I hope to be able to find out more information and visit the museum to take specific notes on the set up/space of the museum and how the visitors are either encouraged or discouraged in their visitation. These notes will comprise of observations both written and photographic. I also will investigate into the various programs offered by the museum and have considered also looking into specific individuals that have played a role in the museum’s educational department, noting key differences in approaches and programs enacted under their supervision (I am still unsure of this part of the research). Again, with being such a well known institution, I am more likely to find more visible signs of change that have been enacted over the years in their teaching approaches, just like art education’s own re-conceptualization.
Memo 1- February 6
So far, I have purchased a sketchbook, a small set of acrylic paints and some paintbrushes. Every day, I take about 30 minutes to take in the space and reflect on one page in the sketchbook. I have some clear overhead transparencies so I cut out four rectangles and that is where I paint my four color swatches. Some things I have noticed is the way the sun lights up the room, subsequent shadows and that when forced to take down colors, I do it quite literally. Sometimes I’ve been with people and other times I haven’t. I tend to use a lot of yellows in places where I feel comfortable and some blues when I am not as familiar with space. I write down my feelings and thoughts in a sort of stream of consciousness style so that my journal is more authentic. This style of painting is a lot easier for me. I am glad that I came up with a set of guidelines to follow every time I sit down to paint. I’m hoping as time goes on I focus less onthe colors right in front of me and more on the colors that come to mind. Like I said before, I don’t normally reflect on my thoughts while I paint, so this is very new to me! Pretty cool though. I hope to also go to more places as it gets warmer so that I can really compare and contrast the color swatches. Right now I have only been able to journal about my house or work since those are really the only two places I go during the week…. 🙁 Maybe my life will become more interesting because of this research! I wouldn’t mind that!