Category Archives: 517: Visual Arts Research

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I just recently started a new teaching job as a full time teacher at Kingston City High School. The school that I was previously working at was all special education. Whether that be emotionally, physically, mentally, or a combination of all three. My current job is one that I always wanted. I have a really great team (six others) in just the high school, and they are all really supportive and are constantly mentoring me and helping me out with the day to day struggles within our district. That being said my job still has its challenges. When I was hired I was told that I would have homeless students and students that are on the track to an Ivy League school all within the same class. I have seen this now first hand and trying to accommodate such a large array of students is tough, and I am still trying to find the happy medium of it all.

In terms of my graduate studies, they are a bit overwhelming, but I am trying to trudge through. I have read some really great articles this past week for essay number two that have aligned with what I want to continue to do in my class room. I am interested in Visual Culture, and meaningful art making along with what it means to be in a community. I’m sure I’m going to hone these ideas and simplify my approach and research, but for now I am enjoying reading about all three of these ideas.

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This is my fourth year teaching, Im not very happy in my current situation as I am still traveling between buildings. I’m not quite sure how a teacher is expected to grow without being allowed the required resources to do so. Without ample supplies, space or storage, I am still expected to receive advanced art work from students?  I have been teaching a class of 20 in a shoe box for 3 years, an art room without a sink and students are forced to sit in the hallways on cold, dirty floors. I am dictated as to what lessons I must teach by the teachers that I am sharing rooms with. They tell me what I should be doing and maybe if they are feeling generous will allow me a few sheets of paper to use.  And since it is important to maintain positive relationships with your co-workers, I do what Im told and don’t complain.

The lack of respect from students, administration and parents is appalling. l feel constantly questioned, second-guessed, and blamed as a teacher. There are surprise classroom visits constantly from principals, coordinators, and  board remembers, (one who which called me lazy in front of my class because a desk was not put together and remained inside the packaging, even though I placed a work order 3 weeks ago for assembling) which prove stressful even if you are doing what you are supposed to do.

We work hard for little money, and it never seems to be enough.  My pay continues to remain low and I must work on the weekends to supplement my low salary. My district allows us 183 dollars for every three graduate courses completed… twice a year you are allowed to submit for submission. I think one graduate course is close to 1800?  Weekly, I spend about 100 dollars on supplies for the kids, but yet I can’t manage to pay my phone bill or buy groceries?

There are more expectations layered on every year, an example is that we are even running our own department meetings now as the coordinators cannot seem to manage it. I am expected to run after school activities such as yearbook and art club without stipend. Not to mention that there is no time provided to do it all. I teach independent studies without extra pay because student are seniors and need the credit for graduation. However, we are asked to stay for this or that or are asked to take on more responsibilities, cover more classes etc. And what is a prep even? Mine is spent driving in a car panicking. One year, I was teaching in 5 buildings so lunch wasn’t even an option.

We design the community libraries showcases on our weekends to advocate for our school art programs. We hold festivals to display art in the park and work weekends with our unions at local charity events and stay after school for open studio time. But still, we don’t do enough? And right now, I just called into a CSE meeting, post more later. Forgive typos, sorry

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I hate to start off my year on a negative note, but the realities of my current teaching situation seem to be too much for me to handle this year. My district has broken my teaching contract several ways, and I feel as though I am struggling filling the duties asked of me. Duties that I should not have to do because my contract is supposed to protect me from such situations. I have become disgusted with the methods and decisions my district takes. It demonstrates lack of concern for students and teachers. I don’t know how to be heard in a district that services over 32,000 students and has 53 schools. The lack of organization is evident, and you can see most days that administration is just trying to get the most basic needs of the day met. I have come to relate my district to an abusive relationship. One in which many teachers stay because they love and are fighting for their students, but the people in power are beating us until we succumb to the inevitable.
I am not okay with the advice given to me from many teachers; implement easy lessons and do less with the students. I think this year will be the one where I quit. It breaks my heart to say such things because I have grown very fond of my student population. They are the reason I have great days. They fill my heart with love with the comments they make, but I feel it is no longer enough. I think of situations, such as; when I was met with heart felt smiles, and warm hugs during our school’s new grand opening (my home school—School 12- was newly renovated) to get me through the days. However, I no longer want to get through the days. I want them to be what they were the past four and half years…enjoyable. I had one of my favorite previous Kindergarten students run up to me and ask what kind of art we would be doing this year. It was sad for me to tell her that I was no longer her art teacher. The allocations for my school changed yet again this year. The school’s art program has decreased from a 2.5 art teaching position to a 1.6 position in three years. I don’t want to be forced to change schools every year, I want to grow with my kids.
I am not quite sure how graduate school will fit into my current situation. Organizing myself in an itinerant position has been very rough. Right now, giving my students the best of me is my main priority. I am hoping to find a routine that will give me some peace of mind. However, I do not feel I am there yet. Rather that I am barely staying afloat lost in the Pacific Ocean with nothing to help me besides a random piece of drift wood.

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The article was a little confusing to follow, but certain points about object and things really resonated with my current work. This past summer I started a series that was involved with endangered animals, more specifically bird, that were on the top ten list of the most endangered birds in the United States. I wanted to create an images that was both abstract and realistic to draw on the idea of water, animals and ambiguity of both. Why do not treat our water systems better? What does that mean for us, and the animals on this planet? How does this relate to objects, and things and how can I move my studio work on from here? All questions that I have been dealing with and thinking about since the start of this semester. For this work that I created I tries to converge the new ideas that I was presented with, and the work that I was currently working on

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I’ve been extremely lucky to live in the Hudson Valley my entire life. The changing colors of the trees, history of Poughkeepsie, waterfalls in New Paltz and the ever-growing art scene has influenced my passion for art and has encompassed my life. I grew up participating in the various arts programs that the valley has to offer, starting off as a learner and since I was 14 gradually began to transition into the role of an educator.

I just started my second year teaching at Peekskill and with the support of my cooperating teacher I was able to apply all of the knowledge I learned at New Paltz and prior experience. My own teaching philosophy centers on promoting metacognition, encouraging equal respect for the varying disciplines, and fostering deeper connections among the classroom community as well as the outside community. To accomplish this, I try to integrate the language arts, social studies, science, and math concepts into lessons while inspiring and fostering each student’s artistic expression. For students to be able to talk in a critique, defend their artwork, learn to write about their artwork, provide constructive criticism, and presenting their work are all steps towards college readiness and practicing literacy. Art provides a gain in experience in reflection.

In my studio practice, I’d like to study the lens in which humans view their memories and how this affects their every day lives. I am specifically interested in the superimposed nature of viewing a memory in the mind while perhaps driving simultaneously driving to work. This dual vision has been a significant phenomenon of mine for quite sometime. When I was younger, I described my first dream to my mom as a ‘pretend show in my eyes.’ It would be interesting to find out how artists describe their memories versus others that do not normally observe as much. I am still very much so interested in my 2 Hour Painting series and may choose to continue that throughout the year, but I am not sure that I can fit that in during my school schedule. On a trip to California after our first summer intensive, I continued my 2 Hour Painting series in each new place I visited. Instead of bringing the canvas with me, I left the canvas in the place I painted for someone to find. I left my information on the back of the canvas so that person can contact me to let me know if they’ve found it! I’d also like to continue that throughout the year.

I am a self-proclaimed visual learner. Using art as a lens for self-expression, I learn more and more about myself through each brush stroke. I hope to broaden my artistic horizon this semester in both classes.