Students are encouraged to use objects as symbols

acetone transfer, watercolor, pencil:

acetone transfer, pencil:

fabric, acrylic gel medium transfer:

I will start by saying I am so glad I had the time and space to attend this meeting, and feel a deep gratitude for Candido and Shani’s willingness to support us on our journey to becoming art educators.

One of my big takeaways of support from the Q + A was how Candido suggested addressing the issue of smart phone usage in class. He shared that he makes it very clear to his students that he is giving them his undivided attention and care for the 40 minutes they are with him. He expressed that once you have a relationship with the kids in your class, if they are texting during class, you can go over to them and express that you are taking their choice personally, because you feel you deserve the same undivided attention from them that you are providing them. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, specifically how after children’s experience of covid-where they had to be home and learn on devices (phones, computers, Ipads)-that they need attention given to reintegrating into an experience of presence in the classroom. I feel that teachers should be acknowledging the challenge that their students are faced with, continuously, in class, to let the students know they are aware and that they have compassion for the addiction and reliance the students are experiencing. I feel that if students had this experience, they would feel seen and understood by their teachers, making their classroom experience far more productive and inspiring. If a student feels seen and safe in a classroom setting, there is so much more room for growth. Also, if a teacher addresses the use of technology in this way, the student can be reminded that life exists out of their phones and computers, and this can help to integrate them back to a more human experience. I think if kids are either told “you can’t have a phone” or “get off your phone” or “put your phone away” or “I’m taking your phone,” their first instinct will be to rebel and do what they want to do, that is, spend time on their phones. Rather, if a student is shown compassion for their experience, and reminded that there is another choice for experience where others are there ready to have that human experience with them, they may be much more likely to make the choice themselves to put their phone or computer away.

I also felt supported by Candido’s sharing about “what if a student won’t get off tiktok in art class.” He shared that his approach to this would be to meet the student where they are at-and see if there’s a way they can get inspired about the project through the format of what they are engaging with (video/story telling). I think this is brilliant. It gives an unengaged student the opportunity to find space to relate their everyday experience to art making. It validates their experience of our culture, and shows them that our culture and school are not separate entities. It teaches them that they can find an effective voice through the medium of visual culture, and empowers them to be cultivate a creative relationship to visual culture.

Student Example 1

Student Example 2

Student Example 3