Art & the Classroom

Today is the  last day of an art class that I signed up for back in September. It's been a hell of a ride, for I entered this class with very few expectations because, quite frankly, my drawing skills have never been good. Except for a small amount of cartooning ability, I've never been able to draw much of anything.

This was also my first time in a classroom as a student in nearly three years. After several years as the teacher it was quite an education to be behind a desk again. Each time the instructor did something or demonstrated a skill to a class I kept thinking to myself, 'If it was me, I would have done it differently.' I suppose that's inevitable for any teacher when watching another practitioner of the craft. We all have different styles of running a classroom, and no two teachers are the same, just as no two people are the same.

So what did I learn? Well, I learned that three-dimensional art is a lot harder than I'd first believed. Making the object appear real enough to pluck off the paper is tough, and I've also discovered that creating a straight line on the paper is not always the best thing to do. There are curved lines, vanishing points, foreground, backgrounds, slugh points, and lots of other variables which all converge to make the picture.

I've also learned that the instructor of this class has a lot to learn. Thus far I've caught him ignoring pupils, not giving praise, passing over chatterboxes that I would have silenced, talking to the board instead of the students, giving complicated directions without realizing it, and doing things quickly that should have been given incrementally to help slower students (such as myself). I've also learned that while he is an artist in his own right, he's not very learned in certain areas. I myself prowl through the commercial galleries and have love of surreal, cartoon, and fantasy art. My own computer is chock-full of jpegs of Angus McKie, Stu Sheppard, Rowena, James Warhola, R. Crumb, and Michael Whelan. The instructor knows Frank Frazetta, but not much else.

Still, he and I have had some great conversations about art, and I've enjoyed talking about the subject with him. He was also tickled to have another teacher in his class, and numerous times when he's left the room for one reason or another he has quipped, "Take over for me." So, that's what I've done. When he's out I've moved around the room, praising those who deserve it, or chatting up one student or another. Their reactions have moved from surprise to outright thanks for having been noticed. When the instructor has returned, he seems oblivious to the happy discourse going on in his room.

My own artistic skills have gotten better, and hopefully I'll be able to take what I've learned into my own classes at some near date. However, I'll be doing so on my own terms, not his. But then, I suppose everyone does that. It's the nature of art everywhere.

Teacher Leadership

>>What do I hope to gain from the Teacher Leadership program?

What I hope to gain is a better understanding of what is required as both a teacher and as a leader. To date, my experience in the classroom has been in one of two roles, neither of which allow for much experience as a leader.

First, I have been an ESL teacher in the Far East. In that role, my purpose is to impart the lessons and meaning of language to people who speak a language other than English. For total immersion purposes, the lessons are always in English; those who have lesser abilities either struggle to keep up or are helped along by their friends. I give aid whenever I can. But the students naturally look to me; I do not lead so much as I shepherd. No one questions my position as head of the class, nor is there much give and take; I must be the fount of all wisdom and experience. Unsurprisingly, teaching ESL overseas is an exhausting venue.

Second, my work in classrooms is as a Substitute Teacher. In that role, I am confined to following the lesson plan of the person whom I am subbing for. The rules and the plans for the day are laid out in black and white, and I cannot deviate from that plan. Both the teacher and the school are counting on me to do what I am told and stick to the course provided. Moreover, the students themselves will correct me right away if I don't do things the way their teacher requests. Since I hope to gain the regular teacher's approval (and hopefully return again at their request), I must follow their guideline.

So, I am hoping to learn how to lead properly. It is something that I haven't had much experience with at all.

Lawrence Burdick
lawrenceburdick@hotmail.com
San Francisco Bay Area