One sleep to go…

…until I go and see Queen in concert!

When I’ve told people about this, many have scornfully replied ‘but how can you see Queen when Freddy Mercury is dead?’ I smirk when I listen to this question and think of my other half’s response.

I am reminded several times by my Queen mad other half that four people made up the band, not one. I too was a bit skeptical at first. However, listening to Paul Rodgers singing with Queen has changed my mind.

It’s not the same, nor should it be. Nor should it be expected to be. But it is as good.

I’m excited and ready to rock!

Art Today

One of my S1 classes had been talking about graffiti art a few weeks ago and I had introduced them to the British artist Banksy. I was interested when one of the pupils excitedly came into class today asking me if I’d seen the news this morning.

Apparently Banksy has opened his first official exhibition in New York. I laughed when I looked at the BBC website and the video link. The exhibition takes place inside a fake pet shop and includes a number of robotic ‘animals’. I asked those that had seen the report did they think that Banksy was trying to make some kind of comment…immediately they responded that they did and he was commenting on how animals were treated and what people did to them. Of course, upon enquiry, they loved the chicken nuggets eating the dip the best!

Image from www.banksy.co.uk

It was great though, just listening to them getting animated about something they had seen, that they could also relate to as we had talked about it in class. It made me wonder about all the artists and designers we talked about as part of the curriculum. Here were 12 year olds actively discussing an artist who was making a comment about modern day life…and they understood it. I’ve often found some contemporary artists difficult to teach, particularly at S1 level. Perhaps it’s my own hestitations that makes it more difficult. Don’t get me wrong, it’s so important to give a background history to art and design and such a rich, diverse and wonderful history it is. But, does it really stir the imagination of todays youth in the same way that Bansky Howson would. These artists portray life as they know it, so all the more relevant.

Now there’s a debate that could become heated!

SQA Art & Design Exhibitions

If ever there was a showcase for Scotland’s emerging young artistic talent, the annual SQA Art & Design exhibition is it.

This year, a selection of work produced for the 2008 National Courses in Art & Design will be shown at three major exhibitions. The range of work this year promises to include paintings, sculpture, design, ceramics, fashion and jewellery.

The standard is always fabulous, the creativity and imagination on view amazing. So if you’ve never been, it’s well worth a visit.

Around 180 Higher exhibits will be shown in The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh from the 15th October – the 6th November.

Over 100 works, including those produced for Standard Grade, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and Higher will be shown at The People’s Palace, Glasgow from the 1st December – 16th January.

Advanced HIgher work will be exhibited for the first time at The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh from the 22nd January – the 19th March.

Flyer for SQA Art Exhibition

Some things never change…

I love the Internet!

I came across this wonderful site that contained selected writings of Eleanor Roosevelt.

“What is the purpose of education? This question agitates scholars, teachers, statesmen, every group, in fact, of thoughtful men and women. The conventional answer is the acquisition of knowledge, the reading of books, and the learning of facts. Perhaps because there are so many books and the branches of knowledge in which we can learn facts are so multitudinous today, we begin to hear more frequently that the function of education is to give children a desire to learn and to teach them how to use their minds and where to go to acquire facts when their curiosity is aroused. Even more all-embracing than this is the statement made not long ago, before a group of English headmasters, by the Archbishop of York, that “the true purpose of education is to produce citizens.”

If this is the goal—and in a democracy it would seem at least an important part of the ultimate achievement—then we must examine our educational system from a new point of view…”

Good Citizenship: The Purpose of Education by Eleanor Roosevelt
Originally published in Pictorial Review, April 1930

Some things never change! A worthy read.

Challenging Perceptions and Changing Attitudes

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.”

James Truslow Adams

Something has been bothering me for some time. It was only late this afternoon, during a conversation with two colleagues that what had been festering away in my head finally came out in the open.

A range of emotions appeared – frustration, anger, excitement and most of all passion.

All teachers can relate to the issue of disaffected pupils. The same names who keep cropping up for the same reasons. There have been a few off late and it is increasingly obvious that the ‘normal’ system of sanctions for these individuals is not working and never will. Quite frankly I get so frustrated with the fact that nothing changes. It is all too easy to throw up our hands and pass the buck. All to easy to write detention slip after detention slip and then roll our eyes when there is non-attendance. But where does it stop? When does the cycle get broken? Making the decision to make changes is harder, yes. However, changes do need to be made.

I firmly believe that a teacher is a facilitator of learning. That each of us has a responsibility to not only teach skills in our subject areas, but also life skills. Without the ability to communicate, socially interact or work as part of a team or community, what chance do these pupils have of being successful individuals in life? No amount of knowledge in a specialised area can make up for that. As James Truslow Adams said:

“There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.”

Good and effective learning takes place when good ethos is set, both in the classroom and in the school as a whole. I find that many ‘disaffected’ pupils have low self-esteem, social skills and a lack of confidence.

I’ve thought about this a lot and believe that a programme needs set up for these pupils One that encourages the development of social skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. One that involves pupils to challenge their attitudes and behaviours. This, I believe, should not centre around teaching subjects or education in the traditional sense. Nor should the time be used to ‘catch up’ on work. In theory, pupils would participate in activities after the school day. Yes, similarly to the after school detention, but with one main difference. The activities should be engaging, and dare I say, fun. There are some, I know, that would see this as no fit punishment for the ‘crimes’. However, if attitudes of these pupils have to be changed, so do those of some teachers. Teaching is not like it was even when I started almost 15 years ago and certainly not like it was when I was in school. External influences, I feel, are much more dominant and attitudes have changed.

The questions asked of me were obvious and relevant. What would they do? How would it be financed? Why tie down a set project I feel. First of all, just take the group and work something around their needs. Ask them about their interests for a start. I don’t honestly know, but the whole point is it’s about building relationships and if children learn by example, then we are duty bound to set that example without judgement and personal bias. Unconditional positive regard is a wonderful thing and in the case of many of these pupils, is something that is needed. In terms of finance, I really believe that activities could be undertaken that use existing equipment or resources and if any investment was required, it would be worth it.

Of course, a programme like this would rely heavily on the good will of teachers as was firmly pointed out to me. I’m not so naïve to think otherwise. However, I know there are teachers out there who would be willing to take on such a role. Would it work? I don’t know. Surely it’s worth trying and if even the life and attitude of one of these pupils were affected positively, then nothing would have been in vain.

I really do feel passionate about this. More so than for anything in education for a long while. That has suprised me a little and I thank very much my two colleagues for stimulating my brain that bit more. There isin’t the time to discuss things like this enough, which is a fact in itself that needs considering.

Worthy of more thought and investigation…you betcha. So watch this space!

It’s been a while…

My initial enthusism for blogging seemed to dwindle over the school summer holidays. Days were filled with my own children instead of others and that seemed to be almost as tiring. Who’d have ever thought it’d be easier looking after classes of teenagers that two wee tearaways! Discipline – ha! At school it’s sussed, but how do a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old manage to wrap me round their little fingers so easily?

Seriously, so what did we fill our days doing? I have no idea, but it was fun! Days with no bell controlling our time was quite bizarre at first. All structure was gone and freedom appeared.

Back to real life now though. School has long since started and routine established. A new session, a new start. We’ll see what happens!

Our Technological Age

Computers. You either love them, or hate them.

Me, I’m a big lover of them…most of the time. When they work, it’s fantastic. The best thing since sliced bread. When they don’t, I fight the overwhelming need to throw them out the window. It’s not been a great day in that respect today.

This morning, my S4 class were sitting writing essays on artists they’d chosen. I walked round the class and talked about passion – how they needed to be writing about the work of an artist who really inspired them or whose work stirred such emotion in them that they felt they could write pages just explaining their thoughts. Their blank looks and wry grins didn’t deter me. I talked about Peter Howson (his work does it for me every time), Joan Eardley and Lucian Freud amongst others. Truly amazing artists whose work has such an emotive quality for me that is almost indescribable. I explained that my passion for studying artists work has been there since my early teens and it’s never dwindled, and that whatever they do in life, they should have a passion that makes them excited about whatever they are doing or aiming for. Surely to make half-hearted attempts at things can’t be good for the soul?

Did what I say to my class have any impact? I smiled when I received a rewritten Introduction in at the end of the lesson. At the top of the page was written ‘be enthusiastic’. Underneath, several lines explaining her ‘passion’ for the artist she had chosen.

That made my day better.

So, back to IT and computers. As I watched them research, I thought back to my own days when I had been completing similar tasks to them. My research was purely done via books, but for my students, the Internet has opened up endless avenues of research. I still make my students start off by using book research – if nothing else to show them a mass of different artists all at once, to visually stimulate them quickly rather than look at small images on the Google search engine. But, how much more informed they can be now – if they know what they are looking for. Certainly changed days from my endless (but loved I have to say) time spent in the library. As a parent it makes me wonder how things will change for my boys in the next 10 years. It’s exciting to think that opportunities will be even greater and the knowledge they gain, even wider. I have to say though, as I listen to my four year old lying in bed, ‘reading’ his dinosaur books with all the sound effects – I hope he still retains his love of flicking pages alongside the technological knowlege he will gain.

The Art of the Graphic Novel

| View Show | Create Your Own

I’ve always read. I’ve always read comics. From my early pre-teens of reading ‘Bunty’ to my early twenties of escaping into the world of Judge Dredd and 2000AD, I always felt the stir of imagination taking me into another world of exciting happenings.

So, when one of my colleagues told me of an exhibition ‘Local Heroes: The Art of the Graphic Novel’ which was being held at the National Library of Scotland, I jumped at the chance to go. It was an exciting visual exhibition that showed the graphic novel from its early beginnings to contemporary Japanese Manga. Also attending an illustrated talk, along with fellow colleagues from the English Department and one of our Deputes, it became clear how the Graphic Novel could provide fantastic cross-curricular opportunities that could enthuse our pupils, not only visually but also in a literary sense. With graphic novels such as Macbeth, Kidnapped and Henry V already out, it seems a shame not to bring them into the educational environment. There are some who feel that these are not ‘real books’, but with each novel coming in three versions – quick text, plain text and original text – how can that not be the case? As teachers we differentiate for different pupil abilities, so how would using these be any different? Because they have lots of visuals? As a parent, I want my children to be excited by reading. If that means using different tools do do that, them why not as long as the outcome is the same.

A couple of weeks later, a couple of us went to listen to Gary Erskine in conversation. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years, Gary enlightened his listeners on his career which currently involves working on the new Dan Dare novels. His enthusiasm was inspiring and his attitude to ‘giving something back’, particularly to education was admirable.

A colleague, equally enthused by the exhibition and the possibilities it has opened up to us as a school, mentioned one day about trying to get hold of some posters. Having always lived by the phrase ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’, I contacted the NLS to see what happened to the exhibition once it had finished. I was delighted last week to get a phone call saying we could have all the visual display boards and several graphic novels for the Department and school. I found a man with a van and waiting outside my classroom now sits several large, colourful and informative visual display boards ready to be displayed in the school.

I only hope the pupils are as excited as I am!

Music as a Learning Tool

Music in the classroom is something that either you think is a good idea or not.
Up until a couple of years ago, music in the classroom was something I used regularly with all age ranges. I found it to be an effective tool for creating a good working environment, which in turn promotes effective Learning and Teaching. There are some who feel that music in the classroom (outwith the Music Department of course) is inappropriate. However, I was reading a very interesting website tonight – http://www.musicandlearning.com. Chris Brewer (MA FAMI) is a musician, trainer and author with a masters’ degree in Music Therapeutics. She discusses how music can be used as an effective classroom management tool and fully believes that music can help to create learning states that can help to hold attention and increase the ability to retain facts.
Being a teacher of Art & Design, I was very much interested in her thoughts on how background music could facilitate creativity and how it could enhance the ability of the pupil to focus. I remember in my early days of teaching having a particularly challenging S2 class. One of the strategies to promote a positive and comfortable learning environment was to have the radio on the background. There were clear, but simple ground rules: The radio was a privilege, a reward for good behaviour and work. It would only be used at appropriate times during some practical activities and I, in the main, chose the music. It worked very well for this particular class – work was completed effectively and pupils said they felt more comfortable in an environment that was perhaps ‘out of the norm’ of other classes. On a visit one day by the Head Teacher, he asked to see me outside. Concerned I’d be in ‘trouble’ (I was newly qualified and had yet to learn my skill of digging myself out of situations with SMT), I rapidly tried to think of educational reasons for having 80’s ‘pop’ singing out to the world. ‘I just wanted to say what a good working environment you’ve created’, he said. I never looked back from that point.
I think like all learning and teaching strategies, you just have to know when to use them, how to use them and use then consistently. What works for one class or age group, will not necessarily work for another. However, an effective teacher, I believe, should be willing to be flexible in their approach to learning and teaching in order to promote a comfortable learning environment and positive ethos.

Challenging Yourself

I caught myself today doing something that I am always telling my pupils off for – giving an immediate negative response to something being asked of me.

The task? To talk to my peers in a whole staff meeting. To many who know me, or should I say, don’t really know me, the idea of me shrinking at talking is laughable. I do it all the time – to groups of pupils, my own Departmental staff, groups of parents, anyone who will listen really… However, when you know it is a hot Friday afternoon, towards the end of term and regarding a subject that may or may not be something your colleagues are interested in hearing – well, that’s a whole different ball game.

The topic? A curriculum for Excellence. Now there’s a whole post in itself. The whole point was my initial reaction to the question of doing this shocked me. By the time I had climbed the stairs (and there are many) into my Department, I had started to challenge this decision. I would be nervous. Of course I would be – it’s not something I usually have to do. I would forget to say the things I wanted to say or end up waffling. Nothing new there. I would end up looking like an idiot in front of my peers who might liken what I was saying to ‘trying to teach their granny to suck eggs’. All this contemplation for a talk of a couple of minutes. I thought of my pupils and the confidence I try to instil in them. Some role model, I thought.

So, I turned around and went back down the stairs to change that decision. I did the talk, over-ran my time (nothing new there then) and hopefully enthused at least one person on the way.

A sense of achievement I think.