Reflection #2 -Collecting evidence of learning

I chose this topic especially because this is what I might consider the toughest task for me as a cyber school teacher. Because I am not able to walk around a physical classroom and watch my students at work, I am unable to see their day-to-day progress. The lessons that I teach, at least in drawing class, have spots built in where students can submit their drawing progress. They are not required to submit progress of their assignment tho. They are permitted to submit any drawing they are working on just so that I am able to see evidence that they are doing something…anything. Because I can’t peer over their shoulder and offer them immediate advice and talk with them, I am very interested in learning new ways to overcome this obstacle, which is what my independent project deals with.

Currently, my lessons and curriculum do have reflections at the completion of the projects, both for drawing and photography. After the small group discussion yesterday, I tend to think the self reflection in place in my lessons is too broad at times. Many of my students are not in my class because of a love of art. I’m sure many of my colleagues experience the same. So, a self-reflection at the end may not be of any use if the student never intends to return to a project to rework it. I would like to add some sort of mid project ‘progress check’ to my lessons. A place for students to stop working, take a step back and just have a look at their art and decide if there is anything thats not going the way they expected or intended. This could take the form of a virtual wall where all can post their work for a mid project review. Could also be just something that I see. I would like to have options that I can pick from after I gauge the ‘temperature’ of the class. Some of my classes are only too eager to share their work and talk to each other about, which we do during zoom at the conclusion of class.

Additionally, I struggle with getting some of my students to take risks in their art. Many times, there is a demo picture embedded in the lessons in addition to what I demo on screen. I find many of the students base their drawing almost completely off the example artwork. If it is a lesson on abstraction and the example drawing is of a person with exaggerated long legs and arms to exhibit abstraction, I can be certain I am going to get at least 5-6 drawings that are copied directly from the example, right down to the same color being used. This is something I am hopeful that a mid-progress evaluation can help eliminate!