PPDP+(Personal+Professional+Development+Plan)

In order to meet this goal, the following steps will be taken:
 * Goal #2: Increase student achievement in art by exploring multiple curricula, synthesizing the information into categories, and concluding how each type of curriculum may impact the LH elementary visual arts program.**
 * Obtain, study and summarize the Pennsylvania Crosswalks Frameworks for Art Education from Jamie Kasper
 * Discuss curricular priorities and criteria in selecting a curriculum with Dr. Hutson, Director of Curriculum
 * Determine the possible content within the current art program based upon past lessons, available materials and community resources
 * Locate 3-4 distinct types of elementary art curricula by using internet research strategies and district curriculum guides (i.e., post-modern, visual culture, DBAE, modernist, experiential, product, perceptual-development/culturally based, concepts)
 * Create a concept map to delineate findings as to how each type of program may impact LH art students (How will my findings increase student learning?)
 * Is it an option (functional)?
 * Cost
 * Do I have to write it?
 * Is it written for PA state standards and/or National Standards?
 * What is the mission statement/philosophy of education?

Progress will be documented in the following ways:

-I will create the following documents: · An agenda and [|discussion notes/meeting minutes regarding conversation(s) with Dr. Hutson (See wiki page)] · I will keep a wiki page that contains the information (source, title, location, cost, etc.) of each resource (entitled "Bibliography") · a concept map to delineate findings as to how each type of program may impact LH art students -I will converse with the following people: Dr. Hutson, Leslie Gates, and potentially curriculum directors for districts with intriguing elementary art education curricula, and document all conversations -I will be accountable to deadlines that coincide with the face-to-face meetings at IU1

Goal #2 will be assessed in the following ways: Have I met all deadlines? Have I uploaded all completed documents onto the program’s web page? Have I met with my mentor at least twice, attended all IU meetings, and participated in all webinars? Have I created a final document to delineate findings as to how each type of program may impact LH art students? At the end of this program, do I feel comfortable in serving on an art education curriculum team or strategic planning committee based upon knowledge and findings acquired in this course?

Assessment: • My progress will be consistently observed by my mentor via on-site visits, virtual visits, various forms of communication, and via my wikispace. • The ArtsEducator2.0 steering committee will deem my progress adequate after consultation with my mentor. Please see all discussion on my readings [|here].

Please find my lists of curricula and [|criteria] using these links or the left-hand menu.

Please find my concept map of findings here.

Here are videos of my teaching:

EXPERIENTIAL:
2nd Grade used an experiential approach to making geometric shapes in modeling clay, and then reflecting upon the process abd applying it to more advanced forms.

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DBAE:
Here I am beginning to teach the Limner Portrait lesson from our unit plan using production, art history, criticism and aesthetics.

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Here are some Limner Portraits in progress (Art Production), where I try to solicit what traditions and conditions students were depciting in their work:

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POSTMODERN:
(pending)

VISUAL CULTURE:
(pending)

NAEA CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES AS RELATIVE TO MY PPDP:

An overview of what I hope to accomplish with the videos:

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PPDP Video #1: Metacritical thinking and pitfalls - based on Paul Duncum's presentation. The teacher must create a personal crisis in order to reach students and begin the critical conversation on pop culture and emotional ties to images.

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PPDP Video #2: Art and Semiotics as preseneted by Debbie Smith-Shank and Terry Barrett:

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PPDP Video #3: Exploring Visual Culture via restaurant decorations PLUS Karen Kakas' discussion on 21st C. Art Education:

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PPDP Videos #4/5: Panel discussions with Elliot Eisner and Arthur Efland:

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PPDP Videos #6/7: Decoding Coded Codes in Visual Culture and a method one professor uses to assemble a visual culture database, and some hyper-intellectual talk on the reconceptualization of art education by a crazy-smart presenter, Kevin Tavin:

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Check out my other videos from the NAEA National Conference!

To sum all of this work up, I need to say that I've basically learned how much I still need to learn! My investigation into developing and trying various types of lessons from different curricula will continue, so that when I am called on to write a visual arts curriculum, I am well-versed in the current research and ideas (especially visual culture) to ensure that my students receive a meaningful and relative visual arts experience, which in turn, will foster a new generation of art-lovers who know the importance of visual arts in a school's curriculum. I intend to check the SAS regularly and use the new model visual arts curriculum as springboards, employ big ideas (from the unit plan) and use resources such as Marilyn Stewart's textbooks (as discovered at the NAEA conference). Based on the criteria, I feel that a blend of curricula (experiential, DBAE and visual culture) will best serve my students by keeping them energized, informed and curious about art and their world.

A simple table organized my findings very effectively, and is included here:

- for download as needed

The table below sets forth my findings as a result of the PPDP exploration of various visual arts criteria, and their respective implications on my K-5 Visual Arts classrooms. To complete this course and arrive at criteria for comparison, I read several articles and books, attending numerous lectures at this year’s NAEA Conference in Minneapolis, implemented lessons within the various curricula in my classroom, and maintained discussion on both my wikispace and the program’s main pages. I tried to keep my K-5 classrooms in mind as I opined on the curricula in light of the criteria, so by no means is this meant as the be-all and end-all for anyone else, even though I hope that others can use what I’ve found in completing this PPDP. As I completed the table, I found myself referring to DBAE as the model for an art “discipline”, which is troublesome but also how I was taught to teach art. ||  DBAE  || EXPERIENTIAL || POSTMODERN || VISUAL CULTURE || SUMMARY || This was the model for my coursework to become an art educator. DBAE includes modern ideas of elements, principles, production, art history, criticism and aesthetics. DBAE is sometimes considered post-modern in that it is multi-cultural and broad enough to encompass the other 3 curricula investigated here. ||  The learning comes from the experience of doing, reflection, and then application to new situations.

||  Not primarily concerned with elements, principles or art history. PM focuses on social issues, and uses the themes of appropriation, juxtaposition, re-context-ualization, layering, text, hybridity of media, gazing and representing your culture or sub-culture

||  All vision is socialized and purpose is to think about perception and seeing. May include art history at its core with exploration of traditional-ly "non-art" images || ** CRITERIA ** || ||   ||    ||    ||  1. Does the curriculum include both problem-centered and discipline centered strategies  || Depends on how lessons are presented. Discipline-centered strategies are the lynchpin of DBAE, but problem-centered strategies would be problematic unless the teacher uses art historical examples or aesthetics to somehow frame a problem to be solved. ||  Problem-centered - Yes. Discipline centered - No, unless a concerted effort to include art history is made || Same as experiential PLUS an effort at aesthetics would be needed || More problem centered than discipline centered given the use of non-art images || 2. Are objectives and activities cross-curricular and developed through themes associated with everyday life? ||  Yes  || No || Yes || Yes || 3. Does the curriculum include art production, art history, art criticism and aesthetics? ||  Yes – these are the 4 standard areas of DBAE  || No, unless a concerted effort to include art history is made || Yes for production and aesthetics. No for art history and art criticism || Same as Postmodern || 4. Is the curriculum multi-cultural? ||  Yes – see standard 9.2  || Not inherently, but I can envision lessons where students use a certain material or are given a problem to solve akin to being immersed in a certain culture || Yes, and this is celebrated || Yes, and students are asked to investigate different cultures via their images || 5. Is the curriculum student-centered, allow for students to construct knowledge, and account for different styles of learning? ||  Yes, in that the benchmarks expand through the grade levels, but it is the teacher’s responsibility to see that each individual achieves the standards   || Yes, students are able to work at their own pace  || Student centered, or at least centered on student’s culture, and very adaptable to different learning styles || Student centered, but also centered on visual learners || 6. Is the curriculum something that must be written, or can it be purchased? ||  Various models, including the new PA SAS, exist  || Must be written. I have not found this type of curriculum to purchase. ||  Same as EXPERIENTIAL  || Same as EXPERIENTIAL. || 7. Does the curriculum address "Enduring Ideas" or is it a laundry list of skills? ||  More of a laundry list, but the standards can provide a good starting point for big ideas  || Enduring ideas are reached via experimentation || Neither – very subjective || Some enduring ideas, and some of the skills used to reach these ideas || 8. Does the curriculum have a sense of purpose, fun, and fluidity where knowledge is built through varied pacing of lessons? ||  Definite purpose and building of skills through the years. Fun is up to the teacher. ||  Fun for the students and fun for me (except perhaps for clean-up time!)

Purposeful as long as there is reflection and application after the creation stage || Seems very dark and pessimistic. ||  Fun once you sell students on the idea of “meta-seeing”  || 9. Does the curriculum align with district/school mission statements and goals, yet allow for differences and exploration by teachers/students?

||  Yes. ||  Yes. ||  No. Students are still expected to understand things like elements and principles, art history, but PM does enable teachers and students to deeply explore their subjectivity  || Not completely for the same reasons as PM. || 10. Does the curriculum have the ability to evolve over time? ||  Yes, in terms of ongoing art history, aesthetic preferences and use of materials, but in some areas (such as elements/principles), some things are set in stone. ||  Yes, in terms of materials, but otherwise, no.  || I hope so! It seems that the education world has a lot of catching up to do to reach the contemporary art world. ||  Yes – this curriculum is really still in its infancy  || 11. Does the cur-riculum teach students to think through, explore, feel and investigate their work as real-life artists do? ||  Not really. Students are expected to reach certain benchmarks by a certain grade level. ||  Yes, if the experience is used properly to springboard into new applications, much like “real” artists  || Yes – very little can be pre-determined if students are truly engaged || Yes – same as PM || 12. Is assessment addressed in the curriculum, and if so, is it aligned with stated objectives? ||  Yes – one can use the standards as criteria for assessment  || Assessment seems to be mainly formative as opposed to summative. Possibly standards-aligned depending on the application of new knowledge. ||  No – almost an anything goes atmosphere  || No – traditional art making and art making knowledge falls by the wayside || 13. Does the cur-riculum aide students in finding value in art by including contemporary works? ||  Yes, although a teacher has to be careful to not overuse modern methods to analyze, judge and interpret contemporary work. ||  Entirely dependant on the teacher. ||  Yes  || Yes || 14. What is the cost? ||  Not an option for Laurel Highlands  || -> ||   ->  ||   ->  ||  15. In sum, is the curriculum a viable, functional option? ||  Yes. DBAE can be used to encompass the other 3 curricula studied. ||  No. Not completely. I would spend more time writing curricula and checking standards than actually teaching. ||  No, for the same reasons as the EXPERIENTIAL curriculum is not a viable option. ||  No, for the same reasons as the EXPERIENTIAL curriculum is not a viable option. || I tried to complete a concept map of my findings, but as you can see, became really bogged down.



Please contact me with any questions and comments. I am very glad to have had this learning opportunity and to have felt all of the support from you during my first full year of teaching!