Expose the Truth’s and Imagine the Possibilities

 

Throughout this entire class I have been asking myself what practices can apply to my classroom?

What promises am I going to make to students?

What are my goals? And most importantly the theme of our class

How can I turn promise into practice?

Building a Framework for Success:

I too will continue with a framework of hope despite all that is weighing upon us, because if we (as educators) don’t have hope than all is lost to the system and the neoliberal agenda. And I refuse to let go of the theme of this blog, which is too, EXPOSE the truth (Delpit) and IMAGINE the possibilities (Gatto): the possibilities of both my students and a better more just future. I will use this blog as a tool to do so; I will post ideas, articles and inspiration, as well as keep up to date info on exciting new student work (both things that work-things that didn’t work). It is a commitment to pushing my students and myself to greatness through self-reflection, artistic expression (imagine) and the use of critical literacy (expose).

Often as both teachers and humans we are creators of habit and change is a challenge, so here I am committing my CHANGES for 2011/12 school year to cyber space, beyond paper, beyond my exhausted memory, here on my blog I am making it official. I hope to continue to add to the blog as ideas continue to build. These are my new inspirations as a result of a summer of reflection.

Ideas for Fashion Design and Merchandising Class

 2011/12 School Year:

Fashion Article Blog Group’s -

I will lead kids to generate their own list via a singles mixer to help come up with 5 essential questions to explore for the year dealing with social justice and the fashion industry. Students pick a social justice theme (inquiry question) and create a blog, post articles, questions, add images and share out responses!! No more Socratic seminars- My goal is to create a more student inspired authentic learning environment where students explore ideas that matter to them and their futures.

Ms. Sheehy, the Technical Trade Communication Instructor, will sketch while we write everyday. The students will see writing is like drawing, it takes practice everyday to improve. We will commit to writing daily as a class, myself included.

Use different technique’s to help organize writing assignments – specifically focusing on Thinking Maps (Jackson and Cooper, 2007).

Using Circle Maps for my do now writing pieces. Building a framework for successful writing for ALL students.

Make sure students write a justification/ artist statement for all design work in fashion class. I will be prudent about this and it will become routine.

Senior Project – online presence- Still thinking on this one? How can I add multi-media more – digital story maybe? I am not sure what it is but there is a way to make the Senior Project stronger and guarantee that all students do all writing components.

General food for thought: USE Multiple text and Give choices, lay out the framework to be successful, use appropriate tools, and discussion based learning (Allington). Making it matter through the power of inquiry (Wilhelm and Smith, 2007). Explore trilingualism, and respect the home language.

Use Lisa Astarita Gatto’s model of teaching as an inspiration for my classroom. Give control to the students, total control, let it be completely there event. I will lead and provide structure but they will be the driving force to determine directions of the show (this will be by far the biggest challenge for change that I committed to this blog). Gatto is a true inspiration and strives towards creating the classroom learning environment she advocates for.

The list continues………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..more .............................................................................................more to come.