CEP 882 Reflection

Reflecting Upon NDCE –

As educators we are artists as we form our lessons. As Eisner describes we are forming a product that we hope “gives rise to feeling” in our students. I hope that they are interested and that their experience is compelling giving them the desire to become lifelong learners. I know that they will not appreciate and be inspired by every lesson and topic, but my hope would be that along the way something would spark their passion enticing them to want to learn more. Understanding elements that make an experience compelling helps in forming lessons that will produce “a rise of feeling”.

Sometimes it was more obvious to me when creating my blog posts on how skills/processes in a certain field could be used in the classroom to create a compelling experience. I had a few ideas that were exciting to think about implementing into my teaching. One was the idea of using movie trailers as an attention grabber prior to a lesson. I think video can be so compelling as an introduction to gain students attention and leave them wanting to learn more. One of my favorite quotes was from this same blog entry from Rabiger who states “participants describing past events or inner feelings make less impact than when we see them actually living through the experience itself.” There are so many implications that this thought has for the teaching field. Allowing students to have an experience rather than read about it in a textbook can create a much more lasting memory.

Another work of art that I really enjoyed analyzing was music. I liked the thought of the connection between forming a song that hooks the listener and how the teacher could use this as they think about how to hook the student. In music the hook is a memorable part of the song that grabs the listener’s attention and leaves them wanting to hear more. This is an important element to consider when forming a lesson. Is it memorable, rhythmic, repetitive and effective?

Also, the thought of tempo in the classroom could be beneficial to pay attention to. As a song’s tempo can affect our emotion – whether it is slow and soothing or fast and energetic it creates feeling. Is the classroom busy, are the lessons being presented quickly one after the other, or is there time to process, linger, and think about what is being taught? I have observed classrooms that are successful with both a fast tempo and slow tempo. One of my favorite fast tempo examples was a teacher who worked almost as a drill sergeant and the 3^rd grade class was very fast paced, but you never saw a student sitting bored. The room was full of energy and they were excited that they knew what the next order of the day was. They also enjoyed picking on the observer in the classroom who did not know the daily procedures. They were having an enjoyable experience. I have also observed the opposite, where the pace was fast and hectic, but the students felt lost and confused. It is important to take time and assess the tempo. What feeling is being created in the classroom environment? Do we need to slow down or pick it up? I tend to talk very fast and realize I need to slow down, take a deep breath, and pace myself.

At first I struggled to think of the elements of interior design and the connection to teaching. I think I was caught thinking solely about the act of teaching, not thinking about the creation of an educational environment. Having the ability to form compelling lessons is important, but what about creating a compelling physical environment in the classroom. There are still a few classrooms that I can vividly remember due to my teacher’s design and layout. When I reflect upon the elements that made their rooms exciting they include lighting, artwork, having designated areas such as reading nooks which were many of the elements that Susanka addressed in her writings.

Overall, as I read through and reflect on each blog post it will serve as a reminder and inspiration to be a better designer. I am excited to take these elements and use them in conference planning, student communications, possible financial literacy web tools, and more. Through creating these analogical bridges between Education and the Arts it reiterates my beliefs that we can gain valuable skills through many avenues.

Eisner, E. W. (1985). Aesthetic modes of knowing. NSSE Yearbook. University of Chicago Press: Chicago. When you read this piece, focus on Eisner's use of the terms "form" and "forming."

Rabiger, M. The preparation before the shooting. From Directing the Documentary. Chap3 (part 1).

Susanka, S. Home by Design. Introduction.

Branding Education

What is it about branding that draws us in and affects our choices? Can we use this powerful tool in education?

As I read an article written by Eric Weiner titled “Consultants Develop Notion of Branding Nations these are the questions that came to mind. He interviews Sherif Sabri who states, "I am working now on a campaign about Egypt…I am branding Egypt." This may seem a bit ridiculous to some, but think about it. Have you seen the stickers on the back of vehicles such as “OBX” which stands for the Outerbanks of North Carolina? It is hip because you might only know that brand if you have been there to visit. This is one way that we brand a region. Another are the state commercial campaigns such as “Pure Michigan” that advertise tourism in the state. The reason branding draws us in is because we connect to it and it gives us something to relate to others by.

It might be the brand clothing you have on, a sticker on your car, or a button on your bag that draws a person to come up and say “Hey, I love that brand”. It can give a sense of belonging. Often people desire to share their interests and connect with others who may share the same likings. So how do we incorporate this pride of interest into education? I have always been a strong believer in building student confidence by recognizing their strengths. Not everyone will excel in every subject, but to know that you are good at something can really motivate. Maybe branding in this case would be to connect students with these similar interests. Maybe create a Math Club or Art Club within the classroom that could be branded giving students the opportunity to be creative (keeping in mind to create a plan that prevents student’s from being left out due to peers making decisions on who belongs in what club). Use acronyms for the clubs that gives an obscure meaning to create that sense of mystery for those who have not heard, such as the OBX stickers mentioned earlier.

Elements of Fashion in Education

As I watched What Not to Wear I thought about how some of the elements of fashion could be incorporated into the classroom. One thought that came to mind is how we often think of strangeness as a way to draw attention to ourselves in fashion. This can be effective in drawing student attention, but do we think of attractiveness as a way to draw their attention as well. Silliness can be a fun addition to the classroom, but may not be appropriate for all subjects, for example when we are learning about historical events that involve the loss of people. Attractiveness could be one element to use in bringing aesthetics into the lesson. This was similar to the fashion choices of the person being evaluated by the What Not to Wear team. Although being silly and wearing crazy clothing has its place, there are times when this is not always the appropriate choice which could affect relationships and careers. In our readings the following quote reminded me of how aesthetics, whether silly or attractive could influence classroom lessons, (Wong, Henriksen 2008) “In considering ideas as fashion, we might see that learning new ideas as an aesthetic phenomenon and that educators have much to learn from those who have a highly sophisticated appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of powerful experiences.”

The other element discussed regarding fashion was the portrayal of confidence. When we feel good in what we are wearing we exhibit the feeling of confidence. As educators it is important to exhibit confidence in the classroom. Both in fashion and education this draws others in.

Wong, E. D., & Henriksen, D. (2008). If ideas were fashion. To appear in "Mirror Images: Popular Culture and Education", edited by Z. Bekerman, N. Burbules , and H. Giroux. Rowen & Littlefield Publishing Co.