The Importance of Art Work

Art work is important for many reasons. And it is all in the eye of the beholder as well as that of the artist. Take scribbles for example, if a child says "mommy look at my doggy" and it looks like a purple and yellow blob then the mother is going to say something like "oh how cute, look at your doggy" and then hang it on the refrigerator. However if someone was just walking by and saw it they would have to ask what it was or why it was hanging there. At the same time if you look at a painting like the one above it looks like a little more than a scribble but not like very much. However, it is hanging on my desk and means so much to me because my fiance drew it and told me that it was a picture of the two of us together. Art work is a very important form of communication and of self-expression for children and people of all ages.

Kaylan Picture

Kaylan is explaining what her group did to try and figure out how to make the ball and ramp problem work. The problem presented was that we had to make a ramp that had a 4 inch incline and a 4 inch decline (both at least 4 inches but could be more) and that they ball had to roll exactly 6 feet and then stop. This problem really required both constructivism and the community of inquiry because we not only had to use our previous knowledge of how balls and ramps work, we had to ask the opinions of the people that we were working in the group with to make the final product of our ramp and also to decide which size and weight of ball we should use. There always seemed to be problems with this experiment as we were working because either the ball would not roll far enough, would roll too far, or would not make it out of the ramp.

Reflection from class on October 1

Inquiry: simply figuring stuff out
Community of Inquiry: figuring stuff out together
Constructivism: building on your current knowledge

Goal 5 in my own words

Understand the cultural diversity that is around you and your students, both in the community and in the world. Be able to teach your students about it and help them to understand cultural diversity.

Goal 4 in my own words

Be able to make lesson plans that are appropriate for your classroom age group and learning level. Create experiences that will help your students remember the material, that are fun, and that they may be able to use in their daily lives. Do not waste your time or your students time.

Goal 2 in my own words

Have a full understanding of the curriculum you are going to teach and be able to explain your understanding. Your understanding should consist of the relationship between one subject and another, the core concepts of each subject, and the ways in which you and your students can apply each subject in daily life.

Goal 1 in my own words

Know the full meaning of community of inquiry (or at least to the best of your ability) and be able to incorporate it into your classroom environment. Be able to demonstrate how you plan to convey the importance of the community of inquiry in your classroom and community.