– the emic stance:
• In relation to this topic of the iKids, I have a lot in common with them. I didn't grow up in such a technologically enriched lifestyle as today's students are, but I grew up on the cusp of this digital age. I communicated through AIM in middle school; I used computer games and learning activities in and outside of school (Oregon Trail anyone?); I had a cell phone in high school (I lived in the beeper generation, but never had one), used programs similar to InDesign for yearbook and newspaper production, had a MySpace account, and had an early version MP3 player. But it wasn't until college that I became immersed in what we now call the digital age. While I did have a digital art class in which I learned Photoshop, multimedia lessons were not as prevalent as they are and will be. Like many students now, I was taught with the 7+7 art method and in a standardized test era, granted I feel my situation was probably not as extreme as the high-stakes testing culture of education now.
• I grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis where the majority of my school experience was spent with mostly other middle class, white kids. My cultural experiences didn't really occur until my high school French classes and encounters with the foreign exchange students. These cultural experiences hit a new level when I traveled to Europe for a 17-day tour with a few faculty members and parent chaperones (one of which was my art teacher and one was my mom).
• I'm excited by art, by conversation, by cultural experiences, by involvement in the school and in the community. I'm excited by new technology and forms of communicating, but I also appreciate history. I'm excited by aesthetic experiences, whether formal, informal, personal or group-based. I'm excited by creating and I believe in imagination and innovation. I believe in a new wave of art curriculum, and I'm a soldier for the cause.
– the etic stance:
• As an outsider, I might feel that technology is diminishing the traditional skills set forth by our predecessors (Kamhi). If digital art making caters to the instant-gratification mentality of our students, will they be able to appreciate the process and technique of traditional art making? (an insider question, too). I might worry that certain skills will become obsolete (did you hear they are planning to take cursive out of the curriculum?). Are our children learning how to use digital devices before learning how to read and write? Is this necessarily a bad thing? A veteran teacher may view these devices in the classroom as a distraction instead of a helpful tool for teaching and learning.
• The larger issue is this transition in education, specifically art education, where new teachers and those inspired by the current conversations in art ed are rallying for a new reform, but others aren't budging. This conflict makes it hard for this transition to happen naturally and beautifully, and it also hinders collaboration among educators and with others invested in education.
mindwork: use the 3 questions for analysis (looking back at ch. 1)
– What surprises you?
I was surprised that I had already addressed my refined question in my original scratchwork but was still thinking so broadly. The question was there the whole time. I was also surprised that I knew other people are already campaigning for new age curriculum, but I didn't not to what extent until I did my Google-ography.
– What intrigues you?
I'm intrigued by new ideas in student learning. I think this is what drives my question. Every generation will experience a change in our culture, whether the development of a new technology or a transition into a different way of living, like sustainability and going green. If I continue to be intrigued by student learning, I'll constantly evolve my ideas and approaches as a teacher.
– What disturbs you?
The one thing that's bothersome is my lack of confidence in myself sometimes. In a few of my responses, there is a trace of doubt or self-consciousness. I need to believe in myself as a new teacher; this will help for my confidence in the classroom and make me a better teacher.
– What surprises you? (emic and etic)
I'm surprised that my school experience prior to college was so uniform and not multicultural. It makes me wonder if my future classroom will bring me that same experience or if I'll have a wide range of cultural differences.
– What intrigues you? (emic and etic)
I'm intrigued by the experiences and skills I've gained from the beginning of the digital age that I grew up in compared to those of my students. How do our skills, personalities and world views compare and differ? How will my experiences assist me in teaching them?
mindwork: state your ethics
I'm still thinking about this...
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